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Draft Day '25
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The boys recap all the latest NFL news now that the dust has settled from the draft and took a look at the rest of the sports world.
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Transcript
Post-NFL Draft Day Podcast Kickoff
00:00:15
Speaker
What is up, Goal Line listeners? We are back with our post-NFL draft day edition of the Goal Line. We're going to catch up on the last couple weeks of NFL moves along with some talk from around the sports world.
00:00:27
Speaker
Just to kind of get you guys up to speed on what's going on here, it's 8.50 Central Time on Tuesday evening as we're hitting record. And we just delayed starting because we were watching the end of game two of the Pacers and
Cavs' Game Loss and Emotional Impact
00:00:39
Speaker
Cavs. And we got to see Jordan's beloved Cleveland Cavaliers blow a seven point lead with a minute to go to lose on a last second three pointer to the Pacers. So with that in mind, I got a feeling my man's going to be in rare form tonight. And I'm going to turn it over to him now. at Jordan, what's going on, man? How you doing? Yeah, I'm glad we could start with that. That was real exciting. Thanks for bringing it up or just moments after it happened. Sure. Glad we could talk about it.
00:01:04
Speaker
Well, I think, you know, I think your angst is going to be, you know, audibly palpable for the listeners out there. So I didn't, you know, wanted to at least know where it was coming from, man. ah So you just saw your Cavs, your number one seed in the Eastern Conference, drop the first two games at home to the
Cavs' Struggles Due to Missing Players
00:01:19
Speaker
Pacers.
00:01:19
Speaker
Donovan Mitchell's a little bit banged up. What what do you think, dude? Do they got, do they got somewhere they can dig deep and get back into this man? Or is the, is the clock approaching midnight on the Cavs? Awesome season they've had so far. I mean, they didn't have the defensive player of the year playing tonight, which is one starter, and they didn't have an all-star point guard playing, which the second starter. So, no, this is what I expected to happen tonight. But, of course, in true fucking Jordan Wells sports fandom, it just has to happen like that.
00:01:49
Speaker
The Pacers outscored the Cavs. In addition to outscoring them in the final minute, they actually outscored them 36-21. Yeah.
00:01:57
Speaker
um in that fourth quarter, man. And yeah, the it was, yeah go check out the highlights if you haven't yet. Just go just YouTube highlights, Pacers, Cavs, game two. It was, I, to be fair, I didn't even tune in into the last 30
Jordan's Trip to Nebraska
00:02:10
Speaker
seconds. And even that was enough to see that it was an absolutely epic collapse by the, by the Cavs, man.
00:02:15
Speaker
But what else been going on? George, first time we've had you on since you were out here in Tennessee, dude. have Have you adjusted back to life in Nebraska after four days here in the ah the Deep South? Well, I highly doubt that people even knew I was in Tennessee because, I mean, we didn't we recorded like two or three weeks before I was in Tennessee.
00:02:31
Speaker
No, a month before. Like we recorded. Well, we got a lot of crossover, though. Remember, we did our WrestleMania preview with you on the show. yeah ah Yeah, Nebraska life is Nebraska life. I mean, not much has changed. It's just normal Nebraska life. So, yeah, everything's good.
00:02:46
Speaker
It's recital week, so he's got two recitals this week. And, yeah, it's just busy life, man. Nice, man. Yeah, we're we're putting the bow on soccer season and getting ready for football to start up here before you know it, man. So we're excited for that.
00:03:00
Speaker
I don't know. That's kind of it for housekeeping, man. You ready to get into it? Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go.
Titans' Drafting Decisions and Concerns
00:03:10
Speaker
All right, let's just go right into it. your Your Titans pick number one, and they drafted Cam Ward. Thoughts? You know, I'm on record, man. I've i've not been the highest Cam Ward guy. I've been trying to sell myself on it, man. I've watched probably six or seven different highlight videos of him at Miami and at Washington State.
00:03:29
Speaker
um You know, one thing to kind of be hopeful on is he's been super productive everywhere he's been. I don't think that he's obviously he's not a bad quarterback, but I just felt like he was not quite worthy of cashing in that chip.
00:03:41
Speaker
Number one, picking the draft on man. But obviously it's what's done is done. They made the call and I'm rooting for him to succeed, man. I hope nothing but the best, but mark me down as a skeptical. I'd love to be wrong. And I'd love to be here in November with you clowning me for being so down on this pick.
00:03:56
Speaker
um But I just don't really see it, dude. And you know me, man, I i can find the good in just about any quarterback out there. I'm a, I'm a, I'm a QB lover, dude. Uh, I just don't see this guy as being that that level of a player at the at the NFL level.
00:04:09
Speaker
What do you think, man? What's your take on Cam Ward?
00:04:14
Speaker
Dude, I don't want to be all like doom and gloom on your team, but I mean, of all situations for him to go to, I just... I mean, dude, what is there for him to succeed with? I just... Yeah, the Titans feel... They feel directionless right now, dude. They're not, like, straight-up worst team in the league. It just feels like... they I mean, obviously, they had the worst record last year, right? But I don't feel like that's kind of the level there. I think they're kind of just, like...
00:04:39
Speaker
Low-level team going nowhere. You know what i mean? It's just – there's not – they're not like a bad team where you can kind of like see over the horizon what's coming up. It's just – to me, there's just nothing there right now, man. It feels like they had that window with Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill and stuff, and since it closed, man, it doesn't feel like Cam Ward's going to be the guy to create a new you know championship window for them.
00:04:59
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I think Cam Ward has the potential to be really good. and But again, like i said, just that team is... Yeah, they're just... They're no... Yeah, they have no direction. The signings that they keep making are just bizarre. They overpaid that lineman from Pittsburgh, and he's not even that great. i just... I mean, and I know they're going to have to overpay people to get people to go to Tennessee, but...
Titans' Identity Crisis and Strategy
00:05:26
Speaker
I don't know, man. It just it seems like so they have no idea what they're doing or no idea what they're trying to do. like What's their identity going to be next year? i mean They signed Tony Pollard, and yeah, he was good last year, but I mean i just don't know. they they Obviously, Burks was a miss on a receiver.
00:05:45
Speaker
i mean, i don't... Ridley has been bad, dude. Ridley was bad. as this so they They paid big money to him, man. They let A.J. Brown go out the door to give a big money contract to Calvin Ridley two seasons after. He probably could have got A.J. Brown from me a little bit more than what they ended up paying for freaking Calvin Ridley. Who did they just sign? They signed...
00:06:04
Speaker
what receiver did they sign from the Bengals? I can't even think of his an Oh, Tyler Boyd. Yeah, Tyler Boyd. I mean, that's not moving. It's it's scattershot signings, dude. It's not like an exciting dynamic coaching staff that you're like, okay, yeah, these guys are going to make the most of they're getting.
00:06:19
Speaker
It's just random, dude. It's it's like you're playing a franchise mode on Madden. You don't have really any salary cap room, so you're just like grasping at straws on trying to make moves that aren't really. they i just feel like their team is kind of just chasing their own tail.
00:06:31
Speaker
in in circles it's going to in a five and twelve or 6-11 type season, man. I mean, the only good thing is is it's – if If they really turn down a trade offer from the Giants and the Giants were going to give them their first round pick next year, i think that is a massive mistake. I mean, i I've seen people talk about it online, but I've i've yet to see anyone with actual sources confirm it.
00:06:56
Speaker
But if that's an actual thing and they turn that down and Cam Ward is not as good as what they're hoping, that's going to go down as a monumental mistake because the Giants are going to be bad next year and having their first round pick next year along with your own.
00:07:11
Speaker
I just, I don't know, man. I just don't know where the Titans are going at this point. I think Cam Ward has potential to be good, but that supporting cast is just, I don't think it's enough to make him what he needs to be. Unfortunately, i he's think he's going to be running for his life.
00:07:27
Speaker
there was some added pressure to take the swing now on cam ward and just hope for the best because you know, they got that big shiny new stadium opening in 20, 27 projected date now. And you don't want to have, um, you know, you don't want to have, uh, uh, just a going nowhere team open that up. You want, you want to have a nice, exciting, flashy team when you're opening that up one, just for, just for the vibes and two more importantly for selling those expensive PSLs and season tickets and stuff. And it's yeah a lot harder to do if you're rolling a loser into there. Um,
00:07:57
Speaker
So think some added pressure to try to get an exciting young quarterback. And, you know, obviously you're you're hoping you catch lightning in a bottle like the commanders did, but the commanders had a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. Jaden Daniels was was kind of like just the cheery on top for all the other good stuff that they had happening that led to that gigantic turnaround last year. It was a whole lot of other stuff besides just drafting him. He was almost kind of like the final piece of the equation.
00:08:18
Speaker
Yeah. So i don't know, man. Like I said, I hope I'm proved wrong and they know something that we're not seeing, but I'm i'm very, very skeptical on Cam Ward being the number one pick. Yeah. I mean, time will tell, but it's just, ah like I said, I'm not as skeptical about Cam Ward as you are. I'm just more skeptical about the rest of their roster. So, I mean, incomplete as of right now, I wouldn't give it an A by any means, but we'll see what he does. I mean, I just, I feel like he's going running for his life and he's going no one there to save him. So.
00:08:49
Speaker
Yeah. what What you think about what Titans did? We just talked about the Titans. You mean the Falcons? I mean, Falcons, c yeah. I loved it, man. I just, for something that, I mean, dude, you obviously remember this as a Falcons fan. Like, for something that the entire fan base was in unison over that the pass rush has not been good enough since...
00:09:10
Speaker
I don't know. Outside that one Vic Beasley season during the Super Bowl, like ever since John Abraham, they've had zero pass rush and going out and getting. Well, first of all, Jalen Walker dropping to 15. I did not expect to happen. And I don't think the Falcons did either steal. so Because when they were taking so long to draft, because i mean it went under a minute, I'm like, what the fuck are they doing? Are they trying to trade out of this?
00:09:35
Speaker
I just don't think that they – they said they scouted him twice but didn't think he'd make it past nine. And then when he was sitting there at 15, I mean, they had no choice what but to take him.
00:09:45
Speaker
Because the rumor was at 15 they were taking James Pierce. like that That was who they had settled. And then he ended up dropping to them but when they traded back in at 25, right? 26, So yeah that was the rumor all along is that's who they wanted to take at 15 and they were locked in on taking him.
00:10:01
Speaker
I know a lot of people have things say about James Pierce. He's good, man. for bre and I'll be honest, there there was stuff that came up on him. It never came up until after the season, man. After the season, there were some rumblings. You know, I follow the balls football close.
00:10:13
Speaker
I never heard anything bad about him. it was stuff that came out after the season and during the combine. So, yeah that could yeah you know, stuff like that, man. That could have been like one assistant coach that he rubbed the wrong way that said something to a reporter. And then, like you know, the he tells two people, he tells two people. Next thing you know, this guy's got issues, man. It never...
00:10:31
Speaker
Never came up during the season last year. Dude's absolute stud, man. he's got the The production could kind of be hit or miss, man, but as far as the measurables go, like dude is an absolute beast, man. He's like the kind of player you would create up on Madden. So you know if you can coach him up, I think he's going to be really, really productive for them. On NCAA 25, dude, I have a 20-sack season with that guy, man, on Heisman Difficulties. Yeah, he's he is really good.
00:10:53
Speaker
was surprised they made the move, honestly. And they there was a lot of people that were questioning it about trading a first-round pick next year. And I just – I'll never – I mean, unless you're, like, really bad and you're trading up to, like, mid-20s and you know you're going to really bad next year and the potential has to be a top-five pick, like, I get that.
00:11:12
Speaker
Dude, if the Falcons have a top-ten pick last year some or next year, something went really wrong. Like – Michael Penix had to have gone down or I just, and you can't play for that. Like you have to play to the top potential of your team. And I mean, arguably like the outside of the Eagles, the commanders and the lions, like what what are you looking at in the NFC where you're like, Oh man, what a terrifying road ahead. I'm just, just being honest, like what outside of those three teams and who knows what the commanders do. Like lot of times quarterbacks have a soft Yeah, they get a sophomore slump. Yeah, those are definitely the three top teams. You kind of got the the the Rams and the Bucs kind of leading up the second tier. But it's it's like you mentioned, it it's a big drop off between those so those top few teams and the next tier down. The Niners are in rebuilding mode. So that's one of the one the powerhouses from the last few seasons. You don't got to worry about like, yeah.
00:12:01
Speaker
The other thing, man, going back to that move, dude, if you really if they believe that Penix is the guy, you got to go all out these next couple of years while he's still on that rookie contract, man. That's such a freaking cheat code for building your roster. If you got a guy performing at you know at the a top level on that rookie QB deal, dude, it's such a a market value.
00:12:20
Speaker
Look at what the what the commanders are doing. you know They went out and trade for Laramie Tunsil, man, to try to go all in to capitalize on this little window they got while Jaden Daniels was still on that rookie deal. Yeah. I don't think it's a bad move, man.
00:12:31
Speaker
Yeah, and then they they pick up an Omaha boy, Xavier Watts, in the third round, the safety from Notre Dame. I don't know how you dropped that for, and I seriously was just sitting there because usually when I watch the draft, the Falcons never draft who I want them to draft. I'm just, like, sitting there. It's like...
00:12:48
Speaker
This dude fell all the way here, and they apparently had really good draft meetings with him and stuff. And it's like, it would be such a Falcons move to not pick him. that Just, oh, well, we're we're not going to pick him even though he's sitting there. and They get him. I mean, dude, he's like bat everybody always compares him to Jesse Bates, which...
00:13:07
Speaker
if you're going be compared to a safety, there's a lot worse safety just to be compared to at this point in the game than Jesse Bates. So, I mean, if he's anything like him and he's a ball hawking safety, like the Falcons address the defense, which is the one thing that everybody kept saying, man, this team just never addresses the defense. They always are just so enamored with offensive players.
00:13:27
Speaker
Well, you can't say that now because they went all in on defense in this draft and they fixed two really big problem areas. And yeah, man, I'm, I'm happy with their draft. Like, I thought they killed it this year. I mean, usually I'm extremely skeptical on everybody the Falcons draft. I mean, dude, look back. When they drafted Bijan, I was like, really? This is the guy you're picking right now?
00:13:49
Speaker
I mean, i think we can put that one to rest now. When they got to Penix. Yeah, and then they got Penix last year, and I was like, well, this is a terrible idea. i just, I mean, usually I'm extremely skeptical, so it's weird to feel good about what the Falcons are doing in drafting. so Yeah. um Yeah. So, yeah, I was very happy with it.
00:14:09
Speaker
um Let's talk about ah our post draft power rankings. I just want to do like a one through five, um just overall, not conference related. Just kind of give me your thoughts on where you think everybody's at now that we're post free agency and post draft.
00:14:24
Speaker
I got the Chiefs back number one, man. I think the Eagles lost a lot of talent on defense this year. um So I think the Chiefs back up there. You think about the Chiefs like, yeah, it felt it. It season ended
Top-Ranked Teams: Chiefs and Eagles
00:14:36
Speaker
really shitty, right? Getting their ass kicked in the Super Bowl, but they still went 15 and two.
00:14:39
Speaker
with pretty much without their top two receivers all year. You know, Rasheed Rice went down and was gone for a huge chunk. He was leading a league in catches before he got hurt and went out for the season. And then you had Hollywood Brown, who I think he played two games last year before he went out with that chest injury. So, you know, Xavier Worley came on as a really strong weapon.
00:14:56
Speaker
um I think you add those two back with Mahomes to Mahomes. I think the new haircut is going to supercharge him. So I kind of got the Chiefs as a narrow number one over the Eagles, just based off of those receivers coming back and based off some of the talent that they – that the Eagles lost on defense. After that, I kind of, know, it's chalk, man, but I'm kind of going Bills, Ravens, and Lions, dude. Like, I know that's super chalk, but I didn't really see anybody um kind of jumping up and making massive improvements via the draft or that little window of free agency right before the draft. If if you want to put the commanders up there, I could buy that. Like i said, they added Laramie Tunsil, which is a big deal.
00:15:31
Speaker
But for me, ah yeah, I'm going Chiefs, Eagles, Bills, Ravens, Lions for my my top five right now. What did the Eagles lose on defense? ah They lost Brandon Graham. One second, man. They lost Brandon Graham and one of their other edges. They lost Slay.
00:15:48
Speaker
Yeah, they lost Slay. So they lost Brandon Graham. ah They lost Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. And then of their other – they lost their defense tackle, Milton Williams, another guy in their rotation. So, mean, that's five players that got significant playing time on that defense last year that are gone.
00:16:03
Speaker
I mean, it's the Eagles, so I'm sure they'll reload. But like I said, I just i still got them as a narrow number two behind Casey. Yeah, I think the Eagles are far and away the best team in the league. i don't even think it's close on who number two is. I think it's the Eagles in a huge gap, honestly.
00:16:17
Speaker
I think the Eagles' defense is going to be better this year. Dude, they drafted three really good players in the draft. They got the best linebacker in the draft, which linebacker play has been their shittiest part of their team the last couple years outside of Zach Bond last year. They got Ty Robinson in the middle.
00:16:34
Speaker
And then their their safety – they drafted a safety out of Texas, and then they've got Cooper DeGene and then Quinion Mitchell back. Like, at corner, I think this team is better this year, honestly, and their offensive line is only going to get better this year. Like, I don't know. I think the Eagles are way better.
00:16:51
Speaker
Two, I'd probably go – I'd go Ravens. I feel like the Ravens had a really good draft. um Dude, if that team doesn't do it this year, i just –
00:17:03
Speaker
some point you have to do something different if you if you can't if you just keep losing these second or the um divisional round games like
Ravens' Playoff Expectations
00:17:13
Speaker
they have to get past they have to at least go to the championship game this year i think um chiefs are three i mean they have mahomes so you're never counting that team out i felt like they drafted that offensive lineman but i Chiefs are weird, man. They didn't do a whole lot in free agency, which... It was a pretty quiet offseason. Like I said, I was basing mine just on the two top receivers coming back, dude. I think that's going to be a big deal, man.
00:17:37
Speaker
I don't think Rasheed Rice is going to be right, though, dude. I mean, dude, he got... His knee got messed up bad. Usually, fast receivers are never right after a knee injury, so I just... I have my doubts whether or not he's the same.
00:17:50
Speaker
Um... And then just like you, I'd go in any order, Bills, Lions at four and five. I just I think that's the cream of the crop in the NFL is those five teams. Yeah. I mean, I don't even think anybody's like really even nipping at the heels of those five teams. Like put the commanders there, man. I kind of put the commanders up there and then maybe the Rams to step back from them. But you keep waiting for.
00:18:11
Speaker
ah you know, the dust to find another hourglass on Matt Stafford, man. He's kind of, he's kind of, he's dueling with father time right now with the stuff he's doing. and So I'd probably go like commanders Rams and maybe throw in the Packers is like the next group of contenders down.
00:18:26
Speaker
What are your dude? my My thoughts on one of the biggest things that i came out of the draft for me, I thought the Bengals were like a draft away from being really good on defense.
00:18:40
Speaker
I don't know what the hell they were doing in the draft. They they overdrafted every single person that they picked. They pick They picked an edge rusher that had four and a half sacks in his entire college career. I just don't understand what they're doing. It's like that team just like wants to self-sabotage itself for some reason. I think they're going to run it back about like
Bengals' Draft Strategy Questions
00:19:01
Speaker
last year. I expect the defense to be slightly improved just because it can't possibly worse be worse than it was last year. And offense keep doing their thing, man. But I think the Bengals are going to have a very similar season to what they had last year, at least looking at how things stand right now. I just, I don't understand the moves that they're making. i mean, I got, we talked about it before I understood why they locked up chase and T Higgins for a long time with Joe Burrow, but to the rest of that team is just average or below average at best is the problem. And can you really win with just three stars? Like I just, I don't know, man. I, me, it feels like a pretty kind of chalky offseason, man. like I don't think there's a whole lot of splashy moves with the teams at the top. I think they kind of just did a little bit of reloading and adjusting and stuff, man. I think the the one X-Factor team, I would say, is the Vikings, right? Because we don't know what we're going to have with J.J. McCarthy. He was getting rave reviews coming out of there last summer.
00:19:54
Speaker
And we know what that team looked like. They kicked you know they kicked all kinds of ass with Sam Darnold. I think if J.J. McCarthy comes in and is like the truth, they could end up being one of the best teams in the league. But Who knows, man? they they they To me, the Vikings could be anywhere from fourteen and three to freaking 7-10 this season just because he's such an X factor at QB.
00:20:13
Speaker
Yeah, that's another team I just can't get a read on at all. I mean, they have tons of talent, obviously, but... We don't know what they're going have at the most important position, man. Yeah. I don't think that paying Sam Darnold max money was the was the ideal situation for them.
00:20:29
Speaker
No. But... You spent, what was it? It JJ McCarthy, what the eighth pick or 11th pick, something like that. He was a high first round draft pick, man. So yeah, you got to see what you got in him. And I don't think Sam Darnold kind shows us. We have Sam Darnold's a good quarterback.
00:20:42
Speaker
I think you definitely got a ceiling, right? Like there's, I think when things go bad, it can go bad really quickly for, if you get a QB like Sam Darnold in there. ah And this roster is loaded down, man. Like they got a bad-ass team that that is built to win a Superbowl. If they can, if they can put all the pieces together. Yeah. It's going be interesting.
00:20:59
Speaker
Um,
Browns' Quarterback Room Decisions
00:21:01
Speaker
Let's talk about some teams that I literally have no idea what they're doing because we didn't go full deep in the draft, but the quarterback situations in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York Giants.
00:21:14
Speaker
What are these teams doing? i but Let's just start with Cleveland. They have six quarterbacks. Well, so obviously everybody knows they drafted Dylan Gabriel and Shadour Sanders, whatever.
00:21:27
Speaker
why What are they doing though? Like they signed Joe Flacco to be their starter. They're giving him starter money. So everyone's just assuming that's what's going to happen. But then you just drafted two quarterbacks.
00:21:37
Speaker
They have Kenny Pickett. Like, I don't even know how to even, oh, and they still have Deshaun Watson. How am I forgetting that? Yeah. I mean, what i if yeah, it's the Browns, so we should expect nothing but the worst possible outcome with everything they do.
00:21:54
Speaker
But holy shit, what are you doing at this point? i mean, they can't just let Watson go, so I guess you can't rule out the fact that he could still be the starting quarterback. I guess, I don't know why I was ruling that out, like Joe Flacco's guaranteed to start, but...
00:22:09
Speaker
I just don't understand what this team is doing. You already know who's going to start, bro. Shadour Sanders will be week one standards. I will bet money with you right now Shadour Sanders. He's going to be the week one. He's the best out of that group. Bro, if your family's life was on the line, you had pick one those five guys to play QB. I'd pick none of them. I'd pick none of them. That's who I would pick. pick none I'd tell straight up. I would pick Shadour Sanders confident. Yeah, but you love Shadour Sanders. Like, that doesn't mean anything. What's not love? He's been great everywhere he's been.
00:22:35
Speaker
how great is quite the stretch there buddy one where is he not being one he broke all the college football games at colorado look at the look at the individual stats dude so you're telling me they just gifted him the johnny unitas award last season yes i am telling you that they gifted him that oh my gosh okay i do not understand the shador sanders level i'll never get it the though he was awesome in high school he went to jackson state did awesome there he went to colorado and did awesome show me hold on what and What has he won at any level that gives him? So we're going back to that. We're going back to the QB wins thing, man. Like, um look at his production. That's what I'm saying, man. Look at his production. Here's what I'm going to tell you. Here's what I'm to tell you.
00:23:13
Speaker
Me and you have talked about this numerous times, and you've said it on this show. Shit-ass Nebraska had that dude crying off the field. He was literally in tears and walked off the field before the game's even over. Like, dude, if you're telling me that that's what you're building your franchise around is a dude that gets beat up at poor ass Nebraska.
00:23:31
Speaker
I'm sorry. After that game, I was off Shador Sanders for the rest of the season. I think he could have literally went out there and thrown for 8000 yards and I was off Shador Sanders after that game. Like. there's There's no defending what happened in that game. Just no defending at all. That's one bad game, bro. Like, dude can still ball. think it was the week right after that he went out and tossed us a Hail Mary to freaking send the game to overtime, man. It sure is impressive watching him just light up big 12 defenses that don't play defense. like it just This is a Colorado team that went from one in eleven to 9-4 in two years, man. like i get and To me, the the wins thing is whatever. I'm looking at his individual performance, man, and –
00:24:09
Speaker
He's good, dude. Like i said, the stats don't lie, man. you don say yeah the You know, the other team didn't like lay down say, here, we're going let you light us up because you're Deion's son. um I just did. I i think he i think he his draft thing, he was a victim of not being good enough to overcome all the noise around him, dude. In the day, it was the same thing as like Tebow and like Kaepernick. Like, yeah, they're better than some of the players who are getting opportunities ahead of them, but they're not good enough to make it worthwhile dealing with All the headache, don't want to deal with Dion chirping about your coach at the, you know, after Colorado's games and stuff in the press conference. I think that's where he fell at and got to a horrible situation being with freaking the Browns, man. That's the worst place he could end up at. But I think he's going end up starting this year, man. I will be surprised if he's not starting week one.
00:24:50
Speaker
And I'd definitely say he ends up starting the most games for the Browns this season. Dude, I'm still not rolling out the fact that the Browns still roll out Deshaun Watson. i don't I don't even know why I was rolling that out at first anyway, because it's the Browns, dude. like Nothing that they can do from here on out would ever surprise me. it just I have no idea why Miles Garrett, outside of getting paid $50 million dollars a year, would ever stay with that franchise. like i just yeah i'll say the oneny day I'll say the same thing about the Falcons. I've just i've never understood why people would stay there. Julio and Matt Ryan played basically their entire career in Atlanta and
00:25:29
Speaker
I mean, in their defense, the Falcons were generally winning when they were there, man. i mean but Yeah, they were winning, but like, dude, after that Super Bowl, if I was those two guys, i would have bailed immediately, especially Matt Ryan after the way he got blamed after that Super Bowl. Like, i would have been out of there in a heartbeat.
00:25:44
Speaker
I just, I don't get it, man. Just bad franchises do bad things. And I don't think this is going to be any different, but I agree with you. He's not good enough to overcome all the Dion noise and you know exactly what's going to happen. i mean, you are, you can put it in, in writing right now, whoever starts week one, which I don't think it'll be Shador. I think it'll be one of the other guys.
00:26:05
Speaker
Dion Sanders is cutting a press conference after the Colorado game the next week and ah about Shador. And I think that's the exact reason why he fell. I'm not saying he's a horrible quarterback. That's not what I'm saying at all. i just There's just too much surrounding him, and he hasn't been coached by any other coach other than his dad since middle school. So I think that's another problem. um don't know, man. We'll see. I have my doubts, especially with him going to that organization and just the way they run the ship around there. i just Worst case scenario. Because i always like I didn't look at him as he's going to come in and be the next time. bra say I look at him as...
00:26:41
Speaker
I think he's very pro ready, man. I think he's like low ceiling, high floor type of quarterback, man. And come in like almost almost like a Tyrod Taylor type guy, like somebody at that level. That that's kind of where I see you were shaking out at. And, you know, that's not a bad place to be. I think Tyrod Taylor's have been a damn good quarterback in the NFL.
00:26:57
Speaker
um But yeah, man, we'll. ah We'll see what happens, dude. Like I said, I think the Browns got a bargain, man. The dude's definitely better than being the one hundred and forty fourth pick in the draft, at least off his ability.
00:27:07
Speaker
We'll see how it shakes out. Like i said, it's the Browns, so I'm sure it's going to end up being a hot mess. That wasn't fair to him at all, getting dropped that far. and I don't know, dude. There's just so much surrounding him. It's just like he built a draft room.
00:27:22
Speaker
Like, dude, like, why do you have to bring attention to yourself that way? I just I've dude, me and you have talked about this numerous times. ah The flashy shit is whatever it is with with every player. I've i've never had TV. I've just never enjoyed that.
00:27:39
Speaker
Dude, when your QB is doing that shit, it's just... i don't know, man. that That's how you tank a franchise is by doing shit like that. and just I'm interested to see what happens here, especially with like the his look his brother following him around and stuff with the
Browns' Media Concerns with Deion Sanders Jr.
00:27:53
Speaker
camera. like i find it really hard to believe that an NFL organization is going to let them do that. I just...
00:28:00
Speaker
And I mean, that was one of the biggest things of why they went to Colorado, dude. Everything was on film at all times. Like the camera was always running. And I mean, what do you think? Do you think a NFL? I mean, out of all of them, the Browns would probably be the one that would be like, oh, who cares? It's not going to damage our locker room.
00:28:16
Speaker
But, I mean, like, if you're a competent NFL franchise, do you you think you're going to let Deion Sanders Jr. come into your locker room and just film Shadour the entire time that they're in the locker room? I just – I don't see a way that that works. If Shadour was better, yes, dude. Like I said, he falls into no man's land, dude, because he's good. That's the reason why he fell so far is because he's good.
00:28:35
Speaker
He's just not good enough to deal with that, dude. Like I said like Aaron Rodgers, right? Aaron Rodgers is – he's damn near – a pariah at this point as well, right? Like he freaking, you know, with all his various mumbo jumbo he spits out there, dude.
00:28:49
Speaker
he's ah He's about the equivalent, but he's still Aaron Rodgers. He's got a proven track record. He's good enough where people are going sign him. i always said the same thing when when Kaepernick was having his deal, dude, and there were people like, oh, NFL is just being racist. I was like, no, dude. If he was if it was Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady was kneeling for the national anthem, their ass would still be out there.
00:29:04
Speaker
Every Sunday, teams would be lined up to sign him. But Kaepernick kind of fell in that area where he's not quite good enough to deal with it. Same thing with Tebow, man. you know People didn't want to deal with all the attention Tebow brings on him And for Shador, man, like if he was a a true blue, no doubt first round grade, I think teams would have took him, man. But he's kind of borderline. And so then he starts to slide. And then you start to think like, again, you get in that no man's land where it's like, dude, do we really want to waste a second round pick on this guy who may or may not work out? And or we could just take this dude who we know is going to be a decent role player and we're not going to have to deal with any distractions. because the NFL, dude, they do not want distractions, man. It's damn near like the military. They want you to fall in line, be a nameless, faceless drone and go out there ball out. Yeah.
00:29:43
Speaker
So, yeah, I just – don't know, man. I think he just did himself a disservice. I think he probably had bad people in his ear telling him, like, oh, no, you're a lock, bro. You're going top 10. Don't worry about it. When really, I think he was probably graded out somewhere, borderline first-round talent, and then all the rest of the distractions around him just caused him to drop.
00:29:59
Speaker
Yeah. I do feel bad for him just – I just think there's too much like stuff that surrounds him that's just not attractive to an NFL franchise. and Like i said, i'm I'm not saying the kid's not talented. i just There's just a lot of things about just everything, they the way they did everything at Colorado and just him being coached by his dad the entire way up. like I get it, dude. I get it. That's like your lifelong dream for it to happen, but I don't know, dude. there's day If he goes out and drops 300 yards and the Browns win the first game, the shit talking that Dion is going to is going to be legendary, man.
00:30:37
Speaker
I mean, got to get through camp first. like He's making the team, bro. I'm telling you. Dude, look at those – dude, I've seen Dylan Gabriel play, man. Like, you cannot – dude, i would I would take half of Shador Sanders if I took Dylan Gabriel starting on my team. Bro. joe You can tell me Joe Flacco is going to beat him out. Sure. I think Joe Flacco could still ball, right? Old Grandpa still got him.
00:30:57
Speaker
Deshaun Watson is making the team no matter what, bro. Deshaun Watson will be on the team. Who knows what his health is going to be like. maybe maybe he And you can only have two QBs active on game day. like thats That's my exact point right there is what you just said.
00:31:10
Speaker
Deshaun Watson is going on the active roster. He's getting paid $65 million. They're not just going to let him sit on the – You could have him inactive, dude. I mean, they could have – the only reason they're not – they would release him now if it wasn't for the dead cap, dude. But the dead cap is going to be there.
00:31:23
Speaker
He's in that contract you have him on the roster and where he's active game day or not. You could pay and that money just to have him. be I'm just asking you, how do you think that the fan base is going to react? Cause they drafted Gabriel in the second round, right? Or the beginning of the third round too. How do you think the fan base is going to react if you're like a week before, before the season starts? Oh, by the way, we're releasing our third round pick who we valued higher than the other quarterbacks in the draft. Like,
00:31:47
Speaker
I mean, it's the Browns, dude. There's just no damage control. That would be the most Browns move ever. I mean, I think you could probably trade Dylan Gabriel instead of outright releasing him. It'd still be little horrible. But the the the fans in Cleveland, i' I'm sure they're rooting for Shador to start, man. I guarantee you he's sold the most jerseys so far, man. like there's And if they if they do start Flacco and he's struggling, dude, the fans ain't going to be chanting, Dylan, Dylan. They're going to want to see freaking Shador get in there, man. This is like the most insane thing ever, though, that we're talking about this this way because they literally drafted two quarterbacks as they already have four
Speculation on Browns' Season Outcome
00:32:20
Speaker
on the roster. like
00:32:21
Speaker
Just think if they still Jameis. That's the only thing missing for this equation, man. Oh, God. Be the most entertaining QB room of all time. I still think the Browns are going be horrible. Probably they definitely got a good shot at being, I'd probably throw down a chip on them for being the worst team in the league.
00:32:36
Speaker
If I had to make a pick right now for this next season, but that QB situation is going to be very interesting to shake out. da If you, my heart is telling me Shador is going starting week one, man. If you told me I got to bet the the mortgage payment on it, I i think Flacco is QB one and Shador is QB two for week one.
00:32:52
Speaker
what what what's what's your What's your one and two, man, for the QB position for the Browns opening week? open and week i just I just don't think the Browns care about their fans, just the way they've ran the franchise. I'm going to say Watson and Flacco are one and two. i just No way. um i not think watson I don't think Watson dresses for a game this Dude, I'm...
00:33:12
Speaker
It's the Browns, dude. They literally mortgage their entire future to take on Massage Watson. like I know, but they've we've already seen – dude, they just drafted two quarterbacks, and they signed Joe Flacco to a big deal. Clearly, they don't give a fuck about Deshaun Watson, dude. I think the only reason he's there is because the the dead cap would be so much. They may still just say, fuck and release him. They may pull ah do what the Broncos did.
00:33:33
Speaker
and just cut bait. The money's already spent, dude, so why not just hurry up and take you take your medicine and get over it? I don't think the Browns are going to – I don't think it's going to be the difference on them going to the Super Bowl or not if they get this dead cap hit the next couple years.
00:33:44
Speaker
If it wasn't the Browns, if it was any other team, out would 100% agree with you that he's not going to be suiting up, but did it as the Browns and the Browns do brown things. Like, the Browns is going to brown. That's that's why – Give us something to talk about, man, because we got – it's going to – it's going to interesting no november matter how it shakes out, dude, because who' there's – they got a fifth QB on the roster too, right?
00:34:03
Speaker
Yeah, think they have somebody else. Oh, yeah, yeah. So you got Pickett, Watson, Shador, Dylan Gabriel, fla and Joe Flacco. Yeah, so that's going to be very fun, keeping up with what that depth chart looks like through camp. Because any of those guys can get traded, right? At Pickett, you probably just get cut. I don't know what trade value. I don't know what trade value. Pickett or Watson, either one have trade value. I'd say one, I think there's a realistic shot. Either Shador or Gabriel get traded.
00:34:29
Speaker
in the preseason which everyone doesn't pan out which nobody but typically people wouldn't sweat it if you traded a fifth round draft pick in camp but trading a uh a third round draft pick that's tough to swallow because to me it's any any pick in the top to three that should be a guy that ends up starting for your team yeah the gabriel pick was weird anyways even outside of the chador situation i don't i don't remember anybody having gabriel as a a top three round draft pick, man.
00:34:53
Speaker
Next thing, like it came out of nowhere. Yeah. That was when I was like, they did that. And I'm like, okay, okay. So they're clearly not, they don't want the Shador thing in town. Like I, whatever it is, what it is. But the fact that they drafted him after drafting guilt, Dylan Gabriel is just mind boggling to me.
00:35:11
Speaker
don't know, man. All right, let's move on to the next quarterback room. Let's talk about the giants. Yeah. all Russell Wilson, Jameis, and Jackson Dart. like Who do you think starts this season? I did i don't know they're going to Probably Russell Wilson because he's the safe pick, man.
00:35:29
Speaker
I don't know. the i I do not know why they spend a first-round pick on Jackson Dart, dude. That's... Just criminal, man. the de i see ni I watched two whole Ole Miss games last year.
00:35:41
Speaker
is horrible, bro. I saw Kentucky beat him, and I saw Florida beat him, which you know maybe I shouldn't judge him off the two games he lost. But, dude, that Florida game, i saw I saw a dude throw an interception, cry about it on the sidelines, like real tears, right? Real tears after throwing an interception. Call gets overturned.
00:35:55
Speaker
Right? After review, Muffer goes back in and throws another interception, dude. and That was enough for me to see, like, yeah, this that he's he is not him. He's not good, dude. I just... I don't know what the Giants are doing. Like, they're clearly...
00:36:10
Speaker
I mean, they clearly are just grasping at straws and hoping one of these quarterbacks work out. I think we've seen the last half of last season, Russ was not good, man. It just, the wheels fell off really fast on Russell Wilson at the end of that season. Yeah.
00:36:27
Speaker
I don't know, man. I love Jameis Winston. I would love to see Jameis Winston lead the Giants. but i mean how We know what Jameis is at this point. yeah ands he's come to be He's good to come and give you a spark, but he's not a long-term starter, man. He just ain't. And how long can you sit your first-round pick behind a journeyman quarterback and Russell Wilson at this point in his career?
00:36:48
Speaker
the other thing is, dude, Brian Davao, that 2022 season seems a long way in the rear view at this point, man. like He needs some success. or That seed's going to be getting very, very hot for him this year. Yeah.
Giants' and Steelers' Quarterback Situations
00:37:00
Speaker
Speaking of his career rides on how their QB situation plays out this, uh, or his, his job anyways, not his whole career, but I would say his job is dependent on how this QB situation plays out this, uh, this season. Another, another quarterback room that what the hell is going on is the Steelers.
00:37:20
Speaker
well I think they already got the idea that Aaron Rodgers coming in, man. All the moves that they're making, dude, the lack of any sort of a you know QB movement, which I think – didn't they end up drafting somebody late in the draft?
00:37:32
Speaker
I think they did. Yeah, they got Will Howard. Yeah. but So as of right now, their quarterback room is Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and Will Howard. Everything I'm seeing from them, man, leads me to believe that they – whether he you know threw up the freaking peyote smoke signal or something, they know that Aaron Rodgers is signing – But he's just not wanting to be in the building until, you know, I'll wanting to bet a week before training camp. We see that Aaron Rodgers signs with him and comes in, which i don't know how well that's going to be. i will say if you watch the games, Aaron Rodgers played pretty damn good the last month of last season. We don't know who knows if he was just, you know, smoking some good stuff or if he got all the way back from that Achilles injury.
00:38:08
Speaker
But he looked pretty dang good that last month with the Jets. He steamed. And the Steelers are loaded, man. they they are They are loaded up everywhere except the QB position. So if he comes in and is, you know, a B-minus version of the Aaron Rodgers of old, I think they could be good. But the dude's so far out there, i think there's I don't think it's a safe bet. I think it's a risk worth taking if you're the Steelers because at this point there's no better option.
00:38:30
Speaker
um But um it's it's far from a lock that we're gonna sign Aaron Rodgers and we're guaranteed a deep playoff run. That's the problem, man. Like, yeah, he did play well the second half of last year, but that post-game interview in week 17 or week 18, whatever, he just sounded like a guy that just was kind of defeated and was just kind of done playing football. I mean, yeah to go from...
00:38:53
Speaker
A situation like you had in Green Bay where it was stable, like they had a good coach. They always seem to make the right moves outside of drafting a wide receiver in the first round, which they somehow decided to make a joke and do that this year for unknown reasons.
00:39:09
Speaker
that that organization was just so stable. And then you go to the Jets, which the most unstable work environment you could possibly ever have. Like, there's just, there's nothing about that team that's like, oh, well, we're we're settled and we're driving down the same path. Everybody's going the same way. Like, dude, I feel like everybody in that organization is trying to take that team in a different direction.
00:39:33
Speaker
ah Yeah, they're horrible. I'd say it's them and the Panthers probably the two worst run teams in the league. Yeah, I'd probably, if I was putting money on it, I'd say Rodgers won. I'd say Kirk Cousins, too, is probably two best bets for their starting quarterback next year. Kirk could be okay. It would be another year removed from his big Achilles injury. Who would the Falcons' backup be if they deal Kirk Cousins? Well, they already picked up Easton Stick, so I'm assuming they're just, which he's not good. Believe me, I know he's- You're a Easton Stick fan. No, no, no, no, no. You said he had some confidence, dude. No, no, no.
00:40:02
Speaker
No, I'm just saying, why would they pick up another quarterback if they've already got Kirk Cousins? Like, obviously, they're planning on trading him. I just... Yeah. And if if it's them doing right by him because Kirk Cousins doesn't want to be a backup, I'm fine with it, man. Like, the eight games of Kirk Cousins beginning last season was a ride I'll never forget.
00:40:20
Speaker
But the the last five was also a ride I'll never forget. Like, I just... It was short-lived Kirk Cousins era. It was so incredible how fast it just went to shit. like it He looked awesome. and primetime you know Primetime Kirk, that was the the thing for the longest, right? like Don't let him play at night, man. but he he was all Primetime Kirk was awesome in Atlanta.
00:40:43
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we'll always have that Tampa Bay game on Thursday night when you threw for 500 yards on. Yeah, you guys beat the Eagles, dude. Damn near beat the Chiefs. Like, dude, you think about that. The Falcons beat the Eagles last year and probably should have beat the Chiefs. Back to back weeks.
00:40:58
Speaker
Yeah. And missed the playoffs yeah also and also lost week 18 to the Panthers. And and and lost week 17 to the commanders and one overtime. Yeah. henry re and the One of the more entertaining games of the season last year.
00:41:11
Speaker
Again, my point of dude, why would the Falcons not trade a pick for next year at this point? Like you just mentioned three games that they barely lose. They went toe to toe with the heavyweights. They win any of those games. They make the playoffs. It's just, yeah I don't know Yeah.
00:41:25
Speaker
it's It's crazy to me. But yeah, I would say either Rodgers or Kirk Cousins is probably your starting quarterback of the Steelers on week one. Because if they start any of those guys that are in the quarterback room now, that fan base is going to mutiny against that team.
00:41:39
Speaker
yeah i mean Like when Bain tore down the field? Yeah. ah Okay, that's it for the quarterback rooms. Let's talk about next week is the schedule release for the NFL next Wednesday, which is like, I mean, basically now it's become like a national holiday for people because people start planning out their fall and where they're going and stuff.
NFL Schedule Release Excitement
00:41:58
Speaker
So we already know the Eagles will play opening night. the Everything I've looked at says everybody thinks they're going to play the Lions or Commanders. I'm going to go Lions just because I highly doubt we're starting with a division rival game on week one on a Thursday night of the NFL. So I think they end up playing the Lions, but I'm always excited for schedule release night because – Dude, it is. It kind of gets you – it's like that that gap between the draft and then the training camp starting.
00:42:26
Speaker
The schedule release always gets you all jacked because you're planning out where you're going to go. and Chart out what all primetime games your team's going have. You got your eye on any game going to try to make it to this year? um So we're going to – we're probably not going to go to a Falcons game, but we're we're just – oh we'll We'll see how everything works out, but we're going to try to go to Buffalo this year because it's the last year in that stadium, and I at least want to see one game at that stadium before they tear it down. so I think that's our plan right now is to go to a Buffalo game, but don't know, dude.
00:42:55
Speaker
Plans change during the season. We'll see how it all shakes out, but go... surprisingly enough going to buffalo in because we want to go to a cold weather game uh going to buffalo during the cold weather season extremely cheap which i did not know so you can get an airbnb for like six people uh friday through monday for like 600 bucks you're mad man dude why i mean dude if i'm getting the experience i want the full experience i want to dig my seat out and everything Hell no, dude. that i as long i If it's in December or after, it's very iffy. As long as it's prior to December, me and our mutual friend Hawk are most likely going to the Titans and Colts game again in Nashville like we did last year. And then and I may or may not go to another game, but that's probably definitely the one I'm going to.
00:43:39
Speaker
I mean, you did go to a Packers game in Lambeau when it was freezing cold not that long ago. True, but that was Titans Thursday night football. So that was a little bit. I wouldn't have gone to a rando, man. But it was fun, dude. Lambeau was fun, man. I definitely recommend that for any ah any football fans there. I mean, dude, it's Bill's Mafia in winter. Like, dude, they'll be leaping off trucks on a table. Are you going to jump through a flaming table? Oh, I mean, if it's freezing cold, why not? There'll be eight feet of snow on the ground, I'm sure.
00:44:06
Speaker
um Okay, that's it for NFL news. I did want to hit on a little bit more from the sports world. um One of these, Seth, is going to have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm talking about, so I'll carry that one on my own.
00:44:19
Speaker
um and NBA playoffs. Dude, for the most part, it's been absolutely phenomenal. Yeah, the Cavs are breaking my heart right now, which... Make your prediction, dude. Do they come back and win this series, man, or are they cooked?
00:44:32
Speaker
I mean, if Garland doesn't play, there's zero chance the Cavs can win this series. Make a call. I don't want hear no ifs. I want to know what happens. Do the Cavs make the conference finals or are they going fishing early? They're going fishing. Right. um the The playoffs have been absolutely outstanding, though. First round was really good.
00:44:48
Speaker
um i know we have the the advantage of knowing who's obviously in the conference in my finals. And we didn't really to talk about and NBA playoffs too much. The last time we talked as of the teams that are left right now, who do you think is going to win it all?
00:45:04
Speaker
It's a super boring pick, but I think it's going to be a matchup for the last two champs. I think the Nuggets are going to beat the Celtics, man. i know that the Nuggets are thin right now. they really They're basically playing with like a six-man rotation, but, dude, they're battle-tested, and Jokic is so damn good. you like what what I think his stat led the night was something like 44 and 21 rebounds, along with six assists, and and it would just seemed like a routine game. It wasn't even like ah you know this generational performance. It was just kind of something he does, man. Yeah. 42, 22 and six. Like, yeah, dude, nuts, man. Like, dude's just a freaking cyborg out there, man.
00:45:38
Speaker
Um, I think they're okay. See, they looked a little wide eyed, man. They got, they, they, they seem, you know, like the moment got a little bit big for them. They made their coach made some tactical errors going down the stretch. Me and Jordan was talking about it before we get on here. You know, coaching's played a little bit more 2k. He'd know how to handle those situations.
00:45:53
Speaker
Um, the Warriors and T-Wolves, T-Wolves are still great. Anthony Edwards, he may, he probably has the absolute highest ceiling of any individual players left right now. Like if he just straight up goes nuclear, he can take over any game on his own.
00:46:07
Speaker
But I don't know if he could do that for a full series against either the Thunder or the Nuggets, whoever comes out on the side. I expect the Timberwolves to drop the Warriors, but I think they come up short against either the Nuggets or the Thunder, however that one shakes out.
00:46:19
Speaker
Um, And I just, i don't know. I think the Nuggets are going on. Again, I know they're they're kind of limited, right? They don't have very much depth. But yo i just, dude, I believe in Jokic, man. So I think Nuggets make it out of West. The East is a little bit more shaky, man. I do think, this i know the Celtics dropped game one.
00:46:33
Speaker
um But i the Knicks kind of have some health concerns. I think the Celtics end up getting past the Knicks. and And I think they'll handle either of the Cavs or the Pacers, whoever comes out of the other series. So I think we see Celtics and Nuggets, and and Nuggets win a hard-fought series to get Jokic's second ring.
00:46:48
Speaker
Were you surprised at all with how easily Minnesota took down the Lakers? Oh yeah, definitely, dude. It's like LeBron got old all of a sudden. Austin Reeves had a horrible series, which I've seen a lot of people saying like, oh, they got to trade Austin Reeves, get better number three. To me, that would be that would be pretty foolish, man. i mean, dude, obviously you want to maximize what LeBron's got left, but dude, Austin Reeves is still a really, really good player. he's just He's just young, man. He's still super young. I think it'd be bad to you know cut the bit cut bait on him after one bad series. Yeah.
00:47:20
Speaker
But yeah, the Lakers, they they just, they looked slow, man. They looked really slow. That series, it just, it was, they just looked outgunned, man. they looked old that They looked old and slow. We know Luka's not the most athletic guy anyways, and it seemed like the T-Ball just ran him off the freaking court, man.
00:47:34
Speaker
Dude, ah that was one thing I was going to mention. Nobody overvalues assets and then undervalues them more than Lakers fans every season. Like, It's absolutely incredible to me to me that like before the playoffs started, everybody's like, oh, dude, Austin Reeves is a nails number three player.
00:47:53
Speaker
He's so good. And then that series gets over, they're like, trade Austin Reeves. And they're like, we could get anybody in the NBA for Austin Reeves. I'm like, Jesus, he's not that good. Holy shit. like Yeah, I think he's a great number three. That's where he's at. They're like, oh, I bet the Suns would take him straight up for Durant. And I'm like, are you guys on drugs? Like, do you even hear what you're saying? Right. He's good. He's not that good. No, he's not. He's a good number three.
00:48:17
Speaker
Dude, I think it was a blessing disguise when that Don't Connect trade got turned off to him. And i think Don't Connect could end up developing into a hell of a player for them as well. They need a big man bad, though. That's going to be always their issue. um Speaking of NBA playoffs, so it ah there's a minute and 17 seconds left in this Warriors-Minnesota game in the second quarter.
00:48:36
Speaker
And the score is Golden State 40, Minnesota 28. So I said second quarter, like halftime's a minute away, and the the Wolves have 28 points. And they just announced Steph Curry's done for the game.
00:48:49
Speaker
Damn, what happened to Steph? Hurt his hamstring.
00:48:54
Speaker
So not good. The Warriors are at 12 right now. They're up 14 now. They just said two free throws. I got a feeling T-Wolves end up winning in this game. Yeah. Second half is going to be bad without Steph. um um I'm going to go Celtics.
00:49:08
Speaker
I know it's boring, but they're just such a deep team. And They're good. and um i think the T-Wolves do get out of the West, honestly. Dude, if Denver makes it through, i think if they beat the Thunder, which I think is there's a good chance, I think that goes seven games.
00:49:25
Speaker
I don't mean the Nuggets have played 14 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs. I just think they wear out, man. Like i just they got like like we said, they got a really short rotation also, man. The Thunder are deep. The Thunder are the exact opposite. They can just keep throwing fresh athletic bodies.
00:49:40
Speaker
Thunder and T-Wolves would be a crazy entertaining series. Dude, that's like perfection for like young basketball fans. Because, I mean, you got Shea and then you got Ant. Like two of the best. Chet Holmgren.
00:49:53
Speaker
Yeah, I mean – Dude, the craziest thing about the Thunder to me, and there's just so many people that write them off so quick. I'm not saying you are. I'm just like in general, how many people write them off. Like, dude, they still got like seven first round picks left from all those trades that they made. And that team is already that loaded. Yeah.
00:50:11
Speaker
Sam Presti's a damn good GM, man. Yeah, he won Executive of the Year again today. Like, he should win it every year. I mean... They're definitely one of those teams kind of like with, like, the Niners of, like, the last, you know, five years. Really, Niners of the last, like, 12 years, Dave. You kind of go back to the Alex Smith-Kaepernick era or, like, you know, what the Bills could end up being with this Josh Smith. Like, all-time lost rings team, right? Like, a team that was in the mix for so long, dude. So, going back to the... You know, they dipped a little bit after Durant left, but...
00:50:37
Speaker
they've really been in the mix, man, since 2010 at this point, dude, and never come away with the ring. Only made one finals trip, man. if It feels, feels like they should have had a ring or two by now. Yeah, dude. It's, it's crazy. The amount of talent they've drafted. I mean, seriously, on one team, they had Russ Durant, Harden and Serge Ibaka. Like they drafted all four of those guys. And,
00:50:59
Speaker
so summer Those four and then Thabo Cephalosha, dude. That was an awesome starting five, dude. Thabo was a good D and three guy, man, to go with those four. like To me, it was the the the mortal sin that they had was trading off Harden. They could have waited at least another year to trade James Harden. They picked Sturridge over Harden, which was a gigantic mistake.
00:51:19
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. At the time, you know, that to me, i think that's a little bit hindsight's 20-20. At the time, i didn't think it was horrible because Serge Ibaka did. He seemed like he was going to be really, really good for a long time. But seemed his peak lasted like one or two seasons. He fell off hard.
00:51:34
Speaker
And obviously, we know what James Harden went on to do. James Harden went on to be statistically one of the best players in the NBA has ever seen. um Just keep him away from a Game 7 in the playoffs. Oh, love that. That poor guy, dude. He's never beaten those allegations. It's clinical at this point. The only way he's ever getting off that is if there's a Game 7 in the finals and he drops like 70 points. like Yeah, I need to see him put up a 50-burger in a Game 7 before I could forgive all his Game 7 sins, man.
00:51:58
Speaker
A couple of those years, the later – or not the later Warriors because, you know, they want to ring in 2022. But, like, that 18 and 19 season, man, the Rockets were the better team, dude. But they just – when it came to nut-cutting time in the playoffs, the Warriors always had their number. and James Harden always came up short, man.
00:52:14
Speaker
um But, yeah, dude, that 2000 – trading James Harden before that 2012-2013 season was just criminal, man. I feel like that was really their time, dude, to – to kind of kind of grab a ring, dude. Who knows, man? That's that's like an all-time basketball, like sliding doors, what if moment, man. If they get a ring, I'm not sure KD ever leaves, you know, because he seemed like he was really happy at OKC, but they just kept getting thumped by the Warriors in the playoffs.
00:52:39
Speaker
Yeah, it is crazy to think about how much talent that team had at one point and just never got through. But yeah, it's crazy, man. I love talking NBA and I love when we get on this because I know you're not as big into it anymore, but it's just... I still keep up with it, though. I don't i don't watch as much NBA as I like to, but like I listen to like the Ringer NBA show like a couple episodes every week and i always I kind of follow the NBA like through Twitter. he knowed mean like i kind of you know and I kind of generally keep the pulse on what's happening in the league, even though I'm not watching games as much as I was maybe 10 years or so ago.
00:53:12
Speaker
All right, let's move on to a sport that you have absolutely no idea what I'm going to talk about. We'll talk about NHL playoffs. for if so jordan Jordan texted me the format. I told him, and I said, if you told me that the and NHL had moved to a model where it's all AI digital avatars doing the games, I would not be able to tell you for a fact that you were wrong.
00:53:31
Speaker
Like it's Mike Medano still playing. No, no, he's not playing. Neither is Gordon. I had like a two year run when the stars were good in the mid nineties. I had a run where like I was locked in on NHL, like Stanley cup playoffs, but it It faded pretty you quick. Dude, it's and it's so good, too. like The NHL playoffs are just must-watch television.
00:53:50
Speaker
I mean, that Stars and Avalanche game on Sunday night was like probably one of the best hockey games I've watched in a long time. I mean, it it was unreal. um So I'm just going to go through the final eight teams, and I'm just going to tell you I think is going go to the finals and who's going to win.
00:54:06
Speaker
So you have the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers in one series. the Maple Leafs are up 1-0. You have the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes won tonight. They're up 1-0.
00:54:18
Speaker
Winnipeg Jets and the Dallas Stars, that starts tomorrow night. And then you have the Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers who are playing right now. Before the postseason started, I picked Florida and Dallas to go to the Stanley Cup Finals and Dallas to win. I'm just going to stick with it just because that's what I took before the playoffs started.
00:54:38
Speaker
ah just I feel like those are the best two teams. I know you have nothing to add to this, but yeah, and NHL playoffs is awesome. If you don't watch it, dude, even if you don't care about just watch like ah the third period of like a really big game and just yeah tell me it's not kind of exciting.
00:54:55
Speaker
Yeah, mean, I'm flipping through and see it on, I'll definitely stop and watch for a little bit. But I just, dude, I've fallen so far out. I couldn't tell you what makes a good hockey player. Who's this? Who's that? Like, Ovechkin broke the goals record this year, right? Was that, like, the big thing that happened? I think Ovechkin. Is Sidney Crosby still playing? Yeah, Crosby is still in the NHL. And he's still playing well.
00:55:14
Speaker
but yeah i know I think Crosby and Ovechkin, that's probably the only two hockey players I could name, dude. Yeah, that would probably, i'm trying to think of anybody else that I could think of that you might not know. That'll be it.
00:55:26
Speaker
Yeah. All right, dude. and We got anything else we're ready to hit listener mail? Let's hit some listener mail. All right, man. So first off, we got Zach Hurtser. Did any picks shock you this draft? To me, dude, Jackson Dart going to the first. Obviously, when the Giants traded back up to that 20, these are 25 or 26, or when they traded back up to that spot, of everybody's thinking like okay, here goes Shador.
00:55:45
Speaker
And then you hear Jackson Dart's name get called, man. That was that was pretty stunning, man. So i I would say Jackson Dart was probably my biggest shocker pick. Um...
00:55:56
Speaker
I would probably go the Cowboys drafting a guard at 12. I have no idea what they were thinking. like it just i know They need always do the most uninspired move. Whatever's the most uninspired boy move is to do what the Cowboys do. All the Cowboys fans are like, okay, we need a receiver. We need some kind of exciting ah offensive weapon. then they draft a guard and it's like...
00:56:16
Speaker
Okay, I get it, but it's like dude was rated as like the 60th best player in this draft, and you drafted him at 12. Yeah, it's kind of wild. Like, if you've been an NFL fan as long as we have, the way the Cowboys have changed. Because like 20 years ago, the Cowboys were known for always reaching to make like the flashy move, right? Like doing, you know, going out and signing freaking T.O., man. Like making this the flashy splash moves, trying to win the headlines bows in the offseason.
00:56:41
Speaker
It almost never worked out. And it seems like they've shifted all the way in the opposite direction that they've They were like straight meat and potatoes with their draft picks nowadays. Yeah, it's it's crazy. All right. now Sam Rose thought it was, why do you think you see less star players traded during the draft and mostly just draft pick trades?
00:56:57
Speaker
don't know. It is kind of few and far between when we see star players traded during the draft as opposed to NBA. It feels like you always got a little bit more more action on draft night in NBA. Now, A.J. Brown was traded on draft night um you know back in 2011.
00:57:11
Speaker
23. I'm trying to think of another high-profile player that got traded during the draft prior to that. I mean, it's been a while. Randy Moss was traded way back in the 2007 NFL draft, but that wasn't even a big deal. That was a day two trade.
00:57:24
Speaker
And I want to say the Patriots sent a fourth round pick to the Raiders for for Randy Moss. But yeah, it's just the NFL is not as big on trades, man. They're really not as compared to their leagues. I think that's because um so much of the NFL is revolved around learning the playbook, right? I just don't think players are as drag and drop as easily as they are in the and NBA and and even baseball. I think that's why you see trades is a little bit less prevalent in the NFL. Yeah.
00:57:47
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree with that. It's just, I don't know. And maybe it's just me, but there's just the days of trading like a ah first rounder for a star player. It just, I mean, dude, seriously, when's the last time that you remember like just a straight up huge trade outside of Matt Stafford? That's the last, that's what about to say.
00:58:07
Speaker
That's the last one that I can remember where like a team was dumping multiple first round picks to trade for somebody. I mean, it's pretty rare at this point. um what did How much did the Chiefs get for Tyreek Hill when he got traded, man?
00:58:20
Speaker
they yeah That was at least one first-round pick, so you're right. It wasn't like break the bank. That was probably the last. Because, yeah, A.J. Brown, he was obviously that was a big trade. But like you know he kind of knew he he already had one foot out the door when that trade happened, man. it's the yeah the Trades in the NFL, it's just just not a trade-friendly league the way some of the other leagues are.
00:58:38
Speaker
Well, yeah, it's contracts, man. That's the biggest thing is contracts is you got to find a way to fit it in your team. And if you're not trading a player for a player, it makes it a lot more difficult. i'll so Which team do you feel had the best overall draft, man?
00:58:53
Speaker
Um...
00:58:56
Speaker
To me, there's nobody that really stuck out head and shoulders, man. I feel like you could literally pick the Ravens and Eagles every year because they always just draft best player available and it makes their draft look so stacked. So I'd go with the Eagles. I felt like the Eagles killed it this year in the draft.
00:59:12
Speaker
Yeah, Eagles did good. Patriots got a lot of good players, man. Dude, we didn't talk about them at all. I absolutely love what Vrabel is doing with that team, man. He's stacking the offensive and defensive lines.
00:59:25
Speaker
I still worry a little bit about their offensive playmakers. like Getting Diggs was good for them, but just like what do you he got hurt last year. like i just I don't know, man. I i don't love their offensive weapons. Yeah, they they're not really got Drake mixed around with weapons, but maybe you know maybe they got a three-year plan for it, dude.
00:59:41
Speaker
I thought the Browns had a decent draft, man. They got Mason Graham, that stud of a defensive tackle, fifth pick. I think Quincyon Judkins could really be a big-time playmaker at running back with with Nick Chubb out of the picture now.
00:59:52
Speaker
Dylan Sampson
NFL Draft Highlights and Critiques
00:59:53
Speaker
is damn good. They got Dylan Sampson in the fourth round, dude. He broke the ball's rushing record, man. We know some of the running backs that they've had at that school over the years. And then they got Shadour fifth round, dude. Like I said, Shadour could end up being an all-time value pick, man, if he hits. Who who knows, man? It's, you know...
01:00:06
Speaker
we had and he added it Sam had another question, Dave, about Shador. What's more likely? He starts week one it gets cut by week four. That's on the table also. I think i think anything is in the realm of possibility for Shador. He could be rookie of the year or he could get cut before the season starts and not get picked up by anybody else. But either way, there's a there's potential that that ends up being a tremendous value pick from the fifth round.
01:00:25
Speaker
Yeah, definitely the potential's there, just whether or not it all pans out and what happens with it. I kind of liked what the Raiders did, too. You can definitely tell it's a Pete Carroll team now. like yeah I love Ashton Gentry. I thought that was a home run pick for their their first pick under Pete Carroll. I mean, they're going to need to run the ball, and that's Pete Carroll style, and Ashton Jettie can hammer the ball. So like, I liked what they did too, man. This has been, this was an interesting draft, especially with a lot of the new head coaches. Like you could definitely tell Vrabel's building his team and Carol's building his team in Vegas. Like it's kind of exciting to watch, man.
01:01:02
Speaker
Alex Eubank says, which wrestling faction would you compare the Browns QB room to? Hmm. Let's see. What's the worst possible? I'd say the social outcasts. You remember those guys, uh, Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, and, uh,
01:01:16
Speaker
Was it Adam Rose, the guy that was the the party guy? no They were a gimmick. Yeah, that wasn't good. Liga Nation bad. ah i think Social Outcast. You got Shador, who's you know all sizzle, no steak. You got the pervert with Deshaun Watson. You got Papaw Flacco.
01:01:32
Speaker
You got freaking Dylan Gabriel, who doesn't even know. you know wasn' he he wasn't even by the phone whenever they called, told him he was getting drafted in the third round. They've definitely got Kenny Pickett. They've got the tiniest hands in the NFL. They got dungeon of doom vibes too. like Like the union. I mean, they got, they got, what was the name of the faction that was in, in 2020, man, during the pandemic that they were like taking over the show, but then they just got their asses kicked all the time. The retribution. Yeah. Yeah. get retrobu yo go That fits perfectly.
Future NFL Draft Locations
01:02:03
Speaker
Tony Barker, pick a location for the draft to be held in the future. The problem is, dude, they've already done the two best cities with Nashville and Vegas. Like, I just... It but it was Green Bay this year, right?
01:02:15
Speaker
That was cool. I mean, it looked cool. They did Detroit last year. They're doing D.C. They did Kansas City or kans maybe Kansas City's next year. I don't remember. Yeah. you gotta figure eventually they're gonna go to l LA. Like that's probably the next one I would imagine. Yeah.
01:02:32
Speaker
Probably go back to Nashville when the new stadium opens. New Orleans. Have they done New Orleans yet? Nope. Dude, I'm not gonna lie. I missed the New York draft when it was in the Radio City Music Hall. I loved that, man.
01:02:44
Speaker
I just, I know they don't. I've never understood the folks that go to the draft, dude. Like, I guess it's cool just being surrounded by a ton of NFL fans and stuff, man. But like, I can never imagine just sitting there all day listening to the pigs getting called off. Bro, there was 200,000 people at opening night. My brother went when it was in Nashville, dude, and it was just insane, man. Like all Broadway, it was just packed shoulder to shoulder with people. I just, to me, don't know. I don't get it, man. But.
01:03:09
Speaker
It's definitely been a hit for the NFL since they started doing it. Look how much money they're making off of it. That's why they're doing it. Yeah.
Bears' and Cowboys' Future Prospects
01:03:15
Speaker
It says, how many times do the Bears need to win the offseason before they actually win on the field? I'm not super optimistic for the Bears this year. Do you have any kind of optimism? I have them squarely at the number four spot in the NFC North heading into the start of the season.
01:03:29
Speaker
Um... I think there's reasons to be optimistic, but I also think it it is the Bears in the end. And much like the Browns is the Browns, the Bears is the bre the Bears. just... i just They got the right head coach. Have you seen this side-by-side picture of Ben Johnson when he got hired as opposed to now?
01:03:48
Speaker
He looks like he aged like 25 years, dude. I like those pictures of like the president when they go into office and when they're like leaving office. Except that's over a four-year period. i just I think Caleb Williams is going to be really good in Ben Johnson's offense, but...
01:04:03
Speaker
I don't know, man. There's just always something with the Bears. It's like waiting for the other domino to drop. like What's going to happen that's going to completely derail this team? like yeah i There was so much hype going into last year, and I was one of the biggest Bears haters going into last year. I just did not see it.
01:04:19
Speaker
i I got what everybody saw on paper, and everything looked good. i just... I don't know. I wouldn't buy it either last year, man. I wasn't 100% sold on Caleb Williams. and He had some flashes last year, man, but I'm still, I'm i'm not sure if he's the guy either, dude.
01:04:34
Speaker
ah Definitely not the guy to get turned around in Chicago. So unfortunately, i think it's going to be another long winter for the Bears this year, Tony. I would agree. Last question. Mike Rivera says, did the Giants end up ahead of Dallas? I think no. I think just like the Bears, I kind of got the Giants squarely in last place in the in the NFC. So i think Commanders and Eagles are both going to be really dang good. I think I've kind of got Dallas penciling in for another slightly below mediocre season.
01:05:01
Speaker
And I think the giants are going to be right there in the mix with the number one pick in the draft next year, bro. Does Dallas just hate their fans or something? They've needed a number two receiver for like three years, just refuse to address it.
01:05:12
Speaker
They've needed a running back for three years. Just refuse to address it. Like Does Jerry Jones just like listen to what the fans say? And he's like, ah, you guys will be fine. We don't need any of these positions. I'm not sure what's going on there, man. You think, you know, not to be morbid, man, but father time's clicking on old Jerry bear, dude. do you think he would be really kind of pushing all the chips the middle of the table to make something happen? And, you know, from, I started this off season with hiring Brian Schottenheimer to be the head coach, which did he's a totally decent coach, but that's the absolute definition of like, we're fine. We're that, that when you make that higher,
01:05:44
Speaker
You're telling your team, your organization, you're telling your fan base that we are totally happy with the status quo. You know, we just don't want to rock the boat. We want to keep what we've had going going. And, you know, like I said, that means you're staring down the barrel of another, you know, seven and ten, eight and nine type seasons.
01:06:00
Speaker
I just I don't. or The problem is is, Jerry Jones is going to pass away and then Stephen Jones is going to take over. And I'm not convinced that's any better. Like I just I feel bad for Dallas fans. I do. i i just don't see it getting better. i I don't know what they can do to make the team better, the franchise better. It just, I mean, dude, they're paying Dak like $65 million dollars this year. He's the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. I,
01:06:32
Speaker
and I don't know, man. I think that should be your your sign that this is organization is not in a good place. like i just Dak is fine, but to be the number one paid quarterback is absolutely good. he ain't that good, especially with his – he's racking up quite the list of injuries his damn self, man. Yeah.
01:06:49
Speaker
I mean, if he was the 11th highest paid quarterback, I'd be like, hu okay, that kind of makes sense. But the highest paid quarterback, not good.
Podcast Conclusion and Future Episodes
01:06:58
Speaker
All right, man, that's a wrap for this episode of Goal Line. Here before you know it, man, we're going to roll into our divisional previews as we really get hyped up for the season. We're going to do basically eight preseason episodes and we're going to clear a division each day. And then the last episode for the season starts. We'll make our final predictions for the year before we get rolling into the standard goal line format, man. So this was a blast.
01:07:18
Speaker
ah Jordan hit us with some closing thoughts and we'll get out of here. Yeah, it was ah it was good to be back. And yeah, we'll talk to you guys in a couple weeks here.
01:07:50
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.