NFL Training Camp Takeaways for EVERY AFC Team

00:00:05
Speaker 1: Welcome to NFL Daily, where we're getting back together for more than one weekend.

00:00:09
Speaker 2: We got a whole season to get through. I'm Greg Rosenthal.

00:00:13
Speaker 1: I am with my friend Nick Shook for the first time on a Sunday evening this preseason slash training camp window. We are going around the entire AFC today.

00:00:25
Speaker 2: Nick.

00:00:26
Speaker 1: I'm excited to do it with you, and I'm excited that you got your power back in. Yeah, the Cleveland area.

00:00:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's nice to have my power on. We'll touch and go there for a few hours today. But we're happy to be back. We're happy to be what appears to be stable, and we're ready to get in some football news.

00:00:40
Speaker 2: I mean, let's let's get it together.

00:00:43
Speaker 1: Cleveland Power Grid first, Entergy like you're not giving America, like, you know, getting downgraded to second World country again.

00:00:50
Speaker 3: I mean, there's a reason they lost the naming rights to the Brown Stadium.

00:00:53
Speaker 2: Ooh ooh. We will get to the Browns.

00:00:56
Speaker 1: We will get to every AFC team, Like I mentioned, that's gonna be the drill the next two Sundays, we're gonna split up the an AFC and NFC so you feel like you know, the entire league will do the NFC Takeaways on Tuesday this week because we're going to Rams camp on Monday. So let's get it going, and let's start with the AFC West. I'll start here Shook because we got a big contract on Sunday and Rayshawn Slater, the left tackle who was holding out without saying he was holding out, just had a minor injury that's suddenly gonna be fixed now that he signed a four year, one hundred and fourteen million dollar extension, ninety two million dollars guaranteed. Dang Man tackle money is now turning into quarterback money. That is the most guaranteed money ever, and it's basically because he's the next up.

00:01:46
Speaker 2: He was, you know, an All.

00:01:47
Speaker 1: Pro as a rookie and had a couple of years where he wasn't as healthy, but played excellent. A year ago, sixth lowest pressure rate in the entire NFL, seventh lowest sack rate. Those are both per next Gen staff and it is a reminder even though the weapons have him been great around Herbert like, you gotta feel pretty great about the coaching and the left tackle right now.

00:02:08
Speaker 3: Yeah, you definitely have to. I hope that they throw the ball more and take advantage of having a solid left tackle that's worth that kind of money. I think we've talked about this before. It seems as though their identity is going to be a run first team. They lose Mike Williams, so that's one less option a receiver. But it all starts in the trenches. And at anytime an offensive lineman who's worth that type of money gets paid warms my heart because that means that that team is focused on investing in the right places. We don't have to watch Justin Herbert deal with what CJ. Stroud dealt with last season with the Texans, So it's always a good place to start. And it's money that's well deserves and also money that's moving him right up the top of the old standings among tackles.

00:02:47
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it's tacked on to his fifth year option, so it depends on how you measure it, but in terms of the extent, and it's over twenty eight year a year, which is crazy. And back in the day, the Chargers used to be thought of similarly to how we talk about the Bengals now. There was always these contract issues. I mean, one of the reasons why Philip Rivers had to wait an extra couple of years to play because of Drew Brees, was because of contract issues like him holding out a training camp. So it's good they've taken care of their business lately. And yeah, their tackles are set for a while. Maybe the best group in the league certainly right up there with Joe Alt at right tackle. He had been cross training at left tackle while Slater was out, but now Slater we'll get back in. And you mentioned Mike Williams being gone, and I am buying into as we get into the notes for every team, I am buying a little bit into the Quentin Johnston hype, just like a little I am opening up the possibility in my mind because he's still a young player.

00:03:40
Speaker 2: I've never really believed in him.

00:03:41
Speaker 1: But day after day, Daniel Popper, who does a great job for the athletic is saying like this has been his camp. And remember they've been in camp much longer than every other team. They've been in pads now for four or five days, and stacking day after day after day. He has kind of been the very solid number two, clearly going to be their ex having a great camp, and they're gonna need him because after that it seems like a total question mark in terms of who's getting snaps. But I'm willing to buy in that a first round pick with some pedigree can get better in year three.

00:04:13
Speaker 2: Are you buying at all?

00:04:15
Speaker 3: Well, they have Lad McConaughey, which always makes me feel a little bit right.

00:04:19
Speaker 2: He's the clear one and it's supposedly uncoverable every day.

00:04:21
Speaker 3: No, yeah, I mean he's like a much better Yeah, he's good. He's very good. I was gonna compare him to a player that I didn't think deserved being compared to him. You know, I'm kind of on board with what you're saying because Quentin Johnson's first year was so bad that it felt like last year was more of what you would expect to see from a rookie receiver. He did look like he started to get his feet underneath him. So if there's going to be that typical year two breakout or year two leap forward, you know, remember the making the leap days, then year three is going to be it for Quentin Johnson. I saw enough in small spurts to make me think that it's within him. It's just a matter of consistency and dependability and that remains to be seen.

00:04:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, and we're gonna go over stories that aren't headline news, but it's one of my favorite things about this time of year is sifting through all the podcasts and the Twitter and Blue Sky and especially the written reports of like what we think matters, what does it? And one other thing that's You've been noticeable among the receivers there is like no one is really stepping up. Trey Harris, the rookie second round pick, has had a pretty quiet start to camp and it's kind of been buried in terms of the rotation. KeAndre Lambert Smith, who was a Day three pick, as flashed maybe a little bit more Darius.

00:05:31
Speaker 2: Davis, who's a return guy.

00:05:33
Speaker 1: They've actually had Jalen Rager with their first team most of the time, so it's not great. They kind of need Johnston to be that guy and we'll see if Trey Harris picks it up.

00:05:41
Speaker 2: But that's something to watch.

00:05:41
Speaker 1: Maybe a little bit of a slow start another rookie though there They have Aronde Gadsden junior at tight end.

00:05:48
Speaker 2: Just love the name.

00:05:49
Speaker 1: Second generation player who's been making some plays and there's an opportunity for him to get some snaps, so that's something to watch. Junior Colson has been stuck on the second team tracking that situation. And then I'll wrap the charges just with Naje Harris still on the NFI list. They told us it's not a big deal. The eye is not an issue. He's he is out there watching practice, but the more time he misses, I mean it's maybe it's not that huge of a deal, but he is not practiced yet in I think ten training camp practices.

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Speaker 3: So just something to watch, you know. And I would be more concerned about this if they started, well, I guess maybe I should be less concerned about it if they started with most of the other teams considering they've been in camp longer. But also they have a longer runway, so maybe they feel like it's not really worth pushing right now because they have a longer runway. Fair it is a strange issue, like this is not something that affects his feet or his arms, his hands, his quads, nothing, it's his eye, So I can't see right now. Together, Yeah, you hope it comes together.

00:06:49
Speaker 1: Okay, I know I'm gonna have to pick up the pace if we're doing all these teams, I thought. One of the other biggest stories of this entire week, It's one of the reasons I wanted to do AFC West.

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Speaker 2: First was Josh Simmons.

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Speaker 1: Josh Simmons, who fell to number thirty two in the draft, or number thirty one rather, has been the first team left tackle all week. Actually it was thirty two because the Chiefs traded down. I forgot about that weird one picks swap. He was first team left tackle all week, and their big free agent signing, Jalen Moore is over at right tackle now though you know, partly we thought because Juwan Taylor is out, he's their normal right tackle, one of the highest paid players at his position in the league.

00:07:27
Speaker 2: He's been out, but when.

00:07:28
Speaker 1: He returned Sunday, those two guys were battling and splitting at right tackle, Jalen Moore and Juwan Taylor. Meanwhile, the rookie is staying over there at left tackle. And this is one of those situations where it feels and we'll see. But like if every team knew this guy was healthy enough to start training camp for the defending World champions at left tackle in his rookie season, like he should be a New Orleans Saint or he should have gotten taken much earlier, and it'd be a great situation for the Chiefs where they have three really good options for two spots. It's probably Simmons at left tackle, and I don't think they're gonna bench Juwan Taylor, so it's probably Jalen Morris sliding in at left guard. And suddenly you're upgrading a bunch of spots, but you also have a really good swing tackle. Because you can't count on these guys to stay healthy, they'll all probably play no matter what. I just feel way better about the Chiefs offensive line than I did on that February Sunday where I saw Patrick Mahomes getting you know, railroaded.

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Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean when you say three really good options, I was like, is Juwan Taylor a really good option? Maybe not the money he's making, but we've talked about that already. And then you also have other options at guard with Kingsley Suamataia, who was a swinging miss at tackle last year. Have Mike Caliendo also involved in that competition as well. So it feels kind of like when the Eagles keep drafting Georgia players and drafting guys of value, you know in spots where you're like, how do we let them keep getting away with this? Except it's the Chiefs, except last year they swung and miss, so it feels like redemption. Obviously it's on paper this point. But you're right if people knew that Simmons was healthy, because we had talked about this right after the I think the combat and right after the draft, like what's the word on him? Well, he got hurt last year, so he's kind of an unknown if they realized he was as healthy as he is now because he's turning heads like today, for example, I was one of my nuggets, and you know the Back Together Weekend highlights from Sunday, which was Mike Dana talking highly of Josh Simmons saying he's a hell of an athlete with he's got a bright future. Sky's limit for him. And I've heard this over and over again from a number of different people. Even on the New Heights podcast Jason and Travis Kelsey were talking about it, and then too so Man talk about a big value get if he can stay healthy and be on the field and really answer a major question for them going into this year. So definitely something to keep track of, because, like you said, it's it's fascinating.

00:09:44
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:09:44
Speaker 1: We I did a podcast with me and a Chimes earlier this offseason about just players that can kind of make or break a team's season, you know, and if Josh Simmons is like a solid rookie left tackle even or even better than that, I look at them a little differently. A couple other little notes from the Chiefs from this week. You know, they're still just honking about we got to hit the longer passes. That's all they ever talk about. But for now, their top receivers are healthy. Rashi Rice is practicing, Mahomes really bigging up Xavier Worthy, Taekwon Thornton is playing a decent amount with their first team, which seems really crazy to me. Eddie Royle's their rookie, also reportedly had a good first week. Royals is getting a chance with the first team there too as well, because they're trying to figure out who's going to have that spot when Rashi Rice is presumably suspended. And then you know, another draft pick. I'm keeping an eye on a big guy in the middle, Omar Norman Lot getting some first team reps. Christian Fulton. Their their cornerback pickup has been out most of this week. Let's go to the Broncos. Probably the number one thing that stuck out to me shook was just Dray green Laws out there. I had to dig to find this one. I'm working hard, you know. I'm going into the dvn R like archives and stiff, like what's up with Drake Greenlaw because I haven't heard anything. But he's out there and they said he's moving well. And that's a great, you know, item to hear after the injuries that he had in the off season. Sometimes those offseason injuries are a harbinger of like total doom and sometimes they don't really matter, and so that that's great news for them. Both him and Talinea Hufanga, the two former forty nine ers players are out there and they are practicing. They did have an injury. Drew Sanders, who was coming back from an in achilles, was carted off on Saturday. We'll have to find out with him, but he's like a depth linebacker. I feel great about this defense just it just looks great on paper.

00:11:35
Speaker 3: Nick, Yeah, that was the point I was just gonna make is on paper, starting eleven looks really strong. I mean, if you go all the way from the front of the back. I love Zach Allen and Luden since he was a cardinal. You know what you get in John Franklin Myers, this linebacking corps, you know, with a three four defense. I mean Nick Benito had a great year last year. You know you have in Alex Singleton if green Law is healthy, and you know you haven't Jonathan Cooper, and then the secondary too. I mean, I love this entire group. If they're all healthy and can hit Week one healthy like this watch out. We could maybe a little hyperbolic, but we could be looking at a defense that reminds some Broncos fans of the No Fly Zone. Yeah defense.

00:12:09
Speaker 1: I think they could be the best defense in the league. I mean, that was a historic defense that would be next level for this but I think they're in the in the short list for the best defense in the league. Evan Ingram had a comment that was funny to me. He said, when he was with the Jaguars, he was always the first guy in the building and it was easy. But it's not easy to be the first guy in the building with the Broncos. It's just like a lot more hard workers there, so I thought.

00:12:32
Speaker 3: It was like the work itself is harder good showing up well.

00:12:36
Speaker 1: Also, just sometimes guys reveal a lot with like a little like that says something to me about the Jaguars. I know it's it's like trying to it's kind of showy. First guy, yeah, at the building, but I think he's saying like this is a different group, and who knows, maybe the culture's changed in Jacksonville. Now, I noticed Quinn Miners, they're all pro guard cut his dreadlocks, So shout out to Quinn minor.

00:12:59
Speaker 2: You know what he said.

00:12:59
Speaker 3: He said people were pulling them off during the y.

00:13:01
Speaker 2: That's not good.

00:13:02
Speaker 3: That that doesn't feel good. I'm sure I can't speak to that, as you can see if you're watching on YouTube. I have no hair, but I would imagine doesn't feel good.

00:13:09
Speaker 2: If you are watching.

00:13:10
Speaker 1: By the way, hit that, like hit that, Subscribe and tell me what you think of these new NFL network Tommy Bahama polos that I'm trying to shout out to minors too, like I'd have to do some research. Has to be one of the greatest white players ever with dreadlocks. I don't know who else would be on the list, but yeah, it's not a lot of people. Bo Nixt talked to the media and said that him and Drew Brees spend time together for a couple of days. Bow Next is on his way to proving a lot of people like me wrong. I do love that stuff when like the guy hangs out with the old guy that used to have the coach. We'll see see if it works. Let's wrap up the AFC West with the Raiders. Little fallout from that Christian Wilkins release, which we touched on on Friday's show. Josina Anderson on her website reported that there was an incident with a teammate that might have contributed to him being cut. It's interesting because Christian Wilkins in Miami was a man.

00:14:06
Speaker 2: Who people loved, people swore.

00:14:09
Speaker 1: By, but also would get in fights on the field and occasionally like in practice, like he was that guy, so that might have contributed to it. It really sounds like there's a legal battle coming between the Raiders and Wilkins in terms of money.

00:14:21
Speaker 2: Don't need to go deep on that there.

00:14:24
Speaker 1: I didn't have a lot of huge headlines from Raiders camp, but I don't know if if you do. I did like hearing Geno talk about brock Bauers, just saying, like, I feel bad every time I don't get brock Bauers the ball that like, I cannot give him the ball enough. So I think he's getting taken in the second round of fantasy drafts, and I'm all for that, Like, I don't think you.

00:14:44
Speaker 2: Can take train to high.

00:14:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, you were like leading the charge for brock Bowers pretty early. I mean we knew what he was coming out of Georgia, and I think he exceeded every expectation, which they were already very high when he came to the Raiders as a rookie. So yeah, I mean, tight end second round fantasy drafts pretty high. This is not a fantasy but that is pretty high. But if he's going to see the amount of targets he saw last year, why the hell not, especially if Gino's talking about him.

00:15:05
Speaker 2: Like that, right, I think it's gonna go up.

00:15:08
Speaker 1: Vinnie Boundsignori, who's a good reporter there, said, it's been pretty clear that there's a priority to get Michael Mayer involved. So he's the second tight end there, but he really might be the second or third receiver because the report out of practice from our friend to Sean Reid in the Athletic is it's Jacoby Myers, great chemistry with Gino and then who knows like it's a fun was the receiving corps last year, right, but you drafted a couple guys right now, He was saying, Jack Besh is not really standing out. He's trying to find a spot Trey Tucker, and they have easy matchups too when they're out there, So I think if you're thinking about their weapons, it's probably Bowers won by a lot, Jacoby Myers two by a decent amount, and then Michael Mayer and Ashton Jenny And actually that sounds like a good offense, but in terms of targets, you just might not see another why receiver getting a ton of guys at cornerback. By the way, Eric Stokes in Darien Porter have mostly been with the ones. Darien Porter is a rookie, so they're gonna throw those guys out there. Jacry and Bennett and Decameron Richardson are out there with the twos. Let's take a quick, relatively early break and go to the break actually listening to Max Crosby, because if someone just talks nicely about Gino Smith with their shirt off and are sitting right next to our friend Maurice Jones Drew, who we had a great fish lunch in Tokyo with. Then we're just gonna play it on the show. This is Max Crosby on NFL the Network. We'll be back after the break here.

00:16:44
Speaker 4: You know, we have a lot of guys that have been doubted throughout their careers, and Gino is one of them, you know what I mean. He's a guy that carries a big chip on his shoulder, and you see it with the way he approaches every single day. We're going to get after it. We're going to compete, you know. Me and Geno have our back and forth sometimes, you know, back and forth and get into it, and uh, he doesn't let it bring him down. He just see he continues to keep coming back and throwing punches back. And that's what you want in your quarterback, you know what I mean. It's such an important position and he needs somebody that could do it at a high level, not just on the field as a player, but also from a leadership perspective, and I think he definitely brings that every day.

00:17:21
Speaker 1: Back on NFL Daily, and we are going to hit some notes from the AFC North, and we're gonna actually take like a little halftime break and just update you on like the the biggest NFC news. I feel like it has to get into the show before we dive deep in terms of the notes on Tuesday's show SHOOKI why don't you get us going with these North teams and let's start. You choose where to start, wherever you want to start.

00:17:46
Speaker 3: Well, you know what, We're going to start in Pittsburgh because lay trobe Pennsylvania Latrobe for those who are not familiar, but those who are locals, say lay Trope really. Vinton College, yes, and know that the more you know. Saint Vincent College has long been home to the Steelers, and Aaron Rodgers was not expecting it to be as hot as it is, but he is settling in with the Steelers. He also, this is just like not to start with a quote, but I'm starting with a quote. He reacted to Terry Bradshaw telling him to go chew on some bark in California by saying, I'd love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he's open to it. Maybe we can go choose some bark or whatever the hell he's talking about, which I thought was funny. But on the field, Broderck Jones has got a lower body injury day to day. Kind of worries something for a left tackle. But it's still very early in camp. And back to Rodgers. The Steelers secondary, they are challenging him. Jalen Ramsey a new acquisition, recent acquisition. He gets to pick over the guy who was involved in that trade, his former teammate in Miami, John new Smith. He's been making plays there. So the vibe that I'm getting from this Steelers camp so far is that all of these moves that they made in the offseason seem to be coming together. And more than anything, that defense is looking really good in the secondary and they're causing someb misson for Rogers and the other quarterbacks. So this is a defense that didn't perform up to their standard last year or in recent years. I would be really interested this season to see if they bounce back and that becomes the backbone of them, especially with what they've did offensively.

00:19:13
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's always a catch Swinty two.

00:19:15
Speaker 1: If a defense is dominated, are you exciting that they look good or does the offense just look bad? It also defense tempts to be ahead this time of training camp. Also a caveat for everything here. This last week other than the Lions and the Chargers were there was the ramp up period, So it's it's kind of juiced up ota mini camp, not quote unquote real football practices. Everyone's putting the pads on Monday around the league, and so we don't want to draw huge conclusions. Just fun to get some of the nuggets and you can with with like where players are playing. And for instance, Roman Wilson has consistently been their wide receiver too. When they have two receivers on the field, Roman Wilson is the two next to Dka. So that's something that you can take a big takeaway from that shocked, but also that's like, okay, that confirmed maybe what we thought. Calvin Austin has kind of been the slot you mentioned, you know, Rogers and Ramsey. It sounds like two out of three of Rogers's days were pretty rough, and that Ramsey for the most part is like in the nickel when it's you know, in the slot when they're playing nickel defense and then when you only have four defensive backs on the field, which doesn't happen that often in twenty twenty five anyways. But he's playing a little safety, so you know, they're going to make sure they find a way to keep him on the field. And that's a change for him in terms of what he's done throughout his career. Let's get to your brownies.

00:20:35
Speaker 3: Come on, come on, all right, Well, we all know what they're talking about in Borea, which is the quarterback situation. There is some news that has become apparent. Can you Pickett dealing with the hamstring injuries? Expected to miss multiple practices that was supporting to Mary kaycabitat Cleveland dot com. A reevaluation set for some time next week. Anytime you hear anybody suffering a hamstring issue in camp, you get a little concern because those injuries can pop back up later. They have to be treated with extra caution because of the likelihood that they can be aggravated, which, by the way, aggravated, not reag aggravated. So what I think this does is actually makes this quarterback competition even more interesting because the distribution of reps has been the talk of the town through the first you know, four days or so of camp. How are they splitting them? And mostly it's been Picket getting the most, Dylan Gabriel right behind him or even with him, Chador slightly behind them, and then Flacco in last place, which makes sense. But if you look at it with Picket on the sideline, now it becomes a two rookie competition because you know what you have in Joe Flacco. So I think that's gonna be really intriguing this week, especially as they put the pads on. Who is going to be better, who's going to be worse opposite? You know, you just talked about when an offense is struggling, is it because the defense is good or because the offense is just bad or needs to get there? Like you said, defense is usually ahead. The Browns defense is very much ahead of the Browns offense so far, which is to be expected with this sort of quarterback competition that's going on right now. Andrew Barry said that he could see a scenari which they keep all four, which is interesting because you're sacrificing a roster spot somewhere else in order to keep all four. Again, it's early though, so we'll see. And you know what, because I have to give a shout to my Kent Date Golden Flashes Shador Sanders threw a touchdown pass to a former Golden Flash, Luke Flore who's in campus the Browns, and that just makes me happy.

00:22:19
Speaker 2: I mean, does he have a chance to make the team? No practice squad?

00:22:23
Speaker 5: No?

00:22:23
Speaker 3: Okay, no, probably not.

00:22:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, chadur has been basically with a third team until Saturday and then reportedly had a few good throws. Supposedly the offense has just gotten overwhelmed. So I reached out to our friend Andrew Siciliana, who's there every day and he's the Browns radio voice and he's there covering training camp, and yeah, he said the same thing. Defense has been ahead. The defensive line has has a chance to be really good. Like Mason Graham, the top ten pick has showed up there and he's ready to prove me wrong who doubted his pick and has had a nice week.

00:23:00
Speaker 2: But I think it did get a little loss in the shuffle.

00:23:03
Speaker 1: We might have mentioned it briefly, but Jordan Hicks retired, which you don't think is a huge deals kind of a journeyman, but he started most of their season last year. And then if you think about the difference. They lost Jeremiah Usu Corromoa, you know, this season because of injury, and then Jordan Hicks retires. That was supposed to be your two starting inside linebackers and now you lose them both. And maybe Carson Sweshener, who is like the rookie second round pick, top of the second round, like who hasn't played that much, is like has the green dot on offense, so you know, that could be a lot on him. Jerome Ford hasn't been out there. Andrew mentioned as well, but said Dylan Sampson, the rookies looked pretty good. But overall the vibe I buy Andrew Berry by the way, that you could keep four quarterbacks there, and let's not be too precious about a roster spot for the Browns. If they want to keep picking in Flacco, that's fine. I think it's obvious they're going to keep the two rookies. They're not going to try to clear them through waivers. That's my personal opinion.

00:24:00
Speaker 3: Yeah, the yeah, I would agree, but I think the green dot thing is what actually attracted my attention there. They did bring in Jerome Baker in the offseason. He's a local kid, so I could see that being a possibility for them, but yeah, it's it's kind of weird with this group now. I want to say I was on the Mason Graham train from the beginning. So if he does ball out, and again this is no pads, like, we can't really effectively judge a lot of the interior play right now without pads. Once those come on, if he starts to make a difference, I'm gonna be victory lap in that.

00:24:29
Speaker 5: Well.

00:24:29
Speaker 1: Some of the dumbest victory laps ever are from people like myself or whoever. And I did learn this, don't take any victory laps in August, none of it.

00:24:37
Speaker 2: You just can't. The games haven't actually started. I don't know, but trees are on.

00:24:42
Speaker 1: I don't know, even Josh Simmons, which it seems like it's going great. It's like, yeah, but what if he gets out there when it actually matters any stings?

00:24:48
Speaker 2: Who knows? All right, let's get to the Ravens.

00:24:51
Speaker 3: Okay, all right, Ravens. Not actually a lot of buzz out of that camp right now. But jyr Alexander went on record earlier this week when asked about how he's adjusted to being in Baltimore over the last month or so since he signed with the Ravens. He said he is in heaven. He loves it, Like literally said, I'm in heaven. The culture there is fitting him. He is excited to play a key part in a defense that he thinks will be an important part of this team. This team, I mean they're loaded on both sides of the ball. So thinking that, you know, the defense got paced to the offense that was incredibly productive last year, is kind of crazy. But on paper they looked really good. They were off today Sunday. But the tes Walker hype train starting to build, and we heard this from them earlier I think in OTAs that they felt like he was going to make a big stride in year two. And he's made some nice plays. He caught a thirty yard pass over the middle from Lamar Jackson on Saturday and that was one of at least six catches on Saturday. So he's making the most of his opportunities in his second training camp. And finally, Greg, we talked about a kicker competition, kind of you know, tongue in cheek last time. Tyler Loop is on fire twenty three of twenty three so far, he owns that job.

00:25:58
Speaker 1: I love that you're hitting me with all these items. I have had no idea about that job. So that's over. Loops locked it down. I mean, you draft a kicker to replace Justin Tucker. He's gonna have to have a terrible training game to not get that job. But it sounds like it's the opposite. Maybe he'll be the next Justin Tucker. You mentioned JayR. I actually had flagged a different quote. He was supposedly playing really well, making some good pass breakups on his first day, and he thought Lamar was trying him a little bit.

00:26:29
Speaker 5: Oh Lamar, Yeah, yeah, he threw a back shoulder. You know, he tried to throw a back shoulder on me with d hops. So you know I had to give him a little a little jazz about that. You know, I said, come on, man, I know it's my first day, but man, you know it's still meat. You know it's still meat. So but you know it's always fun. Man, we can joke like that.

00:26:47
Speaker 2: Man, there they are deeper because there was a quote and I know, I know it's July, but Kyle Hamilton's saying he thinks Nate Wigans, who supposedly had a really great first week, could be one of the best cornerbacks in the league that he's had hand his hands all over football's in practice. So man, that one, two three.

00:27:04
Speaker 1: If jay r Alexander can stay healthy at cornerback is really good and if tes Walker, if they're just a little deeper even at wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, I don't know how much to fall for it, but making a lot of sideline type of catches. Can he have a role as a third, fourth receiver type of guy. It's a really fascinating team. I'm not saying this is their last chance because it's the Ravens. They're always successful, but they do have a ton of free agents this season, so they there will be a lot of turnover after this year. They have Kyle Vanoy, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likeley, Tyler, Limnderbaum, Travis Jones, and Odafeoway. Those were the ones quickly that came up with who are free agents. Were just a ton of starters. So it's a it's go time for the Ravens, even though so many of their great players are young. Let's get to the Bengals to wrap up the AFC North.

00:27:53
Speaker 3: All right, Cincinnati, what do we want to know about Cincinnati. Well, Shamar Stewart's finally signed. The great I don't know, Skyline Chilli nightmare is over. They got their first round pick in the building, which is great. And he didn't, you know, really get much out of it, like you said earlier, So that's handled. That's done with. He spoke very loftily about his goals and everything that he wants to you know, threaten Alden Smith's rookie record of sacks and everything else, and you know he was the last guy to really do it. You know, he's got to get his fet underneathhim. But he did get on the practice field, which is good. Lucas Patrick the guard is wearing a sleeve on his calf after exiting practice on Friday. He did not practice on Sunday. So a little bit concerned because we know that the instability on the offensive line has been a running issue for the Bengals over the last few years. And we'll go back to kickers, Greg, because I know you love kickers. Evan McPherson perfect eighteen for eighteen, The guy who had an incredible rookie season, hit some bumps in the road recently. Starting off on the right foot pun unintended in twenty twenty.

00:28:50
Speaker 2: Five, sneaky big story for them. I saw that featured a little bit.

00:28:54
Speaker 1: I think that was the athletic that yeah, like he was one of the best kickers in the league is couple of seasons and really had a downturn and now has changed his motion as he missed a kick that would be big for them. And yeah, maybe it's because Lucas Patrick has been out partly, but I think they've just been giving Dylan Fairchild, who's a rookie guard all the snaps with the starters Jermaine Burton. We'll see, but so far everything has been really positive. Second year player, very talented, who just had a disastrous rookie season. They wanted him to have a big role, but he's very talented and so he's started to make some consistent noise.

00:29:32
Speaker 2: We'll see if that keeps up.

00:29:33
Speaker 1: And I heard Shamar Stewart talking about his agent, like that's who I want with me in the foxhole, Like guys who will fight for me.

00:29:40
Speaker 2: But in the end, they this whole holdout. It just seems stupid from both ends.

00:29:46
Speaker 1: All he got out of it was they gave him more money out of his signing bonus now instead of it being delayed till December. He didn't really get anything in particular out of it, So it just seems like.

00:29:59
Speaker 3: He and I think he said he just both sides agreed that he needed to be on the field, like let's end this madness.

00:30:04
Speaker 1: So yeah, it was almost like the Bengals gave him something, just very small just to get him back without actually breaking their principles. So they more or less got their way. Before we get to the AFC East, just some quick hitters from the NFC that I just if you're listening to this show, the ideas, we want you updated on everything. It really hasn't been like a crazy huge news week I feel like around the NFL, and that's good because a lot of times huge news at this time of year are injuries. Unfortunately, there were a few Cardinals lost. The starting cornerbacks Starling Thomas not a household name, but it's literally the second starting cornerback they've lost for the season, which is terrible luck. Sean Murphy Bunting is their nickelback. Starling Thomas was supposed to be outside. He is out with the torn acl for the season. Terry McLaurin returned to training camp or showed up to training camp on Sunday, but he's not practicing. They're saying he's out with an ankle injury. So the holdout is out, but the hold in is in. Matthew Stafford is going to be out another week. Disappointed to hear that because we were hoping to maybe see him at RAMS practice on Monday. But more time for Jimmy g Starting to get a little concerned that a thirty seven year old can't practice for a week and a half with a back injury, and that the hope is that he's ready for a week on that. That's a little little concerning. Eli Apple is back in the league, and a couple of contracts for veterans. Jake Ferguson got a big one, Josh mattelis in Minnesota. That is your NFC update. I don't know if anything strikes you as particularly interesting there.

00:31:38
Speaker 4: Well.

00:31:39
Speaker 3: I liked how the Cardinals looked going into this camp in terms of depth. That depth is going to be tested and it's going to be young guys very quickly, Like the pick of Will Johnson. Will Johns would have been a first round pick out of Michigan if he hadn't gotten hurt last year. And I love that selection when they made it. He's going to be asked to do a lot, I think, very quickly for them, and so it's going to be an early test of him as well. And they have other young guys in that group, including Will Johnson's collegiate rival Ohio States Denzel Burke, a guy who flashed as a freshman, never really got any better.

00:32:07
Speaker 2: We'll see.

00:32:08
Speaker 3: But suddenly the younger guys that you thought, well, maybe look compete for a roster spot and play special teams, they're gonna be asked to do a little bit more.

00:32:14
Speaker 2: Now I should have spelled out.

00:32:16
Speaker 1: Eli Apple signed with the forty nine ers, so a depth piece there. And it's interesting they signed Jake Ferguson the Cowboys coming off a bad season and with Michael Parsons contract just hanging.

00:32:29
Speaker 2: In the wind.

00:32:30
Speaker 3: That's getting uglier by the day by the way.

00:32:32
Speaker 2: They just do things differently.

00:32:34
Speaker 1: But you know what, I actually think they're buying low on Jake Ferguson, that it's gonna be a team friendly deal in the end, and they believe in him as a player despite a down season. So Ultimately, I think that was a smart move for them and mattell Us, the safety for the Vikings, just one of the most unique players in the league. It's cool to see him get rewarded.

00:32:50
Speaker 2: All right.

00:32:51
Speaker 1: The AFC East Joey Bosa back at practice, and I thought it was interesting they kept Greg Russo on his normal side. He had been moving around depending on who had been coming in for them over the last few years. Like Von Miller, he's got his side. Bosa's got to kind of work around him. Bosa can play either side. But he is back, he's practicing, so that is good early news for the Bills. They have been starting Tredevious White so far over Maxwell Harston, their first round pick, so that that's a battle that I will be watching to see if Harston takes over. And unfortunately, Harston was involved in a play on Sunday shook where it looked like he might have been a little over aggressive and Tyrrel Shavers, who had a real good chance I think to make this team appear to have a bad injury and ankle injury after Harston kind of took him out by the ankle in a contested play. And they've had a few injuries at that position at the back end of the wide receiver roster.

00:33:50
Speaker 2: Nothing to be too panicked about.

00:33:52
Speaker 1: But Elijah Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Tyrell Shavers all injured. Shavers might be the only one that's that's really serious. But some of the Bill's depth not really their top three guys though, so you know it's not something that's gonna panic Bills fans. But man, you hate to see obviously injury like that to any one, especially like a young player trying to like start his career.

00:34:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree with that, but really I'm more concerned about Curtis Samily, even if it's not serious, just because I think he cracks that that top three in some situations.

00:34:20
Speaker 2: Hm.

00:34:21
Speaker 3: And I mean, unless you have more confidence than Joshua Palmer, which you know that's up to you.

00:34:25
Speaker 2: The money says he's gonna play.

00:34:27
Speaker 1: The money says josh Palmer is gonna he's gonna be the two alongside.

00:34:33
Speaker 3: I don't know if I buy that, but all right, well we'll take it for what it's worth. I think that sameel might bring a little bit more of the table, So you hope that those guys get back, But nothing that's really overly concerning across the board here. I do like the idea of Tredevius White coming back and making a difference, but it is camp. It's still early, and you know, we mentioned this about the line. I thought about this with the Ravens too, But like Nate Wiggins and his you know slight frame and everything else, when the pads come on at defensive back too, that really tells you where guys because the physicality gets involved. Tarnavius White is not the youngest guy anymore. Does he still have the speed and agility to keep up with guys because that was an issue in recent years.

00:35:08
Speaker 1: So it's gonna be a test of his fair and Maxwell Harriston, is he a guy that can tackle in the open field that's a smaller cornerback.

00:35:15
Speaker 2: We will see a couple other little items there. I noticed.

00:35:21
Speaker 1: Joe Basalia of the Athletics said there really is a quarterback two battle there and he thought Mike whitees looked better than Mitch Drubisky. So could be someone that plays this year for the Bills. Bill's fans hope that will only happen in Week eighteen because they've like clinched a bye or something like that Dawson Knox, by the way, who was injured to start camp there tight end was activated. The good news out of Jets camp and I could not find a ton of Jets news, which is to the credit of Aaron Donald. I mean, Aaron Glenn bather that he's kind of having a no drama news free camp for the most part. But Justin Fields already back to seven on sevens in position, all drills. Toe injury really proved to be nothing, and I supposedly look pretty good in camp early, so like, I'm not I'm not worried about just like the fact that Justin Fields is already back on the field. When I said that that injury, like it started making me wonder if the Jets vibes are just gonna overtake Aaron Gunn. The fact that Fields immediately was back on the field, It's maybe a flip a flip of it. It's like, no, these aren't the same old Jets.

00:36:22
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:36:22
Speaker 3: So yeah, I feel like I've bought for as much stock as you've bought in the Raiders this offseason. I've bought just as much with the Jets because they have an adult in the room and Aaron Glenn Finally, this feels like a professional organization, at least from the outside. At this point in year. It's still early. I'm not buying in that much yet, but it just feels like they are changing their culture and the vibe around them. And yeah, a dislocated tone coming back there, you know, very quickly for Justin Field isn't necessarily an example of it. But I'm telling you, man, this is a team that people need to keep an eye on. Not necessarily because they're absolutely loaded or that they should have Super Bowl aspirations, but I do think they're gonna be better than most people think. It starts with they're Glenn and these are the examples of.

00:37:01
Speaker 1: Why totally agree with you. They're they're making Breece Hall earn that running back spot. I think Brandon Allen is going to be featured, and their Breese Hall knows he's not getting a contract.

00:37:10
Speaker 2: That was interesting.

00:37:11
Speaker 1: Connor Hughes, who covers them for SNY, he thought he said something that he thought Will McDonald is probably having the best summer of anyone on defense, so that would be really big for them if they can get a more consistent pass rush out of Will McDonald, who I know has put up sack totals, but as an every down, consistent difference maker, maybe hasn't been that dude.

00:37:30
Speaker 2: They're looking for receivers to step up.

00:37:32
Speaker 1: It sounds like early Malachi Corley, who was a pretty high pick last year. It has not been that guy, So that's someone to watch. And then, just because I was unaware of this fact before Sunday, there are two gentlemen by the name of Harrison MeVis or Mevs and Caden Davis who are competing to be the Jets kicker this year. Harrison MeVis and Cayden Davis. So just just the more you know, you know what I mean.

00:37:58
Speaker 3: I mean, honestly, I didn't know you of those guys existed.

00:38:01
Speaker 2: Right, me neither.

00:38:03
Speaker 1: And sometimes when you have a kicker battle like that, they're also battling against whoever gets cut as a veteran, for instance, like a Nick Folk. I can remember a couple of years ago when the Patriots kind of immediately got snapped up and took over a job. So those guys might always take your job. But I'm team Mevs. I'm team Mevs.

00:38:21
Speaker 3: Okay, all right, And I'm sure it's just because you like his last name. Better. I don't know. But it's also like the long snapper battle that's going on in Cincinnati right now, two guys by the name of cal Adamas and Will Wagner.

00:38:30
Speaker 2: There you go, Wow, you went deep. Let's go to the Patriots.

00:38:36
Speaker 1: Biggest story for them this week to me is that Stefan Diggs is just fully out there taking every snap, kind of shocking, like not just that he's not on pup, but that he's taking every team rep in everything. And you know, I follow all the Patriots beat reporters. It's a really good beat crew. Taylor Kyle's is one of the best doing it right now. And to me, he says, the wide receiver battle, which seems so wide open, doesn't seem that controversial, like unless it changes. He really sees the exposition as Kashawan Boody right now as the starter in Kyle Williams is behind him, but that one's kind of up for grabs. The Z position is kind of clearly Stefan Diggs and Kendrick Bourne, who has a history with Josh McDaniels and I think he's going to make this team, is behind him. And then in the slot it's to Mario Douglas and it's this undrafted kid Fton Chishlm. And who knows if Jalen Polk makes this team would even though he was a second round pick a year ago. My guess is he gets traded for like a late round pickswap. He has not even been out on the field practicing because he hasn't been healthy, so he has to to get into that mix. Maybe they try to like sneak that kid Chisholm through waivers or whatever it is. But that's the Patriots wide receiver update. And at this point I'd be surprised if to Mario Douglas and Stephan Diggs are not like their top two receivers at least to start the season.

00:39:58
Speaker 2: Those are the guys they're going to be and hoping the best for. It's not the best group.

00:40:02
Speaker 3: Yeah, I believe Taylor Kyles is an NFL media of them as well, So shout out to Taylor. But I have to point out the fact that a guy who is out right now, is there a room for him on this roster if it shakes out the way you just described it, which is the barefoot Wonder himself.

00:40:16
Speaker 1: MC collins forgot about Mac Collins somewhat, yes, because they gave him like three and a half million dollars guaranteed and they're just gonna have to find a spot. And so he's also been a good special teamer. He's he's coming off a good year. You can keep six receivers plenty of teams due he certainly you know seven is stretching it. It might be a situation if everyone's healthy where both Polk and a guy like Kendrick Bourne could go in like a very low level trade.

00:40:47
Speaker 2: Though at the end of at the end of camp.

00:40:51
Speaker 1: To me and Kishon Boody, like they like his lot, Like it's funny because they got these guys who are all about the same level. From that list, they actually might have like the most interesting wide receiver cuts of any team in the league, and yet they don't have. But it's because like they don't really have a good wide receiver group, but they are very deep.

00:41:11
Speaker 3: So that was a smart there's potential there. This is nothing to do with your Patriots homersm. It's the fact that there's potential there and it's more than a lot of teams can say in.

00:41:18
Speaker 2: Terms of depth. Yes, but I would still put them bottom five overall.

00:41:22
Speaker 1: One thing I noticed watching you know, the camp reports there, it's like they're incredibly thin at the tackle position. Their seventh round pick, Michael Bryant right now is like their swing tackle. This other guy, Demantre Jacobs, who was a disaster that was like a late pick up for them, is the other guy competing there.

00:41:39
Speaker 2: I mean, that's that's rough.

00:41:41
Speaker 1: If Morgan Moses gets hurt, who's thirty four years old, like man, that is rough. They're using last year's pretty high pick Kayden Wallace at guard.

00:41:50
Speaker 2: It spoldly.

00:41:51
Speaker 1: The offensive line has been bad at camp so far. The one positive is their third round pick, Jared Wilson has been progressing pretty quickly, playing a lot with the starters at center, at guard, competing with Cole Strange, but also competing at center with Garrett Bradberry, and so their rookie class might be fun. A lot of Traveon Henderson is wide open all the time, and Josh McDaniel's cooking up special running back wheel routes down the field.

00:42:16
Speaker 2: So you know, good good news for you, because I know you like Jared Wilson.

00:42:20
Speaker 3: I love Jared.

00:42:21
Speaker 2: I know you like Travion too.

00:42:23
Speaker 3: Love Love Jared Wilson, and they threw a lot of resources of the offensive line. To hear that they're looking thin right now is concerning, But hey, look you got you got to nail a couple of blue chip guys. I think Jared Wilson's gonna prove to be one of those guys.

00:42:35
Speaker 2: Well, you got to be right at about Will Campbell.

00:42:36
Speaker 1: But when I say thin, yeah, like on paper, after the top two at tackle specifically, it's really thin.

00:42:43
Speaker 2: They're a little deeper at guard.

00:42:44
Speaker 1: And then I've mentioned it before, but Christian Barmore, who has all pro potential and was sidelined by those blood clots last year by all accounts, has showed up and has been fantastic at camp. So that would be huge for them. Let's finish the AFC East with the Dolphins. Since we last talked, we confirmed for sure Ardi Burns has a torn acl He was a depth cornerback piece. Cater Kohu left practice with a leg injury. He's supposed to be their nickelback. It's unsure how serious that is. And then they signed two guys we know, one of whom I think was in my top one oh one, Jack Jones and Mike Hilton both signed contracts with the Miami Dolphins. I think I slid Hilton into the very end of my top one oh one. But Jack Jones apparently went out there like first day and he was like their first team cornerback and is making plays. That's the kind of situation they are. They're signing guys off the street and he is probably their best he might be their best cornerback and he was available.

00:43:44
Speaker 2: Man, That's that's weird.

00:43:45
Speaker 3: Unless you're buying the storm Duck high which started last preseason. Yeah, this is a team that can I mean, I understand why they traded Jalen Ramsey. We knew that was basically inevitable. But for a team that just traded Jalen Ramsey, they are outrageously thin at the position right now, which is very concerning when you add in the fact that cater Go who left practice, and they had injuries elsewhere with Ardie Burns, so you know, I just had to look it up. Right now. Mike Hilton, I feel like he's been in the league forever thirty one, so might be his last week, yes, but at an NFL career, But I still I've loved him over the course of his many different stops in the NFL, so maybe he ends up contributing.

00:44:21
Speaker 1: Started to play a little more Madden lately, and Mike Hilton. You know, I love a good slot cornerback. I mean I love watching that in real life, but I love being the cornerback, the slot cornerback blitzing and Madden and Mike Hilton, you know, one of the goats at that. One thing I noticed this last week was the whole this whole Tyreek Hill story. It's weird down there. Like all off season long, Tyreek Hill has been saying how he hasn't taken his career seriously enough and he hasn't been a leader. And there's been a lot of talk about the comments that he made at the end of last season in the locker room where he all but you know, quit on the team and didn't really express any remorse about it afterwards. In week eighteen and to a tongue of Iloa was pretty real about it in front of the microphone earlier this week, saying, you know, Tyreek's got some ground to make up that he needs to prove it that he's here and a leader. And he was on NFL Network inside training camp this weekend and they circled back to those comments.

00:45:26
Speaker 5: But I don't feel it's me talking bad about my teammate kind of what you said. I'm just trying to hold him accountable because that's what we're trying to do with with everybody on our team. And if this is what we say the standard is, then that's what the standard is and nobody's exempt from it.

00:45:40
Speaker 2: Spicy Tua, I like it.

00:45:42
Speaker 1: He's just being honest, and I think Tyreek Hill publicly has tried to take accountability. I do like seeing to a tongue of ila kind of in that like salty leadership position. But it's just been strange vibes, strange vibes all around.

00:45:59
Speaker 3: Okay, so you know how I spoke about Aaron Glenn being the adult in the room with the Jets, I feel like the Dolphins are the reverse Jets in that, Like, they had a lot of hype around them with Mike McDaniel's arrival and the explosive offense and everything else, and they took a significant step backward last year obviously to his injury. You know, the latest concussion had something to do with it, but Tyreek had you know, basically his worst year in like five years, since an injury riddled season in Kansas City. Now he's talking like this, it feels like the wheels are starting to get loose or something about them spending so much time in the spotlight over the last couple of years, all the hype, the lack of ultimate success with this team, and the frustration they lack an adult in the room right now, at least energy wise outside right now and to us trying to be that guy. And I respect that, but I don't know if that's gonna work.

00:46:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it makes it clear that those comments from Tyreek Hill and how he acted at the end of last season, like everyone noticed for two a tongue of to publicly feel comfortable enough to be like, yeah, he's got to kind of prove it to us. To me, he's probably talking for the locker room now. Tyree Hill is in a contract year. Essentially, he's going to be motivated as hell to have one last great year. He's a Hall of Famer someday, Like it wouldn't surprise me if he bounces back, we will see. I listened to three Yards per Carry very Good Dolphins podcast. They they made the comment that they thought these were the best backup quarterbacks of the Mike mcdarret Daniel Era, just in terms of how they looked on the field. So a little Quinn yours and Zach Wilson pop probably gonna be Zach Wilson. But apparently they're they're looking okay. Maybe maybe they understand that system. You never know he's going to understand that.

00:47:42
Speaker 3: You know, that speaks to you. That speaks to the fact that they've watched a lot of Skylar Thompson practice.

00:47:45
Speaker 1: Repsters yeahs and Mike White and like fair enough, though maybe I trust him. On the left side, Patrick Paul and Jonah Savanea are their offensive linemen reportedly have looked pretty good so far. And then we'll wrap up the Dolphins with Minka Fitzpatrick got a new deal, but when it was first reported was a little misleading of like how much guaranteed money he got. They just pushed most of his salary into a bonus right now and then gave him a two million dollar raise. So here's a guy, Minka Fitzpatrick, who basically wanted to get an immediate long term deal out of the Dolphins, more guaranteed money because he's essentially up after this year, or he's gonna want it redone after this year.

00:48:26
Speaker 2: And they didn't do it.

00:48:27
Speaker 1: They stood their ground and they were like, you know what, we will give you two million dollars out of the goodness of our heart, a lot of money, but we are not giving you the same kind of contract that Jalen Ramsey got a year ago when we didn't have to give it to him, or Tyreek Hill got a year ago and we didn't have to give him so to me, actually that's progress for the Dolphins. They did not get bullied into a contract from Drew Rosenus and if he plays great this year, then give him the contract. And supposedly he has been awesome at camp. It wouldn't shock me if we get like a renaissance Minka Fitzpatrick.

00:48:56
Speaker 2: Year out of him this year. But he'll do it without getting some huge rays.

00:49:00
Speaker 3: I don't feel like he really took much of a step back in Pittsburgh either. I just think bit a little bit a little bit, But like I think it's hilarious when you look at his career arc that the place that he hated so much of the trade and he ends up back with and he still can't get the deal from them right now.

00:49:15
Speaker 2: That's a fair it's a fair point. But maybe it means that there are.

00:49:18
Speaker 3: Those adults stop game. Maybe maybe not on the field, but in the front office.

00:49:22
Speaker 1: Yes, that you don't need to. All right, let's take one more break and we will wrap up with the AFC sund back one more time. NFL Daily needed that second break because we just had to squeeze so much goodness into the first of our Sunday evening shows. Once the Once the preseason starts, we'll start doing preseason takeaways for all the teams, but for now, we're going through all the camp reports. We will have the Hall of Fame Game coming up on Thursday, not too far away. Let's get to the AFC South. No Hall of Fame Game teams there.

00:50:00
Speaker 3: No, but I will be at the Hall of Fame Game, So keep an eye on that NFL dot Com for all your coverage. Shameless plug. All right, AFC South. Let's go to the team with the guy that everybody talks about so much that I can't wait for him to get on the field because frankly, I'm a little bit tired of talking about it. It's the Jaguars. It's Travis Hunter who has had the busiest syllabus week in the history of training camp. The guy is going from offensive meeting to defensive meeting to figure out if he's going to play defense and practice this day offense in this practice the next day defensively. He is building some steam. He had three pass breakups on Sunday in what was a defense defensive only practice for him. But his schedule is crazy and his rep totals are pretty crazy. Through four practices, he's been on the field in eleven on eleven and seven on seven for eighty three snaps.

00:50:46
Speaker 2: They spent the first two.

00:50:47
Speaker 3: Practices exclusively on offense with thirty six snaps, and it's played exclusively on defense over the last two forty seven snaps, according to ESPN's Michael Deraco. So he's getting a lot of work, he said. The biggest challenge for him, which is what he said earlier this week, playbooks, just in the playbook, which allows him to play fast. I'm not worried about his stamina. I don't think anybody there is. But even Liam Cohen admitted it's kind of hard to figure out how to get all of this, you know, organized, to make sure Travis is processing all of this stuff and soaking it all in, so unique training camp experience for him. But that is definitely the leading story in Jacksonville, and it's overshadowing pretty much everything else.

00:51:21
Speaker 1: The one thing I'll add, I'm fine with that overshadow away. If you're watching on YouTube, you'll see him with a breakup. Apparently there was a play earlier too that he almost dropped the potential pick six. But that he's breaking on the ball. I mean, man, when you watch him, he's so slender and it's like lower half compared to most NFL players. He do wonder but he's made it work at a level that no one has ever made it work before, so there's no reason.

00:51:46
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'm excited to see how it turns out on the field because he's a hell of a player on both sides of the ball. I think he's a better corner than receiver. But that's just my opinion. Other notes from Jacksonville. This is like best shape of my life stuff. But Josh Heines Allen is aiming for Michael's hands record and you said quote, I think all pass rushers should strive for that goal. Yes, you are correct, Josh, you are correct, and Jordan Lewis veteran cornerback turning heads. He's getting daily pass breakups in practice as well. That would be a nice little addition to their secondary if he could come through.

00:52:14
Speaker 1: Yeah, we've had John Shipley on the show a few times, who writes for Jaguars on SI. Check out his work, check out his podcast, and he said that that Jordan Lewis has probably been the most consistent guy on the team in terms of like making plays the entire offseason, and he transferred it. He's their number two cornerback really, assuming Travis Hunter is not a cornerback.

00:52:37
Speaker 2: Tyson Campbell also is a guy.

00:52:40
Speaker 4: You know.

00:52:40
Speaker 1: He reminds me of some cornerbacks just pop up like every three years with an amazing year and it's like one of those positions where you need everything to work out right and he's really healthy and this could be that year for him. The only other note I really had from the week was it seems like Tink Bigsby is getting most of the first team reps over Travis etn Not that they're not gonna move it around, but if you were from the outside just watching, you'd think, like, oh, Bigsby's there one, Etn is there two in Bachell two and the rookies their three. We'll see if that changes, but so far that's definitely a nugget. I think fantasy heads are curious about.

00:53:18
Speaker 3: Fantasy heads and those who like to predict trades. Because Etn doesn't pop, keep an eye on him as teams need running backs elsewhere. Let's go to Houston next. First off, they don't have a lot of guys out there. There are a ton of guys on PUP. De Nigo Autry, Tank, Dell Folly, Fotocassi, Jimmy Ward, Damian Pierce, Derek Barnett, and Kurt Heiness are all on PUP. And then we had the news of Joe Mixon on NFI with a foot injury. That's frustrating considering he had the ankle issues last year and that limited his opportunities to play. But it also opens the door for Nick Chubb to maybe get a bit of redemption season if he has anything left in the tank. I don't believe he does, but if Mixing is off the field, pierces on PUP, suddenly it's Nick Chubb and Dario Goombawalle, which means they're gonna get a reps. So something to definitely keep an eye on the rest of the offense. Offensive line is taking time to jail. This is an offensive line that was bad last year, but the pads are not on yet, so I would hold off on pressing the panic button there. That's going to be a big part for that offense going into the season. And the last note, linebacker Azi's Al Schier off to a very hot start in camp pick six pass, breakup and attackle for loss on Saturday. He seems to be making a lot of plays that would be good for a defense that we expect to be good this year.

00:54:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's Outsier and Toe Toe as their linebackers right now. Christian Harris, weirdly, one of my son's favorite players in the entire league, just has struggled to get healthy.

00:54:40
Speaker 3: He was one of my favorites coming out of Alabama, so I understand.

00:54:42
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:54:43
Speaker 1: And the Joe Mixon news was one of the biggest injury news items since we last did a show that Ian Rappaport says he will be out the entire preseason and the hope, according to Aaron Wilson in Houston, is to get him ready for Week one, but it sounds uncertain, and considering it's the same ankle slash foot that bothered him last year and kept being a recurring issue, it's a big concern.

00:55:15
Speaker 2: We'll see about Nick Chubb.

00:55:16
Speaker 1: I'm I'm hopeful, and yet I saw one practice report that was like agreed, that was like just didn't look like the old Nick Chubb, at least not yet, And so we'll see. It'll be interesting. He'll he'll probably play a lot in the preseason Nick Chubb like kind of playing for.

00:55:33
Speaker 2: His job.

00:55:35
Speaker 1: You know what kind of role he's gonna have. I don't think they'll treat him like a veteran that doesn't gonna have to get any preseason snap. So he's someone that I'll be curious to watch because that is one thing you can tell in a preseason game, is like who has juice or not?

00:55:48
Speaker 2: That's all like, and I think you'll be able to tell that.

00:55:50
Speaker 1: And you mentioned the offensive line, by the way, like, yeah, they're trying everything, so I wouldn't make any judgments there. Yet they are still rotating and trying like three different people at every position. You don't want to do that too long, But it's the first week of training camp, that's what it's for.

00:56:04
Speaker 3: And they also have two really good edge rushers that they're facing every day and Hear and Will Anderson, so got to take that into account as well. Tennessee, we know the news about Trailing Burke's suffers. A fractured collar bone, just the latest setback in a career that has just fallen way short of first round expectations. And it was a year not that it's over, but it's a year in which he really needs to prove that he's worth considering keeping around.

00:56:30
Speaker 2: So it's a terrible probably over though, right, I guess it's early enough.

00:56:33
Speaker 3: And you can come back from a collar bone and get like half a season At this point, I usually I think it's like an eight week recovery, so like there's still some room, but I mean, even a shortened season, it's just really limiting your opportunities in an offense that needs weapons, that needs weapons. For cam Ward, who is throwing some picks in practice, but he's also asking the defense what went wrong and why they were able to pick him off. Three of the four interceptions that he's thrown have been caught by linebacker Cody Barton, who said Cam has taken the time to talk with him to try to learn. So that's it's a good demonstration of a young guy trying to soak up as much as possible as he knows the keys of the franchise are in his pocket. Speaking of other injuries, Lugerious Snead Uh dealing with a new injury. It's not the quad that he dealt with last year. It's it's Uh. He had a clean up with his knee and he's not playing right now. Lloyd Kushenberry dealing with the achilles issue. Both of them start on pup and then the last note another one kind of like the Jordan Hicks thing. Linebacker Lorenzo Carter retiring. He told the team that was a surprise, so they're probably gonna have to find a way to replace him. Not great vibes out of Titans camp so far.

00:57:34
Speaker 2: Oh dare you You're right?

00:57:37
Speaker 1: Some of the left, like Lorenzo Carter is probably gonna be there, you know, fourth eddresser, third edgehrdger.

00:57:43
Speaker 2: So it's disappointing for them. It happens.

00:57:46
Speaker 1: There was a there was a couple other retirements around the league of just guys who they just they just had enough the game. The game mean and me know him more and I will push back with you on the bad vibes, if only because you have a number one overall pick. And then Daniel Jeremiah our friend. And we'll have some news about Daniel Jeremiah and myself coming up soon. So like behind the scenes news. He was there and he said, you know this, they're gonna say this, but there is excitement about the rookie class in terms of the receivers.

00:58:16
Speaker 2: So that's jamry D k.

00:58:19
Speaker 1: Erica a human or in gunner Helm that the tight end that you know they feel good about them. So far, Jeffrey Simmons is back to being fully healthy. He's dominating and then ward like, man, he's had some eye popping plays. So at least you're seeing like the really exciting plays and you know he's getting the he's in at five thirty am every day type of treatment according to DJ and that like he has really won over the entire organization. That means that means something to me. It seems like he's he's a mature rookie. Let's actually listen to one of his teammates, Chig o'conquo, the talented tight end.

00:58:58
Speaker 2: Talk about Ward have kind of the star power already. Hey, he's a number one draft pick man. He's shown why why he is so.

00:59:06
Speaker 5: Yeah.

00:59:06
Speaker 1: I mean you see wherever he's walking around, every single person trying to trying to call him.

00:59:10
Speaker 2: So he definitely has that star power. He got that aura. As the kids would say.

00:59:15
Speaker 1: Okay, I wanted to use this in part shook because aura is not a word you know, I would feel comfortable using out loud.

00:59:27
Speaker 2: It's not my place.

00:59:28
Speaker 1: But I do think there is a life cycle of trendy words, and the life cycle all but ends in a meaningful or cool way the second that every corporation is using it non stop in a tweet, and Aura has reached that point.

00:59:47
Speaker 2: So I feel bad for the kids, but it's too late. You have to move on.

00:59:52
Speaker 3: Yeah, you guys gotta find something new, and they'll find something new, they always do. It reminds me of the term swag, which was cool when I was in high school, and by the time I was out of college, it was being used to describe free gifts swag bags, and that's what we knew. It was over as well.

01:00:08
Speaker 1: I mean, it's hung on a little bit. You just got to like change it up a little bit. You know, someone's swaggy. Now you know you got swagged.

01:00:14
Speaker 3: No, I guess we can get away with that one.

01:00:18
Speaker 2: Let's wrap up with the Colts, all right.

01:00:22
Speaker 3: Neither Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson has separated themselves so far.

01:00:25
Speaker 1: I thought you were going to say neither one of them have aura. See that would have Daniel Jones definitely does not have aura. Anthony Richardson I would say.

01:00:33
Speaker 3: Jones. Daniel Jones dresses like he's still yees.

01:00:37
Speaker 2: All right, I don't go there negative negative Khakis.

01:00:41
Speaker 3: Yes, of course, Alec Pierce knows that he's going to have to earn his next contract this season. He doesn't expect to get one before this season starts, so interesting thing to keep an eye on there. He's been a big play guy who has had his moments beneath the deep shot, but hasn't been super consistent. And they also have had, you know, all these issues quarterbacks. I don't hold that against him. Offseason additions in the secondary big thing because they had to fire Gus Bradley last year because their defense was not good in the back end. Sharvariu's ward is all over guys in camp, so channeling his golden days from the time when he was at the forty nine Ers and the Chiefs before that, carrying it over to Indianapolis. Cam Binam is also becoming a bit of a playmaker against both of these quarterbacks, which maybe is contributing to the fact that neither have separated themselves. And again, like I said before, they haven't put the pads on yet, but the offensive line has been sloppy when it comes to false starts, multiple fall starts being committed in practice, to the point that Shanesdyken reportedly had to light up the unit, stop practice and get in their face because again, pads are not you shouldn't be committing false starts. It's one of the simplest things. No the count, No, the snap count, take a lap if you don't know it. So they got things to clean up. But Tyler Warren, a tight end that they invested heavily in in this draft this year, has made some nice grabs. He's a guy with very strong hands who can catch, you know, passes away from his body. Maybe not in the same mold as Mason Taylor, but a guy that a lot of people obviously watched coming out of Penn State, where he drove their offense all the way to the College Football Playoff. He's making some plays there.

01:02:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it was a little underrated.

01:02:09
Speaker 1: You know, when the Vikings signed the Colt's interior line, everyone said, well, what a great move that was Ryan Kelly will Fries goes from Indianapolis to Minnesota. That that could be an issue in terms of how the Colts replace that. We will see. Reportedly, Richardson has been throwing Anthony Richardson too, Tyler Warren quite a bit. They've had a nice connection, whereas Daniel Jones is not. So that's a good move by Richardson. But I don't know what Shane Stikeen's doing there. He's yelling at the team. He's also getting intercepted. Did you see that one? Oh god, no, I don't know why or how, but on some sort of drill, stich In actually stepped in as the quarterback, and I think it was Ward someone intercepted him.

01:02:51
Speaker 4: It was not.

01:02:52
Speaker 2: It was not a good rep by Stichen. But that seems like it's kind of typical.

01:02:57
Speaker 1: I know it's only one day and supposedly Richardson has had three pretty rough days and one good one, and Daniel Jones has been consistently not great. But on eleven on eleven's James Boyd to the Athletic We're keeping track on Saturday, the two of them combined to go nine for twenty eight.

01:03:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, and that that's about what I expected from this competition.

01:03:21
Speaker 1: Now I did not nine for twenty eight is insane in July these drills and I they could be working on other things. But this is actually where the stats kind of do help you a little bit, because if it's that bad, like offense just isn't getting done, isn't getting played. It reminds me so much of the craziest camp practice I've ever been to. I was doing a story for about Frank or in twenty seventeen, and Andrew Luck was supposedly coming back from injury but didn't and he was still hurt at that point, and it was Scott Tolzine, PJ. Walker and someone who wasn't great who I'm forgetting about, And they couldn't complete a practice, they couldn't complete a pass the whole practice like they just couldn't do it. That was the year eventually they just got Jakobe Brissett in there and then and then you like he was the adult in the room. But like it was so dispiriting to be there for all the offensive players because you like, you couldn't do anything. Nine for twenty eight is crazy. Ady Mitchell supposedly has had a ton of drops, which is not what you want to hear. I don't know where he even plays this year. He's their fourth guy because Pierce, to me, is underrated. He's a good, good player, but you want to see a d Mitchell improve.

01:04:31
Speaker 2: But bad vibes. Some of the worst vibes in the NFL, I feel like are with the Indianapolis Colts right now.

01:04:37
Speaker 3: On the offensive side. I have from their defense on the offensive side.

01:04:41
Speaker 2: We don't want to end this on bad vibes. We got we got your power back, Shook. It's all it's all looking better.

01:04:48
Speaker 3: Look and I got blue lights for those of you watch you on YouTube again, like and subscribe on YouTube. I got blue lights back here. The aura is really cooking over.

01:04:55
Speaker 2: Oh you brought it all around. Thank you, Shuck, appreciate you, and we will be back.

01:04:59
Speaker 1: As I mentioned early in the show on Monday, it's going to go up overnight Monday. We will be at RAMS training camp. We will get you all the news from around.

01:05:09
Speaker 2: The league, but we will also talk to some players, so we hump this guy there with the Rams. So I'm looking forward to that.

01:05:15
Speaker 1: All the NFC notes will be coming on Tuesday's show, and yeah when the pads are coming on on Monday, like that is the ultimate.

01:05:23
Speaker 2: Football is back.