Terry McLaurin Extension; AFC West Deep Dive with Matt Money Smith

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Speaker 1: Be Around the NFL podcast. Thanks. They can sign new deals and still expect me to do this pro bono. No more free lunch yuckoes. Oh the rare livery from that money Smith, the voice of God for Around the NFL, the podcast It's gonna do right now. I'm Dan Hanzas joined by Mark Sessler as always Greg still in Mother Japan, but yes, joining us from his palatial estate by the beach. It is Matt money Smith. Welcome back to the show, Bud, Thanks for having me. I've been listening to the pods on my daily communist. I I go from my as you described it, which it is not palatial estate up to Burbank for my radio show Daily Um. Been keeping up with the happenings and certainly something we're going to go up. Whoa. I just saw that for the first time, the old Zeusser and you think on check it out ground. Because I have been an audio listener only I don't get the visual component and a remote is that listener provided. This was a gift from my brother Kevin Danger hands this and uh, you know, at first I was sheepish about putting it up behind me and I was like, you know what sometimes just gotta lean in. It's very intense when when you put it on full glow, the light behind you is I'm enjoying it. And by the way, because my narciss system can my narcissism cannot be contained. I ask again, because he could have gone Dan Zeus, the name that the great Pat McAfee gave you. Um, but he went old Zeuser? Is that? And I know I've asked this before, but I'm old and my memory is not very clear. Has that been your nickname for a long time? Or was that something that I can take credit for and calling you the old Zeuser? Uh? That that predated you money? Yes? Yes, so you know yeah, yeah, for I don't know who gave it to me. Somebody along the line gave me that name, Mark, I don't know who it was. I mean, if we're gonna if we're gonna follow the typical pattern, I would think that you potentially gave it to yourself. Yeah, I mean that's been in the state of nine self anointed names for you. How cute is it? By the way that Money is keeping up on this show, and then Sessler every day in that car is following everything money of course with Petro and Money Drive Time Studs of Southern California and beyond What what a what a relationship going back and forth. Yeah, the the sess dog will text me during the show if he gets excited about something. He'll want some clarim revisiting a particular topic. So I certainly certainly appreciate it. You know, we gotta come up with another three hours today and with the big breaking news this morning from John Wilner, the Pope of the Pack who's been covering the Pack is the Dean of Pack twelve reporters that U C, l A and USC are going to be leaving for the Big ten as soon as Holy Coyle, What a what a char pms We're gonna have this afternoon with the captain of the worst USC football team in history. Petros my partner get into that. You love it, Mark, and I just I have to ask, like, would you be okay if, say, David Eale, for instance, was texting you in the middle of our broadcast when when you're trying to deliver content. Well, I'm not. I'm not texting Money asking for an immediate response. It's more just you know, it's on the mind and maybe he'd read it during a commercial break. I do um acknowledge that sometimes when I'm listening to the show, I kind of forget that I know Money, like it's You're just in a different headspace where it's like I've been listening to these two guys for ages, well before I met him, and I kind of, you know, having never met Petro's, Um, you know, I mean, Money has been demystified to me for to some degree because we've we've we've hung out in person, and I'm totally impressed with him. But a week and whispy man, I am, well no, but I mean Petro's I kind of would fan out if I saw Petros in person because there's something about his personality. People listening to this in Scotland and stuff have no idea who we're talking about, but um, I find him an engaging personality. Money it even gets the compliment is even higher than you even realize because Mark hate sports for the most part, so that he's that was listening to a daily sports show on the radio. Mark, why don't you go ahead and blow because clearly Dan doesn't listen to the show. Yeah, you can probably share with Dan, Uh, would you describe Petros and Money as a sports show. I think it veer it almost just maybe by definition, veers into sports occasionally, but there will be forty minutes where there's literally no talk of any athletic competition at all, and that for me is when it sours. Alright, So check out Petros and Money, Um, Money. Before we get into things, you mentioned something, Um that was on your mind, Mark, something that's been on our minds collectively, is we gotta pull back the curtain, we gotta open up the kimono. We heard from our producer Graver minutes almost after we put up our asked podcast that the feedback form Mara cavan Thibodeau interview on Monday not great. I would say so. I think this is a good opportunity, Mark. I think just to show that we are stand up individuals. We're not gonna slink out of the back of the locker room and get into our waiting cars and get out of the building. I think maybe we should face the music and hold a press conference to address what went down on Monday afternoon. Your thoughts, I think it's I think that you know, to be accountable to Um what we believe is the best sports podcast around, we weld it would be weird just to ignore it. We should be responsible and answer any questions that the people have and money in your role sitting in for Greg, it would be great if you could serve as the pool reporter representing the media. Uh so, let's uh graver, let's open up the presser right now? What do we got? What we got or you guys don't want to have an opening statement first? Normally when we have a press conference, yeah, I think we statement. Yeah, that was it. That was it? Go ahead, But now we're open for questions. All right, I'll start with this. We're new to this. Why are you too freaking out over this? Everybody has bad interviews? So what why are you freaking out? I do I do a bad interview at least once a week or you know, as as Mark can probably attest you, there's there's maybe one awkward conversation we have because it's on our radio show, and we do interviews every day. Now, podcasts are different because there aren't a lot of interviews. Typically you're just doing your pod and every now and then you'll have so much show. So is this are you nervous about your relationship? With Kevan that you want him to be a regular and now you're worried that that relationship is fractured somehow. Oh, I would say, Um, our relationship with Kevan probably is fractured at this point, but no, is it a concern. You want to do the best show possible money. We felt like coming out of the interview immediately it did not go well, but we didn't want to pull it from the show. Uh. And then sure enough, I think, and the reason why we're holding this press conference is our listeners are thing, if not extremely passionate and sometimes very critical, and the criticism was withering Mark, I would say toward us, and it's just something it felt like we should men up to. Yeah. I would just add that, Um, we were you know, you know money In terms of interviews, we probably do a lot less percentage than you guys do. Uh. And I would say that Dan and I were a tad shaken for the rest of the episode because I think there was maybe just a little bit too much um mark ish nonsense in that in that Q and A that said, Um, I also appreciate what you're saying, because we've got to let it sail down the river now. Will we will caveon be on the show multiple more times? My guests would be absolutely not. I don't think, um, we want him over with our performance. But that's fine, all right. Next question, h oh, yeah, it's a pool reporter, so money, Dan, this one's for you. Um, you want to just put this one on Mark? Are you willing to go down with the ship, because certainly it was the line of questioning from Mark that that kind of got Cabon go, well, don't you know what, That's not true because he was already upset with your line of fan questions like what the hell is this? I'm a player, I don't I don't give a damn about the fans. Why do you keep asking about all it? So that's let me withdraw that, and now I'm gonna insert this. You are the pool reporter, by the way, there's expect from you, alright, So this one now goes to you. Mark. After the reaction that he had based on the line of questioning from Dan's fan questions, did you at any point rethink your line of questions that you were going to submit to him? Uh? No, I'll say I did not, Um, because I went and asked them. I'd only prepared a certain amount of questions. I didn't have like a if things are going really poorly, here's the other eight questions I'm gonna ask. I was I was also genuinely curious about the Brian Dable subject. Uh and uh that landed like a like a rock and water. I mean obviously, but um, the way we do our show. My thought, to be honest, was we do our show a certain way. It's not gonna be everyone's cup of tea, every NFL player's cup of tea. And I was like, I'm going to for John with what I know we do well listen. Ultimately, it is on us. We are the ones doing the show. I'm not putting this on the guest uh money, But I will say this. We thought we had established something of a rapport with Mr Thibodeau after the two interviews we did pre draft and then Draft night. So when the interview began and sudden, all of a sudden, we realized we were kind of back at zero. Um, that was a bit stunning to us. And yes, the questions could have been better, Could the answers have been better, could have been playing along a little bit more? Yeah? Sure, But ultimately it's on us. We failed. Wait a second, actually, think let's just take another question. I think that's is that my mom Debbie hands us Hello, son. I just want you to know that you were perfect and I thought you looked very handsome. Love you, honey, see you soon. She's the best, She's the best. Thanks man. I will note that, um, I got no message from my mom, so I I do think maybe this issue is more on me than you did. All right, we got time for two more money? Um Mark, I guess you know if you kind of just what I what are you getting at? Like? What is it that you were did you have an experience with Cavan those first two that led you to think that, like the spooning question was gonna go over well, or that there was like was there some was it tied to something else? Like kind of why that particular line of questioning the wrestling and the spooning and kind of how that all got put? And let me just jump in for those that might have missed the episode. This was the reaction to the spooning question from Thibodeaux. I don't I answer those type of questions. Look at Dan trying to save it. That's a tough one. Um, I I asked questions. When I come up with questions, It's not like I want to just carbon copy what like a beat reporter would ask about his experience with Brian Table. I was genuinely curious, Um, Mr Weather or not the spoon's run her back? Yeah, whether he's the French came on a bigger small spoon I thought, or his impression of what he would think based on his time with Brian Dable. He's spent a lot more time with him than I have. I've only met Table for a couple of minutes at a Super Bowl week So, um, it was genuinely something that I wanted to know. Uh, it was perhaps the wrong person to uh enquire of. Can I ask a follow up? Blues? One more? We got one more for Dan and Mark? Just real quick, do um, do either of you know anyone that is a front spoon? Well? I think that's like, that's like, honestly, do you know anyone that is a front spoon? Because I don't, and I don't. I would say, in you know, romantic relationships in my past, the partner has been the front spoon. Just yes, yes, I'd say ninety seven percent of the time, but you can switch it up if you want, here and there just to see what it what it's like. There's a there's a part of me mark that now I'm picturing your Simoe and your wife's a very slender pretty woman, but I'm picturing if you had married a woman that was about six ft four and two pounds and just was wrapped around your cute little body. And I'm just cuddling and just smiling, so calm. You're so safe in that blanket. I second, Marx thought that you can switch it up sometimes you don't always have What are you doing? In the press conference? I played the drop and then he jumps out. I appreciate the grave Digger one. Look he's answering my question. I mean he just part of the Christ said do either of you? I should say, do any of not just anything by grave Digger back in. If he knows he does, and Rosenthal's here, he would love it too. Grave Digger, despite telling us privately that he doesn't want us to get into his personal life too much with his paramore, he always finds a way to kind of insert her via some comment he makes about his personal life. So just I see what you're doing grave digger. I'm okay with it, but just letting me know I see it. As long as you're okay with it, I'm okay with snarky, little snarky response there, look at us, all right, good stuff. Sorry to anybody that was offended. And by the way, if you really were to calm down, come back to us. Hey, And let me just say this again as someone who unlike a I've said this one. Yes, I'll be I'll play my role. I embrace it. I lean into it, all right. If I'm the villainous member, uh guest, member of not member. If I'm the villainous guest invitee of around the NFL, then so be it. Podcasts are not radio shows. Radio shows you gotta do three to four hours every single day, all right. So I'm doing We are doing interviews every single day three hours. You know, maybe one or two they go wrong, you have people come up. We interviewed Zack Granky once he showed down. He was an a hole for the first two minutes. And I don't remember if it was me, I think it might have. I don't remember if it was Mere Petro's. But one of us said, hey, you really don't want to do this, do you, And he said absolutely not. We said gay, goodbye, We'll never talk to you again, and we hung up the phone and that was it. And that's okay. And in the meantime, we'll have Don McClain on once a week. We'll have you know you find you find that sweet spot and you know it. And here's my opinion. And the people may not like this, especially the New York Giant fans. I don't buy Cavan. I don't buy him as a sincere individual. I listened to him talk about your contract extensions and how popular your podcast. He's using you, guys, it's all he's doing. He recognizes the reach and the power of the Around the NFL podcast, and he's using it for his own brand. He's not a real friend, he's not a he's not an ancillary member of Around the NFL. The heck with that guy, you don't need him, he needs you. And if anybody should be having an apology press conference right now, it should be that guy. So the hell, I don't think he's thought about it since you know, I thought that was beautifully said money and uh, and you actually did make me feel better about it. So thank you. I think Mark and myself and Greg in absentia, thought that maybe he could be a Don McClain type figure to our show. That ship has sailed. That ship is sunk. It is at the bottom of the oce shoe. Let's do some news. Okay, once again, nothing is happening on Homeland, but over on Masters of Sex, Lizzie Kaplan is hooked up to electrodes and getting it from a guy who sounds American but probably isn't well done. That money Smith so many talents, including voice over work in on The Family Guy. What was the name that episode again or that scene? That scene was the bone Zone? Bone Zone? Take on Red Zone? Yeah, take on Red Zone. You would cut to live television where there was Newdy I was the anchor, would cut to all the different nude scenes that were going on. I mean that that entire scene and look it up on YouTube because it's there is golden. That was the only portion that I felt like we could get away with on the show and without telling on anyone, because you know, I can see both sides of it. You told a great story money that that was offered to another NFL media personality too hot for them, but not too hot for money, not too hot for me. I say no to nothing, and yes, that's intended to be a double negative. All right, let's get into a little bit of news. Not too much going on obviously here on June, but we'll keep keep you a caught up to date here and around the NFL Washington Washington Commanders have signed a three year extension worth up to seventy one million dollars in new money with Terry McLaurin. That makes him one of the highest paid wide receivers in football. It includes twenty eight million signing bonus uh. That's the largest given to any wide receiver. UH. And McLaurin, a twenty six years old is now tied to Washington through the season mark. This this feels like great timing. I feel like the commander haven't done a lot of things right in the last I don't know, twenty years or so. Um And you could even magnify that with everything that's going on behind the scenes in Washington. So this is a blip on the radar, a roster move ultimately, and what's going on around that team. However, it does it does seem like some much needed positive vibes around this team and what's been a difficult off season. Yeah, I'm with you, and like he's you know, speaking of commands in Washington, d C. And the Pentagon, He's one of them. He's one of them. Um. He I think he's the best wide receiver they've had in twenty plus years. So the wording around this for months from Ron Rivera on down was like this was always a lot to happen. There was very little drama around this, and in an off season where nine different receivers have signed deals for twenty plus million per year. Um, he's just the latest. There's still DK Metcalf out there, Deebo, Samuel Deonte Johnson. But this is a player who has come in and produced what he's done too back to back thousand yards season after being an Ohio State. He's done it with Taylor Heineke Diminished, Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, case Keenum Cult McCoy, and Garrett Gilbert. So you know, I know that the Carson Wentz situation there makes like maybe his fantasy stock not the shiniest, but I think it's actually the best situation he's been in. If Carson Wentz can be a little bit better than he's been or I mean, I think that it's the most stable quarterback situation they've had outside of Alex Smith when he was healthy. Yeah, you know, I was at the game the opener last year where he made that incredible catch through the hands of Naz Adderlee on the sideline. I thought it was an interception. Somehow it wasn't. It went through the bread basket of Naz Adderley and somehow McLaren was able to track it. I just bring that out because it's one of the most incredible catches I've ever seen. Um And that's one of the things that McLaurin does is he catches everything. And I think it's a widely underrated trait that you want from your wide receiver is there's not a lot of quarterbacks that can put it exactly where you wanted, exactly in stride, you know, without having to compete or a football. So when you have someone that can come up with the catch when things aren't lined up perfectly, it's incredibly valuable. And and like you said, you know, look, the Commanders have not done a lot of things. Well, we think about the run they made a couple of years ago how dominant that defensive front was. And I'd like to think UM can get back to being that, you know, walking on the field that day and looking at that defensive line work out, go through their warm ups with Duran Payne and Jonathan Allen and Chase Young and especially Montes Sweat, who was an absolute freak of nature physically. UM to have like a healthy, happy, not not hold out on piste off Terry mclarenot to have a healthy McLaurin first round pick John Dotson, Curtis Samuel, You mentioned Diamie Brown. That's a Logan Thomas. That's a legit freaking receiving corps that can cause some problems. So you know McLaren's the centerpiece of it, and off of that everything else functions. So look at we don't have to blabor the point. They had to get it done, and good on them for getting it done. Yeah, and Whence does have I know he's not a very popular, well regarded quarterback at this stage in his career, but this is too Money's point, a much better receiving group that he had in Indianapolis. And that's something when I think about Matt Ryan making the move from Atlanta to India. Yes, his offensive line is better, but who's he throwing to now? So we'll see with McLaren leading away if Washington and score points one quick like kind of above the tree tops. Look at this, This wide receiver paid ay offseason has been wild. Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, A J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, Cooper Cup, Mike Williams, Chris Godwin, and I look at what what we got. What McLaurin got three for seventy one was the extension. So Cooper Cup just signed three for eighty. And then Mike Williams. Speaking of Mike Williams and the Chargers, we're gonna dig into the a f C West after the news, uh, and talk about that exciting division. Mike Williams got three for sixty, Chris Godwin three for sixty. So you slot in McLaurin between Cooper Cup and Mike Williams and Godwin. Okay, that makes sense to me. He's that level. He's awesome alright. In other news, Deshaun Watson's hearing before the NFL and the NFL Players Associations jointly appointed disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson UH continues as we record today's show, and while that saga continues to play out, Baker Mayfield continues to be a member of the Cleveland Browns. And the idea obviously here is that Mayfield will eventually be traded, may be released, But there's a financial side of this, any deal that needs to be worked out. Carolina has been connected to Mayfield, Seattle has been connected to Mayfield. But there is this one thing hanging out there, which is the Browns have a very solid roster. They view themselves as a playoff contender. Baker Mayfield probably an upgrade in my opinion, definitely upgrade over Jake Briskett, Kobe Brissette. If Deshaun Watson indeed is out of the picture this year, is there any chance that he could return to Cleveland in the short term. Here is Baker Mayfield speaking at his UH camp in Norman, Oklahoma this week. I think it's been pretty obvious. The mutual decision on both sides is to move on. That's there's no resentment towards the city of Cleveland by any means. But I think a lot of people think if they didn't have a quarterback for the next year, but would there be any chance of reconciliation there? No, I think for that to happen, they would have to be some reaching out. But we're ready to move on, I think on both sides, all right. So Baker money says it with a smile, and when you watch that, it looks like a guy that's just for one seems to be saying the right things and just checking boxes. I is there any reason to pars words there? I think for that to happen, there would have to be some reaching out. Is the door even slightly a jar in your mind between Baker and the Browns on his end? Anyway? Me? First, no, I'll just leave it that. There's no chance. I don't I don't aiment that I need to expand or expand upon it. It's it's a zero zero point zero percent chance. It's not a position. You can do that with leadership guys going to the Bahamas, with the Shawn guys getting excited about the Shawan. Now Baker's coming. But you know, people kind of and directly subtly, you know, taking shots at him like you just you can't bring that back in. It's too much of a leadership position. And um, just it's gonna be Jacobi Bersett and that's that or whoever else is is Dobbs there, I think so it's one of those two guys. I could not agree more. Slides me off a piece of that, Jake Brisky. I don't think we want too many pieces of that, but that that probably is what they're getting. Um, there's no there's absolutely no way that Baker Mayfield plays another snap for the Cleveland Browns. I think what he's doing here, you know, for them saying they wanted an adult in the room first of all, and then you go get to Shaun Watson, that that is exemplifies how messy this process has been handled by the Cleveland Browns. They put Baker Mayfield into a terrible position. Uh, there's no way that he's going to come back into a single thing for them. He is, if anything, been the bigger person in all of this, and that that press conference to me is just him simply not wanting to use that opportunity to take a shot on the on the city of Cleveland, on the team at all. He took the high road. There's no way he plays again. Yeah, and you know what, just real quick and he's he's he's able to play. I don't want to say the victim, but the sympathetic figure. So why why get chappy? And Red asked, Now, you know, just keep playing the sympathetic figure and it'll work out for You're gonna get enough. He's going to get another shot. He knows that somewhere someone will give him a chance at being a starting quarterback. So he does not need to grovel to get back to Cleveland in order to have that opportunity. Absolutely doesn't have to say anything else. And if I was his agent, I would say, Okay, you're at your foot your youth football camp. You're gonna have a little bit of availability. Say exactly what you said there. Do not do any podcast, don't do I am athlete, don't do this, don't do that. Just we let this play out, because right now you're actually in a little bit of a better spot in terms of public sentiment. All right, that's what's happening in the news. All right, Let's take a break, and then we go deep diving in the a f C. West rolling to his right as Herbert sets his feet, takes a shot out field has Dighton but touchdowns chargers fifty nine yards. Herbert to giton and it makes no sense, no sense. That's the greatest throw I've ever seen. I'm not kidding you. That is the greatest throw I've ever seen. While he's getting hit, don't what a call by the voice of the Chargers, Matt money Smith with that other guy Daniel Jeremiah mixed in Justin Herbert made a whole lot of amazing throws that might have been the most exciting. In fact, I'm working on you know, we're gonna take a little break around the July four holiday and when we come back, mark we're gonna do uh, We're gonna back in with the Superstar Club. I hate when I'm a year late on the Superstar Club. Obviously I should have just put in Justin before a year two. He's going in this year and as part of like my writing process, I was watching some of his highlights. The guy what he did last year alone so exciting. So we're Justin Herbert just one of the shining stars of uh, the a f C West, the best division in football. Money's gonna have a front row seat for at all fall and winter. So let's kind of go through these teams and have a little bit of a conversation. And I think this is gonna be kind of a giveaway based on our opening, but I want to kind of share a quote about um, different players connected important players in this division. And here's my quote, and you could connect it to the team. Uh. Sorry, I don't like to be a bother, But am I the best quarterback in this division? Now? M let's talk Chargers? Is he? Well? I I mean it's so hard. Yeah, it's so hard to take that away from Mahomes considering the guys you know, won the division every single year he's been the starter, has made it to what three four a f C championship games, Uh, two super Bowls, one Super Bowl victory. I think it's I think it's very hard. Um. However, I think when you say that he's doing it with Andy Reid, is his play caller, Tyree Kill the scariest offensive weapon non quarterback in the NFL And Travis Kelsey, who's got a shot to become the greatest tight end in the history of the NFL when it's all said and done. Um, you know, I think you can make a case that that Herbert has perhaps you know has this year. Herbert's got a chance to eclipse that you know, there's no Tyree Hill. Herbert's got, you know, the second year in a system, which is the first time in seven years that he will be with the same offensive system and coordinator UH in a follow up year. So to be able to see him just be able to build on what he had already learned instead of having to learn a relationship in terminology and verbiage of a new system UH year after year after year. I think the opportunity has presented for him to ascend to that throne, even though Pat Mahomes hasn't even perhaps entered his prime. I mean he's entered his prime, but he's smack in the middle of it. Ain't like he's falling off anytime soon. And there and they could be one, and they are one and two in the NFL, I think. So it's like if if it's if he's number two Herbert at the moment, there's no complaint there. I mean there's there. Their styles are different, but if you look at Herbert and what he offers from a tools angle, you're set for the next fifteen years. And that's Rodgers. I would put I put Herbert over all of them. Maybe I'm overvaluing that. But I just I think Herbert's the second Herbert on this program. That that is for sure. Yeah, I think just man in the conversation, you know, like that's that's always to me. You can take your Josh Allen or your Joe Burrow or your Herbert or you like. To me, it's like, are you in that conversation? And if you are, then man, you're feeling pretty darn good. I mean, you must be feeling good money because you know, this is a big gig for you. Calling the Chargers games. Is only thirty two of these jobs. And if they would have taken the guy that went before, went at number five in the draft, you're calling to a games And I'm not saying two is a bust or anything like that. We're gonna see, but incredible like a Chargers team that has been so snake bit over the years, Uh, the way things worked out into their credit, they targeted him as the guy and he's certainly become that. I think the thing about the Charges aweso money is like their offensive line and we know their defense. We'll get to their defense because that's the thing that you just wonder and it's always every time in this summer, it's like, all right, this is the year the Chargers are gonna put it all together and then something bad happens. But that offensive line what they were able to do so quickly, um rebuilding it in the past two off seasons, Rashaunt Slater, Matt Feeler, and Corey Lindsley. Filer and Corey Lindsley were all top six graded players at their positions. In that's that's a huge shift. Is there a concern on that line? Maybe at right tackle for you, right tackles, I think the only concern on the roster, I think of the entire roster after kind of the holes they filled in in the off season on the defensive front, getting J. C. Jackson at at corner. Um, you know what they were able to draft in terms of Zion Johnson is going to be, you know, reportedly plug and play right guard. UM right tackle. Right tackle will be interesting because Matt Filer played right tackle for Pittsburgh, played very well at right tackle. They put him at left guard because they wanted him next to the rookie Slater at left tackle, just kind of help out solidify that left side, make sure it wasn't too much of a baptism by fire and that he didn't need them. I mean, Slater was one of the three best left tackles in football his rookie year last year. So I wonder if they solved the right tackle question mark by moving Filer back to right tackle to help out Zion Johnson in his rookie years. So now he's sandwich between two. That's one who's in the conversation is the best center in football, and Corey Linsley the other who certainly performed at a high level now for five six years, and Matt Feiler, And then that would solve their their right tackle issue. And you can plug you know if if someone raises his hand in training camp, whether it's Brandon Highmus from last year, their fourth round pick out of Nebraska, or it's their sixth round pick Jamari Sailor, who did it for Georgia at both left tackle, left guard, right guard. Guy played all over the line and Georgia ends up winning a national championship with him as their best offensive lineman. I think that's how they might be able to solve a But like that's that's the only question mark. I think that that really is universal going into the season. Who's gonna play right tackle? Because last year, you know, our lasting impression was Storm Norton getting absolutely ravaged by Max Crosby in that Sunday night football game. They're in the playoffs, that that doesn't happen. I mean, I have to ask you one track back question. Had they drafted to how annoying for you as a radio man having to say his last name, you know, sixties seventy times a game versus Justin Herbert Um. Well, it's funny. So I really was hoping they were going to draft to u UM. As a college football fan, I loved to as a college football quarterback. He was incredible Um just the suddenness of his movement, the explosiveness when he made a decision, the ball was gone, how quickly he was able to make those decisions. And you know, selfishly being the voice that I hate saying that, being a guy that works for the team in a town where they're trying to get traction and build a fan base. You know, I've lived here for thirty years, so I know how you know what the Polynesian community, the Simon community means. It's very underrated how important that community is here in Los Angeles. It is a giant, I mean massive community. So to have a quarterback that would tap you're talking about a million people that you're tapping into with a quarterback, you know, like to us so selfishly, I was like, oh man, if two would just fall in and look, you can you can take And I know Greg likes taking shots at DJ because of you know, how he had Herbert rated. It's not on DJ, that's on Mario Cristal ball. That's on Oregon for for for being scared to cut loose and let Herbert get after it. They did not allow him to play the way he's playing in the NFL. It was a one read. If it ain't there, make the check down or take off and run. Under no circumstances are you to turn the ball over. And that's just how christa ball operating. Look at work, they want a Rose Bowl and they perform well in the Pac twelve. But you know, so just to kind of make sure, I don't want anyone being like it was all about two when they were coming out. Yeah, because too, it was incredible in uh in college and Herbert, you know, had a lot of question marks because of the style offense that they played but to answer your question in a very circuitous way, Mark, it's much easier saying touchdown justin Herbert then to a tongue. Uh, let's let's move to the Chiefs, because yeah, I think they have gone to the NFC titled game four years in a row. Uh, they won a super Bowl nearly, um nearly got back to the Super Bowl last year. I had that baffling fourth quarter to melting and absolutely would have won that Super Bowl against that Rams team. I one hundred percent believe that. I listen, I understand you're Los Angeles, you're a Chargers guy. You don't know that. If you don't like j Long, just say it. The voice of the Rams, just come out and say it that one. I love JV, I love M J D. I got no issues with the Rams whatsoever. A lot of friends over there in that organization. But all I kept thinking is I was watching that Super Bowl, and I don't know if you guys felt the same way as man. The Bills, the Chiefs, the Chargers, they are all sitting at home going are you kidding me right now? Like we are not in this game, and this is what we're watching, This is how this offense is operating against a you know good, a good you know Cincinnati defense and a good with an exceptional pair of players Cincinnati offense. And just to think of what you know Joe Burrow and Jamaar Chase were able to do, and Joe mixing Man thinking of what Patrick Mahomes diary killing Travis Kelsey would have done in that game. I'm sorry, I'm I'm now fixated on the idea of like a Anchorman style alley battle um between voices of the A F C. West. So let's say, alright, Mark Money in DJ, which is pretty good. Money is in great shape, he's a surfer, whiskey man, he moves quickly. Uh DJ former D one athlete J B. Long another guy in good shape. And then m J D is a bowling ball who's one of the best. JD is gonna like some shop. And then I don't know what's good. I kind of forgot what the Denver situation is. Denver is um. She's Dave Logan, right, who's on the call, who's a big dude and obviously former professional D one. I don't think it matters, though, because my choice in this Mark is just Brent Musburger solo doesn't even need anybody walks in, he puts up, puts up his duke's nineteen thirties styles, and just clean's house. He'll he'll put a cigarette on a cigarette on someone's forehead. I I don't UM like your chances money in dj I. You're both wonderful announcers, but UM, from a physical menacing physical standpoint, I think mg D would be a problem for you not to mention Logan and Musburger. Um, how about this, by the way, sorry, UM, because this is this is insane. Dave Logan for people that don't know, he's the play by play voice of the Broncos. Right. He was drafted out of high school by the Cincinnati Reds. He goes to the University of Colorado, where he is a preseason All American basketball player, drafted by the Kansas City Kings and drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round, where he plays in the NFL for seven years. That's like, you want to talk about a freaking app that you're drafted by the Reds, the Kings, and the Browns. You got drafted into all three major sports in America. Born born nineteen fifty four, All right, yeah, okay, yeah, I think you guys are in trouble, but it's it's okay, yeah, um let's talk Chiefs though, Let's get through this. Uh these teams, I think, um, I think everyone's asking the same question about Take Tyreek Hill out of the mix, and you add in Juju Smith, Schuster Um, and you add Ian Marquez, Valdez Scantling and Mark that you what that In theory, the idea is that these different pieces will mitigate the loss because they'll do some of the things that Tyreek Hill did. But that's not really how it works because Tyreek Hill is a generation old player, and I don't put it past Mahomes to have another big season. And then you look at the standings last year, in a year where people I didn't get too crazy about the Chief's offense, they still scored four eight points, was basically the same amount as the Bills. Are you concerned seriously about this? Or is Mahomes so great is that he's that he's gonna make it work. I think the off season is so long that I've heard um a strong like cry it from certain people that they're gonna be fine. They don't miss Tyree Hill. It's like you're gonna miss Tyreek Hill and in various situations, your best target right now is obviously Travis Kelsey. Um, you're gonna need sky Moore to step up and do something. Juju, Smith, Schuster and MVS do not equal Tyreek Hill. I like the fact that you know, three of the three teams of four in this in this division have either a first year coaching staff for a second year coaching staff. With Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, you trust that they're gonna come up with enough to make the offense work. Um, they might be a little more ground heavy, but I think that with Mahomes there is a fool proof element to this. But I don't think that I think it's been underrated that Tyree Hill is going to be gone and they're just gonna glide right on the way that they have in the past. The one thing about him last year, though, is that they their offense looks so sluggish to us. They were still second in the NFL in e p a per play, behind only the Ramps. I mean, they did round into shape. So I think that this is one very resilient team that can overcome losses and players. But this is a special player they lost, So I'm suspicious at best. Yeah, Like my my big issue is, um, I shouldn't have my big issue. Like my my main concern last year was the offensive line, and I think that bore itself out through the first six weeks. There were issues, they were turnovers, there was pressure. It did not look like the offense that we were used to seeing. Right, Patrick Mahomes led the league in interceptions. He was not able to buy that time to let those plays developed down field because of all the pressure he was under. But what happened was Trey Smith and creed On Free really got better as this season progressed, and the interior that line was able to hold by the back half of that season. Um, Like I thought you could make a case. And I know a lot of this is dependent upon Orlando Brown's on an island. The other guys aren't, but like Orlando Brown was one of the weaker links on that offensive line. With how good that interior three started to play as at Coalesced and those guys got their experience and their legs under him. So, like, to me, that's a huge win for them going into this season, is that you've got these young cost controlled interior lineman. Can you help out Orlando Brown? Wiley is a huge concern on the other side as as well. So and I know we're gonna get into it. I think we are at least Like that's the thing that's being overlooked is everybody's excited about these quarterbacks and and all these weapons. But man, you look across the line, and I'm a huge car Loftis fan out of Purdue. To pair him up with Chris Jones and Frank Clark, and then you go to Denver and you got Bradley Chubb and they signed Randy Gregory of he's healthy, and then you got Chandler Jones, who's a big upgrade I think over and got Way who played very well opposite of Max Crosby, and then the best of them all, Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. Like that's to me, that's where this division is going to be one is how healthy is your defensive line and how effective are they going to be at slowing down these four incredible quarterbacks? Um and when it comes to playing them, you know, Like that, to me, that's where it's gonna be one loss. So I think the one thing just to kind of get to the trap that Tyreek Hill point real quick. Tyreek Hill just scared the hell out of defenses and defensive coordinators like that. Every single snap you had to account for him and adjust your defense for him. So now that you don't have to do that, I think that's where that impact will be felt the most. And I trust your your college football player judgment for sure, George Carloft. This is a big part of they need more pass rush of this year. So if he steps in and has an impact, but still he's a rookie, and same thing with sky More a second round pick, they like a lot who's entering that mixed I feel like Kansas City kind of needs one, if not both of those guys to be instant different difference makers. Or I see them taking that step back and opening the door for the Chargers, or say maybe the Broncos, who are gonna get into right after this break. All right, let's talk Broncos. Listen. Is it this simple? Is it this simple money? Because I think it kind of is in football, which is not a simple sport, but you see it time and time again, most recently in Tampa Bay where they hosted a hosted a Lombardi because they had a good roster and all they needed was a great quarterback. Here comes Tom Brady and the rest is history is Russell Wilson tom Brady. No, but as Russell Wilson a truly great quarterback in my opinion, yes, and the opinion of many out there. Is it as simple as Russell Wilson is there now. So now the Denver Broncos are a legit Super Bowl threat and perhaps the best team in the a f C West. Is that all check out to you? Yeah? I think it. I think it does. You know, when you look at Drew Lock and and he was regularly um, if not the worst in that thirty to thirty, you know, I think the highest he was ranked in any major category was um. So when when you replace that with the weapons they have, you know, and I'm a big believer in their weapons and Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton and Jerry Judium and that is scary. I love Javante Williams, and I know I'm doing the name salad thing right now, but yeah, when it's not Drew Lock and it's Russell Wilson, my god, that is a gigantic upgrade. Um I do think there's still questions. You know, Mike Munschak is gone. He's arguably the best offensive line coach in the league, and when he got to Denver as when that offensive line finally started playing well, they were a huge liability. Prior to his arrival, Garrett Bowls was terrible, lead the league in holding penalties regularly, and then ends up getting with Munchak and you know, gets a giant contract, becomes a solid left tackle. I don't know whether that's going to carry over, um, but to me, I don't see how it's not a huge upgrade, just because I mean, that is such a giant leap from Lock to Wilson. That is just massive, and you're pairing Wilson finally with an offensive minded coach. I think that matters a lot. I think the X factor for the Broncos is um. I just generally concerned about teams that we just ticket for, like the a f C title game, you know, because of what they've done at quarterback, and I know that he has nice weapons around him. I'd say the right side of the line um is a major question. There's a battle at every one of those positions. Another X factor for me is like, I like Bradley chub U, can you stay healthy? I like Randy Gregory, can you stay healthy? Um Ken, Nathaniel Hackett, Russell Wilson and all these pieces with a shaky offensive line get their act together um in time for the regular season. And if you're slow out of the gate in this division, I think you're in a little bit of trouble. And I look at the end of their schedule and this is like kind of like what what happened with the Rams with Matthew Stafford last year, where they started to find their sea legs down the stretch. This team closes with the Ravens, the Chiefs, the Cardinals, the Rams, the Chiefs again, and then the and then the Chargers. That is a brutal six week finish. So if they don't have cohesion by that point, this is a team that I think could disappoint record wise and be much better the second year under Nathaniel Hockett. Yeah, that is a good conversation to have. Maybe we'll do it. We still love plenty of time before Week one. Teams bound to disappoint this series season. I think you mentioned chub He he kind of as the old Dave Dama check Jenga piece. He lingers to me as a Jenga piece on this team because you know, they thought they were getting a truly great pass rusher when they drafted him in the top five few years back, and injuries have held him back. But he's also had moments where he's looked like that guy if you get the real pass rush from him where he leads that unit, and then you have that great uh secondary. That's another major part of this. With all these great quarterbacks in the division, if they have a pass rush and a lockdown secondary, they could figure some things out. And you add in Russell Wilson. I'm buying on the Broncos. I understand that the there could be some pessimissing around. Might know Greg is not as high and Russell Wilson for instance, as others, but I'm in on them. I think this is an eleven twelve win team. I also think, well, like on defense, you know, I know Vick Fongio is gone, but their new defensive coordinator is a Fongio from a Fongio system, I mean, and so it's like a lot of these players versus like, oh, we had a great players for the last system now we're starting over. It's like you're sliding them back into something very familiar in their secondary is among the best in the league. Yeah, I think that's the key, you know, is is you know, just quickly on that mark. You know, some teams are built forward back. You know, the front gets after it, and you can have average defensive backs that don't have to hold coverage as long. You know, this is the best secondary in the league, and so they can hold and get a little bit more sticky coverage to get you a couple more second, you know, to get you an extra half second, three quarters of a second for Chubb and Gregory to get to the quarterback because maybe those windows aren't open as as quickly. And so, you know, to your point, Dan, where they thought Bradley Chubb was going to be this, Hey we're pairing von Miller with Bradley Chubb and go ahead and pick your poison. And it didn't turn out to be that. But I think now that that this, you know, with Simmons and Jackson and and pats her Tan and and k One went like, it's such a good secondary, um that you don't have to be von Miller. You can be that Bradley chubs secondary rusher and end up being elite because of how sticky the secondary is. Let me take a look as of May, just checking out with DraftKings. I'm curious because I said I see the Broncos as eleven or twelve. The Desert has them at ten. The Chargers also at ten. The Chiefs this is a crazy division. Really is Chiefs at ten and a half and the Raiders. Let's get to the Raiders at eight and a half. So the Desert sees the Raiders as a tick below. I have another quote here, Money, that I was able to procure as the a t N media insider um. Maybe you could put it together. Who gave me this quote? Just based on context, Money thinks I suck, well, he sucks. Listen, I don't think Derek Carr sucks. I just understand I've been calling Chargers games. This will be my uh sixth year, and in those six years, I have had a chance to see Derek Carr twice a season, and much to what Joey Bosa spoke to after that first meeting that got Derek Carr's that's what I saw. I I would see Bosa destroy Colton Miller or whatever, plug and play right tackle they had getting to Derek Carr's lap and he just didn't want to stand in the pocket and look like, that's what's so weird about People think you're automatically calling a guy saft or something. That's not the point. The point is are you comfortable standing in there, know when it's coming and when you're taking shot after shot after shot. I totally understand getting rid of the ball all because my offensive line can't They can't protect me. I can't hold the ball that long. I'm going to get drilled in the back and I can't do that every player. I'm gonna be broken and half and standing on the sideline. So I think what Boassa spoke to and what I saw repeatedly was a guy that just wasn't comfortable holding the football. But that changed last year like that did change, and I think that's a huge development for the Raiders, especially with the arrival of Davante Adams. Um. I still thought their offensive line was not good um, but for whatever reason, Derek Carr was just more willing to stand in there and let plays develop downfield and they were effective. So I like to me, Derek Carr took a huge step last year. I thought he was take him or leave him. You can probably find someone else to plug in there that can do very similar things. And I thought last year he ascended to something more than that because of his willingness to take shots down field to rugs, you know, and and and now with Davante Adams there and Hunter Renfrew is as nasty a weapon as there is out there. He like that that threesome renfro Waller Adams is going to be a nightmare I think on throw down especially. But to your point about the line, and that's why two teams in this division or suspect to me is the offensive line scenario. Their right guard and right tackle Combo last season allowed more pressures than any guard tackle Combo on the right side in the league. And so cars gonna be dealing with that agegas. They did not fix that. Um, it's nice to add Davante Adams. I mean, Davante Adams is not I don't think going to produce the way that he did where he was sort of a one man show in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball. Um. And I think this is you know, Josh McDaniels is gonna run a little bit of a different type of offense than might have a little bit more balanced. I mean, Josh McDaniels is also the kind of coach. Maybe this won't apply in Las Vegas the way it did in New England, especially with Tom Brady, where you're so fluid and so high level, where they ran a different offense every week based on the opponent. Josh McDaniels, well, go quarter after quarter where he runs the ball, you know, twenty times in a row if he needs to. I don't know how that works with the the attack they have because their strength is their weapons in the pass. It's such a tough division for this team to be and if they were in a different division, I would feel better than that eight and a half over under, which sounds about right to me. And like it's not card you know, a guy that hears the criticism. You know, it's the fact that he's the fourth best best quarterback in this division. That's not his fault. He's just in a division with great quarterbacks and I think the Raiders that's kind of the position there in right now. And Alex Leatherwood, he's one of those issues on the right side of the line, their first round pick last year. I think it's kind of remarkable that they're even a team that you could incredibly talk about as a playoff team, both last year when they made it and again this season considering how many missus they had at the top of the draft. In the last few years, they've hit on other elements of team building. But Leatherwood and not to mark him down as a bust. It's only one year. It's just another example of that. The one thing I'll add is, you know, again, defensively, Max Krawl, he's as good as there isn't a league. It's just a pass rusher so too. And like like I said, I think I said it earlier. Um, but Chandler Jones is an upgrade and got Way was good last year. Chandeler Jones is an upgrade. And I think, you know, it's gonna be interesting because Gus, you know, having worked with Gus for for all those years, I got to see just how good of a communicator he is, how much the defense loves him. How said, there's a reason why he's been employed as long as he has, even though schemes have changed and a lot of people think what he does is outdated, but his defense is performed, you know, and he doesn't always have the best personnel to work with that That Raiders defense played league average last year, and they had no business play in league average with that secondary. You know. He brought in some guys that were practice squad guys on the Chargers, that were cast offs from the Chargers because they knew the system and he wanted them to be comfortable and they played well. Um, but Patrick Graham, I'll see how complicated is it? Is it the same as last year? But to me, like that's that's the one benefit they're gonna have is that pass rush is going to create turnovers. It's gonna give the offense extra opportunities in games. And I think that's how that eight and a half comes into play. And maybe it becomes a nine, you know, and maybe it becomes a ten, and now they're the team that's in third place and making the playoffs and and one of the other three ends up falling into that basement and doesn't get into the tournament. But the most important takeaway from this entire conversation to me, again, money I don't win there. Car sucks when eight seven year old Brent Musburger give her take a couple of years standing over you with brass knuckles on his right hand and you're you're laid out with a sword bleeding from your ear even and he's saying, jack pot, baby, what do you do next? I guess I just say, yeah, baby, jack Pot, babab raiders bab you. Brent is gone. You know, Brent is no longer. They're played by play man. No. Well, that that exercise totally. He retired this year. Yeah did oh? I never I missed that. That's heartbreaking Sunday night. I guess it had happened, all right. Well, Bran, thank you for the several hundred years of great broadcast. We really thank you for it. Um Money, we do thank you for coming on the show. I would like to know, as we closed the book on this conversation, how many teams come out of this division and and are playing in January in the postseason. To you and who's coming in first. I know that's a tough one. It's such a gauntlet. Their their schedule is tough. Man. It's uh because it's NFC West. So you got the Rams and you got the Cardinals. You got to deal with Kyler Murray and you got the forty nine Ers. You know, you got the I think it's a f C South, so you'll have to contend with the physicality of Tennessee, you know, the Matt Ryan and Frank Reich led col like. It's a tough schedule, um, for all these teams. I believe, h I believe I'm gonna go to come out. I know everyone's talking three or four. I'm gonna go two teams come out of here. Yeah, just like it did last year. I think that's the same. I think the the North, I believe the you know, I believe in the Bengals um, and I believe in in the Ravens um. You know what. No, I think it's three now that I'm working through it, because I don't know. I don't think there's more than one in the East. Well, it could be four too, It could be that could be who's playing the home game in mid January. I know who it is. Who is it? Mark? Well, I'll tell you real quick. Here are my standings from the bottom up. Raiders eight and nine, Broncos and Chiefs both ten and seven. Only the Chiefs make the playoffs. The Chargers win the division at eleven and six. I think your order is probably what most people are coming down with, not to say your basic man mark, because you certainly are now. I think a lot of people would put Kansas City number one still, but it's it's are just season. It is it is, but there's a reason for it. I mean, the rosters is talented, yeah, but their quarterback was is a higher argument for me than late late stage Philip Rivers. And this year I think it's different. I don't think we got into it, did we. I'd like to me the thing that people are overlooking as Khalil Macinbosa, like I just I don't think anybody is putting enough into that. Joey Bosa is so regularly overlooked. He's so good against the run, and he is a wrecking machine against the past. And he's always double teamed because they've never had somebody opposite Even when Melvin Ingram was opposite him, he was always single covered. He was always single man. It was always bosted to get into double teams. So now that you have Khalil mack and go look at his numbers when he didn't have that foot injury, Look what he was doing. You think that it's not a coincidence that Robert Quinn had a career year last year because most of those sacks came early on when Khalil Mack was opposite him. So now you've got Bosa paired with that, and you're rotating in Kyle van Noy, who's always got a floor of five to six sacks, you know, per season, and then you had j. C. Jackson on the back end. They've always had issues with their secondary and lack of depth, and now you know one of their starters for the last two years is gonna be their fourth cornerback. Like, it's just feels a lot different this year defensively. I would say also, if you like, outside of the Broncos offense with Russell Wilson plugged in, what Brandon Staley will do with this defense with the people they added in in another year, Like they've talked all this off season that there's so much more comfortable. I think he's probably poed about the way last season ended on defense for them, it will be the second most improved unit in the entire a f C West, and that makes them extremely dangerous. Let's see, it's also when we do the hot butt Butt rankings a little later in the summer. I think Brandon Stale is gonna be high up on that list because he needs performance. He needs his team to take the next step. In my opinion, Uh, we shall see if it happens. Ye, Hey, football gots, we'll see. I got sometimes you gotta hit him with the We shall see for seventeen weeks. Hey, it's a good job, Mikey, Yeah, we'll see. Good job for me, Dan, What do you got? Give it to me? What do you got? What do you? What do you get? What do you what do you? What do you got? Your shirt? What does it say? What do you got? Let me here? Everyone else, everybody else can turn it off. Now it's just gonna be uh me and money doing Chris Russo now for about twelve minutes. It's a good job by you. This is when we uh want to come to the twelfth hole. And I pulled out seven wood. I mean he came on our show and he when he I think he gave me that's a good job by you. And I was like essentially just done for when he first came on and Chris was still with us at Radio Row a few years back, after he wrapped, He's like, oh, just for you. Wow, that's tough. It's a good job by you guys. Fo huh so uh Petro some money uh supposed to be how uhi sixteen and a market like Los Angeles, You guys are incredible. Good job by you. That's incredible. I didn't know that, my god with Royal p sixteen years in Los Angeles. Gotta what a what a life? You're just like, yeah, all right, we're gonna we're gonna take a little break here, as we said, going, uh take the week off, spend time with family and friends. Will be back on the other side of the July four week money. Thank you for joining us, baby uh baby jack pot baby h check out Petros and money and john NFL Network and hopefully money I mean you on Power Rankings come early September, and well we hope you're here. If not, Mark will just slide right in as the Power Rankings co host. And speaking of Mark, we have done a deep dive into the a f C West. Now Mark is going to dive deep within his own mind and offer some what would you call my market a meditation yes, and meditation yes, an a f C West based meditation to take us into our break So as we head into our break head into the mind's eye of the quiet Store, it is time now to let go, to relinquish concerns over career status, money, money's contract, hidden second families, et cetera, et cetera. Close your eyes and allow yourself to be guided by your inner being, that voice within that has always led you, that voice that wishes to tell you about a disturbing future development in the a f C. West. Please remember that an ancient Peruvian shamanistic practices, the leader of the tribe would kick off Peru's new year by sending one male infant down the river in a small dinghy made out of sticks, clay, and other business. You can bet your bottom dollar that male baby was never seen again. The parallel here is the much ballyhoo Denver Broncos. Instead of waltzing into Super Bowl fifty seven, their season ends abruptly in week eleven when the team plane vanishes into thin air somewhere over the Rocky Mountains. Three days later, Roger Goodell receives the following text from Nathaniel Hackett. I just want to let you know what. We're fine, but the aircraft was apparently sucked into some sort of time space vortex. For lack of a better definition, I can't say for sure, but we appear to be in a version of Colorado from the very deep past. We've encountered a small tribe of mostly friendly, non English speaking natives who seem to believe that Special Teams Coordinator Dwyane Stukes is some sort of deity. We are subsisting primarily off these huge, luscious apples that fall like candy from the trees. Anyway, totally unsure if, when, if, and when will cycle back around to our threat of existing. Kind of a stupid situation, to be honest, Chow Broncos finish six and four, see you in a couple of weeks.