40s and Free Agents: Position-by-Position Rookie Check-In

00:00:02
Speaker 1: We are back on forties and free Agents, the podcast nobody asked for with me and Daniel Jeremiah aka Move the Sticks, where we build up to the draft in free agency in the off season. But we're sprinkling some shows throughout the course of the season because the fans demand it DJ, and we can look back a little bit on that rookie draft class of twenty twenty five and some of the free agent moves that have really shaped this season.

00:00:30
Speaker 2: Good to talk to you again, Good.

00:00:31
Speaker 3: To be with you, buddy. I missed that song, by the way. It's a shame to have that great of an intro song and not not use it more often. But I'll tell you what. You look up and here we are doing the halfway point of the season episode and Greg, we're gonna You're gonna blink, and we're gonna be cranking out, you know, a lot more for than free agents in the off season.

00:00:50
Speaker 1: Yes, the plan once we get to the new year, we are going weekly, and we got a lot of new information this week. Of course, we had our trade deadline episodes over on NFL Daily and reaction on Move the Sticks. So we're going to focus on what we do here during the season, which is look back a little bit on how this draft class.

00:01:11
Speaker 2: Is looking, and we'll do it positioned by position.

00:01:13
Speaker 1: I'll throw in some of the free agency moves that have really changed teams, and why don't you get us going. We might as well start at quarterback unless you want to start elsewhere.

00:01:21
Speaker 3: Yeah. No, I'm just going to hit a couple guys on these positions here. So I want to just with the quarterbacks. Let's start with cam Ward because I just saw him last week live. I prepared for the game of the Chargers and the Tennessee Titans, so studied him and then seeing him live and in person, and I would just say, anybody that's panicked or freaking out, he's going to be fine there you.

00:01:43
Speaker 2: Can pull out.

00:01:44
Speaker 3: With My test with a lot of these rookies is can you pull out to five to ten plays a game that gets you excited and that you know, those flashes of hope that he provides. And he has done that.

00:01:53
Speaker 2: Now.

00:01:54
Speaker 3: The armstrength's plenty good enough. He can move around. He's not going to move around to round. I'm going to move around to throw. Thing I get from the folks there is that he's the wiring's grade. He's working hard, doing all the stuff you need to do. There's some mechanical stuff to fix. They're not good up front. I like the fact that they're, you know, getting the younger guys in play. Cham Dk is really turned into a good player. We'll see what io manner can can develop into with more opportunities. They need to get the tight end the ball more Helm who's been a really good rookie form. But with Cam when I talk about the mechanical things, when he's when he's on time and throws it fine, When he's on the move, off platform, change arm angles fine, those are two great areas. When he moves and resets, his accuracy is bad, Like he has really struggled from that standtast So to me, it's just getting him a little more comfortable in that environment where moving being able to it's like the ability to speed up, you know, urgency, speed up, get away, but then you've got to slow back down to get into your legs and deliver the ball accurately. He's not doing that, and that's why you're seeing some of these misfires, which I think is entirely coachable.

00:02:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've been watching them every week.

00:02:58
Speaker 1: And it's such a weird situation because I think there's a lot to like about that rookie draft class, but you also have the feeling like we've had with Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams last year, of these quarterbacks that are kind of wasting the year. I know it's helpful to be in the NFL and get these reps, but his ultimate coach is not there right now, so that's that's frustrating. But look, it's not easy to find three pass catchers in the middle rounds.

00:03:22
Speaker 2: I think they did it.

00:03:22
Speaker 1: Gunner helm Io Manners out there blocking like a tight end.

00:03:25
Speaker 2: Everyone wants a wide receiver like that.

00:03:27
Speaker 3: Yeah no, and we get to those other positions. But I and even talking to some folks with the organization, like they know they need to get a tight end. The ball war. He had one ball last week against charged me to unbelievable catch. They got to figure out a way to get him more involved. He's gonna up being a real value pick for him and DK leading the league in all purpose yards. He's been awesome, So good find there. Jackson Dart will be the other one that I'll hit. Obviously, they feel great inside the organization. They've got their guy. They've got absolutely nothing, you know, with Skataboo goes out. Unfortunately, Neighbors is gone. I mean, it's just not a lot for him to work with there, and yet he still finds a way to make plays and brings the energy and enthusiasm and excitement there. He's advanced further than I thought he would be at this point in time. I love the upside with Jackson Dart. I thought you would require some more patients, but to be as competitive as he's been with what he has and their offensive line has been better. But I mean they that's all you can hope for when you take a quarterback in the first round, no matter where it is is you're hoping after a year there's a calm and an ease of like we're out of that market. And I think they clearly know that they're out of that market. And I'll pose this question to you, Greg getting it back to you, is I loathe three drafts. I think it's just I think it's the lazy, it's kind of dumb thing. But I would say I made this statement, I'll see if you are on board with it. In a everything we know now go back draft it over again. I said, at worst, Cleveland would take him at two. At worst, hmm, they would not do that trade. They would not trade out of two. They would have stuck and picked if not, and I'm saying that's the worst. If not, he would have been Tennessee's pick at one. I'm saying that that's max and Dart would have been the first or second pick based off what we've seen right now. Tell me I'm wrong.

00:05:18
Speaker 1: I can't because I like Abdell Carter. I'm still holding onto my Travis Hunter stock. I'm going to buy it up from people who are doubting, But I can't go against you. Would I would still have Ward personally over at Dart, but he has been Dart that is way better, way faster than I expected. And he upgrade like he's made that team better as a rookie quarterback. That is not easy to do. So I think you're right. That's a good way to think about it. I had not so thinking back to like decisions in the off seane like that that you might change around, you know, would Sam Darnold and his agent have asked for more money than one hundred million dollars over three years, but we're going to do some of the free agency moves here, and I kind of wanted almost to focus on the contract of it all because we know how well Sam Dnold's taking I've never taken a bigger l in my entire life as an analyst than seeing him play better this year and seeing him obviously upgrade that team compared to where Gino Smith was, and I think he was the better system fit, which I should have given them credit for. But man, he's only making thirty one a year over the next two years. He might be going back to the table in a year or so. But man, they have to feel great because he's a legit MVP candidate.

00:06:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, I know, he's been awesome. It's it's been fun to watch. I was looking at their tape from this last week and there was a moment in that game where they end up emptying out the formation so they go empty and you see him go one to two to three, and it is so fast they did in that Washington game, and I wrote it down and I'm like, I know, you know, people say that's too rich, but I'm watching them like that was a Joe Burrow look to it. There was the speed of which he's seeing things, but the calm and poison, the ball placement was pristine, like that's what there's you know, like he's got to flush that one play. He still has one play game you'd like to have back. But I mean, it was a perfect first half in last week's game. And let me give you my other exercise that I did here because I want to get your thoughts on I did this on I think I did this on Move the Sticks the other day, but just to get your thoughts on it. If you look at Sam and the group they have around him. I know we're focusing on the free agency in the in the draft picks here, but if you look at Sam with this Seattle team, and I took their top seven to nine players, which is Sam JS and Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, you could put cross Emon, Worry Witherspoon's a boy, Lucas, you could put Ernest Jones in there. That's like the top Tennish guys. And you look at the team that won the Super Bowl last year with Saquon Lane, Johnson, Carter at Ponion Mitchelsack, bond Aj Brown, Hurts, Davante Smith, mylotta like it's a fair It's a fair fight. Now you could say it Lean's Philly. But like when people ask could Sam Darnold lead the Seahawks to a super Bowl and you look at the top part of their roster, it's not that far off the team that just won on it.

00:08:00
Speaker 1: Man, No, I've been saying, I don't know if they're the super Bowl favorites, but I think they're the team that's played the best football so far, even before before last week. So that Eagles team was so talented. I'm still giving the edge to the Eagles, but he is that a super.

00:08:14
Speaker 3: Bowl beyond that's the strength that they had eight defensive linemen. They could roll all the way through.

00:08:20
Speaker 2: There, yep.

00:08:21
Speaker 1: And I think, look, they only got more talented this week with Rashid Shaheed, who I think is a great fit for Sam Donald. So that's interesting. The other quick quarterback things, it is interesting. It's so it's supposed to be so hard to get quarterbacks in the off season, but they got Daniel Jones in Indianapolis for fourteen million dollars and I'm sure they're going to sign him long term. And I think Pittsburgh is glad you know, they didn't get Stafford or Donald, but I think they're happy with how the Rogers move ended up. And both those teams got bargained for what they're getting. So apparently you can get quarterbacks in the off season some no doubt where.

00:08:53
Speaker 3: You want to go next, what position.

00:08:56
Speaker 1: I'll just run through the running backs quickly, which is to me, it's interesting. You can still get the guys at the bottom of the barrel that are going to come in and be a belcal for you and be effective. Rico Dado and Javonte Williams are making combined five point seventy five million dollars about the same, right around three million dollars each, and they'll both be free agents again and they'll get a little more of this offseason. But that's just awesome for those two guys and those two teams. It does show, you know, you can get good bargains. I think with that second contract for running backs that haven't been used too much, yep.

00:09:27
Speaker 3: And I would say in the draft, you know, it's always been the case. You can find them kind of up and down throughout the draft. We've seen RJ. Harvey who popped. We've had these guys who've kind of had their week or two where they've really popped. Skatabo, who was doing great until he was lost for the year, which was unfortunate. Genti's in a tough spot there. At least he's got a running mate now with Bowers back healthy, so he's got a chance without everything having to go all through him. He's been solid. I always asked the question of if you could take one running back from this class for the future, like so what you've seen thus far and then could carry him into the future. I actually and I always preface it, and I want to make sure I'm honest and transparent. I do the Charger games, and I know he's missed time, but I would take Omar and Hampton over any running back in this draft when he's been out there and healthy, and considering who is not in front of him blocking, size, speed, the ability to catch the ball, versatility, and unfortunately he's missing a huge chunk of the season with this with this injury. But he would be the one that I would take out of all these running backs.

00:10:25
Speaker 1: I hate to agree with you, but I would, and I thought gent looked better coming off the bye week. I don't know if it was how they used him or just getting a little rid of a break. He had some juice. They actually have another. They actually have another somebody actually they have to look at and worry about on the other side of the ball, which is nice. It's nice health to have that. For Tuddies, for Gino he's back. Maybe not, but yeah, I agree with you. Hampton is the complete package. What do you think at wide receiver?

00:10:53
Speaker 3: Yeah, wide receivers of Bucas. You know, he's been the story, he's been the class of the group. Tedoroa McMillan's been solidid this team and to no fault of his own, but they've realized that their path and their formula to win football games is not through the air. It's running the ball with an offensive line that's equipped to run it. With backs that they have, Rico Daddle being at the top of that list, they're just more equipped to play that style of football. So you're going to see that impact his numbers. But he's clearly their their number one guy and Ben solid I mentioned Shemir d k a little bit earlier. I wanted to give him some love, you know. When I was in there at training camp, there was excitement about the young receivers with him in iow manor and you know as a kick returner, he's been awesome. I just saw him take a punt, you know, back for a touchdown last week against the Chargers, leading the league in all purpose yards. But he's more than that. And a lot of times you've seen receivers young in their career, impactful guys in this in this role, and you've seen him grow and evolve into more. I think you're going to see that with him. I'm excited about him.

00:11:49
Speaker 1: Yeah, makes you wonder what they were doing giving those snaps to your buddy Tyler Lockett early in the season that the rookies were playing too well and they had to get Pete Carroll's buddy back to Vegas. I did want to follow up on the t mac point. Yeah, you had, and by the way, you had Hampton very high, you know, before the draft too, So I think that's been born out.

00:12:11
Speaker 2: I think he's even better than solid.

00:12:13
Speaker 1: And I know the numbers aren't crazy, but just eye test, he reminds me a little bit of Drake London, where maybe the numbers aren't going to be crazy, but he's a one they found it like he's I think he's awesome. I'm convinced he is going to be like a top fifteen type of receiver in the league. Like he's really good as a rookie. It's just a situation maybe keeping his numbers down.

00:12:34
Speaker 3: But me, I'm pulling it up because I wanted to see my report on him. As you mentioned that, here we go, the end of it. Okay, McMillan is this is the first line. McMillan is a tall, rangy receiver with a Drake London like skill set. And the last last thing I said, overall, I thought London played with a little more urgency as a prospect. McMillan has the potential to provide a similar impact at the next level. So here you go.

00:13:04
Speaker 1: And I can't pretend I'm breaking down the all twenty two of every single one of his snaps. But he has played aggressive. He is out there fighting for balls, not a lot of like perfect location passes, and he looks pretty awesome to me, So I think they're happy. I think about the wide receivers in terms of free agency, and it's a trend of all the rest of these positions. There's a lot more misses than hits and DeVante Adams is what the Rams wanted him to be, of course, but I think about Josh Palmer, like those mid tier wide receivers, it doesn't often work out Christian Kirk for the Texans, and I do think about how the Patriots might have dodged one. And this is just injury related, but Chris Godwin, coming off a really serious injury at his age, they wanted to give him a lot of money. The reports from our guys Ian rapport were that he passed down more money from the Patriots to return to Tampa. So they end up in the end, quote unquote settling for Stefan Diggs, who's been a real nice fit for them at a little lower price and has been healthy got back from his injury, so that ended up working out well for them. I think that'd be a different Patriots team right now if they if they did not have Stefan Diggs.

00:14:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, sometimes it's the guys you don't get right. They ended up being the good moves and they've they've gotten younger there and uh again, I know we're not talking to sit here and talk about your Patriots the whole time, but like said it at the time, that they That was my favorite draft. And you look at the young core that they've got assembled. It's going to be fun. Man. You're kind of set up for a decade of fun with the Patriots, you know.

00:14:34
Speaker 1: You know. Unfortunately he's the only rookie on the team that I still believe in.

00:14:38
Speaker 3: But isn't really good. He hasn't got cranked up.

00:14:40
Speaker 2: You know.

00:14:40
Speaker 1: That wasn't even the guy I was mentioning because he looked great last week. Was my favorite guy in the draft, Kyle Williams. You know, there's too many good guys ahead of him.

00:14:48
Speaker 2: You can't get him off the.

00:14:49
Speaker 3: Field, That's right. I mean, there's only one ki Shan Boody in this league. Can we do it? Can we do My favorite position in this entire draft right now? Tight ends? Tyler Yarn has been an elite player. He's already you know, kind of playing like a top five player at his position in the league. He's done it the whole year. It's run after catch, it's the physicality, it's the instincts. All that stuff's been excellent. So start there. But then I'm telling you he's who's nipping at his heels as a Rendez Gatz and seeing him every week with the charger. I mean's on a heater. He's on a about a four week heater, and I don't think it's going to slow down. And I don't know if it's the eighty six that he's wearing, but I'm like, this gives me like prime zach Ertz vibes of someone who's just got the trust of his quarterback. And it sounds hard to describe, but he presents such a good target where he you know, he gets in and at it breaks, he presents himself well. It makes it very inviting for throws and he catches everything he can catch it nice catch, raates over his head back if it's behind him. He's been excellent. So he kind of that's the role I could see him kind of playing. And I wouldn't be surprised as great as Warren is if we looked up in three to five years, because he's a chance to play with Justin Herbert that you're going to see, you know, statistically, he could be at ory clips where Tyler Warren is. So that's my that's my fun one there. You sound like you want to jump in here, Greg.

00:16:11
Speaker 1: No, that that's awesome and outrageous. It just shows how crazy draft value can affect things, because there was that one week after his first big game that he's on every single Fantasy football waiver wire.

00:16:22
Speaker 2: I remember talking about with my kids and seeing other people, and a.

00:16:25
Speaker 1: Lot of people were like, eh, I don't know, that's probably a who level. I mean, like, meanwhile, if he had gotten drafted where Colston Loveland got drafted, everyone I think would be talking about him as a legit Rookie of the Year candidate. And it's a good offensive rookie of the year class. There's a lot of fun options, including the guys we've talked about, like Dart, but.

00:16:45
Speaker 2: Gadson's got a chance.

00:16:46
Speaker 1: I mean, that's crazy to get an undrafted guy that that could be.

00:16:50
Speaker 3: He wasn't drafted, right, No, No, he's like fifth round.

00:16:53
Speaker 1: Okay, right as I'm settying that that that's insane. There's not much to talk about the tight end position in terms of free agency. Evan Ingram got in there and I bought that, okay to.

00:17:05
Speaker 3: Before I got sold the Billy Goods on that one. Didn't know what He's an answer team.

00:17:10
Speaker 1: He's like a lot of Broncos receivers They're like there's one or two plays every week where he's wide open and they just miss hitting him for like a long touchdown last week. And so he's been I'm not giving up on him. He's been close, but man, that's exciting that.

00:17:24
Speaker 3: By the way, loved one coming off his big game, So hopefully he's coming on. Harrold Fanning has been good for Cleveland. I mentioned Hell needs to get the ball more. In Tennessee, it's gonna it's shaping up to be an excellent tight end class. That's why I think it's uh, you know, as I mentioned, it's my favorite of all these groups. Just I think there's a really good group of guys there.

00:17:43
Speaker 1: There's a really good of a group of free agent tight ends that we'll hit on next year. But as we wrap up the offense, who who stands out to you in terms of the offensive line picks so far?

00:17:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm just going to hit Zabel. I mean, the two tackles have had their moments and played well. Will Campbell's you know, look you run it a Miles Garrett, it is what it is. Memboo has been solid. Those guys have been solid, you know. Simmons hasn't been out there unfortunately for the Chiefs. Played well when he was out there, but haven't got to see more of him. But Gray's Abel to me, has been a real difference maker as an interior offensive lineman on that Seattle team we were just talking about a little bit earlier. He's been awesome.

00:18:20
Speaker 1: This is the position more than any other where. Man, you just be able. You need to be able to draft and develop them, because when I'm looking for the list of the best offensive linemen that changed teams like last offseason, it's a pretty short list. Like Jalen Moore got paid a lot from the Chiefs. I think he's been okay. He's supported the idea that they needed that insurance when Josh Simmons left, and they haven't fallen apart. But the guys who got big money, like Dan Moore from the Titans, I don't think the Vikings are really loving the experience they've gotten out of Will Fries and Ryan Kelly.

00:18:55
Speaker 2: Kelly's been hurt, but that was part of the risk when you sign them.

00:18:58
Speaker 1: It's just not a lot of quality guys that changed teams, and you look at the signings that have already happened this season that are kind of under the radar, like guys like Colton mckivitts and Luke Gettkey. They've already been resigned. So you're just not gonna find solid to good offensive linement in free agency. Why don't we take a little bit of break unless you got something to say about.

00:19:16
Speaker 3: No, no, no, I'm tapped out there.

00:19:19
Speaker 2: Okay, let's take a quick break and we'll talk about defense after this.

00:19:36
Speaker 3: All right, everybody, we're back here forties in free agents with my guy Greg. Greg didn't know this was coming, but I wanted to bring this back. We had a Super Bowl draft. Before we get to the defense, we'll get to the defensive players just this weight. But we had a Super Bowl draft. We went teams like you picked teams. We went through every team in the AFC, every team in the NFC, and I thought this would be a good time to revisit. We're at the halfway mark. Greg. You want to see where we landed with that draft, and tell me where you feel great more you don't feel great, well.

00:20:02
Speaker 1: I know that you're sneak attacking me here, and the only way you would possibly do that is if your draft looks better than mine.

00:20:09
Speaker 2: This would not be a segment. This would not be a segment if if my draft was good.

00:20:14
Speaker 3: Well, I'm just the only that to the viewers to see or the listeners to see what they say. There. Let's start with the AFC. Let's go back through the draft. Okay, you went Ravens first overall pick. How are you feeling there?

00:20:25
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm not great, but we're not We're not out of it yet. I still think they could win that division and the playoffs are what matters.

00:20:33
Speaker 2: But yeah, not great.

00:20:34
Speaker 3: I went Bills with my first pick. Feel fine there? Okay, you went Chiefs with the next pick?

00:20:41
Speaker 2: Feel great? That would be my number one overall pick.

00:20:43
Speaker 1: I think right now, even though they're five and four, I think I would take them.

00:20:46
Speaker 3: Yeah. I went with the Chargers. Obviously the injuries are the two tackles not helping, but they're you know, they're a playoff team.

00:20:53
Speaker 1: Uh.

00:20:53
Speaker 3: You went with Texans with your fifth pick. How are you feeling about that one?

00:20:58
Speaker 2: That that's a cross off.

00:21:00
Speaker 3: Well, I'm going to I'm going to be able to come right back with you because I went with the Cincinnati Bengals with mine. Okay, don't love that at all, here's a great here's a great back and forth. Here you went with the Steelers at seven. All right, in feel good? Take it that good value pick, good value. I got the Denver Broncos at eight. That's a fantastic value.

00:21:22
Speaker 2: Better value, and those teams can have home games in the playoffs.

00:21:25
Speaker 3: How about you come back with the Patriots at nine.

00:21:29
Speaker 2: Okay, I thought I thought I was gonna get taken to the woodshed. Here let's go. I want you all the more reason.

00:21:35
Speaker 3: I want Jacksonville at ten. Don't love that. And now we get to the ugly part.

00:21:38
Speaker 1: I mean that's good. That's good for a ten pick. They're in the playoffs today.

00:21:42
Speaker 3: You go Miami at eleven, No bueno. I go Raiders at twelve. No bueno. You go New York that's at thirteen. Gross. But here we are with the fourteenth pick in the draft. I got the Indianapolis Colts, home to Sauce Gardner and a newly revamped defense to accompany the league's best offense, and without question, the best value pick of this draft. You go Titans at fifteen. I go Browns at sixteen. But that's the AFC. So you feel good about the fact you've got case that like legitimately you think could win it. Like you still feel like Baltimore if they could get in, yeah, go on a run, they could win it.

00:22:17
Speaker 1: Sure, and the Patriots are a good dark course. I do regret a lot about our Colts predictions, at least I'm talking on our show NFL Daily, because there was more there to see. If we forget it, just seeing the vision. They're actually kind of a win now team with a bunch of good players, continuity.

00:22:33
Speaker 2: In their prime. That was a good value picked by.

00:22:35
Speaker 3: All Right, so let's get to the NFC. I go Eagles at one field. Okay, fantastic about that. You go Detroit at two.

00:22:45
Speaker 2: I'm fine with that. I know it's been a little rocky, but the defense is better than I thought.

00:22:49
Speaker 3: I'm fine with that. I go Rams at three. Love that one. That's pretty good. But you came back with Tampa at four. I think we're doing pretty good here. I think those first four picks are all legitimate Super Bowl contenders. I came back with green Bay at five. A little bit of an up and down roller coaster here, Minnesota at six. I don't think you're feeling great about that, are you?

00:23:11
Speaker 1: I don't feel good about that. And this was this I remember now was made before the Micah Parsons trade. By the way, that you got green Bay.

00:23:19
Speaker 2: Yeah, those top five teams, they could all make the super Bowl.

00:23:21
Speaker 3: The NFC is so good. So then I go, you know, last year in the NFC Championship game, I thought it was getting a good value with the Commanders at seven, that they're a cell team right now, not a by team. So no, they're You go Niners at eight, good value but not as solid. But I was hoping you would say Seahawks not as good as mine, because I went Seahawks at nine. That's I mean, that's the value pick of this whole thing. You go Cowboys ten, Then we get to the I go Cardinals eleven, you go Falcons twelve, Then we go I got Bears at thirteen. Feels like they could be a playoff team. You go Giants at fourteen. Nothing I got. I got the Carolina Panthers at fifteen.

00:24:00
Speaker 1: I mean, are we going to brag about that? Do you think they're going to the super Bowl?

00:24:03
Speaker 2: It did. These picks at the end don't matter.

00:24:05
Speaker 3: Fifteen I got the Colt took.

00:24:07
Speaker 2: The Commanders seventh. You gotta be happy.

00:24:09
Speaker 3: You're going to be Oh, it's about the collection all I just need one of them to get it done here. I feel like the teams that I have, I'll give you the teams that I have that I feel like ken could win it right now with the NFC, I think that Eagles could win it the super Bowl. I think the Rams could win the super Bowl. I think the Packers could win a super Bowl. And I think the Hawks could win a super Bowl. So I've got four legit teams I think. Okay, I think for you, the Lions could win a super Bowl. The Bucks could win a super Bowl. I don't know. I don't do you think. I don't think you win it.

00:24:42
Speaker 2: That's four to two you you won the NFC draft. Yeah, what do you want?

00:24:46
Speaker 3: NFC was pretty fair, but it's good. It's a good half point. Just remember what the expectations were and see where we are not just talking about the individual players, but actually from a team standpoint. All right, you want to do your defense? Go ahead, your defense?

00:24:58
Speaker 2: Okay, okay, why don't we start with the linebackers?

00:25:02
Speaker 1: Why not? Because I was thinking about this watching I'll combine a couple I know we're talking one position here, but the Dre Greenlaw Hufunga combination and Whu fung.

00:25:10
Speaker 2: Is practically playing linebackers some of the times.

00:25:12
Speaker 1: But seeing Greenlaw in the field last week, now that he's passed the injury pass the suspension, I was like, Oh, this has really got to work because he was an impact player in that game, and Whu Funga has been really good for them, and man, it is a tough position to find value in free agency. A lot of other contracts don't look amazing Jamie Sherwood, for instance, going back to the Jets. But now that we're half season in and I know they didn't have Greenlaw for a while, I feel like that move is going to help them out a lot.

00:25:41
Speaker 3: Yeah, I like that one. Defensively, overall defensive players, Selessenger at the line Bicker position is, to me is like the great value pick of uh. He's been outstanding on the defensive side of the ball. That's kind of like my positive one on the disappointing side, I'll be honest with you. Like Duel Carter, I thought would be a little more impact Wow, I just thought he'd be a little bit more impactful. I think he's been bad. I almost wonder, you know, thinking what they I can't mention names because as we're recording this, we haven't finished the trade deadline, so I don't want to say like they should have done this or done that. Maybe they have by the time you're listening to this or watching this, But yeah, I just I thought he was going to be you know, wardlining Eleait and that that hasn't necessarily been the case.

00:26:28
Speaker 1: He's has a very similar statistical profile, but more pressures to as Araku of the Cowboys who's been coming on late, which is a whole lot of pressure and not a lot of QB hits or sacks. So I feel like the people around the Giants aren't aren't too down on him.

00:26:45
Speaker 2: That is, it has been good.

00:26:46
Speaker 3: It just hasn't been one of those deals where you pop on the tape and you're like every week like, holy crap, what was that?

00:26:52
Speaker 2: You know, well, it's not it's not a good defensive Rookie of the Year.

00:26:56
Speaker 3: Jenner, who has been as good as anybody.

00:26:59
Speaker 2: He would have been my pick.

00:27:00
Speaker 1: And I know he just got hurt, but he'll be back, so he would have been my pick. I saw him live. I saw him really change the Vikings season when he absolutely cracked Carson Wentz in the open field and unfortunately injured him, and then Wentz just played through it for another three weeks. Like the other guys that could win Rookie of the Year. I don't know Jacob Parrish. He's been good emon worry of even worry eventually.

00:27:23
Speaker 2: If he if he keeps picking it up.

00:27:25
Speaker 1: The edge position is where you found value in free agency. So think of guys changing games like Joshua has been everything that they would have wanted in Arizona. So is class cambub By the way, I always signed Klais Campbell.

00:27:36
Speaker 3: That's what I, by the way said in terms of rookies, Walter Nolan would have played the whole season like he got to play in his very few game. He might be in this discussion.

00:27:44
Speaker 2: If you remember, that was my guy back in the draft process.

00:27:46
Speaker 1: I thought, like anyone that has twenty plays as good as his twenty best place I will I will buy into.

00:27:54
Speaker 2: And he looked good on Monday Night.

00:27:57
Speaker 1: Joey Bosa. He stayed healthy, they haven't overworked him.

00:28:01
Speaker 3: He's been a real You better find some wood real quick.

00:28:05
Speaker 2: Coming off his best game.

00:28:06
Speaker 1: But he's had a couple of really good games and I really like that they despite not being deep there, they haven't done the thing where they've just played him fifty snaps one one week. It's always like twenty five to thirty, and they're getting really good production out of him. It kind of reminds me of DeMarcus Lawrence too. Guys on these one year deals that are playing really well. That is that is one position. I do think you can find guys if you look over the last few years, especially those one year deal guys can be pretty good values.

00:28:36
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'll knock on I'll knock on wood for you. I would love for Bosa to stay healthy. I would love for him to enter into the playoffs healthy. And I think this Bill's team in some ways is kind of pacing themselves for the for the postseason. Josh hasn't been quite as aggressive as a runner. It just kind of what he needs to and I, you know, preserving guys like Bosa to get to the post. I mean, this is a regular season, they've mastered that. Man, They've got to be homing when they get to the postseason. And I think that's that's reflected and how they've how they've used Bolsa.

00:29:05
Speaker 1: Yeah, your buddy Bucky Brooks. So I was checking out his power rankings the other day. He had like the Patriots number two overall and like the Bills are there. It's like, in what I'm a Patriots fan And in no world do I think they are going to win that revision or even win that division game.

00:29:20
Speaker 3: They won the first come on the road, but I'm I'm on your on your team on that one.

00:29:24
Speaker 1: Speaking of which, it's really hard to find cornerbacks and free agency, Like Carlton Davis is actually the cornerback that's been picked on the most out of the Patriots. He hasn't been terrible, but he's not as good as Gonzales or Marcus Jones. Certainly, Paulson Adebo has been a little shaky for the Giants and some injuries just DJ read Charvarius Award. At the position, it is tough to get better at cornerback. That's one of those positions, uh that it's just tough to find out.

00:29:52
Speaker 3: Jacob Parrish has been awesome. Will Johnson has got his hands on a lot of footballs. The instincts were the thing for him coming out, so that's that's held up. So but again that's I got to see. That's going to be one of those projects for me once we get to the end of the year, to really dig in and see who played the best of that group.

00:30:09
Speaker 1: Your guy, I believe at parts of the process was Trey Amos, and I did. I did kind of break down watch the Commander's defense a couple of games, see what was going on wrong, and I thought he's been their best player, maybe in the secondary. Yeah, he's been pretty good for them. He's been pretty good for them.

00:30:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, well I can I can tell you because I just watched it and I want to double check to make sure that I get the number right, because oh yeah, that was it was Saner still not playing as well? Okay, young corner out of Michigan year two, right, Mike Mikey Sanders still yeah, sorry, Drew Drew the producer didn't want to hear that in the Michigan guy, but he's not.

00:30:42
Speaker 1: I thought you were going to come over the top, and well, actually I'm the one with the real you know, all twenty two eyes and Trey Amos hasn't been playing that well. But I can see things. In fact, I know the exact play you were talking about. When Darnold went through his three reads. We were much in it all together in the in the theater and your buddy mg D was there, and I'm like, man, this Donald.

00:31:08
Speaker 3: Any credits he hold onto the U C L A U S C things still.

00:31:11
Speaker 2: Uh, he should be given him credit.

00:31:13
Speaker 1: Any any of us that were pointing how bad Sam Darnold was early in his career.

00:31:18
Speaker 2: He's a different player now. We're different people than we realized.

00:31:20
Speaker 3: There's two types of people, right there's the There's the people that have to go on social media and scream from the mountaintops that I was I like Sam Donald back in the day. Then there's the real ones who know we've been so identified and connected over the years that we don't have to say anything. We don't. We've been we've been on board, we never jumped off the train. Well, I guess what I'm doing right now kind of conflicts with what I'm saying.

00:31:44
Speaker 1: But no, this is your this is your podcast, it's our podcast. But I do want everyone listening to just think about who he's subtenly taking shots at.

00:31:54
Speaker 3: No, there's there's.

00:31:56
Speaker 2: A lot I lot of people I know if you.

00:31:59
Speaker 1: All right, we will get back together and talk a little more rookies, talk a little bit more free agency.

00:32:05
Speaker 2: Maybe we'll start to just peek.

00:32:07
Speaker 1: Ahead next time around, but we'll really start getting into the twenty twenty six.

00:32:11
Speaker 2: Before free agency. Before we go.

00:32:14
Speaker 3: I need to take this second here as we're finishing up, to congratulate Greg because the baseball team he's been a fan of for about forty five minutes. Just one another word, let's go for congratulations, buddy. I know it's been such a long haul for you over the last eighteen months since you began following the team, but I'm really happy for you.

00:32:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, really more like fifteen months.

00:32:33
Speaker 1: So it's kind of halfway through last season that because my wife and son were just such big fans, but we've gone through some hardships.

00:32:41
Speaker 2: They have to really work for it, and you were one of the first.

00:32:44
Speaker 3: You really appreciate it when you've been through the lows that you've been through in that fandom.

00:32:48
Speaker 1: After I hugged my wife and my son, you know, after Miguel Rojas hit that home run, you were one of the next people I thought of, just just DJ stewing somewhere down in.

00:32:58
Speaker 3: San Diego rutal, brutal. Anyway, maybe next year. That's a beautiful thing about sports is always next year.

00:33:05
Speaker 1: Yeah, I saw, yeah, you know, more more World Series uh rings now for Michael Confordo than Manny Machado.

00:33:15
Speaker 2: We will be back in about a month.

00:33:18
Speaker 3: Many many played as many innings in that World Series as he did. That's fair.

00:33:24
Speaker 2: But he's getting that ring. I saw him.

00:33:26
Speaker 1: I saw him drinking on the plane. We'll be back with forties and free agency about a month. Can't wait for draft and free agency season just around the corner.

00:33:34
Speaker 3: Will see then