40s and Free Agents: Free Agents, Trade Targets and Rookies to Watch in NFL Playoffs

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Welcome back to forties and free Agents. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm here with Daniel Jeremiah, and if you're new to the show, we are coming at you now every week in player acquisition season. It's not just about the draft this time of year, DJ, We're looking at free agency, we're looking at trades and now you've got me as a part of your life every single week through the draft.

00:00:27
Speaker 2: Are you're looking forward to it?

00:00:28
Speaker 3: I am. I don't know. I'm not smart because I want to have a Logies state, but I know, like you know when you go to when they send those rockets up to space and it's kind of just kind of going up nice and slow. Then they drop all that stuff and then it just really takes off. Like now is the time where we really take off. Okay, you went to Tu Lane. Explain that better, but that was my image.

00:00:46
Speaker 1: Oh no, Tu Lane was a safety school for many people, but it is a college football powerhouse now and so that's what we stand on. Okay, this show, we're not going to get your draft takes. That's kind of what I want. But you're warming up to that. The college football playoffs are you can listen to move the sticks obviously for some of your takes there.

00:01:07
Speaker 2: But for this show this week, what we're gonna do.

00:01:10
Speaker 1: We're going to look at some of the rookies that are playing in these playoffs, just ones to keep an eye on. We'll pick our offensive and defensive rookie of the years. I hope you have a ballot, because they ask for a ballot. It's one, two, three, it's not just one guy. I've got a ballot. I want that ap vote. I found out who has the eightp votes at the NFL media now that they're allowing that, and I'm not happy with it. And then we're going to go over some free agents of the teams playing in the playoffs for fans that are maybe knocked out to look ahead and start scouting guys they could add to their team.

00:01:44
Speaker 3: I'm so excited, man, to get this thing back going. And I will give you one draft nugget before before we get on to all these rookies. But you know we're not We're we're NFL affiliated obviously currently, and so we usually wait until we get past the deadline for everybody to claire before we jump in full boat with the draft stuff and talking about who could go where and get the underclassman aspect of it. So I try to speak in code, which I think people are going to get. But our buddy Patrick Claiband not not catching what I was putting down on TV the other day because he was like, what do you think in the top ten, And I said, well, look, I can't really say who these guys would be, but you know the first overall pick the Raiders. You know, who's your quarterback going to be? I don't know, and just right over his head and then I said, next up, I got Jets. Next up with the Jets, I mean I went the Jets. I would say more, you know, more work to be done, and then neither over two struck out on both those.

00:02:39
Speaker 1: You know. In Patrick's defense, we had him in the studio till eleven pm the night before doing our live recap show for the first time, so I'm going to defend him. Let's go through some of the rookies that are playing this weekend. Then we'll give our awards, and we'll get to the free agency stuff too, and I'm including possible trade candidates too, and some of the guys to keep an eye on that are played in the playoffs that everything that happens in January could really affect that. But let's start with some of the rookies you're keeping an eye on as the playoffs start.

00:03:07
Speaker 3: So this is kind of how I broke it up, and just guys, I think you're going to be that I have my eye on. I think are going to be key factors and whether or not their team's advanced. So let's start first of all with the pass catchers. I wrote down a few names here. Let's start first of all, I think the one who's going to have the most impact is Tetero at McMillan. Like, they have got a tall task in front of them. I know they beat the Rams earlier this year. It was a game where they ran it twice as much as they threw it, They controlled time of possession by ten minutes, they turned Stafford over three times. That's tough one to duplicate, you know. Across the board there, they're going to need more offensively, and I think he's going to have to have a big game there if they're going to pull that upset at home against the Rams. So all this list of these names, Greg, then I'll get your thoughts of who you think will be the most impactful. I lumped Lovelin and Burden together as pass catchers for the Bears. Two guys have really come on strong on the back half of the year. Green Bay can't rush the quarterback. I think they'll have an opportunity to have a big day in the passing game. I like both those guys. For the Chargers that put Gadston in there, this is uh, you know someone, Now you've got everybody fresh. They rested guys last week. We'll get to another rookie for them, and the and the running side of things as well. But I think working in the middle of the field some some some key third downs, Gatson could be a nice piece. And then finally, I lumped together the two Iowa state rookies with Houston and Higgins and Noel is just guys who've I saw him both make big plays against the Chargers a few weeks back. Higgins did it again last week, finding a way to make an impact with those guys.

00:04:32
Speaker 1: I think what's fascinating about that group is how especially t Mac and then the two Bears rookie pass catchers are who the offense is really built around. Like if it's it's why we'll get to the awards, but t Max obviously in the mix for it. If they didn't have him, there's nothing and the one advantage he has in a matchup like this too, where it's not a team with the Rams that has a bunch of physical corners, it's the weakness of their team. They're not playing press, which maybe he struggled at times with it. Certainly in that Seattle game he did like he is the guy, and when he had that bad game, Dave Canalis even said after the game, look it goes through Tetaroa. That's on me for not making the plays to help get him open. And I think it's kind of similar right now with Loveland and Burden. To me, they're the most two important guys catching passes. DJ Moore I don't think is going to be there next year. He's not a big factor. Doonzay has just been hurt and they've really built the whole ship out of I think Loveland first, in Burden next. So it really shows what incredible development they've had because they were quiet early in the year.

00:05:43
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think if they get a Dooonsday back, maybe it scales that back a little bit because He's definitely in the trust tree with Caleb. But you know, if you're looking at who Caleb's comfortable with, both those guys, I would say over Dj Moore, he just feels more comfortable and key moments trying to get them the ball outside of the game winner against the Packers with Dj Moore. But yeah, I think both those guys, and in this particular matchup right now, where the Green Bays defense is health wise and lack of pass rush, I think they end up having a really good impact. Don't we get to the running backs here?

00:06:10
Speaker 2: Sure?

00:06:10
Speaker 1: Although I am, as as a Patriots fan, a little worried about Gadstan that it's not a great safety Patriots if they've had some struggles against tight ends. They're not the fastest linebacker group. Hopefully they get Robert splainback. We're not sure there so that that could be a good matchup for the Chargers.

00:06:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, it's going to be a fun game. How about that? Though? We just kick off forties and free agents with our team squaring off in the first round of the p Yeah.

00:06:34
Speaker 1: But you're rooting for my team because you're like a couple of weeks away from the Senior Bowl. You got to be thinking, you're, of course the voice of the Chargers. You got to be thinking, if I go on a long playoff run, here, what am I going to do? I gotta go to Senior Bowl. I got to start getting ready for the combine. So maybe maybe you're kind of quietly pumping your fist when Drake may is hitting Kaysehon Booty down the field.

00:06:53
Speaker 3: I just want, at one point in time what to be around MJD when he's wearing that Super Bowl ring he got for Colin Rams games, and just to just just pull one out of my pocket and say, yeah, I got one too, but I'm not going to wear it. I call the games, I don't play for the team m j D and put it back, just kind of quickly to slide it right back into my pocket. That's what That's what I'm looking for here.

00:07:14
Speaker 2: It would be cool. It is a game.

00:07:17
Speaker 1: I don't have mixed feelings, but if the Patriots win, I'm going to be annoyed for Justin Herbert and all the clowns that talk about him. And if the Patriots do lose, I'll be happy. They are kind of my number two AFC team. So either way, I went there you go.

00:07:32
Speaker 3: So these runners. Speaking of the Patriots, Travon Henderson in terms of just a big play potential, he's a He's a big factor and someone who stepped up on the big stage in college. So I just go back to that Rose Bowl where he was popping long ones. You got my young guy adding to that Chicago. You know, nucleus of rookies that are going to have a big impact here Amrion Hampton. I thought it was big. He got arrest last week against Denver, so he'll be fresh. So it's gonna be fun to watch those two rookies in that game in Foxborough and then the two guys all up together. What he Mark's and RJ. Harvey, you know, excellent, excellent, you know kind of undersized backs who can do some things, you know, not only run the ball, but catching the ball out of the backfield can have an impact there. Obviously, we won't won't see Harvey this week, we have to wait, but he'll be rocking and a roll when they get to the next round.

00:08:18
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:08:18
Speaker 1: I think Harvey and their running game in general is kind of the X factor for that team. You just saw your Chargers backups like hold Harvey to under thirty yards on fifteen carries, and that that could be the fly in the ointment for them if they can't get the running game consistent, although I've liked what I've seen out of him. You bring up trevi On and watching this Chargers defense from the outside, like that seems like the Patriots big play best possibility is actually getting Trevon Henderson, and he's had a lot of big plays this year, whether it's in a dump off or for a big run to go along. Because they're a very tough team to throw the ball deep against, and that's basically the Patriots specialty. They almost remind me a little bit of the Ravens. I don't know if you would agree in that, Like they're a good offense, but they really rely on four play drives. They are not like a twelve play drive type of team.

00:09:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, And it's that's going to be the fascinating part of it, because the Chargers are outside of that start of that Houston game, are a team that's going to make you have to march the ball down the field. So I mean that can be very simply how that game's decided up and we can get into the matchups. You know we'll have time to do that in terms of the veterans that we're looking for here. But actually, I'll give you one right now because I'm gonna switch to some of the run, some of the offensive line, and I'm not going to do many here. I'm just going to give you a few. I'm gonna go Gray Zabel, who has been dominant that game. By the way, watching that tape back Seattle's offense against San Francisco's defense, I don't know that there is a more athletic combo right now than Sundell the center and grays Abel when they get out in space and run. I mean, they are incredibly flat and Zable's been He's already immerged one of the best guards in football. Did he make the Pro Bowl? Did he?

00:10:01
Speaker 1: I don't think he did. That performance though might might have gotten him some. Could he even get some Rookie of the Year votes? You get good guys, It's not.

00:10:10
Speaker 3: That he is really good. Will Campbell coming back is big for the Patriots. I haven't got a chance to finish up the tape from from last week. I know he didn't played the whole game. I just watched their their pressure reel and stuff which he did not show up on and looked like he was moving well. But that's going to be a challenge for him because the the knock on him obviously was the length coming out. How is he going to handle guys who can get to him? And the Chargers are a power edge rush team. Outside of O way, it's more, you know, trying to win with speed. But when you've got Toy Polo two and you've got Khalil Mack, those are two of the heavier handed, you know, power rushers. So he's gonna have a big say And uh and keeping Drake may upright, and I think that'll be one of the big keys to that game. And then uh, I don't know what health health wise where Ursrie is is he? Uh? Is he good to go going forward?

00:10:58
Speaker 1: He did not play at the end of the season, and yeah, they looked better, but he was in there.

00:11:03
Speaker 3: He's played better than I thought he would. He's been a really good player, So that, to me is is a big key for them if he's out there.

00:11:11
Speaker 1: One of the nice surprises. I was skeptical that will Campbell pick. I think for the most part that's been proven to be a really nice selection for them. He makes a huge difference in the running game, and again I kind of focus on that with this matchup. And he had some flashy blocks in that week team game against the Dolphins team that didn't quite look like they wanted to be there, you know, stop in the run. But man, he he is athletic and he had some some great blocks.

00:11:36
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's gonna be fun. It's going to be one of my favorite matchups in that game is going to be him versus those two edge guys. All right, we'll finish it up here. We'll go to the defensive set of the ball. I didn't go heavy on the defensive side of the ball, to be honest. It was an underwhelming defensive draft class for the most part, especially in regards the teams are in the playoffs. You look at you know that those Atlanta rookies were great, but they're they're not in the tournament. You get some other teams that had some pressive guys. But I'll give you four names here that I think can be big. Derek Harmon, who has been really really good with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and not only against the run, but started to flash some pass rush as well. That's you know, everybody's kind of chalked that one up as a you know, Houston's gonna go in there and beat them, and that's a tough place to play in the playoffs. That's a Pittsburgh defense. It's kind of got a lot of their pieces back healthy. The secondary is where they're you know, most vulnerable, and you know, are they going to be able to fully take advantage of that. You know, we'll see, but that that's a key one. Eman warr has been awesome. He's I was joking with somebody of the day that Seattle doesn't have to do a period of practice on screens. They just go emn. Warri's got those. Don't worry about the screens we're going to see this week. We can just get on with the rest of practice. And the other two names I wrote down were Nick Scrton with Carolina and Upton Stout coming off a big game. He played really really well actually against Seattle last week. He's been a really good player for the Niners. So those are four key guys for me.

00:12:57
Speaker 2: Scrton's come on of late.

00:12:58
Speaker 1: I was thinking about forties and free agents from a year ago when you were you were talking about him as as a guy who had potentially sort of on the borderline of your top fifty, and man, they need some production out of some young players, and late in the season he's kind of come on, as you know, other than Derek Brown that you know, they don't have a lot up front. He's kind of their key guy. If someone's going to make a play up front, it's probably going to be Nick Scorton.

00:13:22
Speaker 2: So that that's a good shout out. And you're right, it's not.

00:13:25
Speaker 1: It's not a great defensive rookie class, especially with these playoff teams.

00:13:28
Speaker 3: Which is not which is you know, supposed to be. It was supposed to be a really good defensive class. And another reminder too, hey be patient. I saw some people freaking out about certain players, and you know, and you can go through history and find a whole lot of guys that it takes a little time, So just be patient on these guys.

00:13:44
Speaker 1: Your guy Josiah Stewart had a big play last week and has been popping up as a situation a pass rusher guy for the Rams. So okay, you you kind of alluded to some of the guys maybe that would be on your awards ballot.

00:13:57
Speaker 2: I don't I guess you know.

00:13:58
Speaker 1: I worked harder on this, came up with the ballot as if I was an Associated Press voter. They ask for three. You know, you don't have to make an order on the fly. But I settled on my offensive Rookie of the Year ballot.

00:14:12
Speaker 2: Let's start there. I went with t Mac number one.

00:14:16
Speaker 1: I ultimately think, if you don't play the whole season, Tyler Shuck is obviously an option.

00:14:23
Speaker 2: I think the bar has to be so high.

00:14:25
Speaker 1: For me, it's just like seventeen games versus nine or ten games.

00:14:30
Speaker 2: To me, that's just a big difference.

00:14:31
Speaker 1: And to me, t Mac was the centerpiece of an offense that was surprising, and so he is my number one pick. It is really tough. After that, I actually went to okay, you did, okay, go ahead. What who do you think I got? Trayon's good?

00:14:48
Speaker 3: You know, I actually I actually went I actually went Shuck and then Dart So I went, okay.

00:14:54
Speaker 1: See, I mean that's just that's just what the voters do. I would just pick the best quarterbacks.

00:14:58
Speaker 3: You know, I love Trebon, but I'm just to make what the underrated of those three. The t Mac is is obvious, you know, with the production and being the focal point of that obvious offense. I think Shuck because of the way they piled up some wins and he played really well coming down the home stretch. I think the less obvious of the three is Jackson Dart. I think when people really look at what he was working with after the Neighbors and Scataby went down, and the fact that you know, he played as well as he did with nothing, zero, zilch, nothing it didn't have. His coach was gone, I mean, every everything was removed from them, and the defense that underachieved all year long. So I think what he accomplished, you know, in and out of concussion protocol most of the season, but when he was out there, I thought he was really impressive.

00:15:45
Speaker 1: I think the way he closed the season, because everyone was not watching the Giants at that point, kind of fell under the radar and he played well.

00:15:52
Speaker 2: You're you're absolutely right.

00:15:53
Speaker 1: If you just look at the numbers like QBR and certainly some of the volumes, that's like he actually had better numbers than Shuck. And it's why I decided to not put any quarterbacks on there for the hell of it, because it's not most valuable rookie. I hate the word valuable in MVP because it just means because yeah, of course Schuck was the most valuable. He turned that whole season around. He's turning the hopes of that franchise around. But to me, it mattered if you could play the whole season. So I went Trevion. He ends up going over a thousand yards from scrimmage. He turned a couple games around for the number two seed, one of the surprising teams in the league, one of the most efficient guys in the league per touch because of those big plays. And then I'm gonna throw on and there are some great options. By the way, Harold's fannin you know, went over seven hundred yards like seventy catches. He's kind of fun, certainly the two quarterbacks. But why not give a shout out to armand Membu. Everyone I talked to around there and has watched that, and I've watched you know, some of him, like he is a plus starter as a rookie that they are feeling great about moving forward. That played basically every single snap the whole season, and so why not be the change you want to see in the world. Maya Angelou there for you why not put some offensive lineman on there. Wanna throw just Membu give him a shout out.

00:17:03
Speaker 3: By the way, I was an obviously a big fan of his coming through the draft process. He played well. That stat, by the way, I cannot get out of my head. Did you see the stat that was floating around the internet about how their leading receiver of the yards that Garrett Wilson had it was under four hundreds, right, three hundreds and he hadn't played since Week six. I mean, some of the stats to pull from this Jets season are like they're hard to fathom, right.

00:17:27
Speaker 1: And they it just shows you how like you can be great at one premium position because they're they're pretty great at tackle. There aren't many teams in the league that would take their tackle.

00:17:36
Speaker 2: Situation over the Jets. But that's only going to get you so far.

00:17:39
Speaker 1: Yeah, no interceptions is famous, of course, but a friend of the show, Aaron Shottz, you know, he's been doing the DVA kind of overall efficiency numbers. Nothing's perfect, but they evaluate it strength to schedule all that he had them as the second worst pass defense since nineteen seventy nine. That's awesome, And if you took out special teams where they were elite. They were actually one of the best special teams units in years. If you took out special teams, they were one of the worst five teams period since nineteen seventy nine, So.

00:18:10
Speaker 3: That's hardly Can I guarantee you, by the way, yes, five dollars. Oh, let's just you know, we can just do lunch that I guarantee you we have the same three names for defensive Rookie of the Year guaranteed.

00:18:22
Speaker 1: I don't think we do because I went with a fun one, So I'll take that lunch at the huddle.

00:18:27
Speaker 2: Maybe we did.

00:18:27
Speaker 1: I don't know.

00:18:28
Speaker 3: All right, who are yours?

00:18:29
Speaker 2: You give me your three in.

00:18:30
Speaker 3: Order in order. Swessenger is my was my winner, same Pierce is my number two, and Emon Warri is my number three.

00:18:39
Speaker 2: I had Amn Warry as well.

00:18:41
Speaker 3: I decided he had double digit sacks, didn't he.

00:18:43
Speaker 1: I decided to get frisky that's fair, and I'm sure he's going to get a lot of oats.

00:18:48
Speaker 2: And I put Watson there.

00:18:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, that was my fourth.

00:18:51
Speaker 2: But he was a really good player.

00:18:53
Speaker 1: And maybe I'm being a little you know, weighing the end of the season too heavily, but those two games eventeen and eighteen, because I watched all of Falcon's Saints because I'm just that sort of guy.

00:19:04
Speaker 2: I loved that game. He was awesome in.

00:19:07
Speaker 1: That game too, and he was really good all season, so I just gave him a little love on my pretend.

00:19:12
Speaker 3: I'll buy you lunch. But he was my fourth played well. Heres got some good rookies, you know. It was interesting going back through and right when the draft ended. I think the two that I had as the best draft classes. It was San Francisco was or no, sorry, it was New England I think was number one, and then gosh was it? It might have been the Bearers, I can't remember. It was like literally these teams were led by their rookies, Like these teams went off with what they accomplished with.

00:19:43
Speaker 1: That didn't do Terry Fondo any good, and it's not going to do the next GM. I guess that much good That he doesn't have a pick, but he does have James Pearce, which you probably at this point take. I know Rams fans are like, and everyone made fun of them for that trade, partly because you just don't know if.

00:19:58
Speaker 2: The player is going to work out or not.

00:20:00
Speaker 1: But now after the rookie season, like, would you rather have a mid first round pick in twenty twenty six or would you rather have James Pierce.

00:20:08
Speaker 3: I'd rather have James Pierce with what there? But no, it was the Browns was my other one. So it was that it was New England and Cleveland, and both those rookie classes ended up being awesome. Give some hope there, especially Cleveland. They already have have the accomplishments in New England, but in Cleveland, get some hope for the future.

00:20:28
Speaker 1: Well that is the first Daniel Jeremiah sly Pad on his own back of the season, I'm looking forward.

00:20:35
Speaker 3: Well, they had tons of picks, so volume helps, volume helps.

00:20:42
Speaker 1: It was a good job by you. It's a good job by them. It was a good job by you. We're going to take a quick break and we're going to come back. We're going to talk about some of the free agents. I've heard a lot of trash talk about this free agency crop, and there's some truth to that, but there's also possible trade candidates. We'll come back with some players to watch in the playoffs. If your team is looking for some player acquisition bonus, This offseas.

00:21:04
Speaker 3: Also one other quote from Maya Angelou don't be a jerk.

00:21:21
Speaker 2: Back on forties and free agents.

00:21:24
Speaker 1: And this is going to be the first of many conversations about the possible veterans that are available this offseason.

00:21:30
Speaker 2: We'll break it down by position.

00:21:31
Speaker 1: I'll have my big top one oh one list that you can help me with and poke holes in. But I think trades are also a big part of this time of year, increasingly so, especially if there's not a lot of free agents. But I got to tell you, like, let's just start with Philadelphia, Like, there are some really interesting free agents that are going to be available this offseason. And you look at one of the best defenses in the entire NFL that's playing this weekend against the forty nine ers in Philadelphia, and you think, Jalen Phillips, he's made himself some money this year. Nicobe Dean is a free agent. Yeah, I know he's had injuries, but he played really well. He's played really well this year when he's been out there. Reid Blankenship is another guy who I think is just an interesting player out there. So you know, Phillips is a guy is going to be very high on my list.

00:22:16
Speaker 3: This see Jalen Phillips. He's been a major difference maker for them.

00:22:20
Speaker 1: You think, so that's that's it's going to be upwards of twenty five million.

00:22:26
Speaker 3: Dollars by ye. I haven't looked at the numbers yet, but that's that's fine, let's do it. And I also have been told that he loves it there too, so they maybe they can get together and get something done long term.

00:22:36
Speaker 1: They also have done a great job identifying the right people to pay. They gave Zach Bond his massive contract, which surprised some people last year, and that's aging really well.

00:22:46
Speaker 2: I think he's going to be an All Pro again.

00:22:48
Speaker 1: I think when they gave him that contract, they probably and then they drafted Johan Campbell, they probably were accepting that Nikobe Dean might go elsewhere.

00:22:55
Speaker 2: So, like a lot of starters on that team.

00:22:58
Speaker 1: The other just while we're on linebacker, guy, i'll throw out there, which will be pretty high on my list, is playing for the Jaguars this weekend. Devin Lloyd might be your all Pro linebacker along with Zach Bond, and he is a free agent for the Jaguars, and they've gotten some deals done quickly this this season with cole Van Lannon a tackle and with Jacoby Myers who they just acquired. So it's interesting that Lloyd didn't get that money. Maybe a sign that he actually will make it to free agency. But he's been a really explosive player.

00:23:27
Speaker 3: For them, someone who made a ton of plays in coverage in college and this year it all kind of came to the surface with the place he made I look at to start with linebacker by the way, Greg, I mean, most people would probably begin a segment when you're talking about the sexy names, and we're talking about Malik Willison Max. So that's why you're giving me like Rton to Kobe Dean.

00:23:48
Speaker 1: That's guy, why you're giving me one word answers. You're like Lebron and that Kevin hart Ad. I don't know if you you know which one I'm talking, but he's.

00:23:54
Speaker 2: Like, that's all you got.

00:23:56
Speaker 1: People if they're listening to forties in Free Agents in the middle of January DJ, they like the nitty gritty.

00:24:05
Speaker 3: But let's talk Malik quick. You know who listens to this show right now? Teams that aren't in the playoffs. You know, the teams aren't the playoffs of teams that suck at quarterback. So that's why you start there. Greg Drew is trying to produce. You, Drew, you can lead a horse to water, But I mean that's about all you can do there.

00:24:19
Speaker 1: I'll give you two quarterbacks that are pretty interesting playing this weekend. Malik Willis, who probably won't see the field. It will be Jordan Love. Let's actually just start with him. Where, like, what sort of contract or what sort of like market do you think that he'll have this offseason.

00:24:37
Speaker 3: I think it's going to be extremely strong for a combination of reasons. I think there's still a number of teams that are in the quarterback market. You've got a couple teams that would look like they have their quarterback, you know going forward, Arizona. You know teams like that Miami that you before the year you would know that they were going to also be in this market. And now you've got Malik Willis, who's played outstanding. The numbers are setting like thirty of thirty five or something like that, and the opportunities he's got to get out there on the field. He's by all accounts, a great kid. You can go back to when he was at the combine like literally given things to homeless people out of sight and it ends up getting video. That was like the first image of him. I got to know him through that process. He's a hard workers. He's really really improved his footwork. He's cleaned a lot of that stuff up, and now you've got maybe those Especially with Lamar where he is, I would make a case the most electric runner at the position in the league right now with what he can do. So you have a weak draft class, very thin at the very top, and you've got a lot of quarterback needy teams. I think he's going to do very well for himself.

00:25:39
Speaker 1: It's crazy because everyone throws out the Matt Flynn you know contract where he added like a couple starts gets a big deal. Kevin Cobb was another guy, Jimmy g to a lesser extent, but he had barely played before he got the big contract in San Francisco. I would say with Willis, though he has some real huge advantages. Number One, you mentioned the running, I totally agree there. I don't think there's any chance there's a more special runner right now in the league than Malik Willis. But the bigger thing is, I know it's limited sample size, but he the variety of throws that throws like, and they were everywhere every level of the field, intermediate, deep, over the middle, like timing throws. And I think you're benefiting from the fact that he like some of these vikings quarterback. Everyone says, you go to quarterbacks school with Kevin O'Connell. Well, he got a couple of years with Matt Lafleur. I think that's really going to help him the rest of his career. And he is going to be a free agent. There's nothing the Packers can do in this situation. They can't franchise tag him, They can't afford to keep them because the money it could get to like what around Darnold got last year, and I think it's just.

00:26:47
Speaker 3: I think you could end up eclipsing that with a very thin resume, but just because of the sheer demand and the I.

00:26:54
Speaker 2: Think you're right out there.

00:26:56
Speaker 1: If you're put so Darnold into this class, then he would get more money too. There's now more openings and less quarterbacks available.

00:27:03
Speaker 3: If you're Minnesota, you're not paying JJ McCarthy hardly anything. I know you've seen him, you've smulln a crossover taped there inside the division, everything else. I mean, that would be awfully tempting if I were them.

00:27:15
Speaker 2: That is one of the names I wrote down. You said them all basically.

00:27:18
Speaker 1: Now, Arizona and Miami certainly would be possibility, but Minnesota would be really interesting and wouldn't totally shock me.

00:27:26
Speaker 2: The Colts are probably.

00:27:27
Speaker 1: Going to get something done with Daniel Jones, but he's coming off an injury, so that doesn't make as much. Since you mentioned the Raiders and the Jets are probably looking at the draft, so there will be a market for Malik Willis. There will be a market for Aaron Rodgers too, which also opens up the Pittsburgh possibility.

00:27:45
Speaker 2: There's a lot of questions. What's kind of going on.

00:27:47
Speaker 1: I've been saying it for two months that I think Aaron Rodgers is going to play again because I'm just looking at the supply and demand, and I think he played better this year.

00:27:56
Speaker 2: He's had some real good high moments.

00:27:58
Speaker 1: It hasn't been great overall, I would say, but it's been enough that I think he's going to have interest for starting jobs. And I'm like, if he has interest for starting jobs, i think he's going to keep playing. And the more he talks, the more it sounds like that's going to happen. We'll just have to see where it is.

00:28:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, But to me, I think it's Pittsburgh. If he's going to play again. I think he stays right where he is. I think he likes it there that I don't see him playing in another uniform next year.

00:28:20
Speaker 2: Okay, I don't know. Well, what if Tomlin's not.

00:28:23
Speaker 3: There, I think he would. I think he has enough respect in that building that he would have some influence on who the next coach was. Wow, if that happens, it's like a bad idea to me. No, I'm I'm not saying it's going to be the recreation of what happened with the Jets, But I'm just saying I think they would bring in somebody that's not necessarily in his past, but someone that, you know what would fit what he does at least for the next year.

00:28:47
Speaker 2: That would be fascinating.

00:28:49
Speaker 1: And I only keep I'm only throwing out Tomlin because the insiders just keep keep talking about it, keep you know there the different reporting that he might want to go to TV or you just might be time. We'll see if they win A couple games in the playoffs that could go away. Mac Jones is another interesting name if teams wanted to make a trade, if Gino could get a late third last year, like someone might give up something for mac Jones. But my guess would be he stays in San Francisco because he's valuable to the forty nine ers and I don't know if anyone comes to them with a price that makes it worth moving on from a good backup man.

00:29:25
Speaker 3: It would be ironic if he ended up replacing his fellow Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback in Miami.

00:29:35
Speaker 2: That's interesting.

00:29:36
Speaker 3: It's inside the family, you know, Like you've got the Shannon I just look at the Shanahan tree, and Shanahan loved him coming too the draft process. You have proof of concept he played in that scheme and played well this year. And you've got Mike McDaniel down there. Who's you know, that's a phone call away.

00:29:51
Speaker 1: I'd love to see a quarterback who can run in Mike McDaniel's system.

00:29:56
Speaker 2: Mac Jones is definitely not that.

00:29:57
Speaker 1: I think it would be a mistake to give up significant draft capital for mac Jones.

00:30:03
Speaker 2: I think he's because.

00:30:04
Speaker 3: You're a Patriot and you just can always hold on to the struggles after Josh McDaniels left.

00:30:08
Speaker 2: That's that's not true.

00:30:10
Speaker 1: See, this is how I knew you weren't, you know, grinding on the NFL, you know, around the NFL podcast back in the day, because I was a.

00:30:17
Speaker 2: Big you know.

00:30:18
Speaker 1: By the way, it's you know, they're in the archives. You can check it out. It was a great podcast podcast. H Yeah, it was a podcast. And look, I I remember I said I would take Mac Jones over Russell Wilson, and like.

00:30:30
Speaker 3: Whatever happened to that podcast.

00:30:32
Speaker 1: By the way, it's no longer.

00:30:35
Speaker 2: It's no longer with us.

00:30:36
Speaker 3: But I reddit still, I haven't checked it in reddit still there.

00:30:40
Speaker 1: I stopped looking at the reddit. Actually never really did. But Chris Wesseling, our great friend, hated that reddit and because they turned against him at some point, and he would mf that reddit and he would say, you know, and anyone that could make Chris.

00:30:58
Speaker 3: That mad, I've never seen him. I never saw Chris that mad.

00:31:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, anyone that could make him that mad. I was just like, I'm never looking at that ever again. But respect to everyone who's still out there, because now you just got me in trouble.

00:31:09
Speaker 2: This is gonna make it there. Let's talk.

00:31:13
Speaker 3: I don't have any problems you guys on Reddit, so just you know, come on over to move the sticks.

00:31:20
Speaker 2: I've got no problem.

00:31:21
Speaker 1: It's just you got to know what's good for your process, your mental health.

00:31:26
Speaker 2: For me, it's a it's a no. It's a no.

00:31:29
Speaker 1: Look, you know, helped Rashid Shahed And I'm going to talk some playmakers.

00:31:35
Speaker 3: Here, Pierce, shed let's go. What do we got?

00:31:39
Speaker 1: I mean, Alex Pierce is not in the playoffs. I think it was supposed to be guys who are just watching in the playoffs. Yeah, but Rashid Shahed and Kenneth Walker are two explosive Seahawks players that are going to be near the top of my list. And Shaheed might be kind of threading that needle where. I don't know if Seattle's like gonna be a team that gives him that contract. They have the advantage that they have him in house so they can sign him first. But he will make a lot of money because there just aren't many players with his kind of speed in the league.

00:32:09
Speaker 3: And the versatility and impact on special teams, you know, throwing that into the mix as well. He's made a major difference. I think that's John Schneider's most you know, under the radar, best move that he's made over the last calendar year. I think he's he literally could be the difference of them when in the Super Bowl.

00:32:25
Speaker 2: Wow.

00:32:25
Speaker 1: And Kenneth Walker is a guy who like he'll have some negative runs in there, but I think this was his best season overall. And they are going to have a lot of people. Actually, they have a lot of free agents that'll be available, Riquel, and a lot of their secondary is actually available. Some of these guys that have played well for them, Kobe Bryant, Josh Job are going to be available too. But Kenneth Walker is part of a pretty deep running back group that's going to be available, including Travis Etn. What was your feel of Travis Etn coming out and kind of how do you see him now?

00:33:02
Speaker 2: You watched him.

00:33:02
Speaker 1: Run all over the Chargers if I remember correctly in that game in person.

00:33:06
Speaker 3: Yeah, give me the draft year real quick, because I want to pull that up.

00:33:10
Speaker 2: Well, it would have been twenty.

00:33:12
Speaker 3: One, right, if not twenty two, unless.

00:33:18
Speaker 1: You know they gave him the fifth year option. Yes, this is it is twenty one. He was the twenty fifth pick.

00:33:26
Speaker 3: Okay Etn, Where did I have him? Here? I go to my position. Sorry, I'm pulling it up. Travis Etn. He was my nineteenth player. He ran four to four to four coming out two hundred fifteen pounds, burst, contact, balance, physical, runner, average, wiggle more, hit it and go. He can work in the seams in the past, game of effective on swings. He's effective in attacks and pass pro So I thought he was top twenty player and a really good, really good value where they got him there, So there you go.

00:34:00
Speaker 1: I I always struggled with him, like he didn't seem like he was a great option on inside runs, like a little limited and in.

00:34:10
Speaker 2: The passing game it was it didn't all come together.

00:34:12
Speaker 1: He's a player I think that's improved and runs tougher now and this was his best season last year he started making strides again. He's been up and down, but I think he's made himself some money with the way he's played this year because he looked he's the capital d like dude on a really explosive offense and he's a tough player.

00:34:30
Speaker 3: Yeah. No, I like that one a lot. Those are good Those are good backs. Kath Walker pairing up with Sharboney. I think it's been big too. I think they balance each other well.

00:34:37
Speaker 1: I mean you scared me from like mentioning some of the guys in the weeds here because I know you don't like to, you know, talking real football, like like, uh, you know Zion Johnson or the entire year, second year and.

00:34:47
Speaker 3: Make a lot of money. He's played really well this year. You're in a similar list, and I'm gonna go Greg, He's gonna make more money than you think.

00:34:54
Speaker 2: I will and quickly.

00:34:55
Speaker 1: I don't need your comments on these, but like, there aren't many offensive linemen that are going to be available to some of the ones watching if you're looking for like both Bills guards who have been pretty solid over the last few years, Edwards and McGovern they're both free agency and together forever. Rashid Walker is a left tackle for the Packers who's probably gonna Edwards.

00:35:12
Speaker 3: Is going to make more Really yeah, when we get there, But go ahead.

00:35:17
Speaker 2: That's good.

00:35:18
Speaker 1: But I wanted to I wanted to go back to the kind of the sexy names. As we're wrapped up here, they already left the podcast, But go ahead.

00:35:25
Speaker 2: Two potential candidates.

00:35:29
Speaker 3: A. J.

00:35:29
Speaker 1: Brown, do you think, knowing everything you do about that building in Philadelphia, how everything went, that he is going to be a Philadelphia equal next year.

00:35:37
Speaker 3: I think we'll know over the next month. I think it's all it's all looked at as it's worth it, and you go to another super Bowl and you know, potentially win another super Bowl, and I think all that stuff's forgotten, all the the frustration, the ill will, you know. I think if they were to go out there and lose to the forty nine ers, I think that bubbles up to the surface if it's not already there, and then maybe it leads to something.

00:36:01
Speaker 1: It might be something. Though they also, I know he's only twenty eight years old. Man, it seems like he's older than that. He'll be turning twenty nine before next season. They might just feel like it's the right time. If a team like let's say my Patriots, or a team that wants a final piece is willing to give like a late first plus for an AJ Brown, they they might be thinking, Okay, it's just that the timing is right.

00:36:26
Speaker 2: The other one I wanted to throw out. The name hasn't been.

00:36:29
Speaker 1: Talked about a lot step outside, except in San Francisco. This Brandon Ayuka is going to be out there this offseason. Everyone's forgotten about him. It's kind of bizarre he's not on this forty nine ers team right now because it.

00:36:42
Speaker 2: Seemed like it it became.

00:36:44
Speaker 1: More of a personal thing between Ayuk and the forty nine ers and they're going to take away his guaranteed money than it really was about his injury and his rehab at some point. But that's just one name I just want to kind of throw out there that is going to be available this offseason. He's not going to be on the forty nine ers, and so that's just a name to think about.

00:37:04
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's the reason why he's not talked about though, Like I haven't. I talk to teams all the time. His name has not come up once. It's just completely out of sight, out of mind. And I think there's also people are gonna have to really do their homework on what the real deal is there, because it's not something you casually pay attention and know what's going on there. I think goes a little deeper than that. I don't have a grasp on it of what the heck happened there.

00:37:26
Speaker 1: I don't either, But he posted like an Instagram story a couple of weeks back of him driving one hundred miles an hour past the forty nine ers facility, and if I'm his agent, it's like Brandon not helping here, Bud, we get it, we're not going back there, but that's not helping. One of his teammates, the man who inspired Shelby Harris to utter the famous phrase, let it be known that man is a hoe, Juwan Jennings. He'll be a free agent too, good player, having a tough.

00:37:58
Speaker 3: Player drilled the other night. But yeah, he is very, very.

00:38:02
Speaker 2: Tough, always gets up from it.

00:38:05
Speaker 3: By the way his his He's one of those guys that was not a highly you know, rated player come out of college. But at Tennessee. I can still remember him just at the catch point, like in red zone stuff, like just plucking balls off guy's heads and he was just kind of I remember thinking, guy, he just kind of plays like a bully as a pass catcher, not even just as someone who's a blocker. And I'm like, that's exactly who he is.

00:38:27
Speaker 2: Yep.

00:38:27
Speaker 1: And he's had his issues too with the forty nine Ers at certain points, wanted to get paid this year, but he came back and just started playing, and he I think helped his value.

00:38:37
Speaker 3: Already try and fight, he already try and fight. Well, that was that was on got hit in the Pravetis. But I don't remember who who was that well.

00:38:48
Speaker 1: With Shelby Harris of the Browns who had that quote afterwards. But I think, well, he's had many near fights in his career. He is kind of the offensive version of Chauncey Gardner Johnson. But in that case, I think he was trash talking one of the Browns after an injured.

00:39:03
Speaker 3: Oh, Travon Merrig Oh.

00:39:06
Speaker 2: That was Yeah, that was one fight. The part that got a lot.

00:39:09
Speaker 3: Of people remember. I literally put into Google who hit Jennings in the and then then it came right up. Technology is amazing, isn't it?

00:39:19
Speaker 1: It is I was thinking about. Apparently he was talking trash to MALIEK. Collins after Malie Collins got hurt, and that's what the brown the Browns all wanted to kick his ass.

00:39:27
Speaker 2: By the way, Juwan Jennings.

00:39:28
Speaker 1: This is from our great producer slash former researcher, Drew Jawan Jennings, the fifth rank dual quarterback in the twenty fifteen high school recruiting class, Darnold was sixth, Burrow was seventh, and Lamar was ninth. How have we not seen a Taysom Hill package for Juwan Jennings at some point?

00:39:47
Speaker 3: Well, I will say that that rivals the graphic that was posted the other day. I wish. I don't think I could even have it, but they it was a San Diego County all time leading passers and I was, I think one spot behind Julian Saying from Ohio State. So we're still hanging there.

00:40:05
Speaker 2: I did go.

00:40:06
Speaker 3: I think I'm number ten. I have after all these years. I'm just gripping to that number. I was once number one, since I'm all the way down to ten. But it's just nice seeing, you know, a quarterback in the college football playoff. It's just within reach. And he did it in four years. I did in three, Greg, I mean, come on.

00:40:21
Speaker 1: Did you call him like Blake Bortles reportedly called Trevor Lawrence and congratulated him on passing him in the all time franchise touchdown record for the Jaguars.

00:40:32
Speaker 3: I did not, but I did get I did get a letter when I was in high school because of that pass. And I believe I have to go back and look it up. It was Mark Malone, the old quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was the all timely pastor in San Diego and it held for a long time because he was like in the seventies. I broke it in ninety five and then and then the passing era took off and I am just I am clinging to life on the bottom of that top ten list at this point.

00:40:57
Speaker 1: Well, that's cool, you got one more last to glory. I need to see uh that graphic and yeah, you can't. You can get rankings on other shows, you can't get stories.

00:41:06
Speaker 3: I mean San Diego anywhere else. I'm leading pastors. That's why people are tuned in here Greg talk break down the linebacker class and free agency, and to hear my high school stories.

00:41:14
Speaker 1: I have so many more names, and we don't need to do it because we have three plus months ahead of us to talk veterans and to talk the draft. Let's get out of here, DJ. We will see everyone next week. We're going to be dropping these shows on Tuesdays. This was forties in free agents, draft and free agency season, just getting started.