2022 Around the AFC in 48 Minutes

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Speaker 1: Be around with the NFL podcast fever Las Vega from the Chris Westling podcast Studio. It's around the NFL. I'm Dan Jansas, got some heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler, whatever. To my right, she's back and she can't keep playing the game, like, Oh, I'm finally invited my once a year appearance when I think we're up to two or three, already past six months, Cynthia, it's up, Cindy. You're like the only one that can get away with that, you know, because it doesn't sound like Cynthia. But when it comes out of your mouth, I still listen to it. But other people they'll say it and they'll look at me and I'm like, oh, you're talking to me, but it doesn't sound the same. Cindy Cynthia just distinctly two different names in different personas and energy around those two names. But I guess everyone has like a fake name on this show, So like, maybe I need to come up with you know, but it wouldn't be Cindy. That is not what it would be. Well, if you're if you're uncomfortable with Cindy, we could privately and I'll move it off the platform. Well you can do it, but other people cannot. You can you can't keep doing the thing. And you did it off air of like oh it's good to find you know, actually be on the show when you get the call up to the around the a f C and forty eight minutes show. That's that's upper tier. That was what That's one of our favorite shows of the year. I remember it was one of Chris's favorite shows of the year. Had all his notes ready for it, So I mean, this is big time, huge times. And also like we're really like we're ushering in a new era of the podcast. Like I'm glad to be here for this great transition. I was just gonna say what. I did a power ing and taping Matt money Smith today and he was upset that he didn't get the invite to this app. It's Cindy that gets the invite. So think about that. Nobody has worked more than Matt Money in the past. Money Money Yes, a new era Erica Temposse are great. Love behind the Glass has moved on. She's gonna be working on other projects. She's going to be a star in her own right. And we were holdener down, let's be honest, So we needed new blood. And here he is. Of course you know him. He's the grave digger, Justin Graver. You'll get you, so you gotta hit your own grave digger. Drop. Now, how are youbody? I'm great, How are you guys? Good? Good good. I think to get this thing off before we get to some news that went down in the last twenty four hours, before we move on to anything else. It is a changing of the guard. So I believe we need to have a just a quick ceremony as we begin the new hour. Absolutely Glass, this is the producer's creed. Justin I, Justin Graver, I Justin Graver, do solemnly swear, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the position of producer of the Around the NFL Podcast, that I will faithfully execute the position of producer of the Around the NFL Podcast, and defense said property against all enemies foreign end domestics, and defense said property against all enemies for and domestic. I renounced any and all other podcasts outside these walls. I renounce any and all other podcasts outside I will betray the trust of outsiders if it benefits the show or its host, I will betray the trust of outsiders. If it benefits the show host, I will put the show below only God in country, friends, family live in. Paramours all exist at a lower priority level than the around the NFL podcast, and it's above the line challenges. Say yes, it seems specific. It's very long. Paramores. I will abstain from drugs, alcohol, and sex during the duration of my duties. I will do my best to have stained from drugs, alcohol and sects during the duration of my duties. I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the position on which I am about to enter. I will one more time, so help God, So help me God, Yes to that. And now I will prick your finger with this pin that will take your blood, and put your hand over the two thousand six Tennessee Titans Media Guide. Repeat yourself, So help me, God, So help me God. All right, welcome to and I think, in true tampose this will be the only segment of the show that makes the social mark mark coming out. I also can think of some producers that did not take that oath going into that job perform saish. He didn't want to get pricked with the blood. He didn't like that, he did not want to be pricked with the blood, all right, so justin great to have you aboard in this capacity. We're going to do great things together. Let's now get to the business at hand. Yes, we do it only a couple of times a year, but definitely after the NFL Draft, it's time to check in with every team in the league. Tuesday Today a f C Thursday, NFC, but first time for news and notes presented by up work. You can build the team that will build your business. Learn more at upwork dot com. We'll start with news out of Arizona. DeAndre Hopkins. He's on the shelf. He is on the shelf for six games to start the season after testing positive for violating the NFL's performance enhancing drug policy. He withdrew his appeal of the six game ban and Cynthia, what what kind of struck me about this? Obviously a big bomber, Hopkins is one of the best playmakers in the league. He's coming off an injury riddled season. He had been an iron man before that. It's never had any type of p D issues to this point. All of a sudden, that trade made a little more sense to me on Thursday night, and then you're giving up a first round pick for Hollywood Brown. Well, they knew something we didn't. For sure, they knew the thing we didn't. They had to do the best they could given the circumstances. They need to make Carler Murray happy. Hollywood Brown reunion makes them very happy, allegedly, right, or at least it's the best chance to that. So, I mean, this is an interesting one because I don't I don't know what a high grade beaver tranquilizer is. But that's just another that's really a whole other show, but just exactly but but it's it's just a wild it's it's a wild read. So you can't make this up. He um most likely, And I thought spray was like the top of the charts, and now we got beaver beaver tranquilizers dangerous. He most likely. And I've heard some buzz about this behind the most likely the he put his trust into someone who creates a plan for his body and his nutrition and his strength coach and his all of that, and that person who probably makes a lot of money. And I've heard some whispers that the same exact um person, the same trainer had some other players popped h recently in the last couple of seasons, you would thank you would not keep that guy, first of all, and just like that decision to hire this person and who who apparently is pushing the boundaries of of what you can do, is costing DeAndre Hopkins millions and millions of dollars that he never had backed. And the Cardinals offense, which to me was already struggled with creativity, is gonna be a lot worse without him out. Yeah, I mean they were obviously, they're a team that two years in a row has gotten off to hot starts under Cliff Kingsbury. The wheels came completely off the vehicle at the end of the season, and it had a lot to do with DeAndre Hopkins being out of the lineup. They were one in four Kyler Murray was one in four in games without DeAndre Hopkins, and that included that playoff implosion. So right away, I don't think that Hollywood Brown can mask over what you lose lose with DeAndre Hopkins on any level. Again, that he's turning thirties, not the same player maybe he was a couple of years ago, but he's been the key to their passing games. So I think it's a disaster for Arizon. They have him, though, they'll be a little I mean they needed them, and I think Ravens, who everything seemed to go right for the Ravens in Vegas. Perhaps that did too because they had a little extra leverage. Whether they knew it or not, I don't know, but very interesting. I think Hopkins we have no sign that he's not still in his prime. I know he's banged up last year, but he was a stud when he first got to Arizona. He's a big time player. Rondel Moore who flashed a little bit last year as a rookie, he's gonna have a bigger role now. A J. Green is still in that building. Green didn't sound like he loved last season either, So yeah, they have They have zach Ertz too, and I know that that doesn't sound awesome, but A zach Ertz did pick up a lot of the slack when DeAndre Hopkins was out last season. So I mean, like, let's just get Kyler Murray back first. Like if he doesn't come back, then then right we'll get you know, conversation, because that that is not a done deal yet either. Uh. Speaking of the NFC, the Honey Badger is his headed home to the Biou. Greggy's Greggy, so Pump loves it, I love l s U, I love Tulane and anyway. Formerly of the Chiefs, he signs now Mark with the Saints, so that deal. He leaves Graveyards Purgatory and signs in May. Thirty years old. Obviously he's always been productive, but he keeps on moving around. Maybe he has a longer stay here in New Orleans, and I pick up for a Saints team that's looking pretty good right now. Honey Badger's the kind of guy no matter where he went, you would talk about it as a massive upgrade to that team's defense. Something about this feels different to me. It feels special because the Saints are a unique team. I think Greg mentioned this a week or so ago, that their fan base is unique, the location is unique, the whole city, and that he's coming back home. All of that is the intangible stuff. But I kind of love the fact that you're adding him to a defense that lost Malcolm Jenkins to retirement, that lost Marcus Williams to the Ravens. If you look at who they have and the way that they operated last year is the number fourth overall team d v O A wise against the past, Honey Badger is set up to succeed, and this was the one secondary that looked at Tom Brady, caused total chaos for him, showed zero fear of Tom Brady. And we already know that Honey Badger feels that way about Tom Brady because they've gotten into it in the past on the field. So I kind of just love this for New Orleans. They're eight or nine deep now. I mean, they also signed Marcus May, they brought P J. Williams back, They've got Chauncey Gardner, Johnson, Marshawn Lattimore, A Deebo looked pretty good. They brought in Daniel Soortenson, which I kind of forgot about as was like a reservotive as a positive. Now that wasn't if anything. Matthew is Yeah, their teammates, they know each other, and Matthews taking those snaps I think from him. But I think we're gonna talk about some teams in the around the A f C segment that I think are building back to front. The Ravens, the Bengals, the Saints are definitely that team that feels like we've got seven or eight guys back there that can slow down today's passing attacks. To counteract all the passing first down we've seen the most passing ever past two seasons. Counteract that you need to play Nicole. You need to play lots of defensive backs. And that's what teams have been doing. So you saw it. That was part of the reason why when we get to the Ravens that we'll talk about, you know how why Kyle Hamilton was such a good fit. But being able to just always have that depth for the defensive backs. It's just the way to counterbalance all the past. And I don't want to hear that A J. Brown. You couldn't afford a J. Brown. It's like the Saints were eighty million dollars over the cap and they somehow figured out all this stuff and they're still signing Tyrone Matthew. Like their cash spending is through the roof. If nothing else, Saints fans got to be happy with Gayle Benson uh that they are just like spending money over hand over fist the last couple of seasons, almost more than any team in the NFL. Yeah, I believe A. J. Brown when he said this isn't my fault. Yeah it was. I don't think it was. And that was news and Notes presented by up work, the world's work market place. Learn more at up work dot com. All right, now here we go. Ready, we're caught up on the news, Greg Mark hate feeling about things time wise right now. You expressed some concern before we started. I mean it was playful concern, but I I suggested the show with I feel like any playful concern from Mark always has like an undercurrent of menace. I'm feeling a little that Tuesday intensity from Cessler, and I think that's gonna help you. I just came. You know, I'm enjoying the conversation so far, and I hope it, you know, for the next forty eight minutes and not a lot longer we continue to do You tell us you were at the office three and a half hours before the show, and he's ready prep that is that's ready to go. Uh. The the cafeteria upstairs offers free breakfast and there's like nice coffee machines and stuff. You had said as I as I mentioned, Power Rankings is back me and Matt money Smith around the network. Later today eight pm Eastern, you said in the Total Access meeting, just a ton of heat. People fired up about the power ranks. A lot of guys been like, he never played the game. Well, I don't take this seriously. He never played a snap anything like that. Um, not that I remember what I remember in the meeting today. In mid May, Yeah, yeah, exactly. Obviously they put put the stars on in mid May. Third, that's when they bring the stars out. Hence why I'm on it with you. But it was more like, can you keep repeating the order because the people were calling in because they're they're not sitting there in person. So I feel as though I have the memorized now because other people not remember. Want top ten serious, Let's go, here's the top ten number one. Let's put the Rams back at one. Just come on, I should Bills, Rams, Bucks, Bengals, Niners, Packers, Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers, Raiders, A C West seven to ten. My crazy, it's cute. I don't think you're crazy. Bengals feels a little rich. It's cute. It's like it's like a little hey, hey, I don't like the Chiefs being below those teams and the Bengals sea. Where the heck are the really the Ravens are eleven up four spots. Okay, I feel like somebody's got to win that division, certainly. So like the eleventh the Bengals right back to right fields a little opening, but they did season. But are they a better team than the one that almost won the Super Bowl? I think so. The Ravens got like injury really unlucky injury wise, everything went wrong for Baltimore and then we're still alive. And week eighteen were asking quite a bit from a shod bateman right now and that wide that's also think it's study that le Broncos are up there, and who like are we? Who is he throwing the ball to himself? Tom Brady can't pass and catch the ball himself receivers, what are you? Martland Sutton here, Patrick Jerry Judy, kJ Hamdler. That's got save it? All right, this is writing shows forty eight minutes. Let's go all right, let's get to it. Sometimes got to go out on a Here we go. This is what we do. Three minutes per team, every team in the a f C. We got four divisions, there's four of us. Will take one team per division. Grave Digger, right off the bat, you're getting thrown in the hot water here because you need to adjudicate this. Is that the right word? Yeah? I think I understand what you're need to handle this. You need to make sure you you have to and I know maybe you'll be a little sheepis because I'm the new guy. I don't want to like drop a hammer on these guys if I have to, But that's part of this gig. I don't know. This is the same guy that before we were taping goes. It's a new era, right, I think he's ready for it. He's ready. So we get three minutes of team if we go over three minutes, and this includes Cindy. I know she's a star at this company, but you need to take out the tranquilizer and you hit her right. Yeah, I'm ready, locked and loaded, all right, So let's get going. Let's start with the and you'll know when time's up, Okay, you just you'll know, Um, something's gonna wash over you a piece from Okay, we're gonna start with the A F C. East. I will get us going. So let's start it up. Grave Digger with the Buffalo bills number one, by the way in the power rings. As I just said this is Uh, you know, we're no at all season right now. Uh, we are all certain how things are going to play out, and right now the football assn't. It's only three minutes I gotta go. Is certain the Bills are a beastly juggernaut destined for fourteen wins the trip to the super Bowl. However, is there a weakness we're overlooking or the or are the Bills really that good? Cindy? I mean, I think that we obviously need to see what happens if with this running back who was inconsistent, James Cook, if you can help them out there. They have nice to have their very complete team. They have done a nice job of drafting year in a year out, so they're in good shape and they have the most important position in all football. And I don't know if the Patriots got much better, and while the Jets got better, I don't know if it's enough. So division matters a lot. Who are you playing well? They've changed a lot. I think that's been I think that was a good idea. But they have four or five new starters in offense, about four new ones on defense. You have a new plate caller. Uh sorry that wasn't that many new ones on defense, but like how quickly can they transition? Their offense did not come out of the gates very strong last year. They were down. I know it's a different um play caller though with Ken Dorsey there, he's been there. To me, that matters. I think to answer your question, though offensive line was up and down at best last season. You bring in Roger Saffold, who's more of a run block or like right tackles a question mark. I don't look at that offensive line and think like that's a great group at best, it's average. I'm with you on the Dorsey thing because he has been there. It's they're not changing the offense. It's anything. It's an extension of what Brian Table did. But when you look at like Kyle Shanahan and guys that are such good in play callers and links so richly to the quarterback that I think that just the idea that Table can be replaced and how how what he did with with Josh Allen. That's the big question mark for me because you're gonna get into sticky situations where Dable's creativity and what he did was the was the special sauce can Ken Dorsey do that. It's a different human being, right, Gave Davis is now a two. Jamison Crowder's new to this team. Mackenzie is in a different road. It's different. Yeah, it feels like this Jamison Crowder is another I really like that move. I think he's going to be an upgrade over Colby doubled down on it by getting a wide receiver that has a similar profile late in the game. Yes, and my only concern here is what you said that they did start slow last year. By the end of the season they were unstoppable. But with the change in the O C, will the offense be where it needs to be. But you also make the point about the division, and I just don't think the Pats. The Pats, obviously we saw in those last two matchups, needed to really jump up. I don't think they did, and I think it's gonna help them as well. Yeah, it's it's interesting for me because the Bills get of all of the a f C divisions, and I mean, maybe the South is one you'd want to be in, although that I don't know. That was confusing too. This one, it feels like it's a lot more stable than the other ones. So I just love the off season. I feel like they've had one of the best off season of players they've added to top of Kran was that a jinx for the Ages that I wouldn't look at it that way. It was a branding opportunity that we're gonna be playing that while the Bills are going to the Super This is just be quiet. We have this, we have this beautiful sound. We've already laid out the rules that you can't talk. But what if I like the trenk, you know, give it to him. Well, it's got can the trick Wiser work? Maybe it seems to promises in Malibu after this show? All right, speaking of Greg, now you can talk Greg on your pats, Okay. I want to know if they didn't have defensively, there's there's been so much focus post draft about these guys that they drafted before anyone expected Cole Strange, Tyke, went Thornton. I get it like you got Joe Judge and Matt Patricia running your offense. It's a little concerning, but I think their offensive rosters quite good. I look at this defense. That's what got them embarrassed late last year. A bunch of guys in their front seven other than Christian bar More that we're extremely up and down. Matthew Judean didn't really show up in the last month, and the rest of the guys. I don't have a lot of faith in your top two cornerbacks right now are still Malcolm Butler and Jalen Mills, at least on the outside. I did like the third round pick Marcus Jones, But do we have faith in Bill Belichick still Mark to just like figure out everything, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where I'm I'm telling you, this roster just isn't looking that good. It looks I'm with you. I feel Hubris coming out of this organization right now, and Bill Belichick to me, I feel I've never thought this about him feels a little bit asleep at the wheel. I mean, I look back at the Shack Mason trade where you gave the Bucks Jack Mason for essentially like a rusty hammer. I don't know how that went down, right, J C. Jackson out the door, and you're hoping to replace these guys with a very strange collection of draft picks. Um, I am suspicious. I look at this and I'm gonna say one positive thing. I like their strategy for always taking a late round quarterback because if you do get if you do happen to hit on that Not saying that Bailey Zappy is the future, but I do think it's a smart drafting strategy overall, fourth, fifth, sixth round kind of guy. If you happen to hit on this guy, even if he's your backup, that can be really helpful because remember now backups are commanding like twelve million dollars just to do. If he's if he's Mac Jones is backup for three years, that's a great fourth round pick. I don't mean he had sixty touchdown. I can't be wrong. I'm just saying, like I think it's I'm trying to be positive. There's a lot, you know. I feel like a lot of people very digitals on the Patriots, and I don't think they got a lot better. But I think that is a really smart strategy. Cold Strange is going to be a locked and loaded guard for them seven years from now. So everybody could calm down with the laughter. And I do think Greg, you and I have been not at loggerheads over it. But you think I don't give Mac Jones enough pop, I am. It's certainly within the realm of reason that he takes a big year to jump here, and they did get him DeVante Park. I would have liked it they went and we're a little more aggressive in the draft and got him another player. I mean they took you're mad about we brought up the new play caller, but somehow it with the Max Jones getting a new play caller and that that his head coach, who was a big concern, very good play call now he's gone. I guess people on it what is said, which I hate nepotism in the NFL. Maybe they're maybe they're wrong, maybe they're right about Taekwa and Thornton, but people were really surprised, like just a straight line speed guy overall. Maybe I'm just scarred because Denzel Mims was also highly ted second up that got a bailor that turned out none of the bailor of receivers have worked. Yeah. I used to play this on repete in my car, like in high school. Yeah. I taught palates in college and I would always think that's okay if it's non team related talk and easy with the trunks. In general, you're trying to kill us over here, finger guns. He's got to learn when to just ignore me. All right, here you go the Dolphins. All right, Dolphins, good stuff. I can take a class some time they have the Dolphins, Like look at this Tyreek Hill, Toron Armstead to two amazing additions, Chase Edmunds forheam Mustard. And when you look at Mike McDaniel, I trust that he'll maximize those running backs. I think they've hop scotched the Patriots from a roster perspective, and it looks stronger than the Jets from one angle. I think it's fair to ask the public, can you smell what hard rock is cooking down? But do you trust? I would say this, do you Trusty to take it to the next level? I know that's almost just the obvious question. I mean, he has zero excuses. He has a Shanahan offshoot who does great things with quarterbacks in today's NFL. Though if Ta is not a totally different version of who he is, I don't think there's any chance he's their quarterback this time next off season. I was going to take it a step further and say, how you know, when does Teddy Bridgewater enter the picture here because I don't know if he makes it to Halloween, if he doesn't hit the ground running, because this is year three now and they have put a really solid team around him. They gave him a Hall of Fame next Level one of one. Number one wide receiver Jalen Waddle had one of the best rookie seasons in recent NFL history. Um, he is a stud, uh and now you have the opportunity here to take your offense to the next step. And if they don't, I think patients will run out fast. Yeah, I agree, And yet I kind of think modest improvement from to it to where he's like an average NFL starting quarterbacks somewhere close to where Teddy was for Denver last year. And this team is going to be a lot better because the team around because everything else is gonna be better. You know, I don't know if he needs to uh excel for this team to win ten games. They they're over under his over the Patriots, that right, don't you think? So It's it's weird though that like they didn't have any picks this year, so they went from like rebuilding, We're all about picks, that's all we care about. His picks and then they blew all the picks too. Now they're the team with no picks and it's the same seven different coaches now, so that he's got to sell out otherwise he's gone. Right, So they still have their corners, by the way, and I really like both of their corners obviously, Xavian Howard and Byron Jones. That's really helpful, really nice for them. Also, I think I love the Cedric Wilson drama and whatever going back and forth and whatever, which was hilarious, like low key what is it. I don't know, the Cedric basically basically like Dallas was trying to keep him and the like. It was just a lot of drama over Cedric, which is I mean, he's their third not to be mean, but it's you know, whide receiver number three, and they were just all this fighting funny. I kind of like the third round pick, Channing Tindall. It's like his name. He just seems like a guy. He's got to play right away. He was probably behind the land And Roberts as a run stopping guy. You can get a land In Roberts out of your life. Talking to handsome Hag, big Dolphins fan future general manager of UK properties for the end of quiet at promotion staying at his castle, and he was a little bummed in Vegas that there was no Jewe. So Tyrek Hill was your first round play. Looking at it that way, that's not how the draft works, though. Yeah, it's aggressive. You were technically talking about the team stuff. Well, I won't next time. Cindy on the Jets. Okay, the Jets did a really really nice job with this draft, probably the best draft overall, especially with their fourth place schedule. They probably got the most better. That's terrible English, but they probably improved the most. I also liked that they added lake in Tomlinson. You know, we forget about some of these offensive line pieces. You know, obviously he came over from San Francisco. There's familiarity with his head coach. I think if you look to see what do you you really need to evaluate what is Zach Wilson the guy yes or no? Because clearly it's not Joe Flacco, Like he's not competing for that for that real job. Right, So when you look to see, like, okay, what can we do, well, we can load him up with a really good wide receiver. We can see Elijah Moore. If he can stay healthy, you could be great. I don't know if Corey Dave's gonna come back, and I hope he stays healthy, but he has been oft injured. I think. Actually adding Jeremy Ruckert, who teammates with Garrett Wilson at Ohio State, that was a really nice ad as well. Breece Hall was many people's consensus number one running back. They stole Jermaine Johnson and a Mod Gardner. Some people had him as their number one corners that people had him as number two. So clearly they got their guy, and I loved the whole like you're always the one he is from one detroit Man to another, you were you were always the one that those funny. But they still have a lot of pieces too. It's not like there were five players away, right, So there are some question marks here. McKay beck needs to pay off because that's a you know, physical, huge situation and to have to overcome if you're left tackle, isn't that their right tackles George Fant right now listed in the number one on the depth chart, Like that's kind of scary as well, So we'll have to see. But low key c. J Usama also a good ad. So your model has them jumping up like four wins too, it was like two point five. It was like two point five wins overall, in part because they play a fourth place schedule, so it tipped the scale to have a better chance to win some of those games. And that's a really big increase. It's not, you know, I like Jet fans, I want you to be happy, but one cornerback does not an entire defense make you know, So you gotta you gotta figure out that they I mean DJ read so they've kind of overmade that to me, not to oversimplify it, but it does the tackle positions in the quarterback because they've now built a compelling roster, not a super Bowl roster, but now there's pieces in play. Fan. Does he stay healthy? Is he gonna be good enough? Becked him? Is he gonna get his weight under control and be a real player? And Kanzach Wilson do it? Those are all still big questions, but they've at least made themselves intriguing as a team. They're intriguing. I mean, you like, there is a from a bird's eye view, a real plan that kind of married the draft and free to see together and made the Jets better. The one thing I don't like in the New York market, but just national in general, is when everyone is saying the team is now competent and could be successful if the quarter it's like a lot of pressure on Zach Wilson to make a big step and I'm just not sure, based on what we saw last year that he has it in. I mean, he's another player like to that might not be there a year final. He's starting. He's in a great situation for a second year quarterback. I think this isn't a totally rebuilding team. Joe Douglas got hired four years ago and this is his third year. So this is like when you're supposed to show your your wares and I think he's done it. I think he's done it. They're set up pretty well. Oh I thought I was going to get away with it, all right, Everybody hold right there to take a quick break, a responsible break. We'll be right back. Let's move nor get us go with the defending conference champions. Okay, So I talked about the Saints being built to stop today's passing attacks. I think that's the Bengals identity and yeah, yeah, it's the idea. Their first identity, of course is their quarterback and his past catchers in the skill position guys. How special they're gonna be is how far they're gonna go. But defensively, this Bengals team, by taking two players in the secondary to start their draft in Daxton Hill and then Cameron Taylor Britt to me, just makes this secondary potentially special. Uh. They have seven or eight really competent guys. I think they were a pretty good secondary before. Now you can get so multiple. You got Mike Hilton and Daxon Hill. Daxon Hill can do a lot of different things like incredibly athletic. Maybe Eli Apples kicked out of the starting lineup, but when he's suddenly your fourth or fifth cornerback, that looks great. And I really like the idea that they kind of know who they are. And they also look at the rest of the a f C. I think and look at the Bills, they look at the Chiefs, and they think, how can we slow down these two teams? And I think more than almost any team in the AFC, they're built for it. I mean, they don't get to the super Bowl last year without ball Hawckey and secondary play. They don't beat the Titans necessarily. I mean they were in all those games in such close affairs. I love what they did. I love what they did along the offensive line. It's like they were the one team where it was like Duke Tobin at the combine, we talked to him, this is what you need to go do, and they went and did it exactly with with a precise plan around protecting Joe Burrow. I said they might go even deeper and go take another one in the draft. They went fourth round. Um, but three starters, three agency getting three starters, they're a much better team. And there was a lot there's a lot of magic sprinkle dust over the Bengals in January and into February, and they almost took it all the way home one last drive when Eli Apple got exposed by the way on that final drive. But was good before that. But like this now is a team that they aggressively attacked their deficiencies. I think it's a better team now. It's very hard to run it back after something like that. Um So I understand that, But Cindy, they're better, They're better. Yeah, Look, I think they're gonna have to answer some questions at tight end because CG. Zama was a big, big factor there, and I do think they had hurt and a little maybe I means, so well, can you do that? Yeah, so can you do that? And then also think they probably should have added to the running back position because they used for Joe Mixon, made him he got hurt. So I just I'm not saying it was bad. I'm just saying if there were two areas of improvement, maybe those were. I do struggle to see them as the third best team. Like part of it is like they went on a magical run. Yeah, I don't know that's exactly who they are because part of that they were hot and cold because they didn't say, oh, look what we did last year, We're going to bring back the same team. They there's been a significant turnover here. Mike Hilton had a good quote here. People are predicting them as a one hit wonder why because it's the Bengals, point blank period. When you think of the Bengals, you're like, oh, the Bengals, you know. But now with this group of guys we have and the coaches we have, we're really turning this organization repect right, not anymore. I could you shoot me all you want. It seems to have no effect. It's making me better, It's making me talk more marks the Steelers. I mean, I was just thinking about how in the run of this podcast, we've never seen anything close to a Steelers team as deeply in transitions as they are right now. I mean, it obviously starts at a quarterback. It has me intrigued though, because we called them draft winners coming out of that weekend, and I think they were. If you look at their lineup on offense, Naji Harris, Deonta Johnson, Chase Claypool Pratt, Pat Friarmouth who I like a lot, George Pickens, and Calvin Austin, Kenny Picket I think is winning this battle. Only Deonte Johnson remains as a starter from week one two seasons ago. They've changed a lot. My one question because they they've had a nice offseason. Their offensive line was an achilles heel last year. They haven't done much there and that gives me bad vibes about putting either Mitch Drabinski behind a line like that or a rookie quarterback. Is this rebuild put on hold a little bit? Because of that situation. Maybe, uh, that's the case for starting things off with Mitch Drabinsky, a guy who can move. A part of the problem with their set up was that they had a literal statue, a two and seventy pounds statue behind center stone age pony, stone age pony, maybe the ultimate since Dan Marino posts Achilles stone Age pony. And now if you get a guy behind there, I can move a bit pick it obviously can move better than Big Bend at this stage, that's gonna help. But you're right, that is a real concern. I'm more worried about their coaching and their evaluation than Letton. Like what they did this Obviously they brought in two starters and Mason Cole from the Vikings. James Daniels was like a nice free agent signing. It was more that they gave Chuka a core for a huge contract. Three or d NFF. Adam has one of the worst tackles in Leak. For what it's worth, you have a fourth round second year player Dan Moore at left tackle who they like and and look look pretty good. But that's asking a lot out of a mismashed group who really never has made up for the fact what that Mike Munchak left. Basically, when Mike Munchak left, this offense changed in terms of their offensive line. Well, I look at the line, and I look at the situation. Remember, you know you had an outgoing GM and you've got you don't know who's coming in next. I think he's like, I want to be the guy that got all the good receivers. I don't give a crap about this old line, Like I want my Like I'm this is my last one. Here's the the icing on the kick. I'm not he has great at it, but it's not sexy to take pound men that don't move very much. That you need it, I obviously may advocate for it, but what did the models say about pick it? As a as a prospect? Most pro Ready had the most snaps facing weird defenses meaning not based defense meaning disguised looks in the secondary uh, non traditional fronts, things that you'll see in the NFL. So highest passer rating also when facing these situations. So was the most pro ready if that's how you're gonna find pro Ready. Did you guys see the video of the phone call from Tomlin to pick it? Huge smile on its so you don't see Tom like this, so happy and excited. I was just like that looks like a guy who's like I found my starter week one. Let's roll with the kid mac Jones, with the Patriots. I don't have to start my stone age pony. You think he enjoyed starting, bet not. He should be coaching here every year just for all the crap he said to deal with. You cannot praise any Let's uh, let's let's put the gun down, all right, yes, justin Let's just let's let the let the guests. We have a wonderful guest, Cynthia. Here. Let's try not to trank or unless you really deserves it, Greg fire away. He likes it right right, Yes, Cindy, when it feels offensive to the listener, the trigger, you can pull the trigger. Whenever he's drunk. Everyone get drunk otherwise, so he's drunk with I swore an oath not that was a tough one. That was a real test of your loyalty. And he did not comply entirely that he said he would best things about the Ravens, Cynthia. Oh, the Ravens had an awesome draft. I really think having a guy that fits your system so perfectly, like Kyle Hamilton's did fall to fourteen, which this guy for me, if you had to say ahead of the draft, neutral could go to any team who was the guy that's most likely become All Pro first, it was Kyle Hamilton's. So you're getting this and understand there's some positional value things here where some people don't think safety is as easily. You know that that one is not as high value position as some of the others. But I would argue kind of the opposite. With all these teams playing multiple defensive backs, a whole bunch of packages where you need at least five defensive backs, his use is going to be from day one really really important. He also is great at blitzing. They have kind of all of these different ways where he goes in sideline to siline. He probably dropped because at the combine he didn't run as fast of a forty as other people. Totally ridiculous, right, And then they added Tyler linder Bomb. I love this pick. I understand an interior a alignment is not necessarily the sexiest pick. Some people think like positional value again, center isn't as great, but linder Bomb could kick out to the left guard, right guard. I understand they have Kevin Zeitler there, but you know they're they're trying to figure out how to replace a guy who had you know, he's gonna be a Hall of Famer that just left two seasons ago. So now you've got to figure out along this old line. Okay, what are we gonna do to keep our quarterback who likes to run into kind of scrambling drills. We need We need this line to just hold as long as possible. Running passing downs doesn't matter. The only question mark that didn't push them up higher in terms of total value in the draft is now they have they created a problem that they have to solve what ride receiver, And that is something that they They're still wide receivers left to look at in free agency, but it did create a new problem for them to have that as far as the draft went, I mean, I'm pretty sure that they cry like I I killed was kicking myself for not calling them a winner the other day because I feel like they had about as good a draft as anyone. Travis Jones, their third round defensive tackle, could play right away. Uh, and they're gonna be playing three safeties all the time, all the time, and but that's that's how the league is moving that. The Patriots did that quite a bit last year. They took the guy in the fourth round, Henry's guy, Daniel Felele, another rugby player who's now the biggest man in the NFL three and eighty six pounds, and he's a guy kind of like Jordan my Lota who was gonna be rough around the edges. But if you're gonna land with a team for the Ravens are the right thing. They won eight games a year ago due to great coaching and just because it's the Ravens with a shattered secondary with a backfield that was broken from before the start of the season, which is a huge part of what they want to do. The wide receiver thing is sticky. But if there's a team that maybe had one less wide receiver than other teams and would still thrive, I think it could be. Baltimore signed Jarvis Landry right figure out you're gonna pay someone he would be annoyed by week three though in Baltimore, I think that's the problem. Feel there might pick for the division winner on May three. I just feel like they're a big bounce back season comeback season approaches in Charms City, which leads us to the Cleveland Browns. So last week, Major League Baseball handed out a three four game suspension to Dodgers picture Trevor Bauer. The band covered two full seasons, longest punishment under the Sports Domestic Violence Violence Policy since it was instituted in August two thousand fifteen. Cut to the NFL different circumstances, but obviously some troubling allegations connected to Watson. His fate with the NFL's yet to be announced, and we don't know how this is gonna end with Watson, and it's, you know, like it or not. Cleveland looms as a superpower in the conference when you combine that roster with Watson. But when will Watson actually play a game? The Browns went eight nine last season with Baker. I don't see them being much better with Jake Briskett behind center. So that's my question. When when will we find out when Watson plays? And would it be possible that they got really tough on him the way Baseball did bower nfls And it hasn't been their style to be that way, But you wonder if the baseball thing could affect the football thing. Well, what's a huge question, because the way that the NFL hands down punishment doesn't always feel that there's a rhyme or reason from case A to B to se. They handle things differently, and and and this one has been as murky as possible. I don't have a huge read on what the NFL will do here. Yeah, the longer it goes and just a little whispers of anything, I'm worried no offense to the Browns of course, uh, that it's going to go the other way, that it might be less than we expect, or that he could be on the field sooner that they don't take it too seriously. And then you kind of look at, Okay, what do they have. One thing that struck me about their draft was like David Bell is a third round pick. He's gonna play for them probably, Like he's kind of a pro ready looking maybe he's in the slot there. Like they need receivers, they don't really have receivers more than any team in the NFL. I feel like they could use Odell Beckham, Like they feel like the best fit for to back hum right now, I mean it's hard to imagine, but like David Bell might be their number two right now, their third round pick, their their thin it wide out and their thinn it defensive tackle. Their their roster is not at great pieces too though. But it's like, but all that, I'm glad you're throwing out the other aspects that are around the Browns right now. But ultimately it all goes back to what's going on with Watson and the mystery and you know what, it's gonna be a really really and we've had these conversations before, but bad look for the league if one of the major leagues comes down hard on a prominent that's a Cy Young Award winner and then NFL drops a four game band or something that, I mean, nothing would surprise me anymore. But like they can, they can, they can wrap this up. Let's wrap it up, NFL. You've got the Hugh Jackson investigations done in a couple of weeks. It's been two years almost. I feel dark energy around this team. I know that's that's personal feelings involved, but it's kind of like when Andre the Giant turned bad, he was like, it's just as this was a team that you was sort of a lovable loser and they went to uh, they went to dark places. I don't enjoy it at all. Yeah, it is a bummer. The Lions kind of taking that mantle. No, no, no, non compared the Lions because this, this, this is different. This right here, this is different. We're saying nothing about this team. I want nothing to say about this team. Next, why don't we move on to the We need to take a break. Yes, okay, let's take a break and we'll hit the ac sound all right, We're back. Here we go. Sessler Titans. The Titans, they strike me as a team that have floated away to some degree. I see a club that traded away it's best player in a J. Brown. We've talked about that a ton. They drafted the QB of tomorrow and Malik Willis, which has Ryan Tannehill now basically in the opposition of playing for his job because I think he's gonna hear it from fans and everyone else right out of the gate. I be struggles and that's a possibility. You've got Derrick Henry, who has been leaned on super heavy forever in an offensive line that I see questions at left guard. I see questions at right tackle. I don't love that for Ryan Tannehill either. It helps to be in a junkie division, but this feels like a lesser version of last year's team. Right now we are where we are today? Am I being too tough on grave Diggers? Hyper federal? Can I hear the Tannehill quote? And I just want to hear this today going around a little bit. Tannehill on Malik Willis and and you know that new partnership in the quarterback room. I mean that's part of being in a quarterback room, in the same room. You know, we're we're competing against each other, We're uh, you know, watching the same tape, we're doing the same drills. Um. I don't think it's my job to mentor him, but um, you know, if he learns learns from me along the way, then um, then that's a great thing. Graver. I don't have a problem with that. I know some people are gonna say it makes him seem selfish. There's there's missing part of it, because part of it was talking about he's like I had to go therapy last time when I was like he talks about like how he really struggled and like has come overcome struggles, and he mentioned therapy by names doins getting out of the when he was in a mental headspace before and he worked himself the playoff laws. This is something where you like know enough about Ryan Tannehill's character and how his teammates have reacted to him and everything about him like throughout his career. That's like he's just being honest, the same thing Eli man like. And yet Eli Manning was like, great friends with Danny doesn't mean he's not going to be a professionally. Just answering the question. I like it. I'd rather hear the truth. Like, also, you don't have a J. Brown anymore, Like that's going to be a heck of a lot harder. He's got to be annoyed, Like with somebody stuff. Here's what annoyed about. Like we we Grave Digger talked before the draft, like, what's their biggest need is offensive line? Um, they were a mess last year. They didn't really address that this offseason, so that would have me very concerned. One of the worst offensive line in the league without aging. But your biggest concern, Yeah, I mean we're sitting here now the draft and free agency are complete, and we still don't know who two of their starters are. That's kind of crazy. I want you to keep talking and then tranquilize yourself tack. So that's why Mark was giving Digger stretch. Stretch it out. Anybody picking up a little bit of tension between Mark and Grave Digger here for this. I'm glad I could see their Their origination story is good attention. I do think the Titans are a worst team right now than they were than the team that played the Bengals in January, so that's probably not a good place to be. Which team they played the Bengals. Trink yourself. Cults Jim Mercy said last week, you believe Matt Ryan could play another four seasons with the Cults. The owner's rosy viewpoint echoed in their draft class included eight picks, no quarterbacks. Chris Ballard lost that first round under in the doomed Carson Wentz acquisition one, but he still came out of Vegas with solid hall included offensive players with each of the first three picks. The Colts struggled to score points with Wentz last season, especially down the stretch. Do we trust this attack with Matt Ryan leading the way to improve enough to put them in the conversation with the a f C S leading. I just wanted one more thing. This team was looking really good in mid December nine of twelve, great running game, defense, getting just taking care of business, and then it all fell apart. Are they that far away or do they not have enough? I think that, you know, given where they were drafting and what they were looking at. I like that they cut their losses with Carson Wentz before. I mean, if it's not gonna be the right solution, don't try to force it to work. Take the L and move on. Matt Ryan. This is a guy who we've seen how good he's been with play action. They got to a Super Bowl when he was able to effectively use play action. You know when you can use play action when you have a good running back. So I think that this is an interesting and in this division, Like tell me how, tell me how the other team's got so significantly better? It's similar, but they also have holes. I don't think this roster as good as it was when when Philip rivers there. I I they kind of remind me of the late Mike Shanahan Arab Broncos where I swear it was like the coaching uh in. The play calling was great, but the talent wasn't quite all the way there because this receiver group, maybe Alec Pierce hits as a second round pick, but it's it's a mid level receiver pick. They drafted Bernard Raymond in the third round. Rayman may start at left tackle. They don't really have an experience. They were They were assigned Marcel Debo though from Germany, and we want to go cover this game in Germany. So I just want to I just want to, you know, put that out there. They were assigned every team in the a f C South got an international player Pathway program guy from Henry Hudson. He just gives it out to a different division in every year, and this year he gave it to one and a twig. They got my favorite tight end Tho in the draft. They got to Gelanni Woods. That's my favorite. Just the point is sent us to Germany. That was the point point And I want to just throw that out there. It was I p P day. It was a big things like I'm in the chair now, I'll teach you swears in German. That's I can help you with. I grew up in Luxembourg, so you can teach you swears in Germany. You swear in German and that wouldn't need to be bleached here. You're not going to find out. This is not the reason I wanted. I just could. I just learned you grew up in Luxembourg like a week ago, and that's I get swear in French like a soft German swear like not not the worst thing. My My boss already trying to like sell me for a pack of cigarettes, so you know I like about that. Keep going. Let's put three minutes on the clock for that. All right, Let's move on now to the Houston Texans sending. What do you want me to say about the Texans? I don't know me? Okay, So they clearly seem to be believing in Davis Mills. Whether or not the rest of us think that that's the truth, I don't know. It seems like they are. I did think that the John Mechi wide receiver pick up. You know, people stop talking about him because he got hurt kind of in the season before Giraffe season picked up. But John Metchi watches film. He's right up there with some of those top guys. I mean Alabama guys like this is a guy who's very very good. Also, how the Patriots get in trouble when they hire other Patriots guys, because I guarantee you they would have taken John Metchi with their second round pick, but instead, you know, they took Derek Stingley, which that has some Derek again it was one too for for which corners, but he does fit the Levey Smith system. Now that means there's a little bit of projection there because is he going to be the guy who's on twenty nineteen when he was all world at l s U Or are we going to see the guy in the past two years that it's going to be a coach in two years. That's but I will have to there's some low key thing I have to point out. There's Austin Deckless. He's our potential, right, So he's a sixth round pick. This kid he is from he went tells you he eats turtles. His grandmother made him turtle stew and he was the most entertaining person that I've talked to in a really long time. You talked to about East West Shrine. So this is the type of stuff you get. Turtle eating like, what is it like? What? Like, okay, just tho, I've had turtle before, like the arms, legs and head and you'd eat. He said it didn't taste like chicken, but he didn't know what it tasted like, and he said maybe more like turkey. But this is his kid's nuts. Like he's super fun to talk to me, like the human of the reptiles to human for me, I'm a tortoise owner. I was a turtle owner. Now I'm a tortoise owner. We've got got old Nori in the backyard. Yeah, now maybe I wouldn't need it, but it was good what did get in. But that's something often because I hope he makes the team I'm rooting for. But he loved his grandma so much. He's like anything she would she could have gotten me eating my finger. You know, he's learning about swamp people. This is very interesting. Nine draft picks in Vegas Derek Stingley, Kenyan Green fifteen overall, Jalen Petrie sat as we talked about, those are all starters for a team that needs to build. I think a serial has kind of done a good job, like last year was just a disaster. But like Davis Mills deserves a second chance. I always thought this was a potential landing spot for Baker Mayfield. It's never come up once, which is interesting because, like the backup team is Jeff criscal So it's not like you're sitting here being like, hey, let's give him a chance. But then I put a veteran like, where's the Brian Hoyer of this situation? Right? That's not what Jeff Driscoll makes too much sense. I think I think they are a little bit of an underdog to Baker at why why don't you rather have another showed something. I think they want to see Davis Mills hard, like Davis Mills, don't put it down. Put it down, Jackson will, Yeah, you are so. My my question with them is is trying enough? Like they're like they're trying. You can't say that the Jaguars aren't trying the Bears. I have questioned if the Bears are trying enough. I don't know if the Titans are trying enough. The Jaguars are absolutely trying to fix the worst franchise in the league. You know, based on Winds, based on their coach. They have at least ten new starters uh combined between their offense and defense. But when I when I look at their offense, I guess my question is, like, Cynthia, do you think it's enough? Because I look at what's around Trevor Lawrence and maybe it's a little better. They made the decision to keep the offensive line more or less the same. You brought in Brandon Schurff. It was a big addition in terms of runblocker, but you you resigned Cam Robinson instead of drafting someone. And I look at that group around him, and I just said, is it enough? Because I'm not overly impressed. Well, Walker little is there? So your kids are going to be happy to know that fan favorite. Um, I don't know if it's going to be enough. This seems to be. They made some interesting decisions that I'm I don't know. But the thing that they did really well was screw everyone else up in the wide receiver market, which was pretty epic for them by that Christian Kirk comp in the marketplace. Really, they really stuck it to a lot of other teams because people like I am way better than Christian Ker. You're going to need to pay me. See all the rest of the contracts that followed. So I think it's going to look better. And I think low key best news for uh, you know, for Trevor Lawrence is the fact that Travis A t N will be back. I think that that's super helpful. Using him along with James Robinson will be a big upgrade. I mean, Luke Fortner the third round pick as a center, Okay, I don't know it. It just it's gonna be It's gonna be interesting to see how that all plays out. And They're defense did get better upfront, and I do like their linebacker picks, but this is it was kind of like they were like, let's just throw a dart. We're gonna put ten names here, and then of these are sort of our consensus tend at this pick, and we'll just throw a dart and pick that because you know, why would you you know, Devin Lloyd is awesome. And but then like doubling down with Chad MoMA after that, like we're sort of redundancy is interesting. I do have questions about how much power Doug Peterson has inside the structure of that team, because the lead up to the draft was just like this camp wants this player, this camp wants this player. Never even heard about Doug Peterson. I My the thing though, is that I organizationally to go from last year where Trevor Lawrence spent the entire season like in a bathtub of total chaos under Urban and Meyer. There are a much better team, I think, just in every possible way, because they've removed a total cancer. And maybe Doug Peterson has power in the organization. Maybe it doesn't. You know, what we do know is he's a professional. He's been here before. Guy's got a real he has a great analytics one of my one of my favorite. He's going to be a professional that's going to help the kid, Trevor Lawrence build on it. And every year there is a team that nobody even thinks about than division. But Jack, don't be surprised if they're hanging around in the division racing after you know, Thanksgiving. Surprised. Okay, maybe I would give you Halloween or the South winner wins seven games, Right, That's what I think I'm telling I'm trying to teach Justin to take the path of peace, but sometimes you've got to pick up the piece. And you know what I mean, I think you did a good job. They're actually an assortment of it. Actually it's likely a second, but I got there, and I think you're saying pace but like using a different anyways, Alright, we're getting we're getting close. Now let's head to the a f C. West. Let's close things out, Cindy. Starting with the Chiefs, best division in football. Chiefs had a very very good draft. The problem is is that when you have a lot of things that are it's a totally different tack. They've had some interesting different strategies. Right the year after the Super Bowl, they brought back a lot of their starters, so they had a lot of continuity, and of course during COVID that continuity was an advantage. But then you remake this old line and you kind of remake the old line that are better at run blocking and than pass blocking, and then you pass a ton. So it takes a while for the two things to kind of come together. And then now you add a lot of different pieces. Obviously you get rid of Tyreek Hill, who you're not going to replace, but you add some pieces that are very good. So Trent McDuffie their first round pick that they went up to go and get, and then George carl loftis again adding at a position of need. This is interesting. And by the way, I love the Leo Shaneal pick because Steve Spagnolo defenses. It takes them all to a little bit to come together because it's a more complicated defense. Trent McDuffie does have a lot of the different attributes and he's played at the system most similarly to what Spags has done, so I think that will help quickly. But you know it's gonna the wide receiver room that is going to take a couple of games for even a guy with a talent level Patrick Mahomes to get used to having, I mean, other than his tight end. It's all this is it. This is where at Travis Kelsey is still the lead dog here at the tight end spot. But Juju Smith, Schuster mvs Sky more Mark. Do you think that is that? I think in on other teams maybe not, But you have Patrick Mahomes and I can't think of a team that I trust more under Andy Reid to make this work somehow. It's a great draft. I love that. I love how they're all very different, though they make it makes sense to me. I think they're very much with the trend that you don't need two great receivers necessarily, but you need four different ones that can all play, and they have four different ones. And you mentioned the offensive line makeover that they were so focused on last year. It weren't like it wasn't the only thing they needed to do last year but their offensive line. But will take a minute for these receivers and Patrick Mahomes against going to day one. Yeah, that Tyree killed leaving, Uh, you could still actually build a really explosive offense with the different pieces that fit together. I buy all that. And I like Jujuiceth Houster getting out of a big ben prison and you don't like as much, but he can make plays downfield sky more. Again, you're projecting a prospect making an immediate impact. It's all kind of there, but it might take time. And they've been known to Steve Spagnola's defense, which they put two first round picks in, and they have a lot of veterans on that defense. How about you not be like so up and down, where your top five for half the year or your bottom five for the other half. Let's just show up and maybe that they carried the chief sections of it, and then they're going to be better without Tyreek Killer that you're not gonna be better without Davonte Adams, Like, that's a bunch of that go pound salt on that one, or sand or sand YouTube salt bats salt. It's not the same, all right, here we go. Chandler Jones was signed to hunt quarterbacks with Max CROs Be. Davante Adams acquired Blockbuster changes everything for the Vegas offense. Life's good for Derek Carr, who also has Darren Waller. It's almost unfair. But do we truly I'm asking you what you feel. Do we truly see the Raiders as an a f C contender or are they going to be remembered because by the way, a lot of things in the power rankings and may are gonna be very wrong by January. Or are they a classic offseason hype bunny that will be long forgotten by the middle of May the middle of January. Mark They're my number one argument for why we should receive the playoffs um ignoring a f C NFC but just put like the top fourteen teams one to fourteen, because I think it's the one problem is getting out of that division. Correct. It's like they could probably run away with the A f C South. I'm not sure that you're gonna you're gonna subtract wins in Vegas because they're gonna beat each other up right. The other thing is, and you know, Josh mc daniels has always fit really well in the Patriots milieu where he's the play caller and doesn't have to do all the rest of the stuff. The Josh McDaniels outside of New England has been a raging disaster. I get that was a long time ago. People can change. He's talked about that, but I don't know what Jash McDaniel's head coach, what that all does, and how well it works with Derek Carr. Although Derek Carr's haircut makes me think they could hop scotch one or two team in that division possible right when you kind of like go down the list of their roster, as exciting as it is, that you can't double Hunter Renfro like the Chargers were in Week eighteen so much last year. Now that you have Davante Adams like, I think it's still the fourth best roster in the division and there's plenty of talent, but the offensive line especially was not great on paper or on the Field a year ago and they didn't really do much. They drafted a third round pick, they didn't have picks. Dylan Paramet guard. Uh, you brought over an offensive line coach from the Patriots. Maybe that'll work out. But I do I do worry about that in this division. I'll say on the tray Von Mullin rock us in. Those are their starting corners. Yes, that's good in that division, that's that's not I don't know if that's going to be enough. And it was a big middle finger to Mike Mayak that they declined all three fifth year options those first round picks. Also, let's do the same thing. It's fair either way. I don't know who was, but either way it's it's actually impressive that they are an interesting, compelling team considering the whiffs of that mess. They're going to get lit up in the secondary. Is what you do. Jonathan Abraham hasn't I like Patrick Graham, right, I don't know. I just think that start just going to I think stuff could be very good and one of these teams anyway. Josh McDaniels at the combine, he smiled and was like super nice to me. He has to do that stuff now, freaking crazy he was, So I'll take the Darks. I want to say this, it's one of these teams. It's more likely than not that one of these teams will disappoint someone's taking. I had to pick, I would be the Raiders. But I also at this time, I feel pretty good about him. But it's gonna be tough. You're right, You're right. Let's move on. Chargers. Greg. You know, as a long time Chargers quasi fan, it almost feels like they would be the team set up for that because they're the Charges. But it's not gonna happen because they got Justin Herbert and he's immortal. He's unbelievable. And I like to Zion Johnson pick because he was the guy I think the team's right behind the Chargers all wanted to take. And so that's a good sign when you do. When it's like when you make the the play call that you don't want the other team to make you made the pick. I think a lot of those teams wanted Zion Johnson. I think he fits in perfectly. They still have a question at right tackle. Was Storm Norton. I think if Tom Talsco like had to redo this offseason. I think he had hopes that he would maybe add one more offensive weapon, uh to the mix, maybe a pass catcher. And I do think they could be someone lurking in the O b J sweepstakes here because they still have a little bit of cap space. And I think that that was maybe one part of the checklist they didn't quite get ticked off, is add one more pass catcher. I was surprised they didn't draft someone. I thought that they were sort of a home run to draft a wide out. But I do trust this team to make the most out of Khalil Mack and J. C. Jackson on defense. Those are two massive additions, Like you didn't need to draft after those two. I mean, if you already have your quarterback, you do have a left tackle, you have nailed that down, and he's on a rookie country, it would be a little, um, a little full of yourself. You're just like, I'm not, I mean, well, you'd be a little full of yourself. But I'm just saying, like, for what they've got like and I love the Zigon Johnson big. Obviously I went to BC, so of course I'm gonna like a Zigon Johnson. You have like a close personal relations like all the bc UH players and coaches that you seem to have a network of them or you And you know, you know what's even better for me that Ryan Day was there when I was there, So that actually really helps me for the networking part because Ryan Day actually pretty darn coach become Johnson. Yeah, that that's the unofficial edict of the Chargers. Protect Justin Herbert at all costs. Smart smart move. I'm gonna do it. I'm this guy's unofficial fan club leader. But how about we get will Fuller, have him run some go routes for Justin Herbert. I don't know. Healthy think will Fuller was one of those guys who had the same trainer as Dehanre Hopkins Beaver Tranquilizer. What is that? I think that might be. I think you're absolutely right that will Fuller is UH. At this point, what's he gonna cost one year? Four million dollars? He'll pay you at this point, right, he could make a difference for a team in cheaper too. Will Fuller is is always a wild card, not even off the field, but on the field to play to think about it, but I think J Miller can we get I like, I like one of the free agent signings Stone Smart. Hey, it sounds good to me. I hope he makes it. This is the official team. Like by the end, we always just start running out of theme and compliments, but we don't know rant about b C in the middle of that, and still can't get to the buzzy. I'm still mad about Glenn Foley beating Notre Dame. When I was at Boston Coology beat Notre Dame all four years, which is like pretty amazing because we did not have this good of teams. All Right, finally, let's wrap it up. Mark, This is your opportunity to end the show. Mark, Mark, thank you for the support. I appreciate that. I feel like we've been talking about the Broncos for years as being a quarterback away from being a super Bowl threat, and so now they got their guy. We get into how annoying last summer was. It was, it was the previous summer was, previous seasons as well. The Panthers, you know, the Broncos better worry that the Teddy leaving effect. You know, sometimes you don't know what you had until he's gone. I think we're getting I with this either. I think we're getting a feisty, angry, top shelf version of Russell Wilson. I really do. I also Nathaniel Hackett is my cup of tea. A lot of it is good. It's rosie. But I would say this, or I would ask you this. Are we overlooking a somewhat shaky offensive line? Are we overlooking the idea that Hackett and Russell Wilson have never worked together? Are we overlooking a defense that is now run by someone named is Giro Viro? Uh? Instead of Vick Fongio. That's not the person that's running the defense, Gero Viro. Yeah, it's the new defensive. It all seems sensational on paper. Do you have concerns though, that there might be a fly in the ointment here somewhere? They're the other team? They are to me like the Raiders, or it's like definitely have talked myselves into them. They're number eight in my power ranks. But you can absolutely make a case that they are off season hype bunny for the ages. They remind me a little bit of the Broncos in that, like when Peyton Manning got there, we weren't sure what Manning was gonna be like but we're kind of like they might be a super Bowl contender right away with it with a new head coach in this case, that usually doesn't happen, and it absolutely worked and they were a super Bowl contender. I I I'm not buying the doubt so much. You're right, the offensive line has some questions. You brought bit of Billy Turner from the Packers. He knows Hackett. I think just roster is the top five roster in the NFL. They don't have like because I was trying the Broncos. Let's hear in Cynthia. I had some questions. Number one actually less on the defense. I love Bradley Chub, I love pats her Tan. I understand, you know it's only the second season, so it's gonna take a minute. I obviously you know Justin Simmons were to go all BC here, Bannito was a good pick in the was an awesome pick. So I like that. I feel more comfortable with their defense than I you. And look, I know Russell Wilson is a very very good quarterback. That part of what makes all of this team work though, was I just need to see some more consistency when Coreland Sutton was really good then that was two seasons ago before he got hurt. Last season, I did not see that same sack. I didn't see Jerry Judy come out of a big injury. I understand, but but are you going to get your Maybe he needs to bea for tranquilizer. I don't know, But like you know, Jerry Judy, I haven't seen them live up to their where they should be yet. Now maybe maybe the quarterback does change that. But your route running still your route running. I still to see it further. I got to see it first. I'm not anti. This is just a really hard to put these guys in the NFC East. We're good, like tangible proof Greg a little bit. They got him out of U. L A to fill in for Noah Fan because that's the same. But I'm just saying, there's there are you know? Yeah, I got it. The projection. It's a projection with the Broncos, the big one, Bronco's country. Let's rite Seattle, did that Seattle that? I'm just doing the thing where I'm making the expectations so high. Yet if Russell Wilson can't deliver, then um, then I bury him in a Teddy related argument. You know who's more likely to crumble out of the West playoff picture immediately, Raiders or Broncos. Let's look at the schedule. I swear the schedule is going to determine. I know May twelve schedule released next week. But you know it's just interesting too. It's interesting. Inter national games are getting announced though Wednesday, and the the local Denver papers have been saying the that Broncos Jaguars is going to be one. How about this paper say it? Don't think maybe it's not. Guess I have a guess on though some of them, but I don't think it's that. How about this over under on a f C West primetime games like putting out a hundred and fifteen. I know I'm down for that, though, I'm with you, give me good games. I think I think one of those an f C West teams is going to have to go over to a country that's not the one that Handsome Hank is in, and that's gonna be very hard for them, and that's gonna be a that's gonna be a digger for their scheduling. We had this conversation with the NFC West a year ago, like they can't all be good. One of them needs to be a huge letdown. It turned into Seattle, Oh gosh, Seattle crew rumble. Seattle fans were so mean to me ahead of last season when I said that I didn't think that that they were going to finish fourth. I got tons of hate, like almost Tennessee Titans levels of hate. Leaders But I like the re I just like feel you let it fuel. You said it all, Cynthia. Thanks guys, thanks for having Where can the people find you? You know? Right here with you. I'm just never leaving. She's a squatter. That's your first job, Braver in the studio. Alright, I'll get right on that one. Alright, great dig a good job, No, great up in your first show. Great job. Well, I want Mark's actual honest take on your first show. Mark on you. I mean, you've been performing at a high level for months and you continued that today. Thank you to quote um you know, some of the draft grades, but also Dan's famous post show grades of our early days of the podcast. I'm gonna go be minus this was Yeah, this is as there's always room for improvements. You gotta start, you gotta start somewhere, all right, let's go next. Next show Thursday, we will have handsome Hag by the way to share the international schedule and Patrick Claiban because we go around the NFC, so check that out. Until then, Mrs Dan Hans for Cynthia Freeland, Greg rosen Thal, Mark Cessler, the grave Digger behind the Glass Welcome Aboard formerly Mr Graver, thank you for agreeing to abstain heed the call s