Preseason Week 2 Notes; Flashpoint Focus Returns!

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Speaker 1: Be around the NFL podcast gets Sick of Football a little earlier each year from the Chris Wesley podcast studio. That's not a good sign. It's around the NFL, and it's untrue. It's cynical for some of us. I'm Dan Hansas, joined by some heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. The dropt actually reminds me of a very funny tweet we got last week, I believe, which it said Mark is always like hoping for this season to speed up, but he's also hoping for the off season to speed up. So it was saying, like, does Mark just have a problem with the concept of time? Right? It's becoming more of just the thing. The idea of time is becoming greater issue to Mark. It's a fair critique, but I do think and I'm not just saying this like this time around, I am excited for football, and I don't feel like I'm attached team fan wise to uh you know two version of the Titanic from although you were tweeting out ernest ns and I was like, when he decided to throw on the game pass of a preseason game, I covered them all at didn't didn't see any on Rashad White of the Bucks or anything. He also didn't seem overly cessiler. Did you did you? Did you guys notice that or do you notice that Greg Dearnest Johnson is on track to flat out start somewhere in the NFL down the line. That's a little hot tachy from Mark. I think it can Like I really thought that last year. I think that happens when he when he's watching. He had to have been watching him though. I was yeah to get that. But Mark will do that, so he's a tape dog. On the subject of preseason games, I want to share with you my three things, um that I care about with the preseason, which is mercifully over next weekend. One did anyone substantial get injured? Two? Did a rookie or maybe a making the leap type guy blow up in some way? Three? Did the Ravens win? But can you guys answer me how Week two went for the preseason any of those things? Did anybody substantial, like a starting level, big time guy get hurt? Well, that's coming up in the news somewhat but not not a time. But like some develop mean players, did a rookie are making the leap? Dude? Blow up. I would say, yes, certainly, there's there's some uh examples of that. You can find it on the sixty eight uh things that takeaways from preseason we two on. Most of them weren't from the games there did. Hell yeah, yes, what are we up to? Two games in a row. It is forget about and they're not even trying this year. What are the great streaks? I mean, none of them to me measure up what we're seeing. This bigger than whatever two straight preseason wins. Now, couldn't you argue this is what they've done because the preseason has so many X factors and bizarre variables that this outshines the cal Ripken streak. Well, it might be more improbable because like he got up in the morning and played baseball, went to work like a couple thousand times in a row. They they they haven't played their starters either. For you, I mean, I guess they've been playing teams that haven't played their starters. So it's it's even. But it's not like Lamar's out there. It's not like any of these starters. That's why it's just in the culture, that's why it's a total flex It's like it's the biggest sports story nobody talks about trying to make it a thing. Last night, it was on I was writing my my article while I had it on in the background, and they were mentioned how Trace McSorley, who of course, uh, of course contributed to a few of those wins with the Ravens now starting for the Cardinals, and he's like, look, I know how much it means over there, like they take it serious. If we don't, if we don't, if we're not on our p's and ques, we're gonna be in trouble. And you know what he was. They were down twenty four to three until Kyler Murray came in as a play caller. The next Mike Martz, I think that it's a great move by the Cardinals. By the way, that is a sneaky, high level pr move. It's because, by the way, oh, the story was ten days ago. Kyler Murray like is it just wants to sit around and play like he wants the game all day long. But now he just steps in and calls a pristine Chris Path of football. What is your quarterback to me? I saw some on tech z'mall was getting pumped about that too. And it just made me think of, like, yeah, he's probably calling the same three plays he calls in Madden. You know the guy that runs three Madden plays over and over again. He's like whatever he does in his gaming life. He just translated over and he McSorley got down to the one almost scored, and then he you know, it's third and goal. You just need like a foot and he called like a read option with McSorley going going over. And I was laying based on the show last Monday, by the way, for bringing up Trace McSorley as a spicy this August. This was more in the Kyler Cliff went for six oh for six scoring touchdowns as the play Kyler Kyler comes in two for two when his first it doesn't matter. Although there was what you look for the rookie sort of break up, Isaiah Likely is the thing six for one in the first half of that game. Like, I didn't even throw it in the column at this point because we talked too much about Isaiah Likely. He is like a rookie tight end who is probably their third best receiver right now. It sounds like he's likely to come up often this season on around the NFL. Payton tried to do that to coming up on today's show. It listen, the people wanted it, but you can't rush some things. You have to wait for the right moment. Nay. The flash point, Oh yeah, flash point focus flash points, it's about getting in front the story, not reacting to the story. The flash point series is back. Testimonial flash point is simply also what an ongoing serious It's perfectly time these guys. That's what the flash points about. Oh yeah, I mean no, I it's back. I recognize some voices and just for that thirty seconds of Dan finally just feeling pure joy listening to his creation. It's good you didn't rush it. And I was was that a testimonial section within that? There was very rich? Wow, So what I was expecting you to find the clips of us, you know, talking, Baker talking Carson Wentz like right before they truly reached it stands on its own, Yeah, stands on it. And also you should know, uh many many people reached out to me for the Greg's a jerk sound drop, and I was like, just all different directions as a guy says no, no, no, no. You sent a group email said who wants to take it and that was settling scores all over the place. All right, So that's coming up Flashpoint series Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We have been patient. It's been a long time. It's like you think about Terence Mallick, the director. He directed in nineteen seventy eight Days of Heaven and then he waited twenty two years to drop the Thin Red Line years, and I think there's a parallel here. He was a he was a master class director, and Flashpoints is something that we hold in such high es steam that we're not going to rush it. Although after that he just started turning him out. So is that what we're gonna do? A We're gonna wait, Well we're not. We'll go our own way. But right we're following the Malleck. Justin fun fact, my very first internship ever was for Terence Mallick as an office intern back in Austin, Texas. Was he nice? He was really nice. Finally gonna like, I actually would like to speak with you after he writes his scripts on the typewriter. Still and it's really interesting, isn't it nice that also you finally founded in Road with Mark. Yeah, we've been had a little tension on the show. But it's but now it's organic and we didn't force it. It's organic, Mike. It all fits kind of like today's flash point. Very well done, and we have a special guest, uh coming on to talk. It is Scott Reynolds from Pewter Report dot com, The Bucks and Tom Brady, who returned to practice today after his mysterious absence that maybe was connected to a really goofy Fox reality show, maybe according to rumors. You know, I have connection just like you guys do. Two people in the business of show living here in Los Angeles. I got some I got a text on good authority. It was like buying it's real. He's going to be on the mesk Singer. I mean, I'll believe you, but I find that believe me. I'm just saying this is somebody's she stepped away if it were was a personal matter like they called it, if you stepped away to do the mass singer. I do think that that Tom Brady has has has departed mentally. I got a source that said the opposite, also not doing the mess. Yes, this is a source off, isn't it. Now? This isn't my reporting side Triple sources. Everyone knows, um, but this is just one source that it told me that. Hello. Oh well, I mean there are It does line up and very it's a compelling conspiracy theory. All right, let's before we get to flashpoint. Let's get to the news. Now. Everyone get out your popcorn, because the Panthers announced Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback, which means he's going to be facing the very same team that drafted him number one overall. Trauma, Okay, no drama. Yes, many of us saw it coming, and now it's official. Baker Mayfield will be the Week one starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers when they face Baker Mayfield's former team, the Browns in Charlotte. Head coach Matt Rule announced the decision Monday. Here is his statement that was released by the website or his quote. When we started this process, we were looking at three things. Number one mastery of the offense, Number two situational football excellence, and number three moving the ball and getting guys involved. That's been our focus all along. Baker has made a lot of improvement, a lot of growth in all three areas in a short amount of time. So it's Sam Donald last year's started will back up Baker Mayfield, and we will see if Mayfield Greggy ken Um basically resurrect his career after a very tough ending in Cleveland. Well, I do want to thank Matt Rule and Scott Fitter and everyone who saved us from Sam Donald being a Week one starter in the NFL makes this organization more entertaining, makes that game against the Browns more entertaining. I mean, they might be favored. I got questions about the Browns roster. Uh, certainly, I you know, it's it's certainly spicier, and I think there's a chance here that Matt Rules offense helps him out. Uh. I Like, even if you put up Teddy Bridgewaters numbers from two years ago for the Panthers this year, like the Panthers would just be a much better, more watchable team. He'll do it in a much more entertaining different way. I feel like they wasted a little too much time pretending this was a battle. But it's fine it ended here. I mean, they could have brought him in earlier too, after all this, but it's it's funny to me that Cleveland will be paying Baker Mayfield ten point five million dollars to potentially start their season off on a loan note. That's such as it really is. I mean this year especially, I it's for Sam Donald. I think your days as even competing to be a starting quarterback in the NFL based outside of some sort of truly chaotic scenario down the line, it's over. And it's kind of depressing a little bit on the Donald front, because in theory, he should have been a heavy favorite for someone who knew the offense, for someone that had the entire bulk of the off season. He's just not a better quarterback. I think Baker Mayfield, for all the you think that Sam Donald is a better quarterback than Baker Mayfield. I just want to see both of them play on the same team. I'm looking forward to the season. That's fine, it's very possible both will play, But I really genuinely think that from the very beginning making more accomplished obviously, but uh and if we want, yeah, we could use this to write the eul GI of Sam Donald's career. But I just would not be shocked if you end up seeing both of these quarterbacks Baker from the moment he got there, even though they did present it almost out of it seemed like respect for Donald, who had been in the building for over a year. They made it look like it was a competition, but it never was. This was Baker's job to win and he I'm happy that he's doing against the Browns a week one. That's just fun. But this will be something I'll be interested to see where things are at at this position by October. M I'm just not as high on Mayfield. I know you're not, but he's had moments hurt. I get it. But even then, Donald is among the biggest bus in NFL history to me, like I really would put that for a top period. Are you kidding? One of the biggest bus in NFL history? For I think if you just look at the number. Now, he got a longer timeline, but if you just look at the numbers of quarterbacks who have started that amount of games over like a four year period, it's there with anyone in the last twenty years, basically any number and and that, and and those guys usually don't get as many chances as he did. So it's a little different than like an Achilles Smith or guys like that who who only got one year or two years. It doesn't matter. Maybe he'll end up playing. I'm sure he will again as a backup somewhere. He'll get another chance, and you're right, Dan, it'll probably be like one this year, but this gives him a shot. It's a week division. We'll talk about that later with Scott Reynolds. But there's some there's some possibility here because I think Baker, in light of everything that's happened with Cleveland this year, I think it would be kind of a little bit delicious if Mayfield had a big season. Um So I'm okay if if if what you say, well happen happens, and Baker Mayfield is missing starts because he's been benched, his career is also in a very dark place. He's a backup to I think, Yeah, I think Donald with this is heading into that he's a number two guy and probably can hang around for a few years. But I think, and it's it's telling like this is it for rat Rule. He's got to win with Baker Mayfield. I think there's a chance he could. But Matt Matt Carroll's injury over the weekend, he's gonna miss the season. Remember that's the third round pick that they took Uh in the draft. To me is it's very like typical of everything with this Matt ruler. If he goes, I think he If Matt Rule doesn't survive this year, I think he's gonna really look back and hate the half measures he took. It always half measures. Teddy was a little Teddy was a half measure that they gave two years. Gary teed he was okay, not great. They wanted to upgrade Donald ended up being a half measure too early, Like they could have gotten a draft pick last year. They could have gotten mac Jones, they could have gotten justin fields, they could have gone bigger at the position. And Baker was kind of a last minute half measure and Matt Carroll was kind of a half measure, like we're not gonna go all the way in for our rookie quarterbacks this year, but we are going to give up a third round pick UH to move up UH for next year for whoever's running this team next year. They don't have their third round pick. The Patriots have it and a fourth round pick to go get Corral So you hate to see him get injured. But just like it was a lot of like we didn't ever want to go all in and then suddenly you might be gone. They lack identity, and I think, you know, I look at the GM two. I mean it's not been It's for a team that came in under their ownership with such urgency when attached to Matt rule. We're in the year three and I see no distinct characteristics about who the Panthers are right now. Maybe big I guess, to be fair, they tried. They just swung and missed. They wanted Staff, they wanted Watson, they just didn't um and I could, I could hear it now. So I just want to get out in front of this. I am not saying that Sam Donald has a career ahead of him that's going to be shining. But when you say he's one of the biggest bus in the history of the NFL, given me a quarterbacks specific was never in position to be successful in the league. And there are guys like JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf and Vernon Golston who are outright disasters who were next level type bus. I'm thinking quarterback category to me, Yeah, I get I guess, but give me the quarterbacks that you would put in a different category than him, that that have played. I guess Russell Russells your example, Russell, if you wanted to go look, had had some moments. Now he even in the top ten of that draft. I think you could look at the guy that was taken by the Arizona Cardinals as a bigger bus than Donald. Where is that guy? He's on the Browns. Probably will not be in the next month, but he is on the Browns right now. I'm calling him that guy because his name is this gave to me raging bust, and that's not I'm just saying. I guess like people like and I hope he can have like a gabber like career, But to me, like that, that's where you're at longer than a Gabbard and Achilles Smith, those top picks who got a little chill Smith, Yeah, alright, he didn't. Let let's pause right here and take a break. We'll be right back. Um. Another former first round pick, current first round pick. Wouldn't you become a former first round pick next year? I guess Kenny Pickett. I think he's just the first round pick. He's just the first round pick. After his career, he's balling out in the preseason six or seven seventy six yards touchdown against the Jaguars, uh this weekend, and uh. You know Kenny Pickett, Mark, there have been um positive comments about him. There there was criticism about how he started his camp and he looked very green and like a rookie. But now when he's starting to stack up these preseason performances, it goes back to what I was saying a few weeks ago, like we need to see how he performs in these games before we decide or before we are sure that somebody like a Mason Rudolph or anyone else is starting quarterback for this team. I still tend to think that they would like to roll Mitch Robiskie out there early because their offensive line, according to I think Mark Copoli is one of the best Steelers reporters out there and has said that on a day to day basis, the line has looked more fractured and messy, uh than a year ago, which is a big problem. That was a problem for Big Ben. That said, when you watch Kenny Pickett, it's just like in these games, and I think that's an argument for the preseason. I'm not a big preseason fan at all, but like the chance that we've had to experience Kenny Pickett in game situations, and he was playing the starters against the Jaguars. In this recent affair, he's played with starters against right and he's looked fantastic, And I think he's sort of everything that Mike Tomlin said he wanted post, big and a mobile quarterback. He can throw on the run really well, he does well off script. I just I think this is the problem here for a little bit, if you're Mitch Robisky or anyone else, is that this is a special situation where this is someone who Pittsburgh already loves because where he went to school and who he is, and he's showing up really well at in these games. I don't know how you fend him off for more than a week or sin. Mike Tomlin loves him. I mean he was Tomlin said on the draft. The night of the draft, they asked, would you be open to starting Kenny pick It week one and go look at his words? He said, yes, I think he's got a shot. We're taping this on Monday, so it's kind of an awkward time. We'll see what they do with their practice reps. But after the game, Tomlin said, just that's who he is. Pick it because he let a two minute drive and his numbers are great. But actually Trabisky's numbers are quite good, and Mason Rudolfs numbers are great too, and none of them have been protected well. Trabinsky, especially against other starters, has had no protection and he survived pretty well. But what Tomlin said after the game to me was very telling. He said, that's who he is in terms of picket's ability to come up in the clutch. He did it next door. He probably did in high school. He probably did it in Little league. Some things people are born with, like he's not talking about that about Trabisky or Rudolph. And I tend to think you're right. I think Trabisky probably gets weak one. But we might find out by Wednesday that that's that that's wrong and that the least now is extremely short because of pickets preseason. In other news, the Washington Commanders, this Antonio Gibson situation is getting dicey. The running back Um served as Washington's kick returner in their preseason game against the Chiefs. He's playing behind Brian, Brian Robinson and Greg This was not the game plan. This is not how Washington saw their offensive maturing with Carson Wentz, and they thought Gibson was a major guy. But maybe he's not because the team and the coaching staff is not seemed to be very excited right now. It could be Ron Rivera sending a message, but Brian Robinson just is a kind of straight ahead I'm gonna try to get the yards that are there guy, and Ron Rivera literally said last week Antonio Gibson needs to run harder, and I don't think that means their roles are flipped and that Gibson's definitely the backup, but it's gonna be a three person committee. This is a guy that was getting taken Gibson in the very high reaches of fantasy drafts, while Robinson was barely getting drafted at all. And it feels like a three man committee at best for Gibson with j D. Mckissic also being a big, big factor. It's a rough tumble because it's not like a new regime came in and just saw Antonio Gibson differently than the past. I mean, Scott Turner knows him really well, but he's had the fumbling issues. He had a terrible fumble against the Panthers in that first preseason game, which just was thematically, what what one of the things that dances too. I don't think he's just gonna be buried but play. But I mean, I think if you're in fantasy world and we'll talk about that on Wednesday, it's suddenly it's it's a clown car. You don't know tots totally. I just meant like, I I why should I talk about? Why should I dig on? And now when we're gonna go into such depth on Wednesday. We took you off to corner last year, remember, and you were in studio and a major part I thought you would have enthusiasm, not the throwing up the arms like well I have. I actually have a very special update to come on Wednesday. I need to let you know. I just think like this, this wasn't maybe a fourth thing that you can learn from. Okay, I'm open to tradition battles. I got admit, though, you're right what McVeigh did in terms of sitting his starters a few years ago, that was like the canary in the coal mine. And more than ever, most teams are doing that, and it's increased each and every year. So I would say the vast majority of my sixty eight things we learned from this last week was not from the games. It was just second Yeah, I mean I believe in it. I'm putting too. But I think for for you, Mark, you know, when you think about the fantasy element of this week and you think about what how important you are to this show, I think you should listen to what Carson Wentz has been trying to tell us all off season. You know, as we all know, decided to really go ahead and start to take command that to take amends scenario with the fantasy extravaganza. You want me to start to do that, Well, it's all hands on deck, you know we need When did I suggest I was not gonna be a part of it on the YouTube show? Can we have an instant replay of Mark throwing up his hands like we'll talk about that on Wednesday? Well that's not the way I said it. But I don't think sure rookie injuries to talk about. Here we go. That's one of the big three Greg I have. Um, I've thought it over, and positional battles do not make my top three. Okay, but if you if it doesn't mean like it's not definitive, like my top three has to be everybody's top three. That's just mine. Yours might have more than three or four or five or six, and positional battles could be. I love I kind of love this time of year because we've wasted, We've spent a lot of time talking about not knowing much in terms of like how is it all gonna hapen? And I think you get into it with the Jets. You want to know like who's having good camps, who's having the who's up, who's down? Just expand that out by thirty two teams because all these like questions of these teams like they're being answered quietly. If only I could, I could expand myself out to thirty two teams the way Greg just does effortlessly. Yes, uh no, that's good. I'm happy that it makes you that excited sort of a holding for you in terms of coverage and content. Yeah, I'm just running out the clock a little bit and getting excited, uh for next week's honest it's an honest answer. Rookie injuries, Giants first round pick outside Russia, Cavon Thibodeau, our friend out three to four weeks with a sprained MCL got taken out by a low block That led to a lot of Internet discussion and consternation. Not everybody has to have takes on everything, guys, you know, apparently they do this world. You know, every we're always fighting about stuff. Do we need to be fighting about everything? How about we just say bummer that the rookie, that kid hurt his knee. I hope he's gonna be okay. Not like I know what block should be legal, illegal. You don't know the game, you never played the game. You're not a you're not a good guy because you see things differently. Enough of that. That's when I switched over to TikTok. Seattle running back Kenneth Walker dealing with a hernia and uh, he's had he has surgery. So I'm not sure how long they're gonna be without there running back. But there's always an injured runn back when they're talking about the Seahawks. That seems hopefully he gets better soon enough. And Patriots wide receiver Tekwan Thornton out eight weeks. That's a toughie. I think a broken collar bone, well collar bone injury. Yeah, but there's different types of broken collar bones that he could still return this season, but I do think that could impact a potential trade because it felt like either either Kendrick Born or maybe Nelson Agilar was gonna get traded. At first, I thought it was a but then Born is having a bizarre camp where Belichick yelled at him. He got kicked out for fighting, Like yeah, people saw bell check like yelling at him. That he was benched in the preseason game even though he was healthy. There's you know, there was some stuff going on there, and he hasn't been targeted much but apparently so I was the best receiver this summer. Potentially that that might be, but yeah, I like like that A smaller a smaller. He's the only one on the team that is fast, so I would have liked him to be healthy. He'll be a little slower for the next eight weeks at least. If the Patriots come out and score like thirty five points a game over the first month of season, then I'm with you, Dan, I will never pay attention to anything that happens in the summer ever again, because it just seems so gloomy. Yeah, I mean, we'll see. I'm really looking forward to September eleven two. Finally in the news, Dana White Um is the grand Puba of UFC, Like he's the guy, he runs the whole show, and they had one of their events. I'm not really a big fan. I don't follow it, but I know millions of people love UFC. So whatever the big UFC event was this past weekend, he was speaking Um as part of some type of round table of I don't know, prefight or post fight discussion, and he had this to say with Rob Gronkowski in studio about a potential sliding door scenario. Never saw the movie involving Tom Brady and Grunt and the Las Vegas Raiders, So I'm the one. I worked to put that deal together for Brady and Gronk to come to the Raiders, and it was almost a done deal, and at the last minute the deal up and said that he didn't want them, and all hell broke loose. Man, it was crazy and and and Brady was already looking at houses and it wasn't being said yet that Gronk was coming. So Las Vegas would have had Brady and Gronk the year that the Bucks won the Super Bowl, except Gruden blew the deal up, and there's so much story that goes along with this behind the scenes. And I was never going to tell that story until Gronk just said it. But and Dana, I w story, and I'm glad. I'm glad at the unbelievable that was Gronk. You heard Hatty and there and you know Mark you brought up and it was a good point that now that we have this information information and you have one of the principles tied to it directly confirming it, which was Gronk Brady's commentary shortly after when he was on the Shop, the NFL Show or the HBO Show with Lebron James. This comment he made you could start to, you know, connect the red strings. There was a story in Free Agency one of the teams they were interested in, all of a sudden they weren't interested at the very end. I was sitting there thinking, you're sticking with that mother? Are you serious? So that motherfucker is Derek Carr? You think so? I mean, just because of what we've learned from this where it was this eleventh hour Gruden for whatever reason deciding I don't want Tom Brady and Gronk, I don't know what you what what the mentality was there? I have a guess, by the way, but go on investigation, I guess it is here we go, Um, no go finish your point? Well, no, I I it could have been Mitch Robisky because the Bears were in the mix. There was just sort of like a couple of quarterbacks out there where you like SUSI was Ryan Fitzpatrick Patrick February because he was trying to get to the Dolphins based on that floorst thing. But the way Brady positioned it that it was a sound second. It certainly seems to be this story. And my theory is that Gruden, who's a control freak with a huge ego. Um, I can imagine he didn't want Tom Brady is the boss wherever he is now, and that is not the situation Gruden who wanted that to be his team and his team alone. And Derek Carr is someone that I'm not saying Derek Carr's upupping on the strings, but he's somebody that growted. He's a player ego get it in the way. That's that's original, right. There's well for John and Cronks like I'm glad that didn't happen and it's like yeah, uh, and people were like, really, what do you mean? Really? You just want a Super Bowl with the Bucks? You could have been partying in Vegas for two straight years. That Gronk was sneaky great Uh those two years. But that is Um, it is amazing and it is a life lesson. I think that it's true and a lot of walks of life. More people than you would think are just kind of worried about protecting their turf and keeping their gig versus like trying to do a good job or like succeeding. Yeah. I think that's a sad but true commentary on the world. Greg Um. We'll have more on Tom Brady and the Box and maybe even Gronk after this break, when we the return of the Signature series of Around the NFL Signature. It's time right back. The Flashpoint series is back studying the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, what comes next for Tom Brady's team, and to help us navigate this conversation is a man who's in his seven year covering the Bucks. Um currently with Pewter Report dot Com and Scott Reynolds. You, sir, Welcome to t n You sir, predate the Pewter and that shows everyone that this dude knows his Bucks history, the president and what we need to know from you the future. Yeah, I do go back to the cream sickles. We're supposed to see those this year, but supposedly supply chain issues have caused problems. But we'll see the cream sis for a throwback game. Now you know what that means? Tom Brady said, no, I'm not wearing essentially, and oh well, supply, let's before we get into what's going around the Bucks, because it's got This is an interesting moment in time for Tampa because they make sense as a favorite in the NFC, But then you start to look closer with the roster and what's going on around the team, and you wonder if this could be a little more of a bumpy ride that's some than some people expect. At least that's kind of where I am right now with the Bucks. Tom Brady returned to the facility from his absence. He practiced with the team in some capacity today. Is everything on the Brady side of things now put to bed? It's going to be more like a Tom Brady Buck season going forward? Or do you imagine anything any other unforeseen absences or anything like that. Moving on. We hope so, but we're not sure. This has been the most un brady l a year for a guy that is so meticulous when it comes to preparation and details and planning. Remember there was the awkward retirement right where some NFL reports beat him to the punch and and then he plumbs the lever. Then he and then he retired forty one days later, out of the blue on the eve of free agency. So now all of a sudden, you know it was an excused absence, and then two and then will it's his birthday? And then he's not gonna be here for the Tennessee week. So this has been a very unbrady like year in Tampa Bay. And listen, the Bucks are just happy to have him because the quarterbacks for this team, we're gonna be blamed Gabbert and Kyle Trask if it wasn't Brady. So they want they want one more year Brady, even if the guy just shows up on Sundays and plays. Why why do you think in terms of how this was handled, Because I think if if Tom Brady, you know, a month and a half ago, they made it clear there was this scheduled time away. Uh, the team knew about it, but we're just gonna drop this on all of you football fans and reporters out of thin air. I think that made it into so much more that it needed to be. Why would the Bucks if you're the front office, the coach is certainly your pr staff, Why stir things up that way? I think that's sort of what just threw me about this whole situation. Sure, and I think it was at Tom Brady's request. I think that's why they did it. Here's the thing, whether this was a pre planned vacation, whether there is some type of medical issue surrounding a family member. Uh, Tom Brady is a player that goes beyond the coverage of Pewter Report dot com or the Tampa Bay Times for example. I mean, he's an icon. He is a natural figure. So when you're talking about covering this guy, I mean you're talking about paparazzi type coverage. I mean, he is a Michael Jordan, Lebron James. He's an icon. And so imagine if if Brady said I'm gonna go vacation, I'm gonna take a couple of days off or I've got a family medical issue to attend to. You're just alerning the paparazzi to stake out certain places, right, whether it's hospitals in California, if something happened to his parents, or you know, the the hotspots Brady likes to go. Just you get a picture of Tom not at Bucks pro this, right, so I can see why he did it. And I do know that he's a public figure, he is a worldwide icon. At the same time, I still believe everybody deserves some level of privacy. And yes, we'd like to know, but I'm fine with knowing after the fact he's back, and I think that's all Buccaneer fans really care about right now. And if you're going to vacation, if you're going to take some time away to see maybe annailing family member, and I don't know what the reason is, it's just speculation. The time to do it is in training camp in August, because once the season comes, Brady will be locked in. He didn't come back for a twenty third year in the league at age forty to mess around. He's coming back to win another Super Bowl, right. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some sports science data that actually says a time of rest right a month before the season is actually optimal for his body at his age. And he's at the point of his career game right where he's just saying like, Okay, I'm gonna do this and this is part of me right, He's like, I already booked the hotel room. I can't cancel it to come back. I love having your on Scott, because when I started at Rotor World in two thousand three, like Pewter Report was around then, like that was one of the sites then that like we had in our RSS feeds to get the latest news. And I'm still looking at your site and using it. You had a headline I think that said the Kyle Trask experiment is all but over from the weekend. I used that in my column on Monday because because Blaine Gabbert looks like he's gonna be the backup. I am curious though, with everything that's gone around with Brady this offseason and this this vibe that they changed the coaching staff but not really um and that Brady hasn't been able to practice with Evans and Godwin engage because they've had had their injuries and and they lost their in Stinny over the weekend, and of course they lost Ryan Jensen. Like, just what's the vibe of this offense not having gotten in the work that usually is so important to Tom Brady and just everything around this team kind of compared to what it was like the last play years with arians. I'm gonna use a visual aid for the vibe. The vibe is this fingers crossed. Thank you, it's fingers crossed. And keep in mind, I will say this, there was a little bit of a you know, magic in the bottle uh in. Remember there was no preseason, there was a truncated training camp because of COVID nineteen, there was there were no preseason games. So the very first time that Tom Brady war buccaneer uniform was in the week one season opener at New Orleans and that's the first time he threw to Mike Evans and Chris Gobindana game. So this is year three, he's two years ahead of that almost through for well, he threw for over yards in his first year, over five thousand yards last year, forty touchdowns, two years ago, winning the Super Bowl in the regular season, and then forty three last year. So I feel good about where Tom's had in terms of knowing this offense and knowing the majority of the pieces. Now there are a couple of new offensive weapons. He's got to get some some continuity with Russell Gauge, Julio Jones, Kyle Rudolph on the offensive side ka Dot and he is the hype reel and Julio, you've been at practices, yeah, And I think they're doing a really good job of managing him. I mean, it sounds crazy, but he went to Tennessee last year and I was talking to some of the Tennessee folks last week at the practices, the joint practices in Nashville. He went there to be the number two receiver. I think at this stage of the game, with the injuries, he just his body is not going to hold up to be that guy. But you know what, he can be the league's best fourth wide receiver, and I think that's what he's gonna be. He's gonna be a player that every once in a while he's gonna get featured and he'll get a hundred yards a game. But maybe that happens once or twice this year. There's just so many weapons to throw too. But they really don't need Julio Jones so much in September as they're gonna need him in January. And if you go back and look at the three years that the Bruce Arians coaching staff, let's call it that because Todd Bowles is is you know, has been here since twenty in twenty nineteen and then last year they just ran out of wide receivers at the end of the season due to injury. And this is a wide receiver driven offense. The only year where they had everybody healthy was in twenty and look what happened. They won the Super Bowl. They brought Antonio Brown and he added to that mix along with Scottie Millery who was having a good year, and of course Evans and and Godwin were the thousand yard receivers. So I like, what the what the Bucks have done being proactive and getting not just a Russell Gauge to replace Antonio Brown, but getting a Galicticulio Jones so he can be here and learn this offense and be a factor as a role player throughout the year. And Mike Evans is obviously a rock, but we know Chris Godwin is coming off the A c L. And you know, as a Jets fan, I remember the Todd Bowls teams when he was at the lead. That was that they ran the ball a lot. They ran the ball early, umh on downs And just curious if you see a five thousand yards season for Brady or anything close to it. I know for Nett's coming back, they invested a high draft pick in Rashad White. Do you think this team turns into a more of a running oriented team or do you see them continue to play through um Brady in the passing game regardless of who's on the field. Kind of both. And I don't mean to ride defense there, but I see this being a pass first offense still, And why wouldn't it be right with Tom Brady and Evans and Godwin and Russell Gage and Julio Jones. But as you mentioned Leonard four Nette, he got paid seven million dollars a year, so you might as well use him. The good thing with Leonard is he can play in all three downs. He's a great receiver out of the backfield. He's one of those guys that Tom Brady stood on the table for and said, I want Lenny back if I'm coming back. I want Lenny back, and then Rashad White is is I think gonna be a star in this league. Maybe not a you know, a perennial Pro Bowl guy, but I think he can be a player that can run and catch the ball have one of those twelve hundred maybe yard combined seasons in time. Leonard's gonna be the guy this year, but Rashad White is gonna be a nice addition. I think whether where they're trying to run the ball better is if you look at those losses to the Rams now it's three losses in a row dating back to the play the Rams twice last year in the regular season and of course the playoffs, and then the Saints. They've lost seven straight regular season games to the Saints. If you take away that playoff win in the last quarterback to beat the Saints was Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the season no better in the Bucks have struggled running the ball against the Saints and against the Rams. Both those teams have pretty good pass rushes and and they've got good players stickn cover receivers in the secondary. So I think what Todd Bowles wants is he wants to be able to run the ball when they want or need to run the ball. And if you have a little bit more balanced in those games against the Rams and Saints and guess what, they're on the schedule again this year, then I think you're not subjecting Tom Brady in that offensive line to as many sacks and hits, and you stand a little bit better chance to win the game with the more balanced offense. So I think it's gonna be passed first against other teams, but against the heavyweight contenders in the NFC, I think they want to be able to be a little bit more balanced. And speaking of the offensive line obviously, I mean if there's some weird vibes around the team. I mean we saw when the line was banged up at the end of last year. Tom Brady was not looking like Tom Brady and some of those moments, and it was definitely a compromised attack and he was extremely frustrated. Aaron Stinny goes down. Ryan Jensen's out of the mix. I mean, you're already at the point where you're testing your depth. This is all or nothing for the Bucks. It's like this season and then we go into an ABYSS after this season. So I mean, are they they've got ten they got ten million in cash space, they've got a full compliment of draft picks for next next April. Would they are they looking to maybe make a move. There's J. C. Treader sitting out there, there's other guys. Or is it We're just gonna stick with our dudes and hope this thing works. Like you said, you know, fingers crossed. I think that they're gonna probably get a veteran guard, maybe a guy that can play guardians center, because right now Nick Leverett is is in the mix for that starting left guard job along with Louke Getticky, who got the start Saturday night in his first start in the NFL against the Tennessee Titans. He's making the transition from right tackle to left guard. So that's the right to the left tackle, the guard. That's that's already two hurdles. Then you have Central Michigan, which is the MAC two to the NFL. That that's a big leap too. And you look at Tristan Works, you say, okay, we started him as as a rookie, but Tristan Works is just a freak. I mean, he was a first round pick to begin with. Plus he's played at so many big games in Iowa, you know, power five school, so they like what they have there. But I think the loss of Stinny is going to force this team to go out and get a veteran to throw in that mix too and compete at the left guard spot. Um. They expect Tristan Works to be back from his strange oblique. He missed the game on Saturday night, but they're hopeful he returns by the Dallas Cowboys. He's an opener, but you know it is it is a little alarming what's happening along the offensive line right now. And if listen, you mentioned that twenty seven years covering this team, the Bucks have won two Super Bowls. They've been to two. The only times they've been and won those games is when they were extremely healthy, and that usually goes. It's usually part for the course rate for Super Bowl winners. But the Buccaneers only had one starter on injur reserve in two thousand two. That was nose tackle Booger McFarland. They only had one starter on injur reserve in that was right guard Alex Kappa. Aaron Stinny was the player that filled in for Kappa in the postseason and the Super Bowl. So right now they're already missing Ryan Jensen. He's the Pro Bowl center. And the guy that you didn't mention was Pro Bowl left guard Ali Marpet, who suddenly retired at age twenty nine this year. So it's it does seem a little shaky up front right now for the Buccaneers offensive line. That might be why they wanted to lean on the running ge a little bit more, and so Brady is not subjected to dropping back times a game and getting hit. And we just share a look over here when he said worse might be a little up in the air for Week one, you're looking at their That's a tough schedule for the Bucks. We talked about this on the show a couple of weeks ago, coming out of the gate, when you factor in that Brady missed a portion of training camp and the offensive line is dealing with injury and missing guys, and and then you've put in the schedule. That's where I started to get nervous about this team. I mean, I wonder how they come out of the gate and what they're looking like when the calendar turns over to say October, Scott, you don't know this but Dan has been predicting Tom Brady's demise for eight straight seasons, and he's it's gonna happen. He's ready for it to happen. The gradual decline is that's that's a deep over simplication from Greg. I don't think Brady is going to be the problem, but I'm speaking more to what's around him. Right it's got there. I do I do wonder what kind of like in his heart of hearts with Jason Light and the owners up and different people in this organization sometimes because they experienced what the post Brady era was like for a little bit. I guess they were trying to get him back probably the whole time. Uh, because it's because it's weird. Tom Brady is a free agent after this season. We talked about earlier the report or the comment from Dana White that he was trying to get to the Raiders. Uh, John Gruden to you know, put him, put him up in the ring of honor again in Tampa. You got you're another super Bowl, Like he tried to get to the Dolphins two different times. I don't know, is there like a little bit of like this this really might be our last year with Brady here because whether he leaves to play football again or what like, it's it's a lot. I want you, Scott to be the guy asking the hard questions. If this thing goes south, just take it to Brady. Okay, I'll do that. I'll stay this though. If you look at the state of the NFC South and and things can can change quickly, right I mean, nobody saw this since that he Bengals going to the Super Bowl last year. But things can change. So we'll see how the rest of the South develops and comes around. But right now, I still like the Buccaneers, especially with with the what they have going on defense and Todd Bowls being a defensive mindy head coach. If they can figure out the Saints in the regular season and at least split with them, I think that that the post Brady era can still be a fruitful one for the Buccaneers. Is not gonna be good. It's not gonna be I shouldn't say it's not gonna be good. It's not gonna be great, but it can be good, meaning that I still think that there's a path to the playoffs for the Buccaneers even after Brady, because they've got enough weapons on on offense to plug a quarterback in as long as you don't get a guy that's a turnover machine like Jamis Winston was, because that was the real difference in you had a quarterback through thirty three touchdowns and thirty interceptions, including an NFL record seven pick six is and you go seven and nine, the team is pretty much the same. The next year Tom Brady and then you flip out the quarterbacks eleven and five win a Super Bowl. So if they can find a quarterback who's not a turnover machine, they can be kind of a caretaker another Brad Johnson, if you will, got a guy that can come in. And I think this Todd Bowles defense is going to continue to be very good. You can win the South, and if you win the South to get the automatic pipeline to the playoffs, and then who knows anything can happen in the playoffs. That it's all about, you know, the double H is right, how hot you are and how healthy you are in January, and I think that there's there's a pathway to the playoffs for the Buccaneers after Brady has gone, just because the NFC South is not what it used to be. And we'll see how the Saints fair with Jamis Winston or whatever quarterback they choose in the years to come. But I think the Buccaneers can be good and and still rule the roost in the NFC South for a couple of years after Brady. Check out Scott reynolds latest article on puter report dot com. It's a Buck's Monday mailback. I love writing mailbags. Weil bags are fun. Check out check out Scott's haven't done one in like two years. But and also Scott, but you always say goodbye to you real quick answers. First thing that comes to your mind was Brady on the masket singer? Okay? And is Gronk on this team by Thanksgiving? By Thanksgiving? I'd say by the playoffs? How about that? Think he comes back. I think he comes back and maybe December, maybe not by Thanksgiving, but but um, you know, because he's gotta eat, right, he's gotta get gonna get the whole mortgage board for Thanksgiving. I don't think he wants to be o the running wind sprints and trying to get in football shape until after he has Thanksgivings. That's my answer. I like that by like two thousand thirty seven will be like grog, he'll commit to playing for the super Bowl specifically right with Tom Brady quarterbacks of course. All right, thank you very much, Scott. Right, that's it. That's the flash Point. I mean, I feel like we're ahead of the story now, Mark, as we always are with the Flashpoint series. I've always believed in the series. Um, you know, we we birthed at the concept of it at the Combine, which was a rich time him to come up with new ideas, and uh it was like, oh, oh, you guys are gonna talk about Baker Mayfield and the Browns like dead weight. And then like like literally within a forty eight hour cycle after we did Flashpoint, all chaos and in hell breaks loose in Cleveland. So same thing happen with Matt Ryan, right or was it Carson Wentz Carson Wentz for two. But but you've set such a high standard here we have I should say, well, maybe not the royal way. Maybe I'm just saying something big has to happen if they just are like thirteen and four and have a normal tell you and what the audience understands by now because they trust the instincts of Mark and I, uh something, this will be a jumping off point to something else where people everyone's gonna be talking Tampa, who suggested the Bucks as a potential flashpoint team, So what were you thinking? The answer to that question me, I don't remember. I thought I threw out the Bucks in the Ravens as two possibilities I did. I don't checking throughout those two texts, and I don't know here is um No. I think you're trying to backdoor your way into this segment. Is a part of your brain child, but sometimes you just gotta I think take the L a little bit, you know. I think it's it's there's more integrity around just taking the L on something like this. There's no L to be taken. I think it was a wonderful conversation and I'm with them. They still are like the favorites. I mean, I think it's weird and it could go crazy, but their defense is loaded, their offense is loaded. I think they probably have the best roster in the NFL right now. And right there. We did team slogans a couple of weeks ago. Like another one that pops in my head with the Bucks, like it's gonna be tricky. It just feel like it. I think it's fingers crossed. Is there a sexy storyline or topic out there we can taple tackle with a deeper dive and a guess my answer? Bum you bit Bucks left another o L for the year and Brady returns period Steelers question marks I throughout two teams, and then you said Bucks are interesting to me to say you muddled the waters with the Steelers. So zeuser had a coming and at yeah, why know yet you like to pick it? You know that's enough, You've taken it too far. Um, all right, that's it, so um we'll be back yes with And I was I was pulling your like a little bit there mark the Fantasy Extravaganza. I could tell just by looking at you you are excited and pumped for the annual A ten Fantasy Extravaganza. Why would I miss the forty incarnation of it? I mean that the guest list is um spicy? Are we sharing the guest list? Are we gonna gonna hold you want to wait? I mean I tease that other thing. I mean you're a tease master. So let's just say what stay where we are with that tease and I'll see you on Wednesday. There's those eyes between you two and and and Greg. I think you you can honestly now again acknowledge Flashpoint Series not going away and has just a lot of juice. It's a lot of juice. I think the main reason why it's back is that this manufactured narrative that I'm not in favor of it, So there's really no way out of this. Greg's a jerk. Greg's a jerk. Greg's a jerk. Greg is a jerk. Greg's a jerk. Greg's a jerk. Greg's a jerk. Can you send that to me please? That was nine different women. By the way, Uh, good stuff, we have fun. I love you, Greg, You're fine, You're You're a good sport. That is a nice callback, by the way. Um, all right till Wednesday to the Fantasy Extravaganza. Who forty eight already? Greg? Now heat the call.