2022 Presumed Truths: NFL Cognoscenti or CONnoscenti??

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Speaker 1: Be around the NFL podcast is mentally still want to be each in Mexico. It's true from the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's around the NFL. I'm the guy still in Mexico, Dan Janzas. Here were some heroes, Mark Sessler, Great Rosenthal, and it was jut. I was just made aware that even though I was on vacation, the world went on right. I mean, I wasn't in Mexico. Who excuse me, I'm not ready for this. I've only been to Mexico a few times, and I drove across the border those times. Badass boys drive badass toys. Actually, I uh, I also went into Mexico and that voyage I went from Colorado to in Theory l A. We got stuck in Arizona, but we dipped into Tijuana for a bit um and some unspeakable things occurred. Now we've been told last time I mentioned Colorado not to bring up color Auto anymore. Really or is that Arizona? I think that was Arizona. Happiness was in Colorado, so he's happy to Greg has a factual history based on no facts. Camp Happiness was a place of Mark's adolescence and that Greg actually asked the question about it during art with Greg and I spent the most the whole weekend together, I'll tell you that much. Yeah, we did a lot of a lot of good quality time. We were down at the the Wolf Mansion and then we saw you at Keisha's on on Sunday night. So it was it was a nice, very nice weekend. And I'd like to say that I missed you guys. I did miss you guys while I was on vacation. But when you guys are digging into you know, is the a f C East fourth place schedule actually harder than the NFC North's first place schedule. While I'm toes in the sand sipping on mescal down in he called, I don't think I didn't miss I didn't miss some things of what I missed. Put it that way. I feel like you stumbled into that. But now it's gonna become an every year thing. Like Dan missed schedule release week and now suddenly that's going to become his thing. What no no one else can leave schedule releasing that. I don't like that trend. You know what it was? Okay, it's fans, Yeah, fans love it. We got you know, Rachel Bennett, you're you're dismissing the great guests we had on that because obviously it's not sure about came on and Collin. It was great. We had a ball. You had Rachel on the show. We had a ball. It was it was a robust um enterprise and Rachel was on the show, and I know there was that controversy. She declared vengeance on you, and I imagine my co host on the show came to my defense on program. Absolutely, I was somewhat confused by it. I was saying, we're here right now. What more inner circle do you want? This is the show. That was all I said about it. I think it's assumed we'd fend would defend you. We don't need to say anything. She was a little offended that you weren't here. Yeah, she thought that was somehow I like that part of it. Yeah, okay, good, Well, I like Rachel. You had Claibon involved County Fox. Of course, that's great. We got a nice show today, We got another show coming up with later in the week. We got a nice guest coming up later. Mark, you are heading out yonder. Won't even ask where you're going. This is your last show of the week, so let's make it count uh and um coming up a little bit later. There are certain presumed truths of the NFL kin of sent this time of year, post free agency, post draft h and I say we deep we debunked some of those presumed truths because sometimes the assent is actually the cony sent nailed it. That's usually where a Dan sound drop comes in. I thought there was a special Sometimes you just let that, Thank you, Paul Rudd. But first let's do some news. Zach looks good. Uh, he's definitely hit the way. Room looks beefy, uh in a good way, in a good way. Well, you can tell Dan is back. He's wearing a Zach Wilson his good shirt. That maybe that's number one on your condescent day list, that Zack Wilson is good because I don't think the cognizent is on on that yet. No, But I I will say this about Zachie. He was a little boy last year in every way physically. That is a that's a trope all the way. Obviously, Um, offseason guy beefs up, but he really needed to beef up. And I hope that's true. And it does look like a thick boy. Now he looks slight. He he looks like a thick boy. I think it's time for him. Maybe he still looks like a child, So we're are we going to the th h I C C B O only T I T H I C C B O I B O I. I'm in love if he turns into a thick boy. I feel like if Zach Wilson we're on any other team, you would be shredding him. But because he's on the Jets, somehow he's hit. The way he presents himself is getting praised. But it's good to be back. Let's get into it. Yeah, let's talk about your quarterback. I don't have a quarterback. You're almost quarterback. Sports Illustrators Albert Breer Burt Brier believes the NFL is likely quote wrapping things up close quote in the Deshaun Watson investigation. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reporter that league officials are meeting with Watson this week in Texas after lengthy invest the gagetion into more than twenty allegations of sexual assault against the former Texans quarterback, signed to a massive guaranteed deal by the Browns after a trade in March. Brier says that the NFL investigators usually talked to the player last. So here we are there, here, we are at this stage, and it makes sense at a certain point everyone needs to know what's the situation is. Deshaun Watson, you really did get me thinking, Greg a couple of weeks ago, when you're talking about this, I was thinking, oh, you know, I'll probably get dinged hard here. But now I don't know. The more I think about it, and it's like, is this gonna be a slap on the wrist relatively? Um? And what's that gonna mean? And what's that story gonna be in the league? Um? How do you feel about this? And this does seem like it's coming down now Finally, Yeah, I don't have any predictions or any feel of how this is gonna go. And NFL discipline has been very hard to predict over the last ten years just in general. But I just thought this story is certainly noteworthy that it is likely wrapping up and it is time for it to wrap up. Um. The civil lawsuits are not going to be wrapping up according to the timeline that we've seen, Like if there's gonna be a trial. They're still going through all these processes. It could last through the year, it could last into next year. So the NFL by medium seems to be indicating they are not on that timeline. Uh. Pro Football Talk put out different possibilities. One could be a suspension and maybe they'll be more later, or not a suspension and maybe they'll be more later. But either way, this is the biggest X factor of the season. It's like, yeah, it's uncomfortable talk about. I don't think there's a ton of analysis, but it's absolutely the most important piece of information that we don't know about this upcoming season. We have no idea what Watson's availability is gonna be like, and I would think that that has to be coming to a head soon. Yeah, I mean, if you the reason I think everyone's saying it's coming soon is because this is how these investigations playout. They do all their work and they go to the subject typically of the investigation as the final note in the case, and then we will probably at some point and who knows, this could be a little bit down the road, but it feels like a nice summertime Friday news dump. When they dropped their result on this, and you know he's he. The other thing I noticed about this is that Deshaun Watson right now has flown thirty members of the Brown's offense to the Bahamas. And that's fine. Um. You know what that tells me is that the players don't care at all about any of this. It's just like their teammates now and they're signing up to this. I mean not that I expected them too, but it's like there when you go into the actual Yeah, what are you gonna do with that? I know, I I guess so, and like I I see more and more of the fan base drifting back to the team if there were issues as well. So tells me that money that first signing bonus hit, not that he was doing poor, but like or does he go to the Bahamas and never returned with the guaranteed money? That's another option the Browns say, Hey, let's lay low on some type of extravit in Bahama's trip when this is still pending right now. I mean, they don't seem to care to that. There are elements of the story, like the headline at ESPN dot com. Really, you know, just just like this bottomless sinkhole of filth sources colon Deshaun Watson to meet with NFL. Comma also will bring Cleveland Brown's offensive teammates to Bahamas to bond. Just the story is just still so sloppy and messy and um unfortunate obviously as well. And it's funny, Like I tweeted about that headline and I thought it was kind of notable in my replies that there are a lot of Browns fans like you, Mark, that were turned off by the organization and have turned their back on them. There are a lot of Browns fans that I'm sure feel don't feel good about this at all and are kind of laying low because what do you say? But then there's the vocal, whether it's a minority or the majority of the other type of Browns fans, they're like, whatever, shut up, you baby, I'm happy my quarterbacks here. We got a QB one now and that that Again, there's so many levels to the story Browns fans. It's such a great friend uh fan base and a franchise that everyone was kind of intrinsically rooting for. That Now, those type of bone heads, those bozos are like the mouthpiece of the organization. On social media. It just got mark. We talked about this privately too. There's so many layers of the story that are disappointing and what it meant, what his means to the Browns as an organization, both in the short and the long term. We're just beginning to see it. Yeah, And it's like it's funny because says we were walking in here. NFL Network was replaying the pretty crazy Brown's Chargers game from last season, where you know, the Browns put up a ton of points and barely lost to another great offense in Los Angeles, and uh man, that feels like a long time ago. It's kind of the last great Baker Mayfield moment because we certainly didn't leave that game being like Baker Baker. He was sensational through large parts of the game, but he did not. He had a chance to win it and he couldn't. And I think that's part of the d n a of why he's not with the team right now. I do think it's interesting that Ian Rappaport on Pat McAfee even this week and he said this twice now, and I don't understand how this could ever happen that it makes sense He's not saying this would happen, but it would make sense at some point for Baker Mayfield and the Browns if Deshaun Watson is suspended for a long time, to just basically put it behind them, come play, get his money, and maybe get traded midseason if he plays well. I mean, it makes logical sense that they he would be an upgrade over the guy that's in the house, and he's already under contract and he doesn't have any doubt. All that makes sense. I guess that's probably why Ian's coming from on that. But obviously it's a poisoned Jake Briskets starting those games. If if Watson is uh, let's now talk some contract news and let's do it with a little time for news and notes and contract heat presented by up work where you can build the team that will build your business. Learn more and upwork dot com. The Packers couldn't find a way to make it work with Davante Adams, but they do with Jaire Alexander, the cornerback. He signs a four year, eighty four million dollar contract extension that includes thirty one million two and a cornerback record thirty million dollars signing bonus. You may remember when Jalen Ramsey got the Bag a year or two ago, and that was twenty million UH in annual pay. So cornerbacks um mark not the hottest market earlier in free agency. But we're seeing this now with some deals with some in house superstars Denzel Ward another getting paid by the teams that no how important they are to their defense. Yeah, and the beat writers covering the Packers, they were on this, you know, months ago that they knew this was happening. This is something Green Bay wanted to do. I know that. You know, Alexander missed all but uh four games of the regular season, came back to play in the playoffs, which actually are in a ton of street cred with the coaches, with his teammates. Aaron Rodgers called him one of the most interesting players he's ever been around. So he's beloved in the locker room, the team loves him. And if you look at this secondary, because I know we've talked about the Saints, we've talked about the raven As, you know, top one two secondaries in the league right now. This Packers team is there because you've got Eric Stokes, Darnell Savage, Adrian Amos, Roswell Douglas who blew up blew up last year. There's a lot to like here, and it's you may get to the point where this would be a weird site. The defense might finally and slowly have a small edge over the offense on this team. I think this was a top eight coverage unit a year ago, and I think they could be better if Alexander plays the whole year. I think so. I think on paper they have one of the better defenses in the league. And the Alexander contract was interesting to me for the money purposes, because the cornerbacks got to be seeing these wide receivers making all this money. And to me, Gira, Alexander is absolutely at the same level of in A. J. Brown, and he's not far off of Davante Adams, like he should be potentially the highest paid cornerback in the league and he and he is basically, but it's still way below the wide receiver numbers. Uh. I think it's Eric Eager does this war type value um stat at PF E had j I R. Alexander is the most valuable cornerback in the league in so that's the type of player he is. Cornerbacks aren't making that sort of money yet. Um, but the Packers showed like it wasn't about money with Davante Adams. You mentioned that like they could have gotten that done. They still have one of the most amount of cap space in the entire league, and yet they're spending a ton of cash. They're like in the top five. So all those little fake um, what is it the stock the stock sales that they do, or they just like print cash and everyone gives them. Those are all part owners. Well it must be helping because they're you know, they're a small market and they're spending more cash than just about anyone. And this this is a smart way to be spending your money. A player you know that is this good? He is one of you're pretty plugged in on the salary cap stuff. And if you're telling me they still had a could have had a way to keep Davante Adams in the building, I still I don't buy it. To listen, they lost, but in actually on that same appearance, I heard him talking about they offered Davante Adams more cash in the first two years of his deal than the Raiders wanted to and it was like the highest receiver contract of all time. So what maybe it could have been handled a little more definitely in the earlier stages of his career with the team. But whatever, maybe he just wasn't meant to be and it was not the defense that knocked him out of the playoffs. Last year, they gave two field goals in the NFC Divisional playoffs. There was a blocked punt and then Aaron Rodgers in the offense with Davante Adams down their legs. If you knew that, would you not have bet your house, Dan that you own a bank? Well, okay, but I mean would you if you knew that's what they were they were going to give up that that kind of defensive performance, There's no way they lose that game. I was locking up my lock title, I locked up the pack. I said this is in the bag and I needed a late Rams touchdown to hold onto the trophy. That was a stunning locked defeat um Because yeah, that didn't make any sense. I keep his town in location in there and let people just investigate if you're in the area or if you're not and you want to come to the area. Uh. In other news, Jarvis Landry is now a member of the Saints. The Saints signed the former Brown and Dolphin wide receiver, so he now slots in nicely. Slot nailed it, Michael Thomas, Chris Lave the rookie Jarvis Landry, and I think the thing that really jumps out to a lot of people, Greggy was the money. Rap Sheet reported that Landry's base salary is just three million dollars. Tom pell Sera said it's worth up to six million. That's a great deal for a very good wide receiver. Yeah, there clearly was very little market for Jarvis Landry. I don't think Will Beckham will be the same. I'm curious if the Saints might try to keep this LSU thing going and bringing o b J still after getting Honey Badger in Landry. But I'm really thinking this Saints team looks pretty good on PAPOR. I mean, they won a lot of games last year with some pretty lousy quarterback play. Maybe Jamis hasn't gonna be much better, uh coming off the tourn a c l or not. But suddenly you go from Marcus Callaway being your number one receiver and he did get over eight hundred yards, to Marcus Callaway being your number four receiver behind those three guys you mentioned, and that's a nice a nice set up with a really good looking defense. Yeah, they handled their needs and there you know their thin position groups as well as anyone. There's something about the Saints because this was a you know, in a year where suddenly you don't have maybe a home run at quarterback. Their attitude was, we're going for it. We're going back to the playoffs. We're gonna knock Tom Brady and the Bucks out of one of those two regular season games, if not both, like last year. Jarvis Landry totally fits and he's already tweeting at Odell Beckham, and I think that has real sway the idea that you know, they were together in Cleveland. It went sour to go to the Saints, their hometown and to bring back Honey Badger. There's something about this New Orleans team that um is spicy as I look for a team to root for, maybe just in spirit for a year. They were in the top three for me at this point. And they have a lot of cap space too. They cleared all that space for Watson and then didn't get him, so weirdly, they have a lot and there are another team. I like teams that are just trying to win, like you don't always have to take a huge step back. They won, you know, they had a winning record last year and I think they should again. The if you were a Saints fan this year they were a finalist for Deshaun Watson, well, you're right, I don't. I'm not trying to be some sort of school in the arm about the whole thing. The Browns thing to me, that was if it was a cake, that is a big part of the cake. And there were other things in that whole Browns thing. It is this weird thing because like you know, we know Saints fans, and there was a lot that were rooty against Watson. But the second that you don't get him, it's like, well it didn't matter, Like, yeah, they went for him, but they didn't get him. He's not the guy you have to root for. Dana. Dana is a point. It is. It makes you look like you're all over the map. So and it is a little bit of a Saints fan club in here, and I'm sorry that I'm not part of it. But I think everything they've done and the roster looks good. I think the division is certainly competitive. They have a chance to win that division, but questions a quarterback and head coach or it's fair to ask how that's all gonna work together in two. But other than that, the roster is pretty good and quarterback and head coach are not small things, pretty bad looking good except for the old quarterback and head coach. All Right, that was News and Notes presented by upwork, the world's work marketplace. Learn more at upwork dot com. Alright, Drew Brees is done. Yeah, speaking of Saints and legends and maybe the quarterback in two. Drew Brees uh is out at NBC. By the way, big guest book booking this week. Andrew Marshan, who's taken the sports media beat. And he's just like like a dog with a bone, and if anybody even comes near a bone, he flashes those teeth and the people run away. The other dogs run away. It's it's notable that it's almost all NFL bones. It's not the other. No one seems to care about who's announcing the baseball game of the week or the NBA playoffs for the most part of my stuff, though he does, he does, but I mean, does it get on any of you guys follow all this does it? We'll talk about with Andrew. But it's a perfect storm where he's definitely plugged in. And this just happens to be this revolution in that industry of announcers being paid like star quarterbacks. Now just like, yeah, it's his be what is the what is this drop? It feels revolutionary more thank you. I had asked Grave Digger behind the scenes about forty seven seconds ago on our I Am client to have the miss of music ready, and then he played it and I didn't know what it was, so that little vacation fog there. I could have learned from you. Uh. One thing I missed out on when I was in the host chair was to check my my computer. Man, I forgotten a complete segment with Connie on the show because I didn't check Gravers. I am the one. You should do that thing where you get in the host ear. You could have done that. Yeah, that's what I wasn't sure if Greg was just like, well, we've been going for an hour or so, I'll just get it. You don't know, it's unpredictable, Turf. I thought you did an excellent job those days, and then it was not on you it's on me, all right. So that's a great point. Mark. There you go, Mark, alright. Breeze is forty three years old. He retired from football last March. Spent last season as an NFL analyst for NBC. The musical Chairs game that we're gonna get into with Marshawn left him without his seat, so he tweeted Sunday in response to the New York Post Andrew Marshawn Marshawn article, Look, Marshawn is, I'll save it for tomorrow. I'll save it for this week. Here we go, later this week, here we go. Here's a Briese had to say. Now, the missive music, It's really kind of caught me off guard there too. He was just trying to push the show. Yeah, he was trying to get me to my meeting. Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I'm currently undecided. I may work for NBC. I may play football again. I may focus on business and florent This is always a tough one for philanthropy. I may train for the pickle Ball Tour, Senior golf Tour coach. My kids are all the above. I'll let you know that laughter was my laughter in an editorial note. So and then Uh, Dennis Allen, speaking of Dennis Allen said of that cryptic tweet, Uh, it was likely made in jest about a potential return to football. Uh. We could save the the analysis of his broadcasting career for later in the week. But do you guys think there's any way we see breeze again on the field. No, because I think this a The Saints aren't don't sound interested on any level. I don't. I think that what we saw of Drew Brees was the right time for him to leave the field. The only thing I'll say about broadcasting real quick is I won't be here for that. One is that that tweet is a point blank explanation of why Drew Brees is not going to be with NBC anymore. He is not funny, he is not interesting. I don't find that quote um in any way entertaining, right. I don't. I don't think he was just Also that the tweet before it was about signing a uh Landry and Honey Badger, and and he said makes me want to come back and play again. I mean, this doesn't seem that subtle. But I'm with Mark. I don't think there's much of a chance that he will play because the Saints are the only team that you could imagine him playing with, and they seem to be putting out the word through the reporters and even Allen's comments that they're just not that interested. The fact that he started it with with I may work for NBC after the report was that they are moving on was a tough, a tough scene. It felt like it mind me that you know that drill tweet where it gets retweeted a lot, It's about a decade where it's like I'm not owned, I'm not owned. I continue to insist as I slowly shrink and transform into a corn cup just like that. That's that's the meme that the Drew brees. He's like, I'm not owned, I'm not on. I was not fired, Like uh yeah, it was a bad year. But you also, you know there's something that said about developing your talent and he didn't give much, get much run. I guess that's got a bad vibe. Can I make one little note about the missive music? Um, could you just play it for a second because I just want you to think about this. This is this is like I'm not saying this was recorded during the Revolutionary War. It's obviously it's a new band has come and done this, but in real wartime scenarios there were boys like the tasked with wearing like the tight clothing and playing on a flute while everyone else has a cannon. It's like every like you're walking around with a musical instrument on a war field. It sounds like one of the worst possible tasks. Now, what is it about the tight clothing on small boys that stands out? Now that maybe what's standing out so much. They were all in that clothing. But it's like you're in your award and everyone else is getting a musket and like you know, hand revolver and you know, a club or whatever, and then you're like, here's a flute. Yeah, here's to the front of the Wait, we're also here for our enemies entertainment. Let us play music for them as well. It just feels slightly off key. I wonder I would definitely watch a Netflix documentary on that, Not that any of the participants are with us to tell us how it really worked, but you would imagine they would take the physically weaker UH soldiers maybe the more musically inclined but not most that partically gifted the artists, maybe the the you know, the the the the offshoot of the NFL painter here that that has to finish it in two hours or less, potentially us it's coming back for that. I would tell on the Saints paintings soon. Yeah, No, that that that's absolutely fair. Mark. Let's um, let's ponder. That's take a break and ponder it. We'll be right back to finish the news and then we'll get to our sex. All right, let's spend through the rest of the news real quickly here because we've got to get things done here, all right. Melvin Ingram Edge, I think he was on a he was a gray Beard too, so he comes out of gray gray Beard purgatory to sign with the Dolphins formerly of the Chiefs. You like that move, Greggy, I do. I think he could wind up starting for them their top three. I'm I'm banging through the projected Starters series. The NFC is going out this week, gavec next week. I believe they have Andrew Van Ginkel and Jalen Phillips, who actually that's a good young duo. But Ingram comes in there. Those three probably share the snaps. It's a good looking roster on paper, this Dolphins team, and I think that was one of their biggest weaknesses. That was a nice move. All right, you got something else. No, I was pointing to you that you can we have business do you can keep going. It's like, did a great job with that. But now because we had that miscommunication, it's filling in the void. What would have been a take for you that would have well, we need to do another shows to get that kind of thing ironed out. Jerry Judy legal trouble. Colorado sheriff has announced that Jerry Judy's arrest UH this week or last week is on second degree criminal tampering with a domestic violence enhancer. The Sheriff's took department in arab Pahoe County, Colorado. Listen, he's a native. I actually lived on a Rapaho road for a bit, so there was no act of violence before Judy's arrest on the charges, and he will be released on bond, or has been released on bond. So some criminal issues uh for Jerry Judy. We'll see how those charges play out. Falcons acquire wide receiver Brian Edwards in seventh round pick from the Raiders in exchange for a fifth round pick. This has got you hot in the pants, Greggy, it really doesn't um. But they had another move, I mean some revelations. It's it's as like thin a receiver position front. It was as thin a position as they have, so Edwards could potentially start. But they also made a signing this week that caught my eye knit Quitkowski who I U. Who I always will remember is that West was a big fan of his in his last year in Chicago, and then the Raiders signed him. He kind of fell up the map when he went with the Raiders. But that was only interesting because it really looks like Dion Jones is not going to be back with the Falcons, something I didn't realize until I was doing this Projected Starters series that even their UH team website basically indicated that they expect him to be traded or released. That there's three different options of what they're gonna do with Dion Jones, and option three was, well, he could stay here. So it sounded like a guy who I was writing about at halftime of the Super Bowl as like the key piece of a defense that was shutting down the Patriots and was certainly a core player for that Falcons team for a while and made a lot of money. And it's still young, only twenty seven. Will probably not be a member of the Falcons by the time we get to the season. I don't know if they'll be able to get a late round pick or what they'll get for him, but he's a good young That is a rough roster. M hm. You had something there, Greggy. I mean you, you don't think that was show worthy? The real player? Hey, listen, you were passionate about it. The Falcons don't always get the most coverage. I'm very umm, I'm on board with it. You had written in your potential news rundown the event um next to Brian Edwards and Nickikowski. I have a connected take and all we better get that. Well, here's why, because every once in a while you'll see a pretty low level news item and I have a connected break. I don't blame you, but you just take it out of the show because it's like we go too long and you see Quickkowski and you're thinking, why are we talking quick Kowski? Just like, let's get this in there for the Dean. They signed Rashaan Evans, by the way, too, so they have two guys. He also drafted someone there, so it does broadcasting move grave digger, Um, where's your drop? By the way, that doesn't go away because I want to vacation. UM put it in the list of potential segment ideas. I have a connected take there. For a second, I thought you were gonna make fun of me and say like, we're gonna do Dion Jones landing sponsor something later. And now we were letting you have that. You're your passionate And finally in the news, Matt Rule, the yes, I'm gonna say it, No, not moribund coach, the embattled Matt Rule. It's his turn. He's got You know, we always like who's gonna be in the next coach who has to each for four straight months and then get fired or eight straight months. Last year, of course is Matt Maaggie. The year before it was Adam Gaze and Natty Rule you get the crown. Earlier last week, a report came out that Panther's owner David Tepper is interested in potentially hiring former Saints head coach Sean Payton next season. UM. After Payton tests interest interest in doing television and uh, Joe Person has covered the Panthers there forever. On the Panthers eyeing Sean Payton report, Matt Rule said Dave Tepper called him to tell him the story was coming out and there was nothing to it. And and yet Mark, that doesn't feel true. It does not feel true at all. Number one, the statement that the Panthers issued read reads as such, we would not talk to or consider it back to the missive and for an embattled coach, Greggy take the flute. We would not talk to or consider a coach who's under contract with another team. Uh. Now, hold on, They doesn't even mention, by the way, uh, we love Matt Rule, like we believe in that rule. It's like we just wouldn't do that, like you you already And by the way, are the Saints in any scenario who owned the rights of Sean Payton gonna ever trade Sean Payton a at all? Probably not, but be inside their own division to the Panthers, Are you nuts? I um thought this report had validity to it. That was only emboldened by that phone call to Joseph Person that you mentioned. And by the statement, I mean that it's like you're protesting too much. It also was a random but reputable source like out of nowhere, and when reports happened like that with someone that's credible but like doesn't usually break into phone knows like this guy knows like he has some inside information, and it totally makes sense to me. And I take offense that you get. You say I'm the flute guy, um like a No, I was reading the statement so not artistic at all. I'm terrible at music and I'm sneaky athletic, So put me up on the front lines. I'll get I'll get stuff done. You know I'm not gotta be you were Gregg, you were a vocalist in a goth Man. It's fair it was not a well, I mean that you've given us no other proof that it wasn't. I mean, we're not gonna put you with all the barbarians like the back row. You know you gotta have a I think you would make sense as like the fast like guy doing like Ninja moves up front. If we're gonna just if you insist endurance, I don't need to even state my credentials. But that's actually probably beneficial for the flute players in that realm to be athletic and inside you know, it's inside of your brother is an accomplished guitar player. He's a composer, but it's not inside me. I composer for Christ's sake, And it's in you. It's in you somewhere. And by the way, I have some I have a little sound um from the future. Do you want to hear it? Yes? All right? This is from January mat Role running out of the team facility at being fired. That's going to the airport we just landed in Austin. International's renting a car and he's signing a huge contract with a big twelve team where he'll be the head coach and be happy again. One thing, remember the Panthers signed him to like a seven year deal and annoyed everyone. He could be paid to do nothing for like the next four years. It annoys David never else. I also noticed that Sean Payton, in his TV deal that we've heard like has been percolating for a while, is gonna be with Fox and he's just filling in on days that Jimmy Johnson isn't there. So it's not like this is this is clearly sort of a hit it and quit it scenario for him in the media. He seems very much angling already to be getting back into coaching. Right, It's like, how many days does Jimmy Johnson missed that's a whole job. Maybe it is, maybe it's like seven days, but it's it can't be like that many days are going to come to the production meeting. I don't care. That's that's damnash X impression of we all right, that's what's happening in the news. All right. Now, it's time to debunk some presumed truths of the football cognisant day ellipsy, ellipsis ellipsy or should I say con yes, Sunday, I'm gonna start one one that's very unpopular. And again, this is not necessarily uh my feelings personally that I'm dooming a team that they have no chance, or you know, whatever this is gonna be. It doesn't mean this is how I feel. It's just more about, like, let's toned down the rhetoric. Let's tone down group think is a crazy thing on in the NFL and on on Twitter, and everybody seems to get hyped up about the same teams, and I just want to bring the temperature down a little bit. In Detroit. Let's start there. Um, the presumed truth is the Lions will be good. It's gonna bring that down. I think they're much closer to the Bears than they are to the Packers. And for what it's worth, Vegas agrees DraftKings has there over under its six and a half wins. But wouldn't that indicate it's not a presumed truth at all. That's sort of the best draft kick. But DraftKings is separate than the football I can you sent it? You hear it. I'm with you, especially of late. And it's funny before I with Greg's help, of course, because he had to send me the link where to find this information. Um, I went through their schedule and I did it with a generous eye, and I saw and then they're gonna be on hard knocks and that's great. I can't wait. I see seven and ten, which is a big jump forward for the team. So I would bang the over. But if you look at a schedule of team and you see whatever the record is, you can make the case for two extra wins, which would make him nine and eight and probably a playoff team. But you also can go the other way, and you can say well, they can go five and twelve too. I think that's within the realm. Um. The bottom line for me is they're probably a year away at least, and we shouldn't rush to make them a thing. You've seen a little bit that with the Jets right now too on in the a f C. There's no need to rush. They can improve without being the next Bengals, and I think that's the best case scenario, um, and I have some reasons why, but I just want to throw it to you guys and get your initial feelings on that. I'm with you. I think that there's a there's were conflating the idea that the Lions are finally not like raging Lee Dull. There's interest around them. Um. The way they finished last season I think has a lot to do with the way people think they might just pick up where they left off. They have their wide receiver room compared to where they were a year ago this time is juicy. They've got parts on offense. I think they're good on both lines. There's a lot to like about the way they're building the team, and they're competent finally. But the idea that they're gonna hop scotch the Bears. I can buy that because the Bears are gonna rebuild. The Vikings and the Packers no, and so are you gonna be the third team in that division to make a wild card or go win nine games and then balance out with the rest of the NFC. I think they're a year away, but I do think there's a reason for optimism find where I think the excitement is just about the process. Though. I think when we get to August and we see that list of like the thirty NFL dot Com analysts, they'll be about to that actually pick them to the playoffs. So now we're pushing back against the excitement, and I'm I am excited, But to me, it's more about the build, and I think people like to get on for the ride. So to your point, you're right, everyone's excited because it's like, Wow, they're making smart decisions, Their coaches seem like they get it, their front office seems like they get it, their teams coming together. And yet I think most of the people even saying that, including me, are totally on board with everything. The two of you guys just said that it's it's coming up. If things broke really well for them, maybe this year, Like you said, could be interesting you get a winning record, but it's more like we're getting in on the ground floor. This is gonna be fun. It's gonna it's like the process in Philadelphia. People love to get into the rebuilds, and this is actually a rebuild that looks like it's in a steady year two. Client, you know what's happening, because here's here's to your point in like you're gonna start to see this with certain people out there that it's it's may you want to make an impact as any in the list. I could go on a long two minutes speech talking about how I'm on the Lions bandwagon right now. They're going to make the playoffs. You've done it in the past, Well I did two years ago, and I couldn't have been more wrong. It's not not even because of that that I'm not gonna do it, but it's like there's a lot of that packaging, the idea that you're the Lions person. It goes out on Twitter, a bunch of people start to rally around you, and it's a product for the the analyst more than reality. And it would be shame on me if I'm pushing back against the excitement because look at my family, Agians. That's what I have right now, the idea that you're building something ute team right now. Yeah, quote unquote the right way and all that. Um, but it's not that I think there is a contingent within the inner circle of the conescent a that is seeing this is maybe more like they could shock people this year. Right. I don't even want to have takes right now because I realize I usually like change my takes between May in August and by August I probably start like reacting to the other takes that are out there. So I've just gotta like withhold my takes. That's good. I think that's smart. I think for them to get to get to that nine and eight, you know, golf has to stay healthy and be pretty good. James, you think nine and eight is doable though, because I think golf has to play well. Jameson Williams has to make an impact. Um, you need this offensive line to hold up, which I think it will looks good. The running back rooms exciting, but you need health in that realm Aidan Hutchinson should make it an immediate impact, but you kind of need him to. Jeff A Couta's back, But is he going to be a guy that lives up to his draft stock. There's a lot of things that have to go right there. The back seven on defense, their linebackers, and then their secondary is certainly the weakest part of their team. And I think they coached them up well last year. Um, but they're a year away too. In addition to golf, Hutchinson though, is joining a really exciting front group, Like I think that is a pass rush that goes six seven, eight deep. Uh, And that's that's a nice And we do love Dan Campbell. Everybody loves Dan Campbell and he was the per to kind of face of that team during that season. I would like to see him and the coaching staff with a better roster. Do they play the guitar Eric Rosenthal? I mean, how dare you Dean Rosie? What's his middle name? Stewart? Okay, so you didn't even get the men will never forget that again, I'm sorry. And there was a part in like high school going into college where he either was considering or actually did go by the art like by the name Dean Stewart. Well, that sounds like it sounds like something, but I felt like it's a little like you're throwing off the Jewey Rosenthal of it all. Probably entertainment that move. So it's not like he went I don't think he felt bad about it. He went back, you know, all right, what do you got? Mark? Uh? Okay, this probably won't be very popular in this room. Um. I just feel that the wrongnessenti or NONNISCENTI have CONNSCENTI have crowned the Buffalo Bills a little early, very rich and deep AFC. And do I think that they're a playoff team? Absolutely? Are they probably gonna win their division? Absolutely? Are they are? They will see the way they do from there they were They lost six games a year ago, going five and one against a putrid a f C. East. I think the Dolphins are a different team. They're gonna be tougher to defend than ever before during all of this business. I think the Jets are the kind of team that can split with the Bills the Patriots can split. I really do think that if the Jet unless the Jets. But if the Jets can't beat the Bills and they can't beat the Dolphins, then what are we twire? We talking about the Jets so much there's got to be a step at some point. Well, that's that's fair, But I would just say, you went five and one in your division last year and still lost six games. They open with the Rams, the Titans, the Dolphins, who they're gonna have to see them early before they have a lot of tape on what they're doing, the Rave and the Steelers, the Chiefs and the Packers. The schedule opens up from there, but they don't have the easiest of slates. And I would just say over the last two years, a they've done an awesome job building up the team. They did an awesome job growing Josh Allen. Brian Dable had a lot to do with that. You have to project and hope that Ken Dorsey, who has been there for a while, it's a seamless transition. I think it's a good guy to take over, but he's never done what Brian Dable has done before in the same capacity. There is difference right there. That does take away the quarterback relationship. And everything went right healthwise, mostly for the Bills over the last two seasons. They it wasn't a team that had to deal with a ton of adversity. Does that happen three years in a row to NFL teams typically not. I'm just saying I'm not projecting them in the A s C title game without putting any mental thought to the fact that the A s C as a thorny mess right now. That's where your argument to me lands, that there could be eight teams that you could see being in the a f C Championship and just assuming that the Bills, who I think on paper are the best team on paper and finished last season so strong, are just gonna be right back there. We we know that's just not how it always works. But just because of that doesn't make me really believe in them left. It's more just the a f C. You're right, some of those teams that aren't the Bills essentially or the Chiefs are gonna step up and probably be a superpower too. I just think they'll be with the Bills. I think the Bills will be alongside whoever those other teams are. And even before Brian day Ball left town, we were talking for weeks on this show during the regular season last year out what happened to the Bill's offense. It's it's not impossible if they could have as similar or even worse issues as they kind of start this new era. I will point out because Buffalo fans are probably yelling at their player right now. Uh. They did lose Tradevious White to torn A c l last December, which was a crushing loss for that defense. Um the year before, I think they were far more healthy, but that was a huge loss. You get him back like nothing went wrong, but in general it wasn't like that what happened to the raider so big on the Bills two years ago. But I like them, I think. I think it's just that when everyone became a Bills fans sudden, it was like, because they were ready to win the Super Bowl last year, that's a fair he likes to get in before. That's why late period Browns fanning for you was so difficult. I imagine. I wonder if that played apart and you're jumping off. All of a sudden, there were Browns fans literally everywhere you look, and all of a sudden, wasn't so special to be a Browns fan anymore. Even in our building. There was a time when I was like, there are like twenty seven Browns fans inside NFL network. It's just like, okay, I get it. The thing with the Bills though, why so many people including myself, are so high as I just think they had a great offseason. On top of that, now, dealing with expectations is difficult, but this is a team that added von Miller and on top of that Dai Kwon Jones, Tim Settle, which I think we're smart. Moves. Uh, they take a cornerback and you get white back at in the first rounding and you get white back. Just the moves all made sense to me this offseason that they took a great roster. They were satisfied, and it looks a little better even too. That's fair floutest loudest, he's a lout ist. I tried. I tried to be a good musician. I could not live up to d You know this is your chance seeing shadow. How cool would it be to be a good musician. I don't. It wasn't. It wasn't in me. I tried. I talked to we. I think Ricky played a sound drop on this message I left for Colleen. If if you just learned that acoustic guitar, if I could just kind of learned, wonder wall, if I could I learn a couple of Pete yourne songs. In two thousand one, what would have happened? You would have been on fire at at party, exactly like that room off the main room in a party, the sky's playing this little wonder wall. Wasn't Hoboken with my buddies years old, and we come back from Washington and I got the acts. Then what happens? I'll give you some lessons sometime. What is it me? He's always got to insert his swarthiness into the episode. You know, grape, they're gonna use that for the blonde paramore. That is not to be spoken of on the show any longer. Oh no, he doesn't want that. Oh here's a song, a little song. Yeah, it's it's it's a romantic special. It really break in the lady. But throughout this I think Dan, you would have married a Hoboken area bartenders disappeared. Lyrics were not what people were into with Bush. It was that that dude was hot, you know. I think they helped. He was not a thick boy either. He was a life, live live. He was a live boy. All right, Um, let's take a break and continue. All right, you're up, all right, I'm gonna base mine on stupid my mentions, and and I'm just gonna assume like my mentions are somehow indicative of consensus. Jalen Hurts is like the biggest question when it comes to the Eagles out there to me. But what I'm pushing back against is the idea that Jalen Hurts needs to take this big step for the Eagles to be a really good team. He to me, he doesn't. He's already there. He's better than people think. He definitely had his worst or second worst game of the year in the playoffs, and that's absolutely a concern. But he's also a second year starter. Who uh to me, you know certainly that happens. It happened to Josh Allen. Not saying he's gonna be Josh Allen. He is close to being a league average starter or already a league average starter right now. And like my belief in the Eagles, And you mentioned the over unders for the Eagles, it's an eight and a half, which seems crazy to me. To me, I think they can be And this is one take I don't mind getting there early. I'm not going to back off it. I think they can be a ten eleven win type of team. Because their team is really strong and all they need is Jalen Hurts to basically repeat what he did a year ago, except now you're gonna have a little more help with a j. Brown. But keep that running game going with with him as a huge part of it. Keep being efficient enough as a passer and getting the mismatches that a Lamar Jackson gets in the passing game, and he is going to be just fine. The rest of the team can help him out and that they can be a contender with Jalen Hurts being the guy he was a year ago. I think the I have a little bit of an issue with them the conceit on this one because I think within the realm of the football COGNISENTI it seems to me like Jalen Hurts is a popular figure um and it's fans, including Eagles fans, a lot uh times it seems that somehow or sometimes seem to have doubts about his ability. I feel like the general vibe about and maybe I'm wrong. Mark, You tell me what you think is that Hurts is a young ascendant quarterback that's not as talented maybe as the top tier guys. But put him in the right offense and let him use his legs and his arm. He can be a guy that's a top twelve starter potentially, Like is I feel like that's where most people are at it. Well. I think also that there's two different communities. There's the football fan, but then there's the fantasy community that are all over Jalen Hurts. They love him because I think his floor is so high, right, and I so that sort of I kind of think his floor as an NFL starting quarterback is similarly high. Like to me, he's a tick above where Teddy or two Ah, we're a year ago and that team is strong. That's why I like the Eagles. It's not because of Jalen Hurts. And there is a chance here because Jalen Hurts got so much better. I think from college to his rookie years to second year, there's certainly a chance he could mature and continue to become a better passer and go up another level. And then you're really healthy and gas you're cooking with grease. That's actually sounds dangerous. That sounds like a house exploding. The Jalen Hurts health issue, because if he's got to be a guy that moves around a lot. He had ankle surgery in the off season. It kind of wiped out his UH ceiling throughout the end of the season. In the playoffs, he does his style play match up with what the big man upstairs gave him BodyWise. Staying healthy is a skill set, it really is. That's fair because I I think he is not ready to be transitioning away from his running game being a huge part of that offense. That's what made that offense. And I think they still need to run him a lot. It's maybe year four or five, whatever, you start backing off a little, We're not there. That's the one thing with A. J. Brown is like they you love the idea of them adding him, but that wouldn't have necessarily made the team what they were last year, like they were in a typical type of offense. But one thing, you've been on the Eagles thing and you're projecting them to win ten games. They won ninety year ago, So you gotta go a little stronger if you want to be in this Eagles When it comes to it, I'm just saying the over under was eight and a half, so yeah, clearing that, I think they have a chance to be really, really good. That type of team. All right, Uh, let's see, let's do a quick one. Okay, Um, Greg's got this meeting coming up, so many we've got plenty of time. I'm concerned about your schedule. How much time do you have We'll be done well thirty two. If they were coming to you, I guess you'd have to travel in the building somewhere. So no, it's just a phone call. It's just the phone thirty two minutes. All right, here it is. This is the general kind of consensus statement slash bit from the football Cogney sent they Tom Brady will take the top analyst job in the NFL on Fox Booth upon his retirement. So I guess that will be about six. West love that soon. Five. This is Tom Brady's last year. And if you can't see that, you're not paying attention this. This is not all your bits about. He'll be playing forever. No, like he tried to retire this year, he couldn't bring himself to it. He didn't have things quite set up how he wanted to, uh in terms of post NFL. Something to take up his time, something to focus on. This huge deal. And we'll talk about it with Andrew Mishan. I know you guys talked about it last week, where he gets paid Bonker's money to be the number one booth guy for Fox, who's two super Bowls in the next three years. All this stuff ties in like they want him in the booth for the Super Bowl in at least one of those years. Uh and maybe both uh. And that's why you kind of can connect the dots here. This is tom Brady's final season in the NFL, and I've been wrong about a lot of things at the end of tom Brady's career, but this one, I will pound the table on the football Kanya CENTI could take all their bits and stick them where the sun dn't shine. You're not paying attention, I will say, at least um, I hope this makes you happy. When we talked about this Tom Brady news, there were no none of those two jokes that I kept. There was a lot of Twitter bits. Uh. And I agree with you, Dan and I that news that popped up today, uh Tuesday as we're taping that there is a roast planned on Netflix for Tom Brady next year. Like it's all setting up, He's setting all these things up. I totally agree that this is gonna be it, and it adds It adds a fun element to this Buck season because it's a good looking Bucks team. They got a chance to do it again. I hope he stays healthy. Alright, one more go ahead, mark Uh. This one annoys me because this has been happening for months. I understand that all four teams in the a f C West are juicy that they are all. If we're all in different divisions, they might each win those divisions. But when I'm hearing you know, oh, this could be the division that offers up four playoff teams or at least three. First of all, they play each other. We all know that that's gonna be a problem because when you have the inflated record, it's because you're the Packers playing the Vikings, the Bears, and the Lions in this division. These types of teams they are. But secondly, they also play the schedule. They played the NFC West on top of it. Now, I know the NFC West with you know, Seattle situation, Arizona up and down, but like they were that division a year ago and they didn't get three playoffs exactly. Well, I just think that the a f C West, I wouldn't be shocked if in the end they're all kind of same type records and you get one playoff team and maybe save that for the It could be one because it's it's I'm not saying that they might be better than the records. Three of the three of the four teams might be better than the record. Just pump the brakes on the blind optimism that there's four superpowers in that division. I think that's fair. I think that's fair. The Raiders look better on paper, but are really You're right, one of those teams we'll probably take a face plant and be totally disappointing. It's a little hard to predict because they no never the Chargers. That's a whole other pressing the charge. This is the year that they nothing could potentially go wrong for the Chargers every year since two I don't think so. I mean, but listen, so you're right, somebody will definitely start nap it. Who's the most likely team. It's probably the Raiders or war One of the teams loses their quarterback and then it's you know, there's some unknown to me, it's the Raiders because because the quarterback is Yeah, I like Derek Carr, but I trust the other three better. M Daniels can be gonna say, you're Russell Wilson. Slander can extend to this conversation, Greg if you want them. And I'm trying not to give out too many takes, alright, back up on, back off on good alright, that one does make sense to me. My last one Residents. I struggled with this one because it's like I was trying to figure out what is the consensus right now? I don't know, but you know what is the consensus when you put some cold hard numbers two things, and that's fantasy football. So I'm putting on my fantasy football hat and looking at all these guys who are doing the best ball leagues in the off season. They're already they're already picking leagues right now with big money at stake, and I'm looking at where players are getting drafted, and to me, that's as consensus as it gets. Like, I don't know if it's the COGNISENTI, but it's the fantasy heads out there. And I got a lot of takes, but I'm gonna start and I'll go through him quick. Derrick Henry is the is the second pick. In the draft. What Derrick Henry's saying? What? What is happening here? They don't they just Greg's what? Yeah, I mean they don't have any offensive lineman. He we know about his usage over the years. He's turning seven. H Scott Pianowsky had this great threat of like running backs who do well in fantasy when they seven, like, it goes bad pretty often. I'm not saying he's gone, but that doesn't say much about that community. Does he should be going from the top ten? I agree with that, okay? And then there were some other ones like Davante Adams still has a first round producers should call on him. Sure, I mean I don't want this to be coming to a speed. Every episode I say something negative about the Titans and then Graver like sends it out to all his Titans. He's like, check this out. Gregg Rosenthalf around the NFL podcast is yeah that? Um Marcus Mosher, who I respect on Twitter, tweeted four hours ago, there's no reason Henry should fall further than number three in your fantasy like that. Henry was on pace for yards and twenty touchdowns last season. Yeah, that's only about pace. When you broke your foot. That is true. That's the big concern. Will he wear down but over his last thirty and they're not gonna be leading games as much potentially maybe not, maybe not. BLUs mileek will is gonna be running the football a lot, that's true. Other guys that really stood out to me on this realm of being a little over over Davante Adams, Like why would his numbers go up in Las Vegas with Derek Cartent whatever in way more competition and now he's like a top ten pick. Clyde Edward, Hilary, we're still doing this with Clyde Edwards get drafted super high. And then because because because fantasy guys draft on opportunity, even in May, and they see the opportunity. But it's like someone else will come on that team and take those carries, or someone already on the team will take this because he's not that great. But I didn't want to be all negative. So two guys that really intrigued me that we're way too goow was Jalen Waddle still has like a late fourth round pick. Oh man, he's gonna load up. Tyreko is gonna hurt him, will help him. And Hunter Renfro. Similarly, I think people are digging Hunter Renfro way in the middle of the seventh round when it's like, no, he's not going anywhere. That's the guy that knows Derek Carr the best, and he's gonna have more one a big flower to come all the way around on Hunter Renfro and now you're booking him for a hundred and eleven hundred. That was one of the worst um takes I've ever had, is dumping on Hunter Renfro was wrong. It was because you're white man with uh with receding hairline at one and again, Car and him have this thing, and early on he was forcing it, throwing him thirteen balls for like three for thirty three, and I was like, this is the worst playing football. But quick Car knew what he was doing. All right, that's it. Good stuff. Dean Stewart Rosenthal, He's gotta go with Dean Stewart at this point he could still make He was on a podcast recently. I should send the link out. What was I talking about? Experimental classical music? So you know, all our listeners, does he have does he sound like you do? Does it have that Rosenthal? No, he doesn't I gotta hear that. Think you've met him, Dan, I don't think never did multiple times? You have multiple times? Yeah, Well at the super Bowl at Pizza Um, they gathering in Los Angeles. Theywood they hit it off, you know how. Mark just like there's just some people that are Mark people. The Connor or who we had last year. Last there's a lot of Mark people, but there was some sort of like Mark definitely likes Dean more than me. I mean that is a projection. I don't like. I I found deemed to be enjoyable. They just stay in a quick conversation. They had a connection Mark. Dean's always asked, oh, what's up with that? Mark? I really like that? Also didn't Mark didn't deny. It's fine. I I just don't want Greg walking around thinking that I could like them equally, like they were my children. Greg and Dean's like whenever we have a guest on the show, and then after about twelve minutes of conversation, Marks like, who do you like the best of us? It's like going on again, who do you think's the best athlete of us? I'm gonna who do you like better? Deaner Greg? I liked them equally, who would you rather he's only talked to. I would rather do one with because I know, I know it's going to be a spent for you know, I was. We were in each other's presence for probably seven eight hours this weekend. Um, you've talked to Dean maybe for twenty minutes in your life. He's already tied. He's already tied. We talked a ton, Greg. It was a group conversation. Gregg told some fantastic stories about well, I'm not gonna get into it, but um, those are some good answers, some good non answers to the lamestream media. You did there, That's right, all right, We'll be back Thursday. Mark is heading on vacation. Enjoy yourself. Thank you, what are you doing? Will not be telling you. I thought you weren't gonna ask. I couldn't help myself until Thursday. Keep the call. S