It's a league fifteen to ten touched up sacks. Well, what's up, guys?

It's a league fifteen to ten touched up sacks. Well, what's up, guys?

Welcome into a brand new episode of Charges Weekly, as always, joined by Matt Muddy Spit Money.

Welcome into a brand new episode of Charges Weekly, as always, joined by Matt Muddy Spit Money.

Has been a while since you and I did this pod.

Has been a while since you and I did this pod.

I think Indy was our last stop together, and man, so much has transpired. You and Popper did a great episode of Charges Weekly last Thursday. A few hours later we get the news of Keenan Allen traded to the Chicago Bears, and I think that's probably the obvious starting point.

I think Indy was our last stop together, and man, so much has transpired. You and Popper did a great episode of Charges Weekly last Thursday. A few hours later we get the news of Keenan Allen traded to the Chicago Bears, and I think that's probably the obvious starting point.

Yeah, well, I think I'll start with I didn't know what happened to you. You know, I didn't know if one of those teams plucked you and stole you from us, because we were surrounded by the Raiders and the Titans and the Jags and the Texans and we're all getting all buddy buddy, and I was like, wow, maybe maybe Chris got an offer and he just ghosted us that little Irish good bye. Here in the Saint Patrick's day time.

Yeah, well, I think I'll start with I didn't know what happened to you. You know, I didn't know if one of those teams plucked you and stole you from us, because we were surrounded by the Raiders and the Titans and the Jags and the Texans and we're all getting all buddy buddy, and I was like, wow, maybe maybe Chris got an offer and he just ghosted us that little Irish good bye. Here in the Saint Patrick's day time.

This all the broad shoulder, you know, spring Christen for a pro day workout.

This all the broad shoulder, you know, spring Christen for a pro day workout.

Right, exactly right, But yeah, a huge thank you to lan Zerline did it two weeks ago. Coming out of the combine. They think Popper last week and great pods. Appreciate those guys for helping us out there for a couple of weeks, but you know, the Popper pod was great. We ended up doing like an hour and fifteen minutes and had sort of plotted a course and detailed a path for how we thought this thing was gonna work out with what little money they had, and yeah, about five to six hours later, that whole pod was Yeah, it was. It was a bummer, is what it was. Because it's not just the departure of Keenan, but it's the money. I mean, the fact that you're able to trade him. It's not that's the thing that people are, you know, Like I just posted the TV show I'd do with Lorenzo on Balley's that that airs for Believe, and and the title on there was sort of a little something about Keenan and stuff that we're going to get into here on the pod in a much more longer form conversation. But someone had wrote, well, with it was a second or a third, I would have felt better as opposed to a fourth. And it's like, well, don't don't look at it as a fourth look at it as a fourth and twenty four million dollars, Like someone took twenty four million dollars that's going to be paid to a thirty two year old receiver in the last year of his deal. And that's that's why, that's why Justin Fields could only fetch a sixth because he's in the last year and you either have to pick up that twenty five million dollar fifty year option or it's the last year. So that's I think it's important for people to remember the compensation is lower because the contract status, the amount of money, the thirty two year old age at the start of the season, like, there's so many things that go into it. So look at it as yes, the Bears not only gave the Chargers a fourth, but they took all twenty four million dollars off that cap and you know, well took the well technically thirty two million dollars, it's really twenty four of money that goes out, and so that's that's what the Chargers get back in return, is after they get thirty nine million dollars of relief with the restructures to Joey and Khalil, with the trading of Keenan, you take in the fourteen million dollar rookie pool as it's projected right now, if they stick with all of their picks and you've got twenty five million bucks to spend, you've got twenty five million bucks of maneuverability under the cap.

Right, exactly right, But yeah, a huge thank you to lan Zerline did it two weeks ago. Coming out of the combine. They think Popper last week and great pods. Appreciate those guys for helping us out there for a couple of weeks, but you know, the Popper pod was great. We ended up doing like an hour and fifteen minutes and had sort of plotted a course and detailed a path for how we thought this thing was gonna work out with what little money they had, and yeah, about five to six hours later, that whole pod was Yeah, it was. It was a bummer, is what it was. Because it's not just the departure of Keenan, but it's the money. I mean, the fact that you're able to trade him. It's not that's the thing that people are, you know, Like I just posted the TV show I'd do with Lorenzo on Balley's that that airs for Believe, and and the title on there was sort of a little something about Keenan and stuff that we're going to get into here on the pod in a much more longer form conversation. But someone had wrote, well, with it was a second or a third, I would have felt better as opposed to a fourth. And it's like, well, don't don't look at it as a fourth look at it as a fourth and twenty four million dollars, Like someone took twenty four million dollars that's going to be paid to a thirty two year old receiver in the last year of his deal. And that's that's why, that's why Justin Fields could only fetch a sixth because he's in the last year and you either have to pick up that twenty five million dollar fifty year option or it's the last year. So that's I think it's important for people to remember the compensation is lower because the contract status, the amount of money, the thirty two year old age at the start of the season, like, there's so many things that go into it. So look at it as yes, the Bears not only gave the Chargers a fourth, but they took all twenty four million dollars off that cap and you know, well took the well technically thirty two million dollars, it's really twenty four of money that goes out, and so that's that's what the Chargers get back in return, is after they get thirty nine million dollars of relief with the restructures to Joey and Khalil, with the trading of Keenan, you take in the fourteen million dollar rookie pool as it's projected right now, if they stick with all of their picks and you've got twenty five million bucks to spend, you've got twenty five million bucks of maneuverability under the cap.

Now, buddy, There's just a lot of emotion I think involved in this decision for Chargers fans, and I get it, keen It was the longest tenured Charger. You want to talk about, Maybe best Charger receiver of all time is a guy named Ye Bamby who's in the Hall of Fame. But what Keenan has done in this era, his consistency, some amazing epic games, whether in San Diego.

Now, buddy, There's just a lot of emotion I think involved in this decision for Chargers fans, and I get it, keen It was the longest tenured Charger. You want to talk about, Maybe best Charger receiver of all time is a guy named Ye Bamby who's in the Hall of Fame. But what Keenan has done in this era, his consistency, some amazing epic games, whether in San Diego.

Los Angeles.

Los Angeles.

I think Chargers fans wanted to see Keenan and Powder Blue for the rest of his career, and that's that's natural for every player that's beloved. So I see both sides. I both both sides were correct. Keenan was correct and saying I'm not going to take a pay cut coming off that season, and Joe Ortiz in the front office and Jim Harball, they have decisions to make that.

I think Chargers fans wanted to see Keenan and Powder Blue for the rest of his career, and that's that's natural for every player that's beloved. So I see both sides. I both both sides were correct. Keenan was correct and saying I'm not going to take a pay cut coming off that season, and Joe Ortiz in the front office and Jim Harball, they have decisions to make that.

Are directly related to the salary cap and.

Are directly related to the salary cap and.

Moving forward in a way where you are, you're a cap compliant, your cap is healthy, moving forward, and you were in a best position to win a Super Bowl here in the next couple of years. Could Keenan have done that? Absolutely? You know, Jim Harball name check Keenan Allen multiple times. But things changed. It comes down to financials, and I, like everybody else, uh gonna miss Keenan Allen in the Chargers uniform. But I one understand why this move needed to be made. And I just think it was a little bit surprising because we talked about the Big four all off season money and who are who are they going to be?

Moving forward in a way where you are, you're a cap compliant, your cap is healthy, moving forward, and you were in a best position to win a Super Bowl here in the next couple of years. Could Keenan have done that? Absolutely? You know, Jim Harball name check Keenan Allen multiple times. But things changed. It comes down to financials, and I, like everybody else, uh gonna miss Keenan Allen in the Chargers uniform. But I one understand why this move needed to be made. And I just think it was a little bit surprising because we talked about the Big four all off season money and who are who are they going to be?

Is it gonna be.

Is it gonna be.

One edge rusher and one wide receiver? I thought that, uh, we probably assumed that that was going to be the case. But the Charges elected to restructure. Joey and Khalil and then Mike and Keenan no longer on this team.

One edge rusher and one wide receiver? I thought that, uh, we probably assumed that that was going to be the case. But the Charges elected to restructure. Joey and Khalil and then Mike and Keenan no longer on this team.

So you put it perfectly, Chris, in terms of the you know, the King's got the right coming off in twelve games, one hundred and eight catches and eleven hundred yards, he was seven touchdowns. He's got the right to say I'm not taking a pay cut, But you go in knowing that when you say that, you're probably gone. You know, the second you take that stand, you're probably going to be out the door, because you can't. I think, in terms of what Joe Ortiz was faced with, you can't ask Khalil Mack to restructure coming off the year that he had and him be willing to do that and to help yes, say hey, we need to push in the same direction. I'm going to get you your money, We're going to convert some to signing bonus. But if you can help me out here, this is sort of what we need to do to execute our vision. And for Khalil coming off a career year, to say, all right, let's do it. You know, Joe's a different story because he hasn't been able to stay healthy. But the guy gave back seven million dollars, so he takes a huge haircut. And then to have Keenan come in and say no, nothing, it puts you in a tough spot with those two guys that already restructured, that already kind of put you in that position where well, it's hard for me and I will go back to Khalil Mack, who had that year last year and say, yeah, you know, here, here we are. And so I think to Keenanside, I think, you know, I think the second you take that position, you probably know that it's that it's going to be over. I don't think he was surprised one bit once he took, you know, the stance of I'm not taking a pay cut, that he was going to be moved. And I think for the Chargers that's a lot of money. And for people that are saying, well, you missed the first round of free agency. You could have got Calvin Ridley or one of these other receivers gave Davis to replace him, don't forget you've got to resign your own Seawn Slater's up for an extension. So think of that twenty four twenty five million bucks that you now have to spend. Well, now you can extend him, and you can use that last year of the rookie deal and the fifty year option and all of those things to lower the overall annual value by doing an extension. Right now, we know Rashaun Slater is going to be one of the top five, maybe top three, highest paid left tackles. And you saw what the offensive line market looked like this offseason it exploded. I mean, Robert Hunt got a one hundred million dollar deal of being an average guard. So I think this money is opposed to saying, you know, are we going to go sign Stefan Gilmour, Are we going to sign Xavi and Howard? Are we going to sign Isaiah Simmons? Are we going to sign you know? Don't think of it like that. I would probably think of it more in terms of, oh, this this very well could end up being extensions for Josh Palmer and or Shan Slater, and this is the money they needed to get the youth tied up at team friendly deals. So you can get that average annual value, you'd be a little bit lower, you know, and maybe get a bargain here. If you believe in Josh Palmer, which we've talked about repeatedly on this show.

So you put it perfectly, Chris, in terms of the you know, the King's got the right coming off in twelve games, one hundred and eight catches and eleven hundred yards, he was seven touchdowns. He's got the right to say I'm not taking a pay cut, But you go in knowing that when you say that, you're probably gone. You know, the second you take that stand, you're probably going to be out the door, because you can't. I think, in terms of what Joe Ortiz was faced with, you can't ask Khalil Mack to restructure coming off the year that he had and him be willing to do that and to help yes, say hey, we need to push in the same direction. I'm going to get you your money, We're going to convert some to signing bonus. But if you can help me out here, this is sort of what we need to do to execute our vision. And for Khalil coming off a career year, to say, all right, let's do it. You know, Joe's a different story because he hasn't been able to stay healthy. But the guy gave back seven million dollars, so he takes a huge haircut. And then to have Keenan come in and say no, nothing, it puts you in a tough spot with those two guys that already restructured, that already kind of put you in that position where well, it's hard for me and I will go back to Khalil Mack, who had that year last year and say, yeah, you know, here, here we are. And so I think to Keenanside, I think, you know, I think the second you take that position, you probably know that it's that it's going to be over. I don't think he was surprised one bit once he took, you know, the stance of I'm not taking a pay cut, that he was going to be moved. And I think for the Chargers that's a lot of money. And for people that are saying, well, you missed the first round of free agency. You could have got Calvin Ridley or one of these other receivers gave Davis to replace him, don't forget you've got to resign your own Seawn Slater's up for an extension. So think of that twenty four twenty five million bucks that you now have to spend. Well, now you can extend him, and you can use that last year of the rookie deal and the fifty year option and all of those things to lower the overall annual value by doing an extension. Right now, we know Rashaun Slater is going to be one of the top five, maybe top three, highest paid left tackles. And you saw what the offensive line market looked like this offseason it exploded. I mean, Robert Hunt got a one hundred million dollar deal of being an average guard. So I think this money is opposed to saying, you know, are we going to go sign Stefan Gilmour, Are we going to sign Xavi and Howard? Are we going to sign Isaiah Simmons? Are we going to sign you know? Don't think of it like that. I would probably think of it more in terms of, oh, this this very well could end up being extensions for Josh Palmer and or Shan Slater, and this is the money they needed to get the youth tied up at team friendly deals. So you can get that average annual value, you'd be a little bit lower, you know, and maybe get a bargain here. If you believe in Josh Palmer, which we've talked about repeatedly on this show.

I do. I believe in him.

I do. I believe in him.

Anytime that guy was asked to step in as a starter pretty much would put up a one hundred yard game, And I got no problem with trying to get him at a bargain rate, you know, considering what, like I said, those Calvin Ridley deals look like what these extensions have looked like in the wide receiver market. I'd love to get him at a lower number and lock him up for the next three four years.

Anytime that guy was asked to step in as a starter pretty much would put up a one hundred yard game, And I got no problem with trying to get him at a bargain rate, you know, considering what, like I said, those Calvin Ridley deals look like what these extensions have looked like in the wide receiver market. I'd love to get him at a lower number and lock him up for the next three four years.

So it's March twenty first, and I think, when fancy what the wide receiving room looks like right now, you get a little panic because you know Justin's top three weapons if you include Austin out the door, four weapons if you count Gerald Everett, Erald Everett.

So it's March twenty first, and I think, when fancy what the wide receiving room looks like right now, you get a little panic because you know Justin's top three weapons if you include Austin out the door, four weapons if you count Gerald Everett, Erald Everett.

But it's Mars twenty first.

But it's Mars twenty first.

Okay, And now that Mike is out and Keenan is out and the tight end room is remade, this.

Okay, And now that Mike is out and Keenan is out and the tight end room is remade, this.

Is this is a philosophical move.

Is this is a philosophical move.

I think two to get rid of these two wide receivers, no doubt, and also money. We talked at the combine so much about trading out of five, trading out of five, Well, guess what, there's three blue chip wide receivers and two, maybe three of them are gonna be staring at you at number five overall.

I think two to get rid of these two wide receivers, no doubt, and also money. We talked at the combine so much about trading out of five, trading out of five, Well, guess what, there's three blue chip wide receivers and two, maybe three of them are gonna be staring at you at number five overall.

So it gives.

So it gives.

Me a little bit of pause when it comes to trading out of five. Now, if Marvin Harrison Junior is there or Elik Neighbors, so you know a lot of people are saying Neighbors is the number one receiver in this draft, not Harrison.

Me a little bit of pause when it comes to trading out of five. Now, if Marvin Harrison Junior is there or Elik Neighbors, so you know a lot of people are saying Neighbors is the number one receiver in this draft, not Harrison.

Roma Dunza, who we've talked about.

Roma Dunza, who we've talked about.

It would give me pause to trade back more than three or four spots to ensure that I get one of those guys. And the last week, and this is why we always say free agency dictates a lot of what we see in the draft, and certainly this week has illustrated a lot of what the Chargers could do with that fifth overall pick.

It would give me pause to trade back more than three or four spots to ensure that I get one of those guys. And the last week, and this is why we always say free agency dictates a lot of what we see in the draft, and certainly this week has illustrated a lot of what the Chargers could do with that fifth overall pick.

Sure, so I'm gonna I'm gonna get into it. And we've done this, yeah, you know, repeatedly week after week. I feel like I'm you know, I feel like I'm sort of beating that that dead horse. And I don't mean to, but with the trade, it just seemed like there was this wave and I look and I get it, you know, I totally get it. But let's just look at the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Who's their number one wide receiver. It's not a wide receiver, it's tight end, you know, who's their who's their number two option. It's a running back, Isaiah Pacheco, you know, and those both of those players, it goes Patrick Mahomes defense. That's that's how the Chiefs just won a Super Bowl by having an incredible quarterback that's able to make plays. And then right behind Patrick Mahomes is Chris Jones, Nick Bolton, Trent McDuffie, the jerious snead. Like the defense carried the Chiefs this year, That's who carried them, the team that represented the NFC. It was not Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk.

Sure, so I'm gonna I'm gonna get into it. And we've done this, yeah, you know, repeatedly week after week. I feel like I'm you know, I feel like I'm sort of beating that that dead horse. And I don't mean to, but with the trade, it just seemed like there was this wave and I look and I get it, you know, I totally get it. But let's just look at the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Who's their number one wide receiver. It's not a wide receiver, it's tight end, you know, who's their who's their number two option. It's a running back, Isaiah Pacheco, you know, and those both of those players, it goes Patrick Mahomes defense. That's that's how the Chiefs just won a Super Bowl by having an incredible quarterback that's able to make plays. And then right behind Patrick Mahomes is Chris Jones, Nick Bolton, Trent McDuffie, the jerious snead. Like the defense carried the Chiefs this year, That's who carried them, the team that represented the NFC. It was not Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk.

It was a.

It was a.

Defense, you know, led by those two linebackers and Nick Bosa, you know, Greenlawn Warner and Nick Bosa upfront and Eric Armstead up front and Christian McCaffrey. That's what carried that offense. Do not lose sight of how Jim Harball wants to play football. Every single place he has been has not been spread it out and throw it around.

Defense, you know, led by those two linebackers and Nick Bosa, you know, Greenlawn Warner and Nick Bosa upfront and Eric Armstead up front and Christian McCaffrey. That's what carried that offense. Do not lose sight of how Jim Harball wants to play football. Every single place he has been has not been spread it out and throw it around.

You know what.

You know what.

The narrative surrounding JJ McCarthy this year is how little opportunity he had to showcase his ability because of how Jim Harball wanted to play football, because he wanted to run it with Blake Korum, because he wanted to lean on Jesse Minners defense, because he wanted to be incredibly physical and beat the hell out of his opponent, and it led to a national championship just because they traded Keenan Allen does not mean that all of a sudden, Jim Harbaugh is going to decide that he needs a blue chip wide receiver. That's just not how he plays football. It's not how it's not how he coaches football. And I think it's so important to remember he's he was a quarterback. It's not like Jim Harbaugh was a defensive end and defensive coordinator and he's coming into LA and like, I don't care about this. Justin Herbert, guy, We're gonna play David No, he's a quarterback. He knows what works, he has had success, he has had success with other quarterbacks and Jesse. You know, JJ McCarthy is is going to get drafted in the top five. You know, Minnesota does not trade for number twenty three in order to take somebody at eleven because they really thought there was going to be somebody else at twenty three. No, they have those two picks because they want to trade up in the draft. And maybe it's they feel like Drake Maya is slipping, which would be crazy. I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think maybe the I mean they're gonna go one, two, three, but maybe Carthy has has raised his hand enough that they they believe that they need to get up there to get him so so.

The narrative surrounding JJ McCarthy this year is how little opportunity he had to showcase his ability because of how Jim Harball wanted to play football, because he wanted to run it with Blake Korum, because he wanted to lean on Jesse Minners defense, because he wanted to be incredibly physical and beat the hell out of his opponent, and it led to a national championship just because they traded Keenan Allen does not mean that all of a sudden, Jim Harbaugh is going to decide that he needs a blue chip wide receiver. That's just not how he plays football. It's not how it's not how he coaches football. And I think it's so important to remember he's he was a quarterback. It's not like Jim Harbaugh was a defensive end and defensive coordinator and he's coming into LA and like, I don't care about this. Justin Herbert, guy, We're gonna play David No, he's a quarterback. He knows what works, he has had success, he has had success with other quarterbacks and Jesse. You know, JJ McCarthy is is going to get drafted in the top five. You know, Minnesota does not trade for number twenty three in order to take somebody at eleven because they really thought there was going to be somebody else at twenty three. No, they have those two picks because they want to trade up in the draft. And maybe it's they feel like Drake Maya is slipping, which would be crazy. I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think maybe the I mean they're gonna go one, two, three, but maybe Carthy has has raised his hand enough that they they believe that they need to get up there to get him so so.

Money for the sake of that conversation, the Chargers would have the number one overall pick of not quarterbacks. Right if we're we're saying Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake May JJ McCarthy, the Chargers are sitting pretty to take the best player on their board or a trade back.

Money for the sake of that conversation, the Chargers would have the number one overall pick of not quarterbacks. Right if we're we're saying Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake May JJ McCarthy, the Chargers are sitting pretty to take the best player on their board or a trade back.

And I think that's where it's going to be interesting, right, Chris, Like if if Marvin Harrison Junior is sitting there at number five.

And I think that's where it's going to be interesting, right, Chris, Like if if Marvin Harrison Junior is sitting there at number five.

Who didn't participate in his pro day by the.

Who didn't participate in his pro day by the.

Way, No, I think he's just like, whatever, I'm good, I don't care you got you know, I'll come to the teams or or maybe he even doesn't even care about that. Just like, here's the tape. I'm not playing these other games. You know, you have got three years of tape on me. Go watch it and decide whether or not you think I should be the number one pick or the number one hundred pick. But that's what I'm doing in this draft process. You can you can watch all of those games. It's available to you at all twenty two high end zone, back end zone. You can take whichever view you want and you can watch me play. And that's that's what I'm doing. And that's fine because the tape is incredible, you know. So there's there's a little bit of that going on this year in what these players are now. You know, this nil era of player is certainly approaching the draft considerably different than the elite players. Look, everybody else has got to play the game, but the top where Caleb wouldn't do the medicals and will release his medicals if he feels as though a team needs to see them outside of you know, if he goes to see the Bears and they say we're not trading out and we're taking you number one, then he's fine. He's like, whatever, all right, you're taking me number one.

Way, No, I think he's just like, whatever, I'm good, I don't care you got you know, I'll come to the teams or or maybe he even doesn't even care about that. Just like, here's the tape. I'm not playing these other games. You know, you have got three years of tape on me. Go watch it and decide whether or not you think I should be the number one pick or the number one hundred pick. But that's what I'm doing in this draft process. You can you can watch all of those games. It's available to you at all twenty two high end zone, back end zone. You can take whichever view you want and you can watch me play. And that's that's what I'm doing. And that's fine because the tape is incredible, you know. So there's there's a little bit of that going on this year in what these players are now. You know, this nil era of player is certainly approaching the draft considerably different than the elite players. Look, everybody else has got to play the game, but the top where Caleb wouldn't do the medicals and will release his medicals if he feels as though a team needs to see them outside of you know, if he goes to see the Bears and they say we're not trading out and we're taking you number one, then he's fine. He's like, whatever, all right, you're taking me number one.

I'm not.

I'm not.

No one else needs to see anything. Here's what I have. If that changes, then will adjust. And I almost feel like Marvin Harrison Junior's sort in that same boat. But that's that's why I think it's going to be important for fans, and it's going to be important for Joe Ortiz and Jim Harbor to craft their message, you know, knowing that you do have to serve the fans to some degree.

No one else needs to see anything. Here's what I have. If that changes, then will adjust. And I almost feel like Marvin Harrison Junior's sort in that same boat. But that's that's why I think it's going to be important for fans, and it's going to be important for Joe Ortiz and Jim Harbor to craft their message, you know, knowing that you do have to serve the fans to some degree.

Yes, they will be quiet if you win.

Yes, they will be quiet if you win.

But when when you have people that are respected in this business, that have Marvin Harrison Junior at number one or number two in terms of how what they view the talent as in this draft, it's gonna and you have a wide receiver room that is now you know, void of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. You're probably gonna have to answer some questions. But I think it's important to remember that maybe they just don't care because that's not what they value. They don't value that position like other teams do when it comes to winning football games. And it's always important to remember that. You know, right, Chris, who's like, who's building the team? Yeah, what do they place an emphasis on?

But when when you have people that are respected in this business, that have Marvin Harrison Junior at number one or number two in terms of how what they view the talent as in this draft, it's gonna and you have a wide receiver room that is now you know, void of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. You're probably gonna have to answer some questions. But I think it's important to remember that maybe they just don't care because that's not what they value. They don't value that position like other teams do when it comes to winning football games. And it's always important to remember that. You know, right, Chris, who's like, who's building the team? Yeah, what do they place an emphasis on?

Well, it's well for hardball too. I mean it starts in the trenches.

Well, it's well for hardball too. I mean it starts in the trenches.

And if if they can move back a few spots and a crew of pick get roma dunes, they let's say at nine or ten or whatever. The goal is to serve the fans through trying to win a Super Bowl, right, and and that's that's what I think. It's it's been tough. I think It's been kind of an emotional roller coaster for Charger fans because you've been so excited about seeing Jim Harball as the head coach, and you know, to see some of these players that you're accustomed to seeing in Powder Blue, and guys like Keenan and Mike who have been there for a long time and Austin it's it's probably a little jarring to see Keenan Allen excuse me a Caleb Walliams pro day wearing Bears colors. But the goal for Joe Orge's and Jim Harball is to win a super Bowl, not to go to the playoffs, not to win a playoff game.

And if if they can move back a few spots and a crew of pick get roma dunes, they let's say at nine or ten or whatever. The goal is to serve the fans through trying to win a Super Bowl, right, and and that's that's what I think. It's it's been tough. I think It's been kind of an emotional roller coaster for Charger fans because you've been so excited about seeing Jim Harball as the head coach, and you know, to see some of these players that you're accustomed to seeing in Powder Blue, and guys like Keenan and Mike who have been there for a long time and Austin it's it's probably a little jarring to see Keenan Allen excuse me a Caleb Walliams pro day wearing Bears colors. But the goal for Joe Orge's and Jim Harball is to win a super Bowl, not to go to the playoffs, not to win a playoff game.

It's to go to a super Bowl.

It's to go to a super Bowl.

And that requires an overhaul and a deconstruction. And this is part of the Deacon's instruction process. So whatever they do at five, whether they trade back, whether they get that blue chip wide receiver, I firmly believe that Joe Worthy's and Jim Harball are on the same page in terms of building this team. This is not going to be a one year project. This is going to be a sustained plan to make sure that Justin Herbert is in the playoffs as consistently as Patrick Mahomes is and that's what's been missing probably the last few years, Bunny.

And that requires an overhaul and a deconstruction. And this is part of the Deacon's instruction process. So whatever they do at five, whether they trade back, whether they get that blue chip wide receiver, I firmly believe that Joe Worthy's and Jim Harball are on the same page in terms of building this team. This is not going to be a one year project. This is going to be a sustained plan to make sure that Justin Herbert is in the playoffs as consistently as Patrick Mahomes is and that's what's been missing probably the last few years, Bunny.

Right, And that's like, that's one of the things that really hit me, like it truly hit me this week, is that all of these people in the media and so many fans that I've been interacting with, and I don't fault them, like I understand that, I understand, I get it. Justin Herbert is a unique talent, and you want to maximize his talents.

Right, And that's like, that's one of the things that really hit me, like it truly hit me this week, is that all of these people in the media and so many fans that I've been interacting with, and I don't fault them, like I understand that, I understand, I get it. Justin Herbert is a unique talent, and you want to maximize his talents.

As best as possible.

As best as possible.

But you have hired a he threw for five thousand yards in his rookie seat, Like, it's not like Justin Herbert had and had incredible seasons statistics, and they have not bore any fruit. There's not a single playoff win in any of those now. Conversely, Jim Harbaugh has been to back to back to back playoffs, has led to Ryan Day being on the hot seat at Olhio State has won a national championship, went to back to back NFC championships with the San Francisco forty nine ers, led Stanford to a twelve win season, San Diego to back to back eleven win seasons. Playing football a certain way, what do you want you want Herbert to have a five thousand yard season and a number one receiver, or do you want to put your faith in the guy that has built something a certain way every stop where he has been and trust him, like, Hey, this is how I think we need to play football and win football. This is my philosophy, and this is how we're gonna play it.

But you have hired a he threw for five thousand yards in his rookie seat, Like, it's not like Justin Herbert had and had incredible seasons statistics, and they have not bore any fruit. There's not a single playoff win in any of those now. Conversely, Jim Harbaugh has been to back to back to back playoffs, has led to Ryan Day being on the hot seat at Olhio State has won a national championship, went to back to back NFC championships with the San Francisco forty nine ers, led Stanford to a twelve win season, San Diego to back to back eleven win seasons. Playing football a certain way, what do you want you want Herbert to have a five thousand yard season and a number one receiver, or do you want to put your faith in the guy that has built something a certain way every stop where he has been and trust him, like, Hey, this is how I think we need to play football and win football. This is my philosophy, and this is how we're gonna play it.

Like to me, let's try that. Let's try it this way.

Like to me, let's try that. Let's try it this way.

Let's see if the guy who's done it everywhere he's been is onto something here about how he wants to play football. And if that means even if that means Chris no Roma Dunze, even if that means they still take the tackle at eleven if and look, I don't know if that's going to be available. I think you look at what Austoin you know Mossi did in Arizona last year when they had the number three pick, and he trades back and then he trades up. You know, he trades back so the Texans can take will Anderson. And then he trades up with Detroit so he can still get his offensive tackle, you know in Uh, so he can still get his Paris Johnson. So he goes from three to I think twelve and then twelve to six, and he just maneuvered the board masterfully last year. And now I'm looking at the full list of Arizona picks this year for twenty seven thirty five, sixty six seventy one ninety one hundred four. That is seven picks in the top one hundred four. And you got a defensive head coach that gave teams as much as they could handle, and a lot of those games last year with very little talent on that defensive side of the ball. Like, I don't see why he's like, yeah, we got to go get Marvin Harrison. No, I think he'll be like, whatever, man, give me eleven, twenty three, twenty seven, thirty five. We're gonna restock this defense. Everybody is focused on these tackles and this offensive line, and I'm gonna go out and get the d end, the dtackle, the corner, the number, Like, I'm just gonna go load up on defense and stock that side of the ball with all of these picks, like I and give it to Jonathan Gannon like I could totally see him doing that instead of taking you know, Marvin Harrison at four. So I don't know if the Chargers are gonna have, Like what I'm saying is, I don't I don't know if they're gonna have eleven and twenty three available, you know what I mean?

Let's see if the guy who's done it everywhere he's been is onto something here about how he wants to play football. And if that means even if that means Chris no Roma Dunze, even if that means they still take the tackle at eleven if and look, I don't know if that's going to be available. I think you look at what Austoin you know Mossi did in Arizona last year when they had the number three pick, and he trades back and then he trades up. You know, he trades back so the Texans can take will Anderson. And then he trades up with Detroit so he can still get his offensive tackle, you know in Uh, so he can still get his Paris Johnson. So he goes from three to I think twelve and then twelve to six, and he just maneuvered the board masterfully last year. And now I'm looking at the full list of Arizona picks this year for twenty seven thirty five, sixty six seventy one ninety one hundred four. That is seven picks in the top one hundred four. And you got a defensive head coach that gave teams as much as they could handle, and a lot of those games last year with very little talent on that defensive side of the ball. Like, I don't see why he's like, yeah, we got to go get Marvin Harrison. No, I think he'll be like, whatever, man, give me eleven, twenty three, twenty seven, thirty five. We're gonna restock this defense. Everybody is focused on these tackles and this offensive line, and I'm gonna go out and get the d end, the dtackle, the corner, the number, Like, I'm just gonna go load up on defense and stock that side of the ball with all of these picks, like I and give it to Jonathan Gannon like I could totally see him doing that instead of taking you know, Marvin Harrison at four. So I don't know if the Chargers are gonna have, Like what I'm saying is, I don't I don't know if they're gonna have eleven and twenty three available, you know what I mean?

Yeah, so money, what about the takeaways of the combine? What do we hear? Wide receivers loaded? Wide receiver is freaking loaded from top to bottom in this draft. So if you don't get those three top guys, who's to say that the Chargers don't have Brian Thomas on their board just to tick below right, or Roman Wilson from Michigan just to tick below that Jim Harbo's familiar with. There are so many guys that you can get in later rounds that can really produce for Justin Herbert being the quarterback. And I just I want to just throw caution to everybody that because the wide receiver room looks like it does now, doesn't mean that's going to look like that in September. Doesn't mean trades aren't still going to be in the works, doesn't mean that you're not going to add a veteran free agent right now. Doesn't mean that you're not going.

Yeah, so money, what about the takeaways of the combine? What do we hear? Wide receivers loaded? Wide receiver is freaking loaded from top to bottom in this draft. So if you don't get those three top guys, who's to say that the Chargers don't have Brian Thomas on their board just to tick below right, or Roman Wilson from Michigan just to tick below that Jim Harbo's familiar with. There are so many guys that you can get in later rounds that can really produce for Justin Herbert being the quarterback. And I just I want to just throw caution to everybody that because the wide receiver room looks like it does now, doesn't mean that's going to look like that in September. Doesn't mean trades aren't still going to be in the works, doesn't mean that you're not going to add a veteran free agent right now. Doesn't mean that you're not going.

To draft a a top quality wide receiver.

To draft a a top quality wide receiver.

And you've mentioned the fact that getting these guys on rookie deals is gold.

And you've mentioned the fact that getting these guys on rookie deals is gold.

Right.

Right.

Justin Jeffson is about to get thirty three million dollars, so if you can get let's just put Keenan Allen in the potential of a Molik Neighbors in his rookie year side by side.

Justin Jeffson is about to get thirty three million dollars, so if you can get let's just put Keenan Allen in the potential of a Molik Neighbors in his rookie year side by side.

Keenan is Keenan, right. We know he's a proven commodity.

Keenan is Keenan, right. We know he's a proven commodity.

But if Molik Neighbors can do something similar to what Justin Jefferson or Jamar Chase did their rookie year with Justin Herbert as your quarterback, you got a guy who's blowing it up for a fraction of the costs. So it's all about business too. Like the emotion of this and seeing guys that you used to seeing in a charger's uniform, you have to kind of put that aside and compartmentalize that rather and understand that there's a business to this and there's a method to all the madness to set this team up for long term success.

But if Molik Neighbors can do something similar to what Justin Jefferson or Jamar Chase did their rookie year with Justin Herbert as your quarterback, you got a guy who's blowing it up for a fraction of the costs. So it's all about business too. Like the emotion of this and seeing guys that you used to seeing in a charger's uniform, you have to kind of put that aside and compartmentalize that rather and understand that there's a business to this and there's a method to all the madness to set this team up for long term success.

Yeah, it's funny, so I'm gonna steal this from Joel Klatt, but it's also something that we've been talking about. So be sure you go check out Joels and we'll have to get him on the Pott He's great, obviously, And look, he's done all these Michigan games. He's sat in a room production meeting with Jim Harbaugh god knows how many times because they're doing big noon and he's the lead analyst. But Joel made the point that we've been making that I've been making, you know, over the start of this podcast, but I feel like we've been discussing for the last two months.

Yeah, it's funny, so I'm gonna steal this from Joel Klatt, but it's also something that we've been talking about. So be sure you go check out Joels and we'll have to get him on the Pott He's great, obviously, And look, he's done all these Michigan games. He's sat in a room production meeting with Jim Harbaugh god knows how many times because they're doing big noon and he's the lead analyst. But Joel made the point that we've been making that I've been making, you know, over the start of this podcast, but I feel like we've been discussing for the last two months.

In his mock.

In his mock.

Draft, so he's got the Chargers trading back with the Vikings, the Vikings get their quarterback and JJ McCarthy and he's like at eleven and he's still got elite neighbors on his board. But at eleven, who does he draft brock Bauers. He's like, Jim Harbaugh's is not a wide receiver guy. Jim Harbaugh is a tight end guy. He likes on his offense. He likes the conundrum and the confusion that a player like that makes, much more so than a number one receiver. And he's talking about you know, and and in his his pot he's like, look, I gave him Bowers at five, even though it was Rich.

Draft, so he's got the Chargers trading back with the Vikings, the Vikings get their quarterback and JJ McCarthy and he's like at eleven and he's still got elite neighbors on his board. But at eleven, who does he draft brock Bauers. He's like, Jim Harbaugh's is not a wide receiver guy. Jim Harbaugh is a tight end guy. He likes on his offense. He likes the conundrum and the confusion that a player like that makes, much more so than a number one receiver. And he's talking about you know, and and in his his pot he's like, look, I gave him Bowers at five, even though it was Rich.

I'm like, this is Harbaugh's guy.

I'm like, this is Harbaugh's guy.

He has built for what Harbaugh wants to do and knowing what you know what Justin Herbert is capable of doing. And I think it's so important to put it into the context of I think there's two ways you can frame it. One Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes. Once they got rid of Tyreek Hill, that wide receiver went out, but they still, like think about it, they still had Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes. That was still the ultimate mismatch. The teams did not have an answer for it. So think of it through that lens. Justin Herbert brock Bauer's equals Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelcey, Andy Reid is still capable of creating conflict with that matchup, even though he doesn't have a number one wide receiver. So you want that clearly, that's something that has value in the league because they've been able to do it in Kansas City for the last seven years. You know, with Travis Kelsey, he's been the straw that stirs the drink, not Tyreek Hill when it comes to what Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have used to totally bust teams defenses up. So you've got that. The other side of that is just everywhere that he's been, everywhere Jim Harbaugh has been, it has not been a number one ride receiver. But there have been the tight ends. You know, there have been the Kobe Fleeeners, the Vernon Davis. Now look I and and you know in San Francisco it was Vernon Davis Jake Butt at Michigan before he had all the injuries that derailed his NFL career to some degree, Like that's what it's been. It hasn't been you know, it hasn't been wide receiver quarterback. It's been tight end quarterback. So maybe don't think so much about the the you know, the outside receiver as oh, here's an interesting weapon. And if we can trade back and like DJ hashim trading back with with the Jets for Fuaga the tackle and which which I love, by the way, one hundred percent. You know, go get the tackle, four to five the line, get that thing settled for the next ten years. You know, to me, that makes sense as well. So I think there's a lot of different ways you can go about it. But you know, and in terms of DJ's mock draft, look, I'm not going to push back on him. That guy's forgotten. You know has forgotten more football than I'll ever know. But I need I need pretty much like he said. So I think he had them trading back to ten and picking up the Jets' second rounder next year, because that's what the Jimmy Johnson chart shows. That chart's going to need to be crumpled up and thrown out because just because the money has changed so much from when that chart was built. And if you're trading up to get a wide receiver at five that you're now going to have cost control on for five years, knowing what these contracts look like, if you're you know you, the Vikings get Justin Jefferson at twenty two at at a million bucks a year for all of these like, it's just worth more. I'm sorry, it is worth more than what that chart dictates because of how much money you're saving for these blue chip players. So if I'm giving up five, I need a heck of a lot more than next year's number two from a team that now has Aaron Rodgers and Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. And you're gonna get sorry, I need more than the number two and twenty twenty five, you're giving me your one next year?

He has built for what Harbaugh wants to do and knowing what you know what Justin Herbert is capable of doing. And I think it's so important to put it into the context of I think there's two ways you can frame it. One Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes. Once they got rid of Tyreek Hill, that wide receiver went out, but they still, like think about it, they still had Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes. That was still the ultimate mismatch. The teams did not have an answer for it. So think of it through that lens. Justin Herbert brock Bauer's equals Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelcey, Andy Reid is still capable of creating conflict with that matchup, even though he doesn't have a number one wide receiver. So you want that clearly, that's something that has value in the league because they've been able to do it in Kansas City for the last seven years. You know, with Travis Kelsey, he's been the straw that stirs the drink, not Tyreek Hill when it comes to what Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have used to totally bust teams defenses up. So you've got that. The other side of that is just everywhere that he's been, everywhere Jim Harbaugh has been, it has not been a number one ride receiver. But there have been the tight ends. You know, there have been the Kobe Fleeeners, the Vernon Davis. Now look I and and you know in San Francisco it was Vernon Davis Jake Butt at Michigan before he had all the injuries that derailed his NFL career to some degree, Like that's what it's been. It hasn't been you know, it hasn't been wide receiver quarterback. It's been tight end quarterback. So maybe don't think so much about the the you know, the outside receiver as oh, here's an interesting weapon. And if we can trade back and like DJ hashim trading back with with the Jets for Fuaga the tackle and which which I love, by the way, one hundred percent. You know, go get the tackle, four to five the line, get that thing settled for the next ten years. You know, to me, that makes sense as well. So I think there's a lot of different ways you can go about it. But you know, and in terms of DJ's mock draft, look, I'm not going to push back on him. That guy's forgotten. You know has forgotten more football than I'll ever know. But I need I need pretty much like he said. So I think he had them trading back to ten and picking up the Jets' second rounder next year, because that's what the Jimmy Johnson chart shows. That chart's going to need to be crumpled up and thrown out because just because the money has changed so much from when that chart was built. And if you're trading up to get a wide receiver at five that you're now going to have cost control on for five years, knowing what these contracts look like, if you're you know you, the Vikings get Justin Jefferson at twenty two at at a million bucks a year for all of these like, it's just worth more. I'm sorry, it is worth more than what that chart dictates because of how much money you're saving for these blue chip players. So if I'm giving up five, I need a heck of a lot more than next year's number two from a team that now has Aaron Rodgers and Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. And you're gonna get sorry, I need more than the number two and twenty twenty five, you're giving me your one next year?

If you want to do that money.

If you want to do that money.

So that's what I was just gonna say.

So that's what I was just gonna say.

What's funny about that that mock draft, it was, it was chaos. The Jets took a receiver at five. I think later that day Mike Williams signed.

What's funny about that that mock draft, it was, it was chaos. The Jets took a receiver at five. I think later that day Mike Williams signed.

Right the Jets right.

Right the Jets right.

So exactly, we have so much draft stuff to digest, and I really want to over the next month to really dig in on these titands because like we'll talk about Disley and Hayden Hurst in that room and what a brock Bowers could mean to that room. But just to put a pin in some of the guys who have left as the voice of the Chargers made You've You've called some amazing games.

So exactly, we have so much draft stuff to digest, and I really want to over the next month to really dig in on these titands because like we'll talk about Disley and Hayden Hurst in that room and what a brock Bowers could mean to that room. But just to put a pin in some of the guys who have left as the voice of the Chargers made You've You've called some amazing games.

I just I remember my favorite call.

I just I remember my favorite call.

I always tell you it's the Kansas City call with Mike Williams, the two point conversion, just countless cannon games. I remember the one in twenty eighteen Pittsburgh and where he had a million catches to come back and beat Pittsburgh on the road a couple of years ago in Philly, just money on third down.

I always tell you it's the Kansas City call with Mike Williams, the two point conversion, just countless cannon games. I remember the one in twenty eighteen Pittsburgh and where he had a million catches to come back and beat Pittsburgh on the road a couple of years ago in Philly, just money on third down.

That Minnesota game this.

That Minnesota game this.

Year, just maybe I just kind of reflect on some of the guys, you know, I give Austin a lot of credit for what he did here. You know, an undrafted free agent in twenty seventeen worked his way up to a role and it was a big part of this community. Michael Davis same year, twenty seventeen, undrafted free agent. But those guys go to Washington.

Year, just maybe I just kind of reflect on some of the guys, you know, I give Austin a lot of credit for what he did here. You know, an undrafted free agent in twenty seventeen worked his way up to a role and it was a big part of this community. Michael Davis same year, twenty seventeen, undrafted free agent. But those guys go to Washington.

So anything you.

So anything you.

Want to say about the guys who left, who I know you have personal relationships with and you got to call some amazing games.

Want to say about the guys who left, who I know you have personal relationships with and you got to call some amazing games.

Yes's look, that's the sad part of it, right is you know, selfishly, the idea that when their number gets retired or they are inducted into the Charger Hall of Fame, that those are the calls that are going to be played on the on the big scoreboard, it's gonna be my voice. And like, yeah, selfishly, it's a bummer, you know that that Now some of that is adjusted a little bit because they're gonna be because Keenan's gonna wear a bear uniform and and Mike Williams is likely gonna wear a jet in probably another uniform after that would be my guess and Sae with Keenan, you know, perhaps after that, so it it it dilutes it a little bit, but you're just thankful for the moments that those guys delivered for you, that that they gave you to. All I'm doing is describing what I see in front of me. They're the ones that do all the hard work to make it happen. But yeah, I'm gonna miss it. I'm mean, we just had it with the Minnesota game with Keenan and a double pass to Mike Williams in that game. No less, you know that those those moments are are gone, and it's it's a it's yeah, it's it's certainly bittersweet. And I think for me having you know, having worked with the Lakers and you worked there as as well, Chris, so you know, like I watched some trade shack, you know, Shaquille O'Neill. So that just sets the tone, you know, for for anything else moving forward. Ladanian Tomlinson was a Jet for a while, like Philip Rivers was a cult for a couple of years.

Yes's look, that's the sad part of it, right is you know, selfishly, the idea that when their number gets retired or they are inducted into the Charger Hall of Fame, that those are the calls that are going to be played on the on the big scoreboard, it's gonna be my voice. And like, yeah, selfishly, it's a bummer, you know that that Now some of that is adjusted a little bit because they're gonna be because Keenan's gonna wear a bear uniform and and Mike Williams is likely gonna wear a jet in probably another uniform after that would be my guess and Sae with Keenan, you know, perhaps after that, so it it it dilutes it a little bit, but you're just thankful for the moments that those guys delivered for you, that that they gave you to. All I'm doing is describing what I see in front of me. They're the ones that do all the hard work to make it happen. But yeah, I'm gonna miss it. I'm mean, we just had it with the Minnesota game with Keenan and a double pass to Mike Williams in that game. No less, you know that those those moments are are gone, and it's it's a it's yeah, it's it's certainly bittersweet. And I think for me having you know, having worked with the Lakers and you worked there as as well, Chris, so you know, like I watched some trade shack, you know, Shaquille O'Neill. So that just sets the tone, you know, for for anything else moving forward. Ladanian Tomlinson was a Jet for a while, like Philip Rivers was a cult for a couple of years.

Like it happened.

Like it happened.

It's and it's not like it's limited to the to the Chargers. I mean, Aaron Rodgers is a jet. He is not a packer.

It's and it's not like it's limited to the to the Chargers. I mean, Aaron Rodgers is a jet. He is not a packer.

He is.

He is.

Montana was a chief, you know, like yeah, that's Jerry Rice was a Bronco. You know, it was a raider like that, Like, you know, there's there's weird stuff that that that happens. You know, Roger Craig was a chief. So yeah, it's it's it's the nature of this game where it is very hard. Very few people, you know, very few players are able to sustain later in their careers, and that makes it tough for teams. You don't want to play. You don't want to pay the player for what he did. You want to pay him for what he's going to do. And it's it's a harsh reality. You can you can get away with it a little bit in the other sports because they have soft caps.

Montana was a chief, you know, like yeah, that's Jerry Rice was a Bronco. You know, it was a raider like that, Like, you know, there's there's weird stuff that that that happens. You know, Roger Craig was a chief. So yeah, it's it's it's the nature of this game where it is very hard. Very few people, you know, very few players are able to sustain later in their careers, and that makes it tough for teams. You don't want to play. You don't want to pay the player for what he did. You want to pay him for what he's going to do. And it's it's a harsh reality. You can you can get away with it a little bit in the other sports because they have soft caps.

The NFL does not.

The NFL does not.

The NFL has a hard salary cap, and it makes it a little bit harder to keep those players around for sentimental reasons. But for I don't want people to think that I'm you know that I just don't care. Like whatever Keenan's gone, who cares? No, of course, I want, you know, the captain, like I would love making those calls like it's a you know, and I so yes, I'm I'm bummed, But at the same time, I am ready. Since twenty seventeen, I've been able to call two playoffs, and in those two playoffs there have been three games and one win. So I think the individual players, the individual calls will always be trumped by the playoff moments and the big plays in the postseason that lead to the divisional round, to the championship round, to a super Bowl, to a championship if when they hired these two people, I want to just again remind the folks listening to the pod. Hey, let's not forget how adamant you were about Harbaugh and no one else it was. It was Jim Harbaugh and nobody else in the coaching search. This is what you wanted. This is what you signed up for like this. You didn't just sign up for the name and the guy who's quirky and fun, and you signed up for the wins. That's what you signed up for. And this is how he believes you win football games. The way that this team is being built and Jesse Minter needs to have that that pass rush. So they got Joey Bosa back and they're going to connect him with Ben Herbert and see if there's some special sauce there. We're going to put you in our strength and conditioning program. You're not going back to Florida. The guy that you've been using has watched you get hurt every season of your career. So let's get with our guy and let's see if we can figure this out and make sure you continue to make tens of millions of dollars every year because you have the talent. Unfortunately, your body is betraying you a little bit. So let's see if we can fix that. And I'm sure that's probably something that Joey thought about, you know, like, hey, I could you know they're going to give me an opportunity.

The NFL has a hard salary cap, and it makes it a little bit harder to keep those players around for sentimental reasons. But for I don't want people to think that I'm you know that I just don't care. Like whatever Keenan's gone, who cares? No, of course, I want, you know, the captain, like I would love making those calls like it's a you know, and I so yes, I'm I'm bummed, But at the same time, I am ready. Since twenty seventeen, I've been able to call two playoffs, and in those two playoffs there have been three games and one win. So I think the individual players, the individual calls will always be trumped by the playoff moments and the big plays in the postseason that lead to the divisional round, to the championship round, to a super Bowl, to a championship if when they hired these two people, I want to just again remind the folks listening to the pod. Hey, let's not forget how adamant you were about Harbaugh and no one else it was. It was Jim Harbaugh and nobody else in the coaching search. This is what you wanted. This is what you signed up for like this. You didn't just sign up for the name and the guy who's quirky and fun, and you signed up for the wins. That's what you signed up for. And this is how he believes you win football games. The way that this team is being built and Jesse Minter needs to have that that pass rush. So they got Joey Bosa back and they're going to connect him with Ben Herbert and see if there's some special sauce there. We're going to put you in our strength and conditioning program. You're not going back to Florida. The guy that you've been using has watched you get hurt every season of your career. So let's get with our guy and let's see if we can figure this out and make sure you continue to make tens of millions of dollars every year because you have the talent. Unfortunately, your body is betraying you a little bit. So let's see if we can fix that. And I'm sure that's probably something that Joey thought about, you know, like, hey, I could you know they're going to give me an opportunity.

To stay here.

To stay here.

Let's see if this guy who's been able to put all of these players in the NFL and make them a lot of money. You know that we talk about a Jabo who had, you know, obviously the broken leg, which is why he didn't go in the first round, but quitd he Pay and Aiden Hutchinson and you know, these defensive ends. Let's let's see if I can get some of that special sauce that Ben Herbert's got going and next thing, you know, bounce back here for Joey has a hear like Khalil has, and you put him and I think That's the other thing about bringing back Joey is again he's got to stay healthy and Khalil's got to produce it age thirty three as opposed to age thirty two. But we remember it was such a sliver of time, Chris. But we remember what it looked like when Tuley, Joey and Khalil were on the field together, and it was madness, it was mayhem, it was domination. And so I'm sure that's what Joe and Jim and Jesse saw, like, Hey, you know what.

Let's see if this guy who's been able to put all of these players in the NFL and make them a lot of money. You know that we talk about a Jabo who had, you know, obviously the broken leg, which is why he didn't go in the first round, but quitd he Pay and Aiden Hutchinson and you know, these defensive ends. Let's let's see if I can get some of that special sauce that Ben Herbert's got going and next thing, you know, bounce back here for Joey has a hear like Khalil has, and you put him and I think That's the other thing about bringing back Joey is again he's got to stay healthy and Khalil's got to produce it age thirty three as opposed to age thirty two. But we remember it was such a sliver of time, Chris. But we remember what it looked like when Tuley, Joey and Khalil were on the field together, and it was madness, it was mayhem, it was domination. And so I'm sure that's what Joe and Jim and Jesse saw, like, Hey, you know what.

Let's see if we can do it.

Let's see if we can do it.

Let's just let's let's roll the dice and see if we can get these three guys on the field. Because in what Minter likes to do, where you have no idea where it's coming from, you know, and it's typically five maybe six guys on the line of scrimmage and this guy's dropping out and this guy's coming and you had no idea that this corner was set up up to run with the wide receiver downfield. But now he's in the flat blowing up your running back that you did not know was going to happen. Like I think that's the way they look at is we can really put an offense and conflict with those three guys on the field at the same time, you.

Let's just let's let's roll the dice and see if we can get these three guys on the field. Because in what Minter likes to do, where you have no idea where it's coming from, you know, and it's typically five maybe six guys on the line of scrimmage and this guy's dropping out and this guy's coming and you had no idea that this corner was set up up to run with the wide receiver downfield. But now he's in the flat blowing up your running back that you did not know was going to happen. Like I think that's the way they look at is we can really put an offense and conflict with those three guys on the field at the same time, you.

Play the odds for Joey. He's due for a healthy year. I mean, he is due for a healthy year. And you said it man like this, Jim Harball, this is what you signed up for. You signed up for wins. And he has won at every level doing it this way. And we are right at the beginning stages of all this.

Play the odds for Joey. He's due for a healthy year. I mean, he is due for a healthy year. And you said it man like this, Jim Harball, this is what you signed up for. You signed up for wins. And he has won at every level doing it this way. And we are right at the beginning stages of all this.

The NFL.

The NFL.

The turnover in the NFL is remarkable every single year. And speaking of turnover, I just want to touch on some of these guys. We can get into these guys excuse me a little bit more next week, but I really want to spend a lot of a lot of time on Keenan and Mike and some of the guys who have met a loze of.

The turnover in the NFL is remarkable every single year. And speaking of turnover, I just want to touch on some of these guys. We can get into these guys excuse me a little bit more next week, but I really want to spend a lot of a lot of time on Keenan and Mike and some of the guys who have met a loze of.

This organization who are in new places. But I mean, you're.

This organization who are in new places. But I mean, you're.

Already seeing kind of the identity that Jim Harball and company want to play with offensively, bringing Gus Edwards a hammer right, Bradley Boseman looking like a potential starting center at least for twenty twenty four. Oh yeah, pot a Ford on the defensive side. Just the tight ends room that we talked about Disley and Hayden Hurst. You are slowly starting to see what Jim Harbaugh wants to accomplish, and we have not even really hit that second third wave of free agency and trades and obviously having a lot of picks in the draft.

Already seeing kind of the identity that Jim Harball and company want to play with offensively, bringing Gus Edwards a hammer right, Bradley Boseman looking like a potential starting center at least for twenty twenty four. Oh yeah, pot a Ford on the defensive side. Just the tight ends room that we talked about Disley and Hayden Hurst. You are slowly starting to see what Jim Harbaugh wants to accomplish, and we have not even really hit that second third wave of free agency and trades and obviously having a lot of picks in the draft.

Money.

Money.

Yeah, and I think you know so much of it too is compensatories, signing guys that aren't going to affect your compensatory selections for next year. We've talked about how many picks do we think Geordie's would like to have in this draft? We at least at nine. Now we said double digits. He's going to get there, and he's going to get to ten or eleven. You know, he's already at nine with the Keenan trade and the extra fourth and the compensatory for Drew the extra seventh, so they had seven.

Yeah, and I think you know so much of it too is compensatories, signing guys that aren't going to affect your compensatory selections for next year. We've talked about how many picks do we think Geordie's would like to have in this draft? We at least at nine. Now we said double digits. He's going to get there, and he's going to get to ten or eleven. You know, he's already at nine with the Keenan trade and the extra fourth and the compensatory for Drew the extra seventh, so they had seven.

That was eight.

That was eight.

Now he's got nine. I think he wants to get to ten, and I would that's what he wants moving forward. He's gonna want ten draft picks moving forward. So a lot of these signings are part of the whole compensate. Now Denzel counted against them, but the Michael Thomas thing balanced that out. Bradley Boseman was cut by the Panthers, so that does not play into the compensatory formula. There you go, there's your starting center and it's someone that obviously they drafted in Baltimore, loved in Baltimore. Let walk in free agency for part of that compensatory pick formula because he signed a big money deal with the Panthers and I think they had probably ended up getting a fourth or something like that for him. So don't forget that. There's that level. That's that's part of the operation in free agency is they would prefer to sign guys that had been cut as opposed to guys that are walking in Cowda Kent's compensatory picks. The one the one that I'm sort of it. There's two names that I'm really interested in in free agency, and I'll just put them out there, and I get it there could be an expiration date on it. So you know what, let me just let me just go into the old vredzone dot com here, you know, quick, just to make.

Now he's got nine. I think he wants to get to ten, and I would that's what he wants moving forward. He's gonna want ten draft picks moving forward. So a lot of these signings are part of the whole compensate. Now Denzel counted against them, but the Michael Thomas thing balanced that out. Bradley Boseman was cut by the Panthers, so that does not play into the compensatory formula. There you go, there's your starting center and it's someone that obviously they drafted in Baltimore, loved in Baltimore. Let walk in free agency for part of that compensatory pick formula because he signed a big money deal with the Panthers and I think they had probably ended up getting a fourth or something like that for him. So don't forget that. There's that level. That's that's part of the operation in free agency is they would prefer to sign guys that had been cut as opposed to guys that are walking in Cowda Kent's compensatory picks. The one the one that I'm sort of it. There's two names that I'm really interested in in free agency, and I'll just put them out there, and I get it there could be an expiration date on it. So you know what, let me just let me just go into the old vredzone dot com here, you know, quick, just to make.

Sure kick Twitter real time, to make sure that this isn't going to be dated.

Sure kick Twitter real time, to make sure that this isn't going to be dated.

H Well, it's interesting because here's one of the names at the top and the entering diversion in Keys has been accepted into a pre trial diversion program help him avoid trial stemming from his arrest last fall sil battery.

H Well, it's interesting because here's one of the names at the top and the entering diversion in Keys has been accepted into a pre trial diversion program help him avoid trial stemming from his arrest last fall sil battery.

So what do we talk about with Keenan?

So what do we talk about with Keenan?

It's catches, It's receptions, right, He's got the most sixteen reception games, He's got the most fifteen reception games. He's got the most fourteen reception games. Who's the other guy in the league that piles up receptions? Just piles him up over and over and over again and has been derailed by injury, and you got to roll the dice that he's going to be healthy. And he's got a little bit of an off field thing going right now, which is probably why he hasn't been signed yet. You know, it was he got into a he got into an issue with a construction worker that parked his truck in front of his house and Michael Thomas got all pissed at him and kept asking him to move and slap the phone out of his hand, and you know, it's it's one of those things, right, It's not like he beat the snot out of a guy. It was he got into an argument and threw his phone and they got to figure that out. Michael Thomas had like one hundred and thirty catches and here he's a big guy that operated a ton out of the slot for Sean Payton.

It's catches, It's receptions, right, He's got the most sixteen reception games, He's got the most fifteen reception games. He's got the most fourteen reception games. Who's the other guy in the league that piles up receptions? Just piles him up over and over and over again and has been derailed by injury, and you got to roll the dice that he's going to be healthy. And he's got a little bit of an off field thing going right now, which is probably why he hasn't been signed yet. You know, it was he got into a he got into an issue with a construction worker that parked his truck in front of his house and Michael Thomas got all pissed at him and kept asking him to move and slap the phone out of his hand, and you know, it's it's one of those things, right, It's not like he beat the snot out of a guy. It was he got into an argument and threw his phone and they got to figure that out. Michael Thomas had like one hundred and thirty catches and here he's a big guy that operated a ton out of the slot for Sean Payton.

Sound familiar. Well, also sound familiar.

Sound familiar. Well, also sound familiar.

A guy that Jim Harbaugh played against at the Ohio State as well.

A guy that Jim Harbaugh played against at the Ohio State as well.