J.J. McCarthy Surgery and Deep Dives on Cowboys and Chiefs

Published Aug 14, 2024, 7:20 AM

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jane Slater to do an extensive deep dive on the Dallas Cowboys. But first, before the deep dive, Gregg and Jane take a look at the biggest headlines from around the league (1:30). Such as hearing from Vikings coach, Kevin O'Connell on the latest surrounding J.J. McCarthy and the long term effect his surgery may have (2:29) and much more. Jane then treats us to a Cowboys deep dive, filling us in on the what's been going on in Dallas (15:12) . Following the deep dive, we move to the AFC West and are joined by Arrowhead Pride's Pete Sweeney as we deep dive into the Kansas City Chiefs (39:09).

Note: time codes approximate. 

Welcome to NFL Daily, where we're always feeling the urgency. I'm Greg Rosenthal and beyond excited to be joined today by Jane Slater of NFL Network. You will recognize her from the NFL Network polos. She's always wearing this time of year up in Oxnard, but she's now back in the Dallas area. But you're not just the Dallas Cowboys reporter. You can talk NFL, Jane Slater. So we're going to do some news before we get to Cowboys talk.

Yeah, I'm just as excited about the football season as a lot of the fans are. I'm obviously following it very very closely, and they're I mean, some of the things that have happened in the last couple of weeks. I don't know about you, Greg, but I am a huge fan of the Real Housewise franchise. They've got nothing on the reality that seems to be. Some of these storylines that have peaked in the last.

Couple of weeks, Well, I feel like they could do a Real Housewife. I was maybe like the real single Ladies of Dallas and have Slater on. I almost feel like you've been trying out for that quietly for years like your life is a reality show.

It feels like it sometimes.

All right, So we're gonna do some news, like I said, and then we're gonna talk deep dive into the Cowboys. We'll try to talk some this stuff on the field because we've hit the contract so hard, but I'm more interested in what this team's actually gonna look like this season. And then we're gonna wrap up the show with Pete Sweeney from Arrowhead Pride. So talking Cowboys, talking Chiefs today, But first we will do some news, yeah, bummer Jane that we're starting with a quarterback injury that didn't see coming. Nick Schuok and I spent the top of our show on Monday morning just so excited about how good JJ McCarthy looked, and he apparently hurt his knee in that game. Came into the building Monday morning after not saying a word about it on Sunday, and he told them he had some knee soreness, and it turns out he needs surgery for a torn MCL. At this point, we are waiting to find out how or what kind of surgery he's going to get, whether it's going to be a full repair or if it's just going to be a trim. The full repair would potentially knock him out for the entire season. The trim would be four to six weeks. And I think we might have got a little bit of a hint from Kevin O'Connell of what's more likely in this situation when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.

What's best for the long term health of of JJ McCarthy will be the priority And and and I don't, like I said, have that answer and really won't be a part of determining that answer. Is the best thing I can tell you because I have total complete trust in in our medical staff and also you know the uh you know the people that will be you know, performing the procedure.

Yeah, Jane, when he when he starts that saying the long term health of the player is going to be the priority, that that makes me worried that we might not see JJ McCarthy this entire season, because that's going to be the best for him long term.

And why would you, right, Greg, I mean they went out and they got him with the number ten overall pick I mean, you lose Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons. Thankfully they went out and got Sam Darnold, who you know, was a huge off season acquisition. And you know, I think we all thought that JJ McCarthy would take a little bit obviously to get onto the field. But why rush this first round pick?

For you?

I know that you know you had mentioned it. They got to wait till they get in there, they do the surgery, Are they going to clip the meniscuss? Is it going to sideline him for the full year? But why rush him back? I mean, if I'm if I'm the Minnesota Vikings, I'm protecting this pick. I'm protecting him in the sense that you know, when he's rested up, he can come be around the sidelines. But I don't know that I'm trying to push that out in the field. But I mean, I think probably the most disheartening part about it is to your point, he came in on Monday and hadn't really had any issues with it, and then lo and behold. You know, now the Minnesota Vikings fan base that was so excited about J. J. McCarthy and moving forward now has to wait and see, you know, when they're going to actually STEI on the field.

Yeah, you feel for McCarthy first of all, you feel for Vikings fans because, yeah, the excitement level. You think about how well Kirk Cousins was playing before that injury. You think about the history of the quarterback position over the years in Minnesota and Teddy Bridgewater and just everyone else that they've tried over the last bit, Christian Ponder, Sam Bradford and this kid. He looked so exciting to a twenty one years old You mentioned it. The doctors are going to make this decision ultimately if they think it's you know that they could just do the lighter surgery and he could come back. That would be exciting, but we will see. Something else that crossed my mind on this is just Quessea Dopha Mensa and Kevin O'Connell are both up for extensions. That makes that decision a little trickier. And yet I feel like Sam Bradford has an awesome situation, as did JJ McCarthy. It's a really good offensive line and it's a great receiver group, especially when TJ. Hockinson gets back. Flores coached up that defense pretty good. There's actually a narrative here, and I know that Sam donald Hive is out, you know, dancing on toward JJ McCarthy's injury. Here, they're excited to see their guy finally do something. I'm not as much. But I'm actually not ruling out this team from being very competitive. Whether Sam Donald's great or not. I think there's a lot of good things around.

Him well, and like I said, you've got to be happy that they went out there and they've got at least some depth as a result of these injuries. I mean, look, I'm certainly no stranger to covering injuries at the quarterback position here in Dallas, and sometimes there is a silver lining, and so you know, Sam Donald, I think there's, don't I don't think Sam Donald excites a lot of Minnesota fans. I don't know if you know many I actually do. This was devastating news to a lot of Vikings fans today, But I would just say, you know, pump the brakes. At least you've got a vet that you know, at least knows his way around live action in the game. He looked in the preseason, he's looked good at camp, and so you've got a viable option there. But certainly takes sort of the air out of the realm for fans that were you know, already losing Kerko, now having to deal with this situation, and then to bring up Teddy Bridgewater. I mean, it's just it feels like this franchise has been snake bitten a little bit at times.

It has, and yet it is good to keep Yeah, this in perspective, He's a twenty one year old. He'll still get to be around the team throughout the course of the season. Even if he is out. What we'll see, we don't need to write that story. Maybe it'll it'll turn out better. What would turn out better for me with Brandon Ayuk is if this thing just just ended. We got, you know, no slight to our insiders, but we got kind of another non update update and there was a little moving forward to the situation, which Ian Rappaport was first to report our guy the Insider, saying that the Steelers have been waiting ce mode, that they actually believe that a deal from their side has been agreed to in terms of trade terms, that Ayuk was also happy with their contract terms. But it's sort of in the forty nine Ers slash Ayuk's corner because the forty nine Ers sent out a new offer to Ayuk and I was trying to parse, like, what does this all mean? It almost felt like this was the forty nine Ers saying we've done everything we can do and now it's up to Ayuk. That was my takeaway. I don't know if you had a takeaway on this.

Well.

I think he's also got to ask himself, you know, is this a better situation for him than what he's currently got with the forty nine Ers. I mean, you've got Russell Wilson, which a big question mark with him the Steelers. I think you feel good about Mike Tomlin. He's always got you in there. But to your point, the whole back and forth, the showing up at camp, how awkward that has to be. I was actually talking to Steve Weis, who covers the forty nine Ers quite a bit, and doing an interview with Nick Bosa recently. He talked about how hard it is when you're holding out in this situation. A lot of holdout guys they're not at the facility, they're not around things. Ayuk's been there, he's watching practice, he's just not an active participant. I would imagine it's uncomfortable for everyone. But I think that the storyline that is I've at least been entertained by is there seems to be this kind of new culture of punking insiders. And the reason why there's always new information out there, Greg is as somebody who covers a team that is always out there in the news, don't I mean when I once covered the Rangers, there was a player that told his daughter that he was going to go play for the Cleveland Indians, and she told her preschool teacher, who told a local reporter that my dad's going to be an Indian, And that's how we knew that Murphy was moving on. And so these days, you never know who these players are talking to. A lot of times they love to give them to former teammates. They're in the media. So that's why I've constantly got to stay on top of it. You've got to see every twist and turn when the story is still out there and developing. But yeah, I find it really really interesting some of the aggregators, these blogger insiders versus the insiders. These days, it's sort of the story within the story on my timeline.

Right, let's be around. No one's covered themselves in glory with this story, and it's no one's fault. But you're not allowed to take credit. I've seen this one one reporter, like, you're not allowed to take credit for saying you were right. If he ends up going to the Steelers when you said the deal was done last Friday, it's not even done. I mean, I got a bone to pick. Even with some of the wording on these headlines. There's a headline Niners Steelers have deal agreed upon for what I guess. I get what they're saying that the deal, that part of the deal is in place, but it's not agreed upon. If he's not going there, it's it's not agreed upon. If the forty nine ers haven't made the decision, or AUK hasn't made the decision, just just let it end and hopefully we don't have to retape this.

It's a little misleading, right, Like, yes, I always get frustrated with that too. I'm always like, until the deal is done and we've seen the twist and turns, I mean again, bring it back Dallas, Eric Kinchurch. Remember he was headed to the forty nine Ers and then at the last minute changed his mind and came to Dallas. And so to me, until the ink has dried you got to be very very careful about how you word these things. But personally, I'm like you my Twitter timeline At first, I honestly I don't know. I to do some deep diving. I'm like, what am I missing with all of this? And it's fascinating, So if you have missed it, go do a deep dive on X formerly Twitter. I just will never get used to comfortably saying X. But it is fascinating to watch this and far more interesting than some of the trade talks that we've had around here.

It's fine. I'm never gonna stop calling at Twitter. I'm never gonna even mention or apologize for that. Elon must supposedly in that space that he had the other night, call it Twitter himself, so even he calls it Twitter. Let's go to the other weird hanging hold out right now. There's a few. Jamar Chase quietly wasn't at Bengals practice today, by the way, for the first time, which is interesting. He's been holding in. And there's Trent Williams. But the one I wanted to just talk about quickly was Hasan Redick, who requested a trade and then the Jets immediately release a statement we're not gonna trade you. And it's just back to where it was, which is they won't consider giving him money unless he shows up. He won't consider showing up unless they give him money. And at some point, I do think it's fair to criticize Joe Douglas in this front office for even getting themselves into this mess.

I mean, I think, going back to the real house Ayes analogy, the messiest Housewives season or franchise this year has been New Jersey. Like we're talking, they couldn't even sit down at the final dinner together. They were pointing fingers, they were you know, there's been a lot of stuff that's been leaked to the media, and it feels very much like the Jets, who you know right there, New Jersey. Uh, there's been a lot of leaks out of that building. There's been I feel like some of the business has been really, really messy as it relates to players. I mean, even your starting quarterback. There's been drama around him. And then when I was talking to a couple of gms and agents because I'm nosy, I'm just curious, what am I missing with this Hassan Redding deal? You know, is it is it the player who's making fourteen and a half million right now, final you your deal. You understand that you want some security and safety. It's always been my impression, Greg that a lot of this stuff before even trade, you know that you were trading for a pick. In this case, it was what a third round conditional pick in twenty twenty six, But you also know you're gonna have to pay the player what is market value as and with the fifty and a half sacks like he's looking at twenty five to twenty eight million, you are under the impression that's already going to happen. So a lot of the gms that I talked to in agents, I won't even say what some of them have said to me, but they're they're absolutely are pointing the finger at the Jets. This should have been done.

Right because other teams knew the situation with Reddick going into it. And yes, I know he did an opening press conference, but even in that press conference he said he wanted to get paid in that I thought assumed he was. I'm working on the top fifty free agents by the way of twenty twenty five, and yeah, son, Reddick, at least for now is on that list. A couple other just quick items I'm going to run through, and then we're going to take a break and talk about the Cowboy. There was an article on ESPN that said teams have inquired about Matthew Judon, which to me just was a sign of like maybe it was Judon's camp trying to scare up some offers or just getting that out there. That's interesting. He was at joint practice today and one Patriots reporter said maybe he was motivated by it because he had his best practice of camp and supposedly was awesome going up against the Eagles. Amarius Mims the left tackle for the Bengals, unfortunately, or right tackle left tackle. They were trying them at both, but probably going to be the right tackle. Gott to miss a couple of weeks, so that's disappointing for him. They really wanted him to be ready for the season to protect him. And then Jalen Phillips good news for the Dolphins off the pup list, and a bunch of injuries for the Lions, including Jamir Gibbs with a hamstring injury, which is something to watch. Anything strike you there. I'm a little worried that we're counting on an injured first round pick and Trent Brown who's just coming off the pup and is very inconsistent, like to protect Joe Burrow potentially in Week two? Is that matchup I think against the Ravens.

Well, I thought Maryusmims when they this was one of my my probably like I don't know if I've ever heard an injury described this way, but extremely minor setback. That's going to make you feel, right like, extremely minor setback, So good for Mems. And then the one that's standing out to me is the Giants and what they're going to do at the running back position. I mean, I realized that Tyrone Tracy wasn't going to be your starter, but you're already going into the season without Saquon Barkley. You need Daniel Jones to do less, not more, and so I would imagine handing the ball off is part of that. You've got Singletary there, Eric Gray, so it's going to be interesting to see how they sort of navigate through this thing just in terms of depth and how they run the ball up there.

Yes, I'm glad you mentioned that Tyrone Tracy had an air cast put him on as he left practice. It does seem like they avoided the worst though, and so we'll see how long you's out for there. Yeah, it's not going to be season ending, so that is good news there. All right, it's good news. We get to continue. You to talk to Jane and we're going to talk about her favorite reality show on Earth, the Dallas Cowboys. Right after this break, we're back on NFL Daily.

Yeah.

One of the world's biggest Real Housewives fans, Jeane Slater. I'm more of a like a terrorist house guy. Have you ever watched Terrast House. It's just it's more peaceful, like not much happens. They're very nice to each other. The relationships move slowly. It's on Netflix. It's set in Japan. It's great.

I'll to chee that in. I'm always looking for Netflix suggestions. Octopus Murders is another great one if you're looking for one.

I'm I'm very that is very you.

You.

You and Mark love to bond over.

I love reaching out to Mark Sessler over our conspiracy theories.

Yeah. No, I'm like three years behind the zeitgeist. Everyone was into Terrast House during the pandemic, and I'm catching up to it. Late, but there's like fifty episodes per season, so it'll it'll take your mind off things if you're looking for mindless entertainment. The Cowboys they're great at mindless entertainment. They've been doing it forever. I was at the I got to use bookstore a couple of weeks ago, and I saw that Skip Bayless book where it about the Cowboys where Troy Aikman. Yeah, the book starts with him telling Skip Bayless I'm not gay, which was like this rumor back then, and then absolutely ripping his coach after they won the Super Bowl to shreds in print. They don't do it like that anymore, Jane. This team has been drama forever.

Oh and there's so much drama that I don't even report. That's the craziest part about it. It's too TMZ. It's too tawdry.

Uh.

The whole Skip Bayless Troy Aateman thing is so fascinating about the backstory on that working in Dallas, as to who Skip Bayless's source was and how he decided the source. It was like a game of.

It was Switzer's camp. It was Switzer's camp at least according to this, you could tell it was Switzers camp versus Troy's camp, and they were putting all this stuff out there. And to be fair to skip As he never said that Troy ye Aikman was gay. But Troy Aikman knew that people were saying that about him, and he wanted to set the record straight. And he did it while burying his head coach after they won the Super Bowl, on the record saying, I don't even know what that guy does here, and he was still the coach. That's oh well.

And I've always appreciated like Troy suffers no fools. I've done a couple of events with him, and I will tell you this, I show up ready to work when it's Troy Aightman, like I know the material I am typically I'm on time, but I'm like on Lombardi's time when it's Troy eight men. And so he and if you talk to some of his former teammates, they'll tell you there was a little bit of a disconnect during his time in Dallas because he, you know, required so much of others. But in his defense, he was used to the way that Jimmy coached, and Barry was just completely different. I mean, he was like he was like the fun step dad.

Yeah, I got a better sense. And I've just started this book. I thought that'd be interesting. I've read another Baylist book, and yeah, you get a different view of Aikman. He definitely even. He seemed like a complicated, complicated guy, but not kind of who you think, not the not a life of the party guy, a very serious guy who's always thinking about everything over and over and over. Not too smart for his own good because I think that intelligence got him to where he is, and very different I think than the current Dallas Cowboys head coach. I mean a quarterback Dak Prescott in his situation, not as much drama there. I wanted to get off the Dak contract in the CD contract, and we'll talk about that on this show.

Exhausting.

Yeah, it's fine, it'll get done or it won't.

I don't think.

I actually don't think the Dak thing will. But we'll talk about that plenty. Let's talk about what's on the field, because to me, this team is fascinating. They've been so good the last couple of years that it's the only division in the NFC to me where it's really a two team race. So you start the year already kind of knowing, all right, you got either a fifty percent chance here to make the playoffs, that's great. You're gonna have a bunch of games against Washington and the Giants that that's great. You have a game against Carolina in the NFC South like, but it's a Stars and scrubs type of team where there's really great players and then there's some questionable spots. So I'm going to start this way, Jane. I'm going to give you problem areas as I see it for this team, and you can choose what you think the biggest concern is, uh and just go from there. I'll give you four options, which is it's telling there's four options wide receiver depth. Let's assume CD gets back, but basically beyond CD the running back position, I'm going to call it defensive line bulk, like like defensive tackle edge, that that type of thing, not not parsons, but like you know, stopping the run or the offensive line. Those are all issues I think could come up, Like what do you what would you be most worried about in close to that, you know, with.

Wide receiver, I think that they're good in the sense they've got Brandon Cooks there, right, People seemingly keep forgetting about Brandon Cooks and when they opened when they opened this offensive last year, if you guys remember there was so much discussion about Dak Prescott and the interceptions leading into last season, and then I think he had like I mean, I think he only had like eleven like versus like twenty two. Don't quote me on that. One of the reasons why they were doing like it's felt like dink and dunk to start the season was he almost felt like the coaching staff didn't trust Dak with the ball security or maybe they were trying to build up his confidence. I don't know, but we found ourselves multiple times during the game, go throw the ball to Brandon Cooks, Like if Ceedee Lamb is getting double teamed, get the ball to Brandon Cooks and good things happened, and so people forget about him. But I you know, obviously you've got Brandon Cooks here, Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks. The two Jalen's have really sort of stepped up. And Jalen Tulbert's an interesting story because they went out and got Jalen Tolbert in the draft two years ago. They'll tell you that maybe they put a little bit too much on his plate in that first year, and maybe some of the terminology and the schemes they weren't clicking with him. But he and Dak have worked together a lot this aw season. Like Dak took, I think it was eleven guys to the Nike facility in Portland. Ceedy interestingly enough was not there, but those guys were all there, and he's just been getting a ton of reps in. I think Jalen Tolbert is going to be interesting for them to step up in that role that they wanted Michael gallup to but didn't. Of course, Michael left and then announced his retirement this off season. So I think wide receiver I'm good with. I'm going down the list here. Running back, I just don't know. I want to believe that Zeke's gonna even though they keep saying it's going to be a running back by committee. Anytime Dallas is done by committee, it's never really worked for them. Now it's worked when you've got like a bruiser running back like you had Zeke, and then you add a change of that guy a little bit of a joystick in Tony Pollard. Now, Tony Pollard didn't do so well in Dallas. I think because you didn't have that bruiser type of back, you were having issues with your offensive line and a lot of people this was underreported last year, but the running backs coach was new to the position and stepped away from the facility for personal reasons. I think it was quite a few games last year, and I know for a fact that that was an issue for some of the running backs that were looking for some direction. You know, they had Skip Peete there before, who had been two stops in Dallas, La Rams played the position. This coach hadn't even played the position. Now, I don't want to take that away. That's like someone saying, well, you didn't play the game of football, Jane, so you can't cover it. Like I get that, But I do believe that there were some issues with the running game last year as a result of all that. So I think green Zeken is big because he's always been known to have a high football IQ, sometimes not the best off the field IQ that's gotten better.

I mean, I don't want him in there to be my running back coach, though, you know, if he's the third guy. I kind of think at running back they might not have their they could have a week one starter that's not even on their roster. Like I look at like Denver and Miami both got a lot of running backs I could see.

I just don't see. I don't see Malik Davis or I mean, I guess Rico Dadel has shown you some flashes. And then you've got uh, You've got deuce Vaughn. But I think what I'm more interested with duce Vaughn is they were working him in the slot, more of that receiver role, like Cole Beasley. I think that's going to be really interesting to watch. That's another one. You know, even when I was talking about wide receivers, they've also got Cavante Turbin. So you've got two small, really fast guys that you can, you know, throw in the slot. And I think that that could get real interesting for Dallas. And then we've even seen Micah Parsons finally getting some snaps at running back. I mean, he's been like pounding the table for that for a year. So I think offensively shot in.

High I'd say that again, getting snaps at running back, why why are we spending time giving Mark Michael Parsons snaps at running back. Is that a real thing that could happen or is that just because he's Michael Parsons and they want to I think it's.

More like goal line situations, right, Like, I think they use him like in sort of more of like a full back roll. I don't think it's the smartest, especially with him coming up on a contract here, But Micah loves to eat and I know that he wants it, and I think a lot of people probably would have laughed at him if it wasn't for Dan Quinn when he came to him and said, I want to play, you know, I want to rush off the edge. I want to be a defensive end. They're like, no, we drafted you as a linebacker, and so yeah, I mean, I think they could get creative in certain situations, and so I think, you know, they came up with this Texas Coast offense last year. It took a little time for them to get it going. A lot of times the terminology they were using wasn't meshing up with like a West Coast offense. And I think it's sort of found its rhythm. So I'm not as worried about that. The offensive line is still something I'm like another entry. You know, yet Chuma Adoga get injured in the preseason game. I think we really like what we saw from Tyler Dyton. I mean that guy was like bullying dudes out of the stadium the other.

Night with their first round pick, who's now going to be their starter. You mentioned Adoga is probably out for a month or something like that.

Yeah, and Tyler Gotton. What was so impressive about him is I talked to his offensive line coach, Duke manny Weather, and he told me it was Thursday he got drafted and on Saturday he decided to stay in Frisco forgo is summer and worked out with Duke Mannyweather five sometimes six days a week. And I think you're seeing some of that on the field. What's going to be interesting to watch is what are they going to do with the center position? Like I thought brock Hoffman was their guy, and now I'm hearing they're splitting some reps there. I mean, I think they like what they're seeing from Cooper Beabie, the rookie that they got. So I think the offensive line, I think they're still trying to find like their best starting five. So that's kind of an area. And if you don't have Tuma, you've got TJ. Bass, you got a couple of these other guys. But offensive depth was a problem last year, so yeah, maybe they don't quite have that figured out. Defensive line. I think Marshawn Neelan has done a nice job stepping in for Sam Williams. A lot of these rookies are getting asked to do a lot. I think the area of I think that I'm probably most excited about right now always linebackers. I mean, this is something Mike Zimmer is so good at. He is He's got a very he's got a very specific vision for what he wants to do there. Eric Kendrick squaring the green dot. And you've got these young guys that are really really stepping up, not just your corners, but some of your safeties that we saw really getting after the ball in the preseason. It was even some of the players talking after the game, you know, Dan Quinn coached up in the booth and they said Mike Zimmer at times was even looking at his call sheet. It's just sort of instinctive. So they're just getting this wealth of information with Mike Zimmer and who is very, very different from Dan Quinn. He admitted to me at camp that he's had to work on developing relationships with players, like very old school in the sense it's like separation at church and State. But it seems like the guys, at least one guy put it out to the game. He said, this defense feels like it's going to work. So I think that's an area, you know, maybe to get excited about.

Yes, I think that I had a list of like things and to spin a positive that you'd be excited about. And you know Jake Ferguson being like a real deal tight end in Tolbert. You mentioned having a big camp, but Zimmer is kind of it that You've got a lot to work with, a lot of talent in the secondary. People kind of forget Trayvon Diggs is coming back around, Bland off that great season, Jordan Lewis is a good player. You have a lot of safeties. They were so bad at linebacker, and Zimmer's good at coaching. I'm not sure if I'm buying your Eric Kendricks pop I just because he hasn't been you know, he's been an issue for his last couple of teams, so it's hard to ignore that. And even Brandon cooks, I'm like a little worried about the older guys, but if they can have the young guys come up, then then they'll be fine. To answer my own question, I probably yeah, I'm with you. I would probably be most concerned about the old line because that's what this team used to be all about, and if you don't have great talent in the backfield, you kind of need that to make up for it. But you mentioned Parsons playing running back. I actually have a quote from him today which is just crazy. Mike McCarthy questioned his reads. I think he was kind of joking around, and Parsons was joking back and he said, has Mike ever played running back in his life? Someone who has never played the position can't question somebody's reads. You just got to let me be a football player. I'll tell you this, He's kind. He's a little crazy. Michael Parsons just based off like seeing him on his YouTube was CJ. Stroud and they taped this thing where they went to Japan. I watch a little bit like Michael Parsons a little different.

He's a different cat and honestly. Look, I'll be honest. Like some of the stuff you heard last year that came out and people were like, you know, bashing some the reporters, I heard the same stuff. I mean, he can rub some of his teammates the wrong way, and then you know, wanting to be a leader and not showing up for and again it was voluntary, and he made a point of bring that up, but saying things like, I mean this was on the record. I mean he said this to me and Calvin Watkins when we were standing at his locker during OTAs. He said, you know, they don't pay me enough to be here. I'm like, they pay you enough your rookie contract, and by the way, you're looking to get your next deal. And so I was a little shocked by that, but I also appreciated that Micah will put his name to it. You know, some of these guys will float it out there unnamed sources. He says everything with his chest, and it reminds me so much of you know, and I watch football back in the nineties, guys said it with their chests, and I think a lot of guys have gotten a little bit more savvy over the years. But I can't knock him for it. I mean, there was a couple of years ago I think he it was I mean, not to get too political, but it was during you know, the Black Lives Matters and it was police and he went on there and had something to say about, you know, a police officer, and I remember saying something to him like, it's your rookie year, he might want to be careful. He he literally once again, was like, no, this is how I feel about things. And so he talks the way he talks in the media is the way he talks to his coaches. And I thought it was really interesting. Before we even got to camp, he said, you know, him and Mike Zimmer had had very limited interaction because he hadn't been there, and he said, Mike's gonna want to do things his way. I'm going to want to do things my way. And he goes, We're going to have a compromising relationship. But I think what he meant is like, you know, it's going to be a relationship a compromise. But I'm like, it is going to be compromised if you don't fall in line with Mike. But I did learn from him at camp that him and Mike are now doing morning breakfasts, which is what Dan Quinn used to do, and Micah started bringing Trayvon Diggs in. And so what I've learned with Micah is Micah and I've been described this way from a mentor. They're like, you're a golden retriever, Jane, Like you constantly need a pat on your head. It says you've done a good job. Like your tinkerbell you like die without applause, that's Micah.

Uh.

And so I think as long as you understand the psychology of Micah, and I've learned this new coaching staff has tried to really tap into that, like going to his training camps this offseason and getting to know him, I think that you can have a very good relationship as long as you can tap into that psychology and that mentality of understanding what makes Micah.

Tig Yeah, and you can get away with annoying your teammates a little bit, or taking stances or talking like that when you're one of the greatest defensive players I've ever seen enter the league. That's the thing is, like I think people get it twisted a little bit. I wouldn't say he's underrated, but I've been doing this since four and the list of defensive players that have entered the league that have put up the first three years that Michael Parsons has put up is probably a list of like JJ Watt certainly, uh dreu reves not quite as fast as start, but basically that's like, that's the area. Aaron Donald, you know, he was a little slower out the gates, a little slower, but Aaron Donald certainly. It's like, those are the types of players we're talking about. And so when you're that that good, you can get away with it. I'm just I'm fascinated, Like, yeah.

Bring up point. I'm like, you also have to ask yourself, like, if I'm Micah Parsons, why do I want to continue to put some of these unnecessary treads on my tires? Right? Like when we talk about the running back position, like even if it's a goal line standard, mixing it up or you know, like playing out of position, Like I guess you could argue what is his more natural position these days? But I felt like at times, and and this is not just my observation, he would sort of disappear at the end of the seasons, and that was some of a knock that he was getting internally in the building is like, where are you going? I think he was sometimes getting worn out at that position, and so I'm gonna be what's going to be intriguing to me is how does Mike manage it? It's almost like a child that's like hyperactive, right, Like you love the energy, you want to support that, but you also don't want him to burn out, like about whatever their passion is. And I don't know if that's if that's a thing for Micah, but sometimes I I just wonder if you're if you're trying to do too much. You know, it's like what is it like jack of all trades, master of none, Like if you truly want to be great at something, should he be dispersing so much energy? I mean, we've seen him line up at safety at times.

Uh, he's been an off ball linebacker that that seems like it's really going to be a thing this year. Yeah, And I wasn't expecting to go this deep on Parsons, but I find him fascinating and the way they're possibly using him, that's another story that I think is going to get a lot of attention once people see it in the regular season that they really are planning to use him as an off ball linebacker again, which I thought was in the past. And I'm not necessarily saying it's the wrong thing to do. I want to see it first, but that could be I don't know if that's adding pounding, like we'll see. I kind of trust Mike Zimmer to use him creatively, but that's a sea change from really where he's been the last couple of years, which is, to me, the best pure just edge rusher in the NFL.

Well. And I think the other thing is last year we saw that there were other guys that can get to the quarterback. The one area that they really really struggled with last year and they seem to do any NFC just in general, is stopping the run. And so I think that's been the biggest challenge for Mike Zimmer is like, what is my best my best lineup, my best mix of players on deep that's going to help us stop the run because that has truly been an Achilles hill. And when you look, you know, when you look right now with the Eagles getting Saquon Barkley, and I don't think you have too much story about with the Giants. I mean, knock on what. I just don't feel like they've got a lot of debt there Washington. But again it's the forty nine ers every year. I mean Christian McCaffrey, Like, how are you going to slow him down? And so when I just when I look around the league and some of the games that really trip the Cowboys up, it was that that is an area. And they'll tell you that, like, that's an area they have to shore up. And so I'm just wondering if they're trying to figure out ways that you could better utilize Micah, Like, if you've got other guys getting to the quarterback, can he help you stop the run better?

Yeah, And you mentioned marsha On Neiland. That was their I believe second round pick. He looks like he's probably going to start at edge and they draft just help stop the run. I'm gonna leave you with this, and I know this is tricky. You are the NFL network reporter covering the Cowboys, but I have you in this role as an analyst. They won't hear this. You mentioned the forty nine ers. They play the forty nine ers in San Francisco. There's a couple of primetime games. I think that's Week eight. They have a couple of tricky primetime games. They also have a Monday night football game against the Texans, who I know Jerry would hate to lose to in a big spot kind of Texas. Yeah, sneaky rivalry. Their schedules actually quite easy down the stretch, that's where they have a lot of those Giants and Commanders and Panthers games. But before that, it's pretty it's pretty challenging. And so if in either of those games they come out of it like five hundred or worse, like the season is not going well and you lose in a big spot to the forty nine ers or you lose in a big spot. This is I think Week eleven to the Texans. Mike McCarthy obviously brought back this year, but uncertain about, you know, his contractual future, Like, well, what are the odds this something could happen here with with Mike Karthy? Do you think if things aren't going well during the season.

I'm trying to think the only time that they've the only time they made a switch what mid season would have been. It would have been Jason Garrett taking over for uh. Was it Campo.

I think so, but or was it?

No?

It was oh, what's his face?

Wade Phillips.

Wade Phillips. Yeah, that was the only time they made a switch mid season, and I know Jerry's not like a huge fan of that. So even when Mike Nolan in that defense was really really struggling. Mike McCarthy's year. The reason why I was told the Cowboys got so mad at me for putting that report out was that they were considering making a switch to George Edwards and then ultimately they didn't. That was the only time they've actually even gotten rid of a coach after one year. I think Jerry will play it out regardless. I don't see that making that kind of switch. I'm I mean, they know what they're getting out of Mike Zamma, right, You've seen him as a head coach, You've seen them as your defensive coordinator. I just I would be shocked if they did that.

Okay, that's fair and it's an easy Like I said the end of the night, I.

Think it's fair to say that Mike McCarthy in his final year of his contract, you continue to lose to the forty nine ers, you know, especially with you know, how they've overcome. I still think a lot of people want to, you know, knock Mike McCarthy. I still argue that despite injuries and some of the setbacks over the years, you still got what two thirteen win seasons and you bait's the playoffs. It's just how they lose in the playoffs that you find yourself going, well, how how much longer are we going to waste some of the talent on this roster and you're already seeing some of the you know, some of the roosters coming home that you've got to figure out to pay because they're getting long in the tooth and so right, good up, soundly Jerry Jones there with some of my uh my ISM's there. But yeah, I just I truly, I truly think that Mike's gonna have to get one from the forty nine ers here. And it's just that is just that is not that he has just not done well against them or the Packers for that matter.

Remember his first yeah that was.

With the Packers and then collapses to the Packers and young Jordan love to go home this year.

Yeah, they just need someone else to take out the forty nine ers for them. But that that's I just looked at that schedules like, oh, these primetime games are in very interesting spots. It's a it's a fascinating season.

I know.

You know fans who think the Cowboys get a little too much shine on on ESPN and NFL Network, like this isn't a good season for you because McCarthy in the final year of his contract, Dak in the final year of his contract, Like, it's a real thing. Dak might be uh, the most highly sought after free agent quarterback ever in a year from now. I wouldn't bet against it. I also wouldn't bet against Jane Slater, you know, leading leading the reporters and coverage as she's covering all this from around the Texas area. And I know they have you on other teams too. It was a play, Jane having you on NFL Daily. We will have to do it again. Welcome back to NFL Daily. Very excited to welcome my next guest. He does a great job over there at Arrowhead Pride. It is Pete Sweeney, one of the best Chiefs reporters, writers analysts in the business. And yeah, he's coming to us live from Chiefs training camp. Welcome Pete.

Yeah, thanks, Greg.

Loved the old show, you know, for a long time, excited about the new show. I like that your every day now right. I'm sure the workload is interesting, but I've enjoyed it coming back and forth from Saint Joe about our north of Kansas City.

So I've been making that commute.

Yeah that's tricky. Yeah, daily, it's different, but you know what, it gives us a little extra breathing room some to dive into teams. I feel like have been underserved on the podcast. And it's crazy, but I kind of think the Chiefs have not been talked about that much. I don't know if it's just nationally, whether we're sick of them or it's just like, Okay, here they come again. I remember this as a Patriots fan. There was certainly fatigue in certain years, and yeah, I feel like the Chiefs they're always different, and yet this is a year they're kind of slipping under the radar a little bit. So I wanted to talk to you. Well, the first thing I wanted to ask you because you have the privilege to just like watch Patrick Mahomes every day of his career, which is just crazy, especially in this training camp set, Like what's different, Like, what do you see about Patrick Mahomes twenty twenty four maybe that you haven't seen before?

Yeah, I mean it's wild, you know, covering him now since twenty eighteen, how normal some place you see at practice have become in an odd way. I mean I started in fourteen, so I got to cover Alex Smith and obviously was very different. But now you go to practice and you know, you see him curl a side arm around a tackle and it isn't something that you're like.

Well, what a play like? It almost is like a normal thing.

But that's just the product of the situation and one of the greatest athletes we've ever seen. And you know, one of the things that you try to always ask, especially with this coaching staff, is how do you coach that? Like how do you challenge him to get better? And it's funny. We had a chance to talk to offensive coordinator Matt Naggie today and I remember earlier in the offseason. You know, you ask, you know, what what is he working on this year?

And it's always.

For him a little bit of the footwork, staying in structure, because I think he always has that natural tendency to get out of structure. One of the points for him this year was a depth of dropback right and especially when now you're dealing with a rookie left tackle, that's going to be more important, especially at the beginning of the season now than ever, you know, in a sense.

And so it's.

Something where it is interesting because you know, I think a lot of us realize and where you are and incrastination, and you know, in Kansas City quite obviously like this is one of the greatest athletes of all time. But what makes him consistently great is he is always trying to ask these coaches what he can work on. And so that's been a point of emphasis for him. A little bit tougher to see that aspect when you're going against your own team and it's a practice kind of designed for you. And so we'll learn, you know, more that I think as the season goes along. But even still, like even if he's bad at that, I mean, you're still probably looking at like three touchdowns in two hundred and eighty yards in a bad game, and so it's crazy, it's it's it's become the norm, and I think he looks for anything to be motivated by you know, you know, it's something where I can't believe the Raiders did the thing with the puppet that end of the day.

I mean that was a fan. He was set up to fail. A fan brought it in and he gave him the puppet.

You know, you like the NFL Top one hundred with you know, a lot of people respect Pat now is like the best in the game. But you can tell that he's always like when he's asked about these things, he's checking them because it's it's any motivation for him.

Yeah, So you've watched this offense evolve. It really changes year by year. This is a team that tends to address things in all at once in bulk, whether it's the offensive line or at one point their pass rush. And now you know, the emphasis this offseason has been apparently on the deep ball, like they it's been there at practice. It certainly was there with the personnel acquisitions. We know Marque's Hollywood Brown might not be ready for a Week one, but have you seen difference in how the offense is running things in practice?

Well, what has been interesting about that is, you know, the grand story of the Chiefs coming into the preseason in training camp, was this idea that they were going to throw the ball down the field more and asking Andy Reid, like, you know, what are you guys working on that?

That's different?

And his point was, you know when they're not working on the ravens, which you can tell they are sometimes doing that, especially you know when they have the defense out there and the quarterback is scrambling and not throwing as much, but you know when they are working on the offense, Andy Reed has kind of said, we have similar stuff that we've always had, but now Mahomes is seeing that his targets are getting separation, and I think from stemming from that, we're seeing them throw the ball down the field more. You know, there certainly has been an emphasis on the eleven personnel with the three wide receivers before Brown got hurt. And that's what's the new buzz story right now in Kansas City is just this idea that it was going to be so exciting where and you saw it in the preseason game where by design it was going to be Rice and Brown and Worthy and now you know you're taking a back seat to that, like in practice today with Brown out of the mix.

It was justin Watson. We saw in the game that it was sky Moore.

These are fine players, but not the the speed that we were looking for the Chiefs to lean back into like they were more so like in the twenty eighteen season. And so I think it's trying to make sure if you're two really tough opponents to start the year, get by, you know, grid out those wins without this speed. This return to the quote unquote legion a zoom that they were looking for. And then maybe you see that with the timeline in week three, Week four.

Oh, I hadn't heard Legion a zom yet. Yeah, that's good. I mean, that's that's the thing. When Hollywood Brown is back out there, if they are healthy, that the closer we get to the season, the less I'm expecting a Rashi Rice suspension. I just I just think if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now. And yeah, this this group ranks like with any weapons group that he's had. If you're getting a good year out of Kelsey and that three receiver group, that is more than enough weapons. I feel like there's almost not any tangible reasons. There's not many to not believe in the Chiefs. But if I was looking for intangible reasons, and I think in tangible's matter, because I mean, they kind of won the Super Bowl on some level off intangibles. They weren't the best team in the NFL last year. They certainly weren't the best offense in the NFL and not the best offense Mahomes has had, and yet they went through one of the toughest gauntlets any playoff team has literally ever had. So that that was intangiles. And so the intangiles I look to and tell me which one you think is a bigger concern to you? Number one would just be the three P. Like the weight of it all. There's a reason why it's never happened before, and teams usually haven't even gotten that close, or just the defense regressing a little to the mean as great as Steve Spagnolo is and they're always peeking late. You know, there are year end rankings and efficiency haven't been outstanding every year. Last year was the year that kind of came out of nowhere, and the personnel looks good. But which which would you be more worried about? Kind of just the weight of it all, the three P and not having fun maybe doing that or the defense maybe coming back to earth.

Yeah, I think I would say the latter more so than the former. The defense, the defense was so damn good last year. I mean it really was. And you know, now you have an injury to Charles Menu, you who is a big part of that, especially you know when he was able to get back some from suspension, and you know, compile all those sacks as the ACL in the AFC title, and I think he's going to be a big player that the Chiefs are missing. You trade away Lagarious Sneed. I think we all knew it was you either got to keep Lagarious Sneed or Chris Jones. You know, you goud have to make that choice. Stand Chris Jones, and you understand why, you know, you say it all the time, like there's not as many dominant defensive tackles in the NFL. That's such a luxury to have. And I think the Chiefs realized that. And they've been very good at at drafting corners, certainly in the first round with first team All Pro Trent McDuffie. But even on the day three picks, like Sneid was a Day three pick. They just got this kid, Jayden Hicks, who has looked really good in training camp. But I think when you think about replacing Lagerius Snead who was very, very very good, and you look at these younger players, this is been an underrated storyline that you know, not a lot of people would realize they've been looking for when Steed was here, a third cornerback to step up, you know, for a while now it was it's between these two again, Day three guys, Joshua Williams and Jalen Watson, and over the years, like no one has really been able to claim it.

It's been more of a rotation thing.

Dave Merritt, the defensive backs coach, has been forward and saying like we've.

Been waiting for one of these guys to step up.

Now Sneed's gone, right, so now you have to have one of these guys step up. Trent McDuffie, it seems like he's all world, you know, slam dunk first round pick.

But which of these guys is going to do it? You know?

And I tend to think they are not confident in either one of those guys. I actually think they're most confident in seventh rounder Nazi Johnson, but he's had trouble staying on the field last year. He was going to trump both Williams and Watson for that final cornerback position, and it was a rainy day here in Saint Joe. The Chiefs had to go indoor on the turf, the enemy of all football players and Nazi Johnson tears his ACL and he's mix out of the mix. He misses the entire season when he's been out here, and he had a little bit of a hamstring.

Issue a couple of weeks ago.

He's been very, very good, and it's tough to be good in this camp because we know about the prolific offense, and so when he's staying with these receivers, who you know are some of the better, speedier receivers in the NFL, you know you're seeing okay. You know, maybe they're going to be okay without a ledgarious sneed. But it's been tough for him to stay on the field. And I just want to make a comment about the former and the motivation thing.

I think you're right.

And again, I know this is a podcast at all NFL fans listen to, so I'll keep the Mahomes love at a minimum, But man, like ten minutes after they won the Super Bowl, he was on the stage with Chris Jones. He was miked up because NFL Films done such a good job with that stuff. And the first thing he says is I want the three peat dog. This was no joke less than fifteen minutes after they had won it. And so I just think he's trying to make sure that everyone is motivated and knows like this is a real shot at history. Not to say that you just throw away the fatigue and all that, but I think when you have him as a leader, that's why I would say there's any questions. It's like the defense certainly taking a step back from I believe they were number two.

Yeah. I like that they've embraced it, that they haven't been like the Patriots who are like, we're not defending everything. Everything's starting over because it's just going to be so hard. And you hear it at the end. You hear it at the end of the Nuggets, you know, defense of their championship this year, just like, yeah, we didn't tell y'all, like put man that weight on us after it. And I've seen it with the Patriots. We've seen in NFL history with the Cowboys back in the day, certainly the forty nine ers, and it's different. And can you get the buying and everyone to just want it that bad? If any team could do it, like this is it? Because yeah, I tried to come up with, like what's the thing that's going to get in their way the most? And yeah, the cornerback battle is interesting. And yet the two of those guys have been playing significant snaps in the Super Bowl. And you know, they've won the Super Bowl off their defense last year, certainly off their offense the year before. They have a new you know, left tackle. We don't need to go into it too much. He's the second round pick, though, Kingsley sua mattea, so that you know that's a question mark. But that's that's one offensive lineman out of out of five and the other four are are good. And and I like the pass rush, Like I love this linebacker group with Drew Tranquell and Nick Bolton and Leo Chanel. Like the roster is about as good, I think, on balance, as it's been in the Chiefs era. So like, I'm not even going to go logical in terms of like things that would get in the way I want you to tell me something you've been excited about. What's something that you're there every single day, you're driving an hour that they're at old school, there's still like you're doing this from what college? Is it exactly like in.

Or Western State University?

Yeah?

Yeah, this was a funny anecdote.

Like early on in camp, Travis Kelcey was brought to the ponium and one of the things that he said really struck me because I've been covering him about the same time. He's like, yeah, this is year twelve for me. That means I've spent an entire year in a college dorm in my twenties and thirty. So Andy Reid loves it, and you know what, it's hard to argue with three super Bowls in five years. And like, I think what he really likes about it more than anything is like the players eat right downstairs. You know all their meals, all three meals. You know that you hang out, there's no distractions for the older guys who might have kids at home. You know where you're able to focus on on football. And I think they leave a little bit closer And I know that it's becoming less and less popular but Andy Reid seems to believe in it.

Yeah, and they have longer practices In generals, they've always been a hard practicing team and it's working out. What Yeah, what's something there? Carson Steele is this He's fullback who got noticed but nationally over the you know, first preseason week for some great runs. It sounds like he's going to make that team. Xavier Worthies obviously had at a good first training camp. Sounds like he's stepped right into that role. Maybe just something that you've been there day to day that's surprised you. Impressed you the most.

In recent days.

Arson Steele, undrafted free agent at a UCLA, has really, I think been the greatest riser of training camp. I just got out of practice a couple hours ago, and in this particular look, he was taking all of the second snaps after Isaiah Pacheco. You know, we had seen that from Darren Erik Prince earlier on in training camp and Clyde Edwards. Ailaire has been in and out with illness. It's kind of a serious matter. He revealed that he's been dealing with some PTSD stemming from a situation in college. And you know, you wish him the best, but the reality is in the football field, it's opened the door for other guys to get more opportunities. So then Erik Prince is trying to win a position. You could tell he's gotten a little bit better in the pass protection. But Carson Steele, you know, I think he really wasn't going to make the team. You know, when he entered camp, I thought practice squad was probably his best hope. He was able to capture the attention. You watch all the preseason games. You saw the play where he was bouncing off the defenders, and Andy Reid really likes him as a runner. And what I'm starting to think is now that he's starting to get these second reps, is you know, maybe like a spellback slash fullback, could it open up the door for the Chiefs to keep three running backs? Like I sat here today and I did another fifty three and one of the things I wrote was, I'm more sure right now that Carson Steel's going to make the roster than I am Prince or Clyde. Like I think they know, and I'll think I think they'll keep a Pacheco obviously, I think Steel will be on the roster. Do they need both Prince and Clyde if you're keeping you know those guys, and you know they have they have seven receivers they can keep. You know, they're probably thinking about nine or ten offensive lineman and so, you know, roster construction, you got to make these tough decisions. I just think Steel has been such a surprise out of the woodwork, and he's a really you know, likable guy. Andy Reid seems to really love him. And now it's a matter of how does that impact the final fifty three And it's going to be an interesting August twenty seventh.

That's wild, Like Carson Steele could be getting drafted in your deeper fantasy leagues, Like, listen to this man, that's awesome. This this team is crazy. You know, I'd love to see some new blood, but I also would love to see I still just know that the Chiefs are going to be there at the end. And the NFL is better when the best player that I've ever seen is there at the end. And it's going to take like a great effort to knock this team off. And yeah, the season starts tough with the Ravens and the Bengals, but overall, this is you know, one of the softest divisions in the NFL other than the Chiefs, especially if Justin Herbert doesn't get healthy. So yeah, I feel like that's.

What Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes can agree on.

Right, They were able to have these divisions where you know, you're looking at five six wins off the bat. Yeah, until these guys get quarterbacks, you know.

And see I always push back though, because everyone's like and I was like, you know what, they had a better winning percentage out of the division in that whole run than ever in it. You know, they just like the Chiefs, they beat everyone.

Ryan he had his year.

Yeah, Rex, Rex had his moments. The Dolphins always gave Belichick trouble no matter who was the coach for whatever reason. Appreciate you, Pete. We're gonna fly up by the way a graphic. We're wrapping up this show. But we just hit two more teams, Cowboys and the Chiefs, and yeah, we're trying to do a deep dive on every team. We're getting through them. We've highlighted them and we are now through eight teams. And so we did the Chiefs and the Cowboys today and we will still keep cranking. Tell us who you want to hear from it, except for your own team. Everyone always wants to hear about their own team. Appreciate you, Pete, and we'll hopefully talk to you again down the line. Check out his coverage, the great daily recaps that you have on Twitter, but obviously everything at Arrowhead Nation podcast. Everything is going on. We will be back. I'm really excited about Thursday show. Colleen Wolf back in the studio, Patrick Clayband also there. That's going to be a fun one. Until next time, An ncotic

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