Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Nick Shook to help put a bow on the preseason. The guys run through all 32 teams and give you their takeaways for each team as we shift our focus toward the new season. We start with the AFC East (1:08) and a discussion about Drake Maye's play, followed by the AFC North (13:10), AFC South (20:36), and AFC West (27:50). The NFC discussion starts with the NFC East (33:25), followed by the NFC North (45:29), NFC South (51:05), and wraps with the NFC West and a break down of a weird situation for the Rams heading into the new season (59:26).
Note: time codes approximate.
Welcome to NFL Daily, where we never skip arm day. I'm Greg Rosenthal. At least that's true for one of the two of us, Nick shook in the building for the final time on a preseason Sunday night taping, getting it to your ears on a Monday morning. This was fun, this these three weeks together, Nick, But I'm ready for the real stuff.
Yeah.
I mean it's always great to spend time talking football with you, Greg, of course, but I think we're both ready for the games to count and the games to matter, and for us to not have to dig down to the bottom third of the roster to clean some insights from these games.
Yeah, it's not a hot take, you know.
Our boss's boss's bosses bosses boss's boss Roger Goodell agrees with us. I mean, he's been trying to get rid of this third preseason game and a broadcaster I was talking to this or texting with this week and said, yeah, there is literally no lower form of sports entertainment. Then I think the live third preseason game for most teams, and I say most, Nick, because not all. We just watched the Patriots and the Washington Commanders play on Sunday Night football and Washington didn't even play their backups. They were going straight to the third string. But we did get some spicy Drake made Jacoby Brissett quarterback battle. I'm not just leading with this because you know I grew up in Massachusetts.
Sure is the most Sure because I feel like there's a little bit of Patriots background here.
I'm just messing with you.
First of all, it just happened. We've been kind of leading with the games that just happened, but this one, Come on, this was the most relevant I think game result anything that really happened in this preseason week. Because I've been banging this drum that the more the coaches talk, the more the practice reports come out, the more I think Drake May has a chance to start Week one. And then he comes out after Jacoby Brissett gets a shoulder injury. Brissett was only gonna to play one or two series anyways, but he gets pile drive because of an offensive lineman mishap, and I'll get to that in a bit. Drake May comes out there and he makes about three to four plays on a touchdown drive immediately that make you think, Wow, this is a kid that maybe needs to play right away. Let's listen to his touchdown throw football games.
This is pro football pressure against out tackle Kevin Harris to the end zone and in to the touchdown. Kevin Harris made a man miss and the thirty year man at South Carolina takes it to.
The in zone.
A very nice drive executed by Drake May.
That's right, Shoki.
Eleven plays eighty eight yards and that touchdown throw might have looked simple relatively was simple, but yeah, the arm strength gets that ball there before the defender who was all over it, and he showed great arm strength Drake May throughout this game, and that's try In particular, I want to point out the scramble he has on third and fourteen to start the drive. It's just not a play that any Patriots quarterback has been able to make for a long time, and Jacoby Brissett would not make that play.
It took great athleticism.
And then two really nice crossers, one to Jalen Poke, one to di Mario Douglas, both which showed really good pocket feel, really beautiful passes that were kind of next level passes that combined with the touchdown and the two minute drive he ends up having at the end of the half in Girodmeo's comments not only during the week, but also on the sideline to Melissa Stark where he said, all right, Drake came in there and showed me something. He said, this is a competition. Now, Jacoby Brissett isn't one hundred percent. I think he has a legit chance here and what we'll see in the next couple of days what Gerond Mayo does.
Yeah, it's a bit of a twist because we heard Alex Van Pelt talk about Joobe Brissett is basically the starter earlier this week, and obviously that's not the decision that falls on his shoulders, that falls in the head coach more than anything. But then Drake comes out and produces. And this is why you draft a young quarterback. It's not just because your franchise has no hope, but because you want the young horse in the stable who's capable of doing these things. This is the modern quarterback, the athletic quarterback that can extend plays, that has the arm strength to squeeze it into a tight window and then let the guy do the rest like he did in that touchdown.
So it's all coming up for them.
But it is also against third stringers, so it's like yah, grain of salt. But Greg I will say, I know people have worried about this receiving core in New England for years.
I kind of like this top three.
I kind of like this group a little bit and call me crazy, but Jalen Polk, I think is going to surprise people. I like the idea of Kendrick Bourne being in the mix at some point. I like di Mario Douglas and Taekwon Thornton's the speedzer that they never really used. If Drake May really has that arm that you think he has, then maybe you're able to capitalize on that. Maybe this is the start of a new era for the Patriots.
Well he has it, whether he can make the right decisions and be accurate enough. Look, he went thirteen for twenty in this game, one hundred and twenty six yards in a touchdown, had a long touchdown on a broken play at the end of the half taken away that was in the two minute drive. But that two minute drive is where he made another couple nice throws to the outside where he really showed off his arm strength. Poke ends up with two catches thirty three yards. You mentioned Taekwon Thornton. He's surprisingly earned a starting job, so I did not expect that it's gonna be Thornton, Polk and Douglas. I believe to start the season, Polk and kJ Osborne are maybe sharing some snaps in.
Their Osborne is the savvy one, I think, in my opinion, because he was a guy who was underappreciated in his past, and I think it's actually a good fit in that core because it's gonna be a committee group, like there's not going to be maybe Polk ends up being that guy because he was just such a dog in college, But it's gonna be a committe group whre they're all going to rely on each other's strengths and you're not gonna have to just target one guy. It's just like, all right, let's throw it to this guy here, he can do this, Let's do that. And I like that idea with a Drake may because it's just like a young group that's kind of figuring out together.
That's good for a team like this.
Yeah, and Javon Baker had a couple of targets in this game.
Loved him too. Don't forget too.
I know people if they happen to watch the game, are thinking you want to mention the punt on punt right in the middle of it. Well, yeah, Drake may had a couple bad throws there too, but this offensive line could not have played any worse. It makes you worried, you know, if you're a Patriots fan or if you just like seeing decent football, about whether this offense is going to be operable at all. Here's some numbers for you. Eight penalties in the first half by the offensive line that include That did not include the play where Jacoby Brissett got steamrolled because one offensive lineman pulled and ran into another offensive lineman on that play and the puller didn't get to the edge. I don't know if he would have gotten there anyways. That didn't look cohesive and he got Jacoby Brissett hurt. It also didn't include the play we're gonna listen to now, which again was an offensive lineman error.
Outside City. So there it goes to shoot kick it all, No big deal, Just go ahead and throw this ball for a first down. What the heck, man, he's on a roll right now, don't Boddy wake him up?
So that was starting guard City.
So stepping on Drake May's shoe, which flew off before May went kind of three quarters and got a nice first out, nice play by him, and then to top it all off, Nick so got hurt late in the first half year. The offensive line, it was a totally different group in terms of where they lined up.
Everyone moved around.
Suddenly a whe who was at right tackle, it's a corps for us back at left tackle.
They're moving things around.
They didn't and whatever they tried out tonight, I do not think that's gonna be the offensive line they tried out week one. But that just shows you like they're trying all sorts of new combinations at this point.
It's a bit of a disaster.
Yeah, that's a bad sign when you're trying combinations that frequently in the preseason. When you're on the cusp of the regular season, you kind of want those guys established and you're starting five set and maybe some of those guys don't play in Week three. Meanwhile, the Patriots are just shuffling guys around and try them out like it's a scrimmage and it's you know, July and you're playing high school football or something.
And you know, I get it.
They needed reps and they wanted to try out this rookie Lady Robinson who supposedly look good, and then you put Owenu at right tackle, is not his strongest position. Part of it is they were missing their left tackle, who is now going to be Verdarian Low. So I think that'll settle it if they get him back. But man, I both think Drake May should start, and I both think it's gonna be a bit of a fiasco for whichever quarterback is out there.
But give me the May chaos versus whatever, the Jacoby chaos.
Yeah.
I just it's a departure from what the Patriots were before. I mean, the Patriots were a team that would take an offensive lineman that people would scratch their heads and think, why'd you take that guy? And then they would develop him into a stud. And they're just not that team anymore. And if you look at the construction of their top five, Vederian Low City sal like Chuuks of Khora four, who did not have a good time in Pittsburgh before, like these are guys that are not proven at best, and like the cold strange pick. In the past, everybody laughed at it, including the Rams, and then I was like, well trust him. They developed lineman and that you know, he was on pup and everything, but that also hasn't panned out either, so it's.
Like, this is not a good situation to put a run. Now they haven't worry about They.
Didn't spend anything on the offensive line this off, so that was a mistake. All right, let's move on. We're going to go through all thirty two teams. Most of the teams will be quicker because look, preseason Week three, there weren't a lot of big takeaways from the games themselves, so we're gonna mix in some game talk, but mostly just little notes. Some teams aren't going to have much, but we just wanted to get everyone a little bit of news to start your week, just kind of where these teams are at. I'm going to go to the start with the Bills. It looks like Ray Davis Tyron Johnson might be to a to be at running back. We've talked about their wide receiver group. They might need a quarterback in the next few days. Mitchell Trubisky got hurt in their preseason game and so they got to feel a little dicey going into Week one.
Maybe looking for a backup for Josh Allen.
Yeah, you know it's not good when you sign Anthony Brown and immediately toss him into a preseason game.
I mean just days after signing him. That's when you're grasping its.
I always feel bad for those quarterbacks. That does happen more often than you think. Matt Barrow is another one you just get signed and you just put him right out there. It really shows the second half of these games don't matter much. Dolphins. I think it's under the radar. All top all of their top four receivers are hurt right now. Tyreek Hill's got a thumb injury. I don't think it's going to be an issue for Week one, but he hasn't been practicing. Jalen Wattle's been out for a little while now, River Craik Aff got hurt. Obj still every week I mentioned, still hasn't practiced, like Mike McDaniel is, you know, uncommitted to that. They did decide though, on a backup quarterback. Skyler Thompson is that guy Mike White was cut on Sunday shooky.
Yeah, they only have two quarterbacks in the depth chart.
Now.
That speaks of the Chargers of about ten years ago. Is that okay? Greg?
Is that enough for this team considering to his injury history. I know he played all that all the games last year, but little concerned.
You'll get a third to put on the practice squad. Yeah, you know in their PERFORLD maybe it would be Mike White. Now he has a big salary, so I don't know how that works. I don't even know if he's eligible. The rules are strange these days for practice squad, but they'll have to find a developmental guy to have. But Skyler Thompson outplayed him. Keep an eye on the running backs. I think in the next couple of days I'm going to be doing a cutdown Day show with Evan Silva, and they're a team that maybe they could raid one of their running backs. They have so many, maybe at Jeff Wilson if anyone want to give up. And then one thing I just noticed just tracking the team, this team just hasn't been on the field that much. Like their starters have not been on the field that much on either side of the ball very often, like their defensive line, offensive line. Different players in the secondary just haven't been on the field. That would make me a little anxious.
That was defense, I mean a little bit, but they're also speaking super lofty about like their goals of getting the Super Bowl.
Maybe they're just comfortable with what they have.
I would feel uncertain about the receiving core because they just are all banged up, and that's a concerned way in a weak one.
But again, we know what this offense is, we know what this team is.
Defensively, I would like to see little bit more cohesion with the starters and everything, considering give a new DC and Anthony Weaver.
But you know, we'll let it play out.
Yeah, well, we'll see what happens. Jets had a joint practice this week with the Giants. I think they got a lot of confidence out of that shook. They just kind of beating up on the Giants. Aaron Rodgers has had a quiet preseason, like just media wise, which that's not enough.
That's good change.
But by all accounts, he's dropping bombs. He's looking sharp, and I was really looking for that in this last five six weeks.
What kind of reports and he's passed all those tests.
Yeah.
In fact, I saw somebody write a piece I can remember who it was, about how Robert Salla like learned to accept Aaron Rodgers for who he is, and so you know, it's all rainbows and sunshine right now. And as long as he stays healthy, they should be a good team. And again, this is a team that I don't need to see much from the preseason. Just stay healthy, get to the regular season.
Yeah, they're counting on Mike Williams and Alan Lazard really to be factors here, So that's something to keep an eye on. Tac McKinley might be a nice story here, the love of that pick up, Falcon's first round pick, had a nice preseason game, and I think he's going to make this team by all accounts. Let's go to the NFC North. So the Steelers all but confirm Russ Wilson as their starter, I think because he barely played in their second preseason game. He went two for two and they also sent him out to do the coin.
Toss all by himself.
See this is what is what you get that they're not going to set him out for the coin toss by himself. He's got to be the starter, right Nick.
I mean, I would hope.
So, unless it's one of those teams that just designates a random captain every week and sometimes it's the long snapper, but no, I think he is. And the thing is is with that game, justin Fields again, just you know, there were times where you're like, oh, okay, maybe, but ultimately the greater picture didn't give me any reason to believe that he would actually challenge him.
Yeah.
I think he had a chance to win the job by playing better this month.
We've talked about the offensive line issues that they've had in terms of injuries that got in the way, but Fields just didn't didn't take that chance. Quiz Watkins was playing deep into the fourth quarter. That's probably a sign he's not going to be around.
Cord L. Patterson still around.
I mean, that's why Russell Wilson only threw two passes through one nice deep crosser to Pickens. He had one other throw I think it was also to Pickens, and then c pat goes for thirty one Like he's still a legit player in the NFL.
Let's do it right up the gut in classic Arthur Smith Atlanta Falcons fashion.
It looked like he came right out of that team, right through the middle, untouched for a touchdown.
I mean, he might be the second best wide receiver on the roster. Yeah, Quarterell Patterson. I contend this is the worst wide receiver two through six in the NFL. I don't even know if Steelers would disagree. Dan Jefferson, Calvin Austen, Roman Wilson who hasn't been healthy, whoever else, Like, forget it. Nick Kurbick is a beast by the way he's had such a good preseason. Oh my god, he's been just a problem causer on the defensive side of the ball. He could be like as good as Alex high Smith doone and that could already be the best pass rushing trio in the League of Urban delivers. Let's go to some big news from the Bengals on Sunday, Jamar Chase practice. So the holden, I don't know what it accomplished, will find out. There was no one talked on Sunday, but he's out there practicing. This is kind of that week. Remember, I think I made the over under of Trent Williams reporting. I think today Sunday or Monday like that is pretty much the time I would expect players to end these holdouts.
And the holden is over. So that's good news for the Bengals.
Yeah, I would imagine Monday when you start your game prep. You know, even though you're a week ahead of the actual game prep week, you're in the dead week right now. But it's a good week to like get acclimated before you start the work. That makes sense for him. I mean, they've basically already said they're going to handle it. It's just a matter of him showing up, and he will before long.
So yeah, Eric Roberts tells me I said thirty six hours was my over under for after Trent Williams would show up in to of when their game ended. We are approaching twenty four hours, so I need this thing to happen Monday afternoon.
Ros I'm gonna be wrong.
The Bingals also, you know, they were running Chase Brown with the starters more than Moss, according to Paul Dayner the Athletic. I thought that was interesting. Dax Hill, the converted first round safety, has won the starting cornerback job again. According to Paul Dayner, that's pretty nice camp for him over DJ Turner, Miles Murphy Murphy their first round pick from a year ago, who really hasn't done anything since he's been drafted. He's going to miss a month. Let's go to your Browns, Nick Schuck, I thought it was interesting. Andrew Berry said he sounded hopeful Jedgiic Wills and Jack Conklin will be available for Week one. Both of those guys coming off really serious injuries have not touched the field yet, and again we're now less.
Than two weeks away from the first kickoff.
Yeah, they've been in a bit of an offensive line crisis this preseason. They had like multiple tackles lost in a game. So I think they learned their vulnerability of the position already, and maybe this is them saying, hey, look, these are guys that we know what they can do. They're coming back from injury. We're just gonna give them the entire preseason, in camp and everything else to get ready and then just slide. I just get a little nervous when guys yes at all and then suddenly they're just gonna play like. That's not the only guy in this roster that says them do that. The same thing is true with Dalvin Tomlinson, who has not practiced but has assured everyone he's gonna be ready for Week one.
How do you just get ready? It wouldn't be me.
I don't know, Greg. Greg Newsom is another one. Really good cornerback. Nick Chubb is not going to be one. He's expected to be put on the pup. There's also the N season ir list where now you can put them on the N season IR list on the day of cutting down and it won't count towards like the total amount. You can put two guys on it and you can just carry them into the season. So they could do that with him if they wanted as well. And then some buzz that DTR Dorian Thompson Robinson could be dealt. I kind of figured Tyler Huntley would be the odd man out, but they are the one team that has too many quarterbacks. They actually have, like I mean, DTR and Tyler Huntley would upgrade at least like five backup situations like they would. They would be better, they would, They could be a two in a bunch of places.
It's very interesting how they've used them because Jamis rolls out with the you know, presumed starters, even though it's not the actual starters, and then it's been either Tyler Huntley or DTR depending on the week. This week it was DTR first, then Tyler Huntley. But I think that's an audition. And you know what, Greg, we already talked about this team. But I'm just going through my head real quick. Where would he be a fit thrown in Miami? Why not throw them on that depth chart? They only got two quarterbacks.
Throw them over there, Miami could be could be one for Tyler Huntley. Uh yeah, I think.
There's there's there's a couple out there that the backup quarterback situation. Jakey, I think Baltimore is one of them. Let's let's go to them. You know, they have Josh Johnson as their backup, which just that's the full plan. I don't know Owen Wright h was going to make the team as a as a third running back. He broke his foot in the pre season finale, so that's tough. I just look at their roster. They're quite thin at running back behind Justice Hill and Derrick Henry, and quite thin at receiver. So they're a team to just watch see what Eric DaCosta does in the next few days. I think they're they're not done picking up some veterans, and that annoy you as a Browns fan. They always pick up someone like this week that'll end up making the key player.
They've They've been doing it for years. They've been doing it for years. They did it with a Clowney a few years ago. They do it every year. They get somebody and added to that group, usually on the defensive side. But the downside is Keaton Mitchell being on pup because he was a guy that really popped last year that I thought that could really fill out that room. And if he's not going to be available, then yeah, suddenly you're looking down the list and thinking, all right, we got to find somebody here.
We'll see what happens with them.
I am excited. I mean, they are playing a football game in ten days. If you're listening to this on Monday, that's a beautiful thing. Fortunately, before we take a break, some sad news from the Ravens. Rest in peace to their offense of line coach Joe d Alessandras. He's been their offensive line coach since twenty seventeen. He was with them in training camp, still coaching. He left the team is a few weeks ago now with what John Harbaugh said was an acute illness and the news came out that he passed away. So rest in peace to him, just really well respected guy, had been with the team for for eight years, had a long career before that, beloved by his offensive lineman. And yeah, that's tough for the Ravens. And we're just going to take a quick break. Rest in piece to Joe d alessandras back on NFL Daily hitting notes for every team. And look, it's the third preseason week. Some notes are better than others. I see on our shared doc Nick, you wrote the note, could Tim Boyle beat out Case Keenan?
How about that?
Yeah? And the reason is is thought.
I saw the first Texans preseason game in person in Canada, the Hall of Fame game, and Case Keenum did not look good. And every Texans game I've seen since then, he does not look very good. He looks old, He looks like somebody who kind of can't do it anymore. Not to say that Tim Boyle is better, but Tim Boyle has looked a little bit better this preseason. And if they're gonna trim that room down, if it was me going off of this tape, not a lot of tape, but this tape, I'm taking Tim Boyle over Case Keenum.
That's a hot take.
Yeah, sometimes I'm listening to the other team podcasts like Around the NFL, and they'll be like a couple of them that have needed quarterbacks, be like, couldn't we just get Case Keenum in here, have him be our backup or trade a seventh for Case because they recognize a name and I'm just thinking, like, I mean, he is thirty six years old. These guys don't stay the exact same forever. There's a reason why he's fallen down a little bit. But a beautiful career for Case Keenum if for some reason he didn't make that team. As Chris Westling would often say on the Around the NFL podcast, let your freak case in him, flagfly, let's go. This team has too many wide receivers. Who goes No Brown, Robert Woods, John Metchi, Xavier Hutchinson is a good young player. I think one of those guys, maybe the veterans of the Brown is in one hundred percent, gets like a sixth or seventh round conditional pick or a pick swap just because there's there's too many, and I think one of those guys, No Brown or Robert Woods, could help out a different team.
Yeah, I mean, they have like eleven receivers in the Rock like Quintes Siphiz is on this roster and actually like maybe they're good.
Honestly Mechi's look good in the preseason. Hutchinson, I think it's looked pretty good like most teams. Like I said, like those two guys would be wide receiver two and three on the Steelers.
I think that if I had to trick him down, Ben's kronics gone. Stevenson, you go back to Pittsburgh, get it, get there's some At the very end, cam Akers looked really good. He's gonna make the team. Yeah, So shout out to him. After those injuries, Let's go to the Colts. Don't have a ton on the Colts because we talked about them on Thursday night. I did talk going into the preseson who's going to play cornerback for this team. It looks like it's gonna be Juju Brent and Jalen Jones as the outside cornerbacks. On Sunday, they had a relative surprise early cut Ronnie Harrison, who's played a lot of football Levy was with the Browns and that writers with the Colts were pretty surprised about that because he's gotten a lot of snaps. But otherwise don't have a lot.
To say them.
Yeah, they've taken an interesting strategy at safety, like Nick Cross came out of nowhere to be the free safety last year. So seeing Ronnie Harrison go, I mean, Ronnie's bounced around since he's been with the Browns. So not super surprising to me in the grand scheme of things, but with this team, it.
Is a surprise.
Yeah.
And they got relatively good news that their backup running back Trace Sermon could be back for a week one.
I'm really interested in watching this team.
That Colts Texans game is in my number one position for Week one, but we'll get to that in.
Our preview show and in just a week and a half.
Jags Okay, So they did the thing that the Patriots did on Sunday Night, but look better doing it. And I love this when this happens, starters versus backups, or starters versus third string, there's just something cool about that. It's like, hey, let's just see what happens. You're supposed to look great, and they did. Trevor had some absolute dimes to Evan Ingram in the end zone. Brian Thomas Junior had another big play. Trayvon Walker is just like lighting up the Falcons backups like he's back in college.
It was kind of fun.
I like seeing when the starters come out and look like starters, like the Patriots starters.
I mean, they got a lead, but it wasn't it wasn't nearly as convincing.
Now it's fun to see like the superiority of a starting NFL player versus like a bottom of the roster and camp NFL player, because like, the difference is just pretty significant. But I'm also like, let's not do this to an extreme degree because then fans are gonna be like, look how good they were in Week three of the preseason, we're winning.
The super Bowl.
Although in fairness, yet you're absolutely right. The couple throws Trevor had were just into small windows and it was like, the are pretty throwers. John Shipley, if you didn't listen on Friday, got me more excited about this Jaguars team, including a.
Little hype on their rookie kicker.
This rookie kicker, Cam Little that they drafted has just been piping field goals and he did it in the preseason game too. Let's go to the Titans, who played on Sunday, will Levis. They had the thing going to starters versus the Saints' backups and their first teamers role. I felt like half most of their offense was screen passes due Pollard and Spears, and they just kept working over and over. So it was relatively light work for Levis, but he was efficient got them into the end zone. Mason Rudolph has definitely won that second quarterback job. I kind of think Malik Willis might be done in Tennessee.
Yeah, he just has not looked good.
I know he has two touchdowns to his name in this game, but he has not looked comfortable or like he's taken any steps forward since he ended the league. And when it comes down to cut down day and you got to make room on the roster, sometimes guys like that end up on the chopping block.
Okay, I've I've been mentioning to you guys, we're putting all these shows up on YouTube. We're working on improving that experience too, and I want you to be able to watch the all twenty two of my guy, Thomas Otakoya from the Netherlands, part of the International Player Pathway program, with one of the greatest hustle plays I've ever seen in NFL history. I don't care that it happened into the preseason. Let's take a look. He's going to be circled in the video that you see, but also talk over it because.
I know some of you aren't watching.
So this was a field goal that came up short late in the first half. And yeah, if you're watching, Otakoya is circled.
A tight end.
Samson Nakua Pukah's brother, catches it, weaves his way about one hundred and seventy yards back and forth down the field, and Odacuyah somehow runs him down. He ran over the field. It was the very last play of the first half, so he saved seven points. I mean, that's just getting it done at least. I know they don't need to use a roster spot if they put him on the practice squad, but come on, just put him on the active roster just for that.
Nicholas Petite Ferrera his teammate, a starting tackle on this team. Watch his body language in this video because this tells you everything you need to know about football players who appreciate the hustle and effort of their teammates. He was fired up. They just returned this all the way down to the two yard line. But he's so fired up that his teammate kept him from a touchdown, gives him a big hug, slaps him on the helmet.
That is the camaraderie that you don't getting any other sport.
Now that said, I was disappointed because Walker my son was watching this thing live and he starts screaming. I'm in the other room putting together these notes and everything. He just starts screaming because that would have been the play of the preseason easily. Puka Nokua's brother, you know, traveling on the final play on a kick six and he was robbed by a great effort. All right, let's go to the AFC West. The Broncos. They didn't even play Bo Nicks in this game. After naming him the starting quarterback. Zach Wilson had a very Zach Wilson game where he was part It was like he was back at college and so he had some big numbers. Jared Stidham spoke afterwards that he was pretty upset that he knows he's a starting quarterback in this league. Sean Payton said that he's keeping all three quarterbacks, but not always the most reliable narrator. It wouldn't shock me if Stidham was dealt for like a late round pick swap or something.
Either talked his way out of Denver because he was upset the tame.
No, I don't think what he said, just because you know, do they want to keep all three? Maybe they do. That's what Sean Payton said, that they'll keep all three.
I have to caution just a little bit here, and you already said it, but I'm just going to double down the whole Zach Wilson when he's protected, he looks like he's back in college. I got a text from an esteemed Broncos fan that you and I know that said that they that they have to keep him on the roster. They have to find a way to keep him. Let's just be a little careful because they are good and bad of Zach Wilson.
So they're going to keep him because, as Jordan Rodrigue said on the show that we do, you know, Sean Payton wants to show like I can fix him. He's the He's the hot guy that I can fix. So he's going to try to do it, probably as a backup you know who fixed a tough situation.
Justin Herbert.
What a weird story that popped up with the Chargers that Justin Herbert, dan Founce's wife, Dan Fouts's son, and some other Chargers players that dan Fous did not reveal, but he did reveal the rest of this story on the Chargers preseason broadcast. We're all trapped in an elevator together in Dallas. The fire department had to come and get them out through the top and like go over to another elevator. Sounds pretty crazy, but according to Dan Fouts, Justin Herbert showed great leadership in that elevator. Was very calm, cool and collected and kind of took charge.
I love that. I know by the way, he's fully recovered and looking at good at practice that match.
Yeah, yeah, he's good at practice because he's obviously not playing the preseason. But wow, you know what that is what you look for in a franchise quarterback. It's not the plays in the field, it's whether you're trapped in an elevator, and he could lead everyone.
To safety with the assistants of the fire department. Good job, good on you.
Okay, So here are some of the team that could go get one of these quarterbacks that we're talking about that could be available from from Cleveland East and stick through. He completed forty five percent of his passes this preseason, So yeah, not good. Not look any better in the third week against you know, the backups to the backups against Dallas, the Raiders, Tyreek McCallister. If the Sampson nakooa play wasn't the highlight of the weekend, it was Tyrek McCallister going ham on a couple long touchdoups. I never heard of Tyreek McCallister before, kind of a receiver return man, but he's on my roster now. He had a couple of nice plays for the Races.
Yeah.
Yeah, and that's how you were in a job sometimes back in the day, Victor Cruz did the same thing with the Giants. But I do want to go back to the Charges real quick, because, Okay, Greg a name that everybody knows, but everybody thought was done for a year ago because he was a scouting intern with the Ravens. Tony Jefferson is back on the football field and he had the best game I've ever seen from a player in the preseason. Tackles, forced fumble, two interceptions, and a sack against the Cowboys not single handedly changed the game, but prove to me that in a game in WI you're playing against a bunch of backups or alongside a bunch of backups, you can still hack it.
I think he earned himself a roster spot with this game.
Yeah, he's got to be in his thirties. There had some great I think he's thirty two years.
With the Cardinals, had some moments with the Ravens, and yeah, now he's back, he could have made that team. One thing I noticed with the Raiders are counting on a couple offensive line mean kind of like the Browns that are coming off of injury. Colton Miller just got off pop, but they do think he'll be ready for a week when Jackson powers Johnson their rookie, may you not start this season because he's coming off of an injury, but he is back on the practice field. Finally, in the AFC, the Chiefs, I just feel like it's every week right now that we're talking about their full back Carson Steel. The latest projection at the Athletic for their roster had them only keeping two running backs, and then Carson Steel kind of being the third running as a fullback. I feel like they could use a veteran there. They could maybe use a veteran at cornerback two, where Andy Reid publicly said no one really stepped up in that CB two spot, and it might just be a little bit of a rotation, which is in the end of the world. These guys have some experience, but I think they were hoping for a different outcome.
They also draft ahead of time to plan for these situations, so we've seen this before that they let talent leave and then they kind of have to committee until one guy emerges.
So I'm not surprised.
But Greg, you are telling me though, that the guy that I spent hours of my life writing about l r Z himself, Lewis Reeves Zammit, is not gonna make the team.
From what I've read, I don't think he's been that close throughout making the team, but he'll definitely be on the practice squad. They made an investment to him. He's just playing football for the first time in his life and this might be a multi year project, and I think they're all in on going for it. I don't think he's gonna get picked up by another team or something. So he's still with the right organization. But I don't think he was quite ready, and they gave him chances as a returner on offense, but it didn't happen for him.
Look, it's hard to make the Chiefs roster.
Kadarius Tony helped win them a Super Bowl, and as a former first round pick, I don't think he's making their roster either. All right, let's go to the NFC. Let's start with the Eagles. Big news out of Philly. I think it was the last day of camp. Might have been the second to last day of camp. Nick Jalen Hurts has finally thrown an interception. He made it that far into training camp without throwing an interception. It's pretty remarkable because the reporters there have said, like he's thrown deep plenty. It's not that he's been like totally unaggressive. He's just been rock solid and keeping the ball out of harm's way.
I like that.
Maybe it's the first sign that this team's going to figure out what they couldn't figure out last year and actually get back on track. I mean, it's just camp, it's just practice, but that's where you look for the initial signs of how things might go. I've been to camps where things have been pretty disheveled and then watching that team struggle that was the twenty nineteen Browns.
So it's better that they're on the positive side. Yeah.
And our guy bow Wolf, who was on the show earlier in his phl y podcast for the Eagles, he said the defense actually picked it up there the last week and a half, gave gave a lot of trouble to Jalen Hurts, but he was still playing well. It was more about the offensive line, and now they have a new wide receiver of course in Johan Dotson. The most notable thing in their preseason game Cooper Dezine out there playing a lot blitzing a ton could work his way into having a role early for the Eagle. So nice that he did kind of get off the mat here. Maybe they'll work them in slowly, but they almost have too many cornerbacks, which considering where they were last year, is a great problem to have, not as great I think at edge where Nolan Smith was out there deep into the game in preseason Week three. That's a first round pick for Howie. One of those that people like me are like he did it again, Howie. But you know, those Georgia haven't really come through in general. Jalen Carter, that's an exception, but the rest of them, not just for the Eagles, I just mean around the league, haven't really totally come well.
I think I think you'll see a step forward from Jordan Davis too, but I would agree in that. It's it's also like funny because we're obviously not talking about them yet, but they'll be up soon. It's like the it's a very great comparison between two teams that are either too deep at corner or not deep enough, the Eagles and the Cowboys division rivals.
Well, let's go Cowboys. They lose.
They lose Deron Bland right to a foot injury, and Jerry Jones goes on record as saying, we feel great about where we are at corner.
We're fine.
And I'm looking at this depth chart and I'm thinking, are you sure, because like, you're not Eagles fine when it comes to cornerback.
I'm a little concerned about that.
I know I've talked about Andrew Booth and he had another nice preseason game to wrap it up.
But if you're he did not know he did not shooky. He got torched on like a seventy eight yard er. I don't know what he did the rest of the game, frankly, and I wasn't paying close attention, but he gave up that that.
Was That was the explosive play that Easton Stick had in the game where the Chargers we're opening up and throwing it deep.
Yeah, there's there's a lot to keep track up. So they like this kid, Caitlin Carson. He was a third round pick. And this is why I'm glad sometimes you know, you're reading these reports and listening to Jane Slater and they really liked him. First week, second week, third week of training camp, just saying like they really think they have something here. They've started some young cornerbacks and done well with it. Anthony Brown was like a sixth rounder who started out a or he's the guy Booth will be depth. I think that's why Jerry Jones said that. Then again, Jerry Jones kind of like Sean Payton, not always the most reliable narrator of his own team, like if they picked up a cornerback, but good call getting that bland news out there. I mean, that's huge, a pro Bowler getting foot surgery. It's I think it's been a rough camp for the Cowboys in general, just everything going on. Here's one sign that it was rough, not just that Trey Lance through five interceptions in that game. They've added three defensive linemen in the last week or two that will make their team. I think, Yeah, Linval Joseph, Jordan Phillips they traded for, and then Carl Lawson. I guess I don't know if he's gonna make their team, but I would guess. It's just kind of like a sign that, like, things aren't going as planned when you're signing three guys who are gonna have roles for you and in mid to late August, you.
Know well, I mean we know that they had a quiet offseason. They let some talent leave and they didn't really replace it. And it's almost says that they're like, well, let's see what we have and then if we don't like what we have, we'll just go get some veterans at the last minute. Because that's exactly what Linval Joseph was. That's what he was with the Eagles last year. It is the same thing. It's just like, hey, we need some depth. We lost some guys. We need some help. Let's go sign this guy now.
In fairness, like that can work. I just pointed out how the Ravens make it work. So yeah, I'll give them Cowboys a benefit of doubt. They have been excellent at drafting and spotting cornerbacks and offensive linemen. But in this case, it's came and Carson at cornerback. That yeah, he's gonna play a big role. We'll be watching him week one with Tom Brady as the announcer against the Browns. Like I think this kid is starting. Another player that should be starting Giants their center John Michael Schmidt. He got hurt in their final preseason game. The offensive line for the Giants has not played together one single time in training camp or the preseason. That seems bad. And Evan Neil, who was their top ten pick, who I do not think would make this team necessarily if he wasn't a top ten pick, was playing a bunch in this game and then got hurt again. He's a backup now. But it's it's just kind of a bummer. And I've been hoping this offensive line can just produce decent offense. I think it is going to be better, but they haven't been totally healthy.
Yeah, to quote Pete Campbell from the great series mad Men, not great, Bob not great with this team right now on the offensive line, I look anytime, and this is no shot at him directly or intentionally, but anytime Jerana Iluminor is your starting right tackle and your first round pick can't beat him out, that's a concerning sign.
Oh, I will take offense here. First of all, another great International Pathway Program story. You may think I'm just a fan of the ipp players.
I am. It's cool. Yeah, Like our friend Henry Hodgson runs this program.
I shouldn't say he runs this program, but he assists in this program, and they're finding these guys from all over there.
He's had a good career.
He was a very useful player for the Patriots, and he was playing his best football of his career last year for the Raiders. That's an upgrade. He's like a starter. He's a big time. He's a starter.
He's a starter that I don't feel great about, at least in the time that I've paid attention to him playing.
That's what He's a starter.
That's an upgrade for the Giants, and it's probably better than the average start.
It's a low bar a long time. How dare you You're in some life changing money. Be happy for him.
Names you may know that probably aren't making the Giants. Alan Robinson is on the Giants, but I don't think for long. And Isaiah Hodgens, who it's like the wide receiver to a couple of years ago. Yeah, I don't think so. I think the team is deeper, at least at wide receiver. But that did not help them necessarily. In the joint practice against the Jets, it was a lot of thinking and Dunky, not a lot of big plays from Daniel Jones. Here was Sauce Gardner after that joint practice, asked about Daniel Jones.
But what was your opinion or her take away on Daniel Jones?
Uh, he's he's He's a good He's a good quarterback, you feel me. I thought I was about to pick him one today. I had a little cloud rip.
You know.
He had looked at the last minute to try to throw the check down on one deal. You know, I thought I had to pick but he kept it.
Uh me.
Man, the competitive periods, it was very competitive. Man, it was great, Like I have fun out there today. You know, I don't really know what you say?
Like it really you got to see the facial expression of him look off to the PR guy at the end, you get me out of here. You can just hear whatever he was gonna say going through his head and then he sort of laughs and he's like, Oh, I shouldn't say that, but I should say something. And I love Sauce Gardner because he keeps it real. But he has learned a thing or two. I think actually two years ago that might have gone differently.
Yeah, he probably would have buried Daniel Jones. It has not been a fun preseason for him, a fun camp for him, and he's coming off of injury and I try to give him a ton of grace, but he's also got a lot of pressure because of the contract and it just doesn't look good right now. So for Sauce, a guy who would capitalize on Daniel jones struggles.
What is he gonna say? Right?
He looked great, He really challenged me. It was competitive. It's a good way, good job, Sauce.
Finally, the commander is the team that in front of me is dementing in This could end up looking bad. A victory over the Patriots, you know, stop Joe Milton on a key fourth down. The preseason is nearly over as we're taping this exciting what's happening in Commanders.
You want to know why?
How bad an owner Dan Snyder is that even like the thing that he did to try to curry favor and to try to do the right thing for once, which was honor Sean Taylor, he Dan Snyder did such a bad job at that that the statue, if you want to call it a statue of Sean Taylor that he made, the remembrance that they had of him that they put up, feels so subpar that the new ownership, run by Josh Harrish, Josh Harris, is actually replacing that statue.
I've never heard of such a thing.
They're replacing the Sean Taylor statue that went up only two years ago, and it's gonna be one of the most popular things Josh Harris has ever done in his life coming in, I guess a distant second to just buying this team and taking it away from Dan Snyder, which made not only the Commanders fans happy, but like anyone involved with the NFL happy.
Yeah, I think the bar was so low that anybody with you know, just a grip on reality is going to come in and go, all right, I'll do this. I'll fix this. I'll fix this. I'll fix the Sean Taylor statue. I'll be the most love guy in town. Worst second worst statue I think I've seen made outside of what is it the Ronaldo statue?
That one was just horrible.
It was just like a bust. I don't think it's a full statue. That Sean Taylor one was also very bad.
I pointed out, I don't like that the Peyton Manning statue says the sheriff on it.
Yeah.
Outside, lookas oil Field, I was like, no one called him the sheriff until John Gruden called him the sheriff and had Monday Night Football make graphics about it, like ten twelve years into his career, and no one called him that that much nationally after that.
And you're gonna make at the statue.
That's a that's a product of our social media age. Greg, We're way off topic.
Commanders.
Look, they didn't play anyone in this game. I think people thought when they traded Jahan Dotson, oh they got this third round pick Luke McCaffrey, he'd be the third receiver, but the reports there he has not really been in the mix, was a little injured, hasn't made much of a big impact, so they could be looking for different wide receivers. But it's Diami Brown and a load of how do you say its Alamide Alamide Zakis.
There you go, there you go.
I like the presence of Jayden Daniels on the sideline.
Just doing the interview with Melissa Stark, I was just like, I'm going to enjoy this guy's presence for the next fifteen years.
I I hopefully, Yeah, I hope his career goes that long because he's off to a hot start and he's just a fun guy to watch and I can't wait to see him grow into that role with the team. I mean, it seems like he's already pretty built for it after coming off of a Heisman Trophy winning season. But obviously the NFL is the next level up, so let's make these games count and really start to test him.
Because excited to see what he can do.
Yeah, Commanders their first game, I think it's against the Bucks, Like they're one of the teams I want to see the most in week one, just because I just want to see what this all looks like.
I really have no idea on both sides of the ball. It'll be interesting.
All Right, We're gonna take one more break and we will wrap up notes on all thirty two teams with the last three divisions done with the preseason. Yes, back on NFL Daily. I wish we had a quarterback battle in Minnesota. That would have been more fun to talk about.
But we don't.
I a football gods, they took it from us.
Yeah, we do have a wide receiver injury to talk about.
That's not excited. Purple Daily is a podcast I listened to. Judd Zilga does a great job on that. He said something which surprised me, which is that it was unclear if Jordan Addison would be ready for Week one. That he's been out here for a little bit and they're gonna be careful with him coming back. We'll see a lot of these injuries. They don't have to put a report. You don't really know, but it's just something to keep an eye. I think they're deeper at receiver than people realize. I think Jalen Naylor is gonna be decent player. Tristan Jackson's at a great camp. But that ties into another thing. He said, just kind of summarizing all of camp that he saw so far and even these last couple weeks without JJ McCarthy there, that Darnold in practice has just been very unpredictable, like a rollercoaster, like it.
Depends on the day. Sometimes it can look really great.
Sometimes, especially when there's pressure in his face, you're just not sure the decision making process and that that's his career.
So it's like, yeah, Sam, I don't think you can expect that to change. Yeah, I was gonna say, colored me surprised because I'm not. I mean, it's Sam's career in a nutshell, so that's kind of a bummer. But that's what they got, so here we go.
But I think the good could be really good, and I think the team around him being really good could be enough in a different sort of Jacoby Brissett and Evelynd sort of way. Maybe he's not even at that that level, but that if the team around him is even better that it can lift him up. I think that's possible. Keep an eye on them, possibly making a couple of trades here. Lewis scene is a high draft pick that you know they just traded. Andrew Booth seen as another guy, first round pick from that same draft. It was Quss He's first draft. He could be done there. Caleb Evans might be a guy who's played for them that could get traded.
Just there's a couple of names there. The Lions.
Nick, you were you were thrilled to watch Jake Bates go through the motions on a kick for the first time.
Yeah, so we've talked at length about how his UFL career has propelled him to the NFL, and he's hitting bombs. He had a field goal at that in this game where you could tell he was like, yeah, you know, this is routine, I'm gonna hit it, and he just didn't strike it well and it just went wide right, and he immediately just went up to his teammates. He's like, I screwed that one up. I'm sorry, guys. I was just like, oh, he is human, all right.
I don't want to hear that, because, I mean, I've got a lot of stock in on Jake Bates. We don't even know for sure if they don't pick and they could still pick up another veteran kicker. I don't think so. I think it's going to be Jake Bates. I do think they're going to pick up a wide receiver right now. Colton Pouncy on the Athletic wrote wide receiver four for them might be Isaiah Williams, who is an undrafted rookie free agent. So just rather thin there even at the wide receiver three position. It's not great. Let's go to the Bears. The Bears traded a couple sixth round picks. One was a pick swap, one was a straight sixth. The straight six goes to the Seahawks for edge Darryl Taylor, and the Browns send them defensive tackle Chris Williams. Any thoughts on just them being so active here trading six round picks before the start of the season.
I think they're trying to bolster the back end, at least of the defensive tackle group by going to a team that has this super deep defensive tackle and needed to move a player. The Darryl Taylor thing, I think I liked more just because I think he'll be in a better position to make an impact. But it's again, it's a rotational depth and I think that's what Eberflus is gonna want to do with this defense, so why not stock it up with some players they liked.
Yeah, it just tells me, like how big this year is. It's I know, it's not that aggressive. There's sixth round picks or even just a pick swap, but hard knocks. You do kind of think about that. This is Ibriel Flus's third year here in polls, like they need Ryan Poles their gym, they need some proof of concept. And so these are the types of moves I think you make in a year three that like we're ready to win now, Like we don't feel comfortable with the depth they had, And yeah, Chris Williams was a guy I believe they had some familiarity with from a previous stop ebra Flus did in Indianapolis, so he knows the player. Green Bay is looking for a backup quarterback. That's another team that could look for one of these veterans that are out there. As much as I love me some Michael Pratt, I don't know who. I don't know if they could feel that comfortable with him or Sean Clifford week one.
They kind of need a veteran.
Yeah, and I think if they choose two. It's Clifford and Bumber for us, you know, Pratt fans and everything. But I think they choose Clifford. They'll probably be in the market. It's just you can't go into a season with high expectations without some sort of like semi reliable backup. And I don't think either of those guys is right now.
Well, I mean, look, they did it the whole seat. They did it last year with Clifford, so I guess they could do it again. It's possible, but he really struggled. Maybe they only carry one quarterback I think as possible, and just see if both those guys slip through waivers. They also don't have a kicker. It's Anders Carlson versus Greg Joe stuff. And everyone's been losing apparently. And Marshaw Lloyd and AJ Dillon, their backup running backs, have both been out for at least a week, two weeks in Marshaon Lloyd's case, so they might need some help in terms of just some running back depth if they don't get back. Let's talk something in car Let's move to the NFC South about Bryce Young. Did you get a chance, Nick to see any Bryce Young highlights because Bryce Young played a football game this week and he looked.
Pretty good at it.
All right, I see what you wrote in the notes.
So you described it stick play, rolling left improv to Deontay Johnson, Hey man, look, this is why he got drafted where he did. I mean, he's a playmaker. He's a shorter guy, but he's a playmaker, and you get him out of the Poet's probably where he's gonna thrive. They were so lost last year that any sort of improvement is going to make me excited about them. Not from a team perspective, but just I want to see Bryce make some strides because you don't want to see the number one overall pick wasted, especially when it was a pick that they acquired by trading a pick that ended up being Kayleb Williams. Like that could be massive egg on their faces. This doesn't work out, So all right, Bryce, let's figure it out. Let's do some things like this. I want to see highlights.
Yeah, So he only played one drive. It was a touchdown drive. He was very clean on it. It was against the Bill's backup, so it's another one of those situations. But again, rolling left, improvising, showing a little bit of creativity and arm strength actually getting it to Deontay Johnson. Chuba Hubbard started that game, and the thing that really got me is I'm watching this drive and I'm like, wait, Jordan.
Matthews just caught a pass. Wait, Jordan Matthews just cut another pass and it's a touchdown. Like that, Jordan Matthews.
And yes, Jordan Matthews is converted to tight end and he caught some passes for the Panther. He was playing first string because they've got so many injuries there. They had two tight ends out there. Okay, I like it.
They have two converted tight ends on that team, Gregs. They also have Felipe Franks on that roster. Okay, converted tight ends.
I don't think he's making it.
This team is thin in a few places, insanely thin edge after Gedevian Clowney, It's crazy. I think their defense could be a bit of a mess. Harris Marshall is getting shopped for Joseph Person of the Athletics, so that's a wide receiver that could be available. He actually made some They did the thing where they tried to showcase him in the preseason, and it kind of worked because he had a bunch of plays in the preseason. So I bet someone will give up something for a second round pick from a few years ago, but not much. Whenever you're trading these guys, it's kind of like cutting them. You're going to get a Day three pick at best.
For the Bucks. Let's go to Tampa.
Dalen McMillan had a crazy highlight from Baker Mayfield that was just awesome. He looks like the wide receiver three for this team over Trey Palmer.
That's kind of.
Crazy because they were pretty high on Trey Palmer last year. If anything, I like the depth of this group. I don't know how it's going to play out without Dave Canal's calling the plays we'll see, But I mean, Godwin, McMillan, Evans, Palmer stowing shepherds on this roster. I kind of like this group. And if you get you know, that type of production from a rookie, good on you.
Yeah.
I don't know if it's the contrarian in me, yeah, Dan Dan hanss of course. My friend always would call me a contrarian, and i'd push back against that. You're in a tough spot because if you're saying you're not a contrarian.
You're a contrarian.
And I think like the part of me that's looking for stories people aren't talking about. Let's put it that way with the Bucks is like, I've gotten excited about this this Bucks team.
I think they could be kind of frisky.
I'm into that Week one game against the Commander just because I'm like, what is what are these teams going to look like?
Everyone's a mystery going into Week one.
That especially includes the Falcons who didn't play any other starters at all in the preseason, so not a lot to talk about there. Kevin King, we talked about a nice story. After being away from football for a couple of years. It looks like he's really going to make this team. Ray Ray McLeod is probably their third wide receiver and I didn't realize he had solidified that, but that seems to be the case. And Taylor Heineke another quarterback that could be traded. I would think he'd be high on the list of these quarterbacks for teams that are looking for just someone to step in like Taylor Heineke and a Matt Lafleur offense. Sure, why not, Like, let's put him in Green Bay.
I don't know, man, he's a little too wild. I think for a min at the floor offense might drive madd insane on the sidelines. But he'll get a look somewhere because of his experience, not because of the way he's played this preseason Chargers.
He was a little better after that first game. Heinekey, but we've seen it. We've seen him play a lot at the NFL level. Like we know who he is.
He can be a backup at least better than some of these backups out there. The Saints played on Sunday. There was a report, I believe from SI dot com John Hendrix. I hope I'm getting that right that they're looking for tackles. Not a surprise. They should have been looking for the all offseason. In related news, Trevor Penning struggled on Sunday. His coach said that he's slightly ahead in a competition for the starting job. Police Fujaga was playing in this game. I don't know what you want to say about the Saints. Tell me something.
I don't really have a lot to say that's very positive because of what you just described. I mean, you got Eric mccoyit center you got Caesar Ruiz a guard, and then what Patrick Lucas, you know, came over from I don't know, man, if the offensive line, look, you know me football purist, traditionalist.
It starts in the trenches.
And if you're worried about tackles in week three of the preseason, your head had toward an ugly year, at least somewhat ugly. So I don't know if there's not gonna be a magic bullet that's just going to fix this. Trevor Penning has struggled since he entered the league. That's disconcerting for me because I was really hoping that this would be the year that he would actually start to figure it out because they need him, and if he's not doing well, just doesn't bode well for what your offense is going to look like, especially an offense that loved to just lean on Alvin Kamara until he was no longer available last year. Do that or Derek Carr just throwing down the sideline a At Parry all game right.
And at Perry had a ton of drops. I don't think at Perry actually is in the top four receivers for this team based on him playing late into this game. Sedgic Wilson is the three there. They're thin, Rashik chahit hasn't been that healthy and on the field I do have some fun stuff for them. One Juwan Johnson was back. He had a really he had a serious injury, had a surgery that he was coming back from and he's healthy enough to play, so that's a good sign for him. Number two, don't cut Charlie Smith Saints. And if you don't know who Charlie Smith is, he's another ipp guy. He's from Ireland. He had never kicked a freaking football in his life until I believe a couple of years ago, maybe it was only a year ago. It's insane and there's video of him hitting a sixty five yarder at practice. You better not cut him because some other team might actually pick up Charlie Smith and you don't want to lose him. He's going to be a folk hero in Ireland.
I love it.
He won't be as big a folk hero though as Spencer freaking Rattler who came in here again.
He was pushing the agenda on Sunday. Let's watch one of his dimes, Jacobson.
That's setting up all the partners side Pinet's gold for cold on that time, Brown with the score, had a perfect row with the corner. Fantastic ball.
It's a little bit of a switch route from a slot receiver. Rattler puts it right on it. So route by Sank Brown. Great ball by Rattler, good connection for the Saints, ending.
In a touchdowns.
I love a good slot fade that's put on target. M It gets me going.
I mean, there was no window there. He came in, He sparked this offense. He played the second and fourth quarters of this game. Jay Kanner played the first and third and Rattler just looked better. And don't you know you did it, Dennis Allen. You let Rattler have some moments in front of the home crowd.
That was enough.
That was enough for me for him to be the backup. And if he's not the backup, it doesn't even matter. He's the guy that fans are going to be calling for if things go south because he is not a normal fifth round pick. He is talented and I know he had a bad second week of the preseason, but he had a great third week. That's what we're focused on. We've got the agenda to keep in mind.
I like this kid.
I mean, I don't need to see him start that many games, but maybe by like week fifteen, if they're not in the playoff picture, week six times, god, something like that.
I'm envisioning that scenario and what it means for the future of the Saints, which is like a coaching change in the end of the Derek Carr era.
And oh god, he's a talented young player. So it was nice to see it because there was a couple of really good plays in there and in this preseason. All right, let's wrap up with the AFC rather the NFC West couple just tough items for the Cardinals. Z Jones suspended five games for violating the Personal Conduct Policy, and then Darius Robinson, their first round pick, who was playing a position that was already thin, already a little injured on the edge for the Cardinals, could be hitting ir to start the year after suffering an injury. Desmond Ritter also suffered a concussion in their preseason game. I don't know if he's gonna even make the team. That injury, unfortunately, is lesser than two other guys who are going to play big roles for them.
So this is a team that, like, because they didn't have Kyla last year, I'm just already thinking, like, well, they should be better this year. You're two Jonathan Gannon, but not a couple of good news items for them going into the dead week before the regular season starts. Luckily, to fifty three men roster, you'll find ways to try to replace some of those things, but it's not good.
It's a bit of a bummer.
Yeah, Robinson kind of a tweener, but should have been a good run stopper at the very least. And they're just missing talent. And then they've lost a couple big players b j O Jalari and then Darius Robinson.
So that's the thing.
You never know which teams are gonna get the injury, but but sometimes it's the really bad teams. It just like makes the bad teams worse, which is a bummer if you're the Cardinals. The most surprising news I think I saw on Sunday was about the rams in Ernest Jones. I want to use the wording of our colleague Jordan rod Rieg, who had this from a source, the Ernest situation when it when it first came out, she wrote, they've let their starting at inside linebacker and team captain Ernest Jones know they are open to trading him.
Her source.
Jones has started since his rookie year, but now enters his fourth season without a contract extension. So I saw it, you know set in one place is that like Ernest Jones can seek a trade. That almost makes it sound like Ernest Jones asked to seek a trade and Jordan and she followed up later in the day that there's a difference between you know, team making it known there's they're open to the possibility to trade in him or the player camp asking Ernest Jones came out after It's like, I didn't ask to seek a trade, and so I don't know anything about what's going on here. I didn't ask Jordan, like specifically if she knew anything. That gotta tell me if it's confidential anyways, But you only do this if you're about to bench the guy. Yeah, which is surprise, Which is surprising because he's a team captain, played a big role for them, but they they must love this kid. Omar Spates. I didn't know who Omar's Spates was until a week ago, but Lesneid talked him up as he's definitely making the team, and the only thing that makes any sense is they're trying to trade him because they don't want to bench their team captain. Because if you're not benching him, why would you go through all this and annoy everyone. I'm sure that some members of the team are going to be annoyed by this, not just Gems.
I think it would be a combination of spates rising and proving that hey, maybe I'm the better option, and also a change of defensive coordinator. You know, Rahiem Morre is not there anymore, and sometimes some guys are just not their guys they were the previous coordinators guys, and that just might be what it is. It just doesn't fit as well. We don't know right now. We don't know, but it's probably a combination of the two. And I think you're right with we're going to trade him because we don't want to bench team captain.
Right and Shula's been there, but you're right, it is different.
He's in charge and he was just a position coach before, and he wasn't Ernest Jones' position coach.
So a lot of weird stuff with the Rams.
I don't think they're entering the season the way they would want to with Nikua missing so much time. Alerc Jackson, their starting left tackle, has been suspended two games that came out since we last talked. They have a lot of injury concerns their right tackle, Rob Havenstein, their left guard Jonah Jackson. So that's three fists potentially of your offensive line that could be missing week one. And the Alerc Jackson news, Like, I don't know if they knew that was coming. But he's going to be a free agent too, So they've just kind of had a lot. That was a personal conduct vote conduct violation by Alerc Jackson.
Yeah, we had a number of suspensions on Friday one, including the rare time serve. So you're suspended, but you already served it because you're on the exemp list last year. But as it pertains to this one specifically, and you add in the whole Matt Stafford, like we were concerned about his health as of like a week ago, like not moving with the most momentum of the regular season.
Least at least he looked better at practice. He seemed he seems to be okay, all right. Final two teams here forty nine ers, Uh, just wanted to note Ricky Pearsall, where is he?
He?
He showed up for four or five practices then left, like right now, if you're going to play a game, Jacob Cowing has got to be ahead of Pearsall in the mix. A lot of Jacob Cowing hype rookie under undrafted free agent and keep making plays a practice in the preseason. Who knows, but yeah, Pearsall hasn't stepped up. I was watching their preseason game a little bit and the hops George Kittle showed on a catch over the middle because they played their starters. Perty was out there. I mean, he looked that looked awesome. I remember the George Kittle from two years ago when he kind of looked broken. He was playing hurt for two straight seasons, and then he looked better last year and he looks even better now.
So that's just something I.
Want to say.
He lost thirty pounds this offseason because of the injury he was a core muscle injury or whatever it was, and he lost a ton of weight.
Maybe he just feels more lighter on his feet.
Well he I think he added most of it back or all of it back because he wanted to be able to block and everything. But yeah, he seems he seems healthy. And in that game, Leonard Floyd and you tur Grosmato's left with injuries. Unclear how serious they are, but they're both key players at a pretty thin position. They have a third round rookie, Dominic Pooney who's gonna start at guard, and the people the tape heads like Brandon Thorn out there.
He looks good. He looks good.
I don't know if you saw that cut up that I think Thorn put out where he essentially gets beat off the first like initial step and then is able to reset and swivel and re engage. He basically lost his defensive line when to get the offensive line of his hands off. We're not gonna get too deep in the weeds here, but he gets his hands knocked off and is able to reset at an angle, re engage and completely shield the guy off to where the quarterback never even had to worry about it.
Usually that's a blowby, and that's a sack or a pressure. Not with him, though he looks good.
That's awesome, and they could use an upgrade in talent in terms of their offensive line. Like they get by but they might actually might have two new starting guards this year, Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs. It's the battle for the backup quarterback. It's actually unclear who's gonna win it. I think they're gonna keep both. They've been burned before by not having a bunch of quarterbacks, but it's not clear that josh Dobbs is the backup overall, and they both have had moments. Whu Funga might start the season Tala Noah Hufunga on the pup list and he has not practiced yet, so that's just something to watch with the forty nine ers. And then finally the Seahawks, they had an injury in their final preseason game. Gino Smith played one drive and had like three incredible dimes on the drive to Jackson Smith and Jigba and DK Metcalf. So all the hype that he got in the training camp was seen by myself in this offense.
That was exciting.
And they also trade did a cornerback, Michael Jackson for a seventh round linebacker from the Titans. Michael barrett I only point that out because their off ball linebacker positions banged up and reportedly hasn't looked great in camp, so that shows a little bit of desperation that they're trying to add to that position.
Yeah, there's not a lot of depth there.
If you just look at the at the chart right now, you know, you let Jordan Brooks go and it just seems like, eh, yeah, let's add some depth here.
Let's let's get another body in here that we think is a decent player.
Right They brought in Tyrol Dotson from Buffalo, who's who's barely played in his career. And then who was the other linebacker that they brought in, Jerome Baker, who's rarely healthy and hasn't been healthy there. And so that's that's that's their starters right now. That's a key position in Mike McDonald's defense too, if you think about obviously his track records, so that that's probably keeping him up at night. I have to admit that I had dream. I wouldn't say it kept me up at night, but it was part of the dream that the Seahawks offensive line was just awful.
They couldn't protect genos.
Oh, even in your dreams, you're worried about Genosmith's future.
I guess I mean a lot of things happen in my dreams. Sometimes there's just like a huge wave, you know, from the ocean. It's coming at me, and it's just it's gonna crash.
At something and you can't run.
Just no, you're just there. You're just waiting for it, and you're just prepping. You're just getting ready. It's like a tsunami. You're not gonna get out of the way of it. What does that wave stand for?
I don't know.
Who should you, guys, stilize the dreams here on NFL Daily. You have a whole show.
Yeah you could.
You could let me know at a NFL Daily podcast at gmail dot com.
I mean, I had a dream the other night that I was playing high school football and we're in the state championship, but I couldn't get my equipment or get to the bus on time. And it was a long dream and it was very stressful, and I woke up very upset.
You know, it wasn't a bad dream. Shooky doing these fine preseason games with you. It was fun doing these Sunday night shows during the preseason. No more games to recap, but we will have a fun week last week before really our regular week one season schedule. Start to have Patrick Claybond and Cynthia Frielan in the studio to do some power rankings on our next show, and shook, Yeah, this was a pleasure. I can't wait un till we're doing the real thing Sunday night, week one, September eighth. I will see you then, buddy, Until then, the next time