The Herd with Colin CowherdColin gives his list of the top 10 NFL teams after free agency
Thoughts on what direction the Giants will go at quarterback
Will the Steelers be trapped if they can't land Aaron Rodgers?
Guest: Nick Wright
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Oh here we go, It's hour two live in LA.
It's the Herd.
Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. By the way, Big Ten ratings, Big Ten Championship ratings the best in like ten years. College basketball. Caitlin Clark's numbers last year. People maybe moving away from pro basketball, they're not moving away from college basketball.
Big East ratings are massive for fs one.
Huge, huge record setting.
Listen, man, college basketball is going to have a great tournament. You have to start talking more brackets.
I talk college basketball two hours yesterday.
I know that I gotta take a lot of credit for that because you're not a big collegeat Scotts.
Not that I'm not a big college hoops guy. I love my guys. I bring four or five coaches. I love my guys. But it does feel sometimes like it's a bracket not a sport, like it's all about the bracket. But I will say, if you look at the ratings for these conference championships, people were into them. By the way, Saint John's being good is so huge for college basketball because they play some of their games of the Garden. Yes, so they kind of flipped back and forth college basketball. New York has always been an unbelievable basketball town because in New York, some people are Yankee fans, some are Mets, some people are are are Jet fans, they're Giants. Everybody's a Nick fan, everybody's a Saint John's fan. So I mean when when Sarahcuse and Saint John We're crushing college basketball, I mean New York.
Was just a mecca.
I mean, you have USC UCLA out here, but there's just you know, the beats, the weather of the mountains in New York. The winner of a college the winner is basketball season, a lot of it. When the Knick ser Homond and Saint John's Hummond, the energy in New York is it's so good for college basket.
There's a map floating around the internet. How if you cut the country almost in half. Nobody's won a national championship since I think Arizona in like the late nineties, like nobody West is very good right now, Who's the best West Coast team in college in frame?
Well, Gonzaga is the most. Gonzaga is the most consistently good team. Arizona, I would say, is second. And that's it, all right, So before I get to Nick, Right, So PFF came out today with the uh they ranked all the rosters one to thirty two. I'm not gonna do that, but I did take free agency and free agency losses. I considered everything. So we have our coaching moves all set. We have free agency outside of Aaron Rodgers. Again, I think he maybe adds a win to wherever he goes, maybe two wins. But I don't think he's changing. He's not changing divisions, forget about changing. I just don't think he is. It's done a shot on him. I think Russell Wilson again could be worth a win to a team that didn't have a right quarterback. But I will tell you what I think based on free agency gains and losses and kind of what teams are going through right now, where we stand with the top ten. I would put Green Bay at ten. They remained the year ten, the youngest offense in the NFL and the youngest roster. They overpaid for Aaron Banks at guard, but it was a position of need. And again, when you have a young quarterback, you've got to protect him. Now, Jordan Love did not play well in the last month of the season, and that is a concern. Plus, Chicago's better, Minnesota could be really good. The division is very good offensively. I have Green Bay at ten. Number nine, Denver's going to improve good. How how good was Vo Nicks as a rookie? Well, how how good do you think he's going to be year two with Sean Payton. They got Evan Ingram. With Sean Payton calls their joker position like Debo, he can do multiple things. They spent more money on free agency than any playoff team. And again, Bo Nicks an entire off season with Sean Payton. So getting Drake Greenlaw and Hufunga, those are big, instinctive smart guys who will upgrade the defense. Everybody in the AFC West, including the Raiders, that division is getting really good, really fast.
Number eight.
The Commanders their on line last year was ten. Now they added Laramie Tunzel, a top three pass blocker. Deebo Samuel is one of the great moves of free agency, the classic chess piece. So this is a team that could get four to five starters out.
Of the draft.
Got two absolute starters in free agency, and again, Jaden Daniels as a rookie was amazing. Another off season to learn Cliff's offense.
I have him at eight.
Number seven really worry about Kansas City. Joe Tooney is one of the more valuable offensive linemen in the league. Left and they didn't want him to leave. They couldn't afford him. They don't have a left tackle. I've had a lot for Jalen Moore, who's never been a starter. And there's pass rushers all over that division. By the way, they're not going to go eleven to zero in one score games. Raiders are better, Broncos will be better, the Chargers will be better. Listen, it never lasts forever. I think it's going to be a slight pullback here. I still have them as a playoff team. You're not going eleven to zero in one score games. The division now is simply too good. Number six the Chargers. I think Najie Harris only player in the league four straight thousand yard seasons behind a bad Steeler O line and a tone deaf culture. Offensively, Now he goes to Harball. By the way, Harbaugh's second year with the Niners got to the Super Bowl. So think of what Jim Harbaugh turned around in one off season the worst defense to statistically a top two defense. Now you get another seven to eight draft picks from a coach who just left college football NAUSEI Harris Joe alt second year as a starting tackle. I think Denver the Chargers make a big jump.
I have them at six number five. I worry about the Lions.
I like DJ Reid because our pass defense has been lousy for years.
I like that pickup.
They lost both coordinators and they're not going to be as clever without Ben Johnson.
They're just not.
We saw Philadelphia lose both coordinators a couple of years ago and they plummeted. I also think the whole raw raw thing. I think it works early as you're building a culture, but now the culture, the raw raw stuff, wears down. Are you as good schematically? Because the NFC is getting better fast. I have the Lions at five, number four. Listen, they got an extension for Josh Allen. I also think Joey Bosa and receiver Josh Palmer are upgrades. The extension, by the way, is fairly team friendly to allow for some flexibility. I thought for much of the year last year they were the best team, and I think they've upgraded. I think Joey Bosa is a better version of von Miller, who was expensive and hurt a lot and became kind of a pass rusher only. I have Buffalo at four number three. Ravens rosters ranked number one by PFF. They got Lonnie Stanley and again that number one offense last year. I don't see it regressing. This list is not about who's going to win the Super Bowl. It is how do I value your roster and your team right now, based on free agency gains and losses and extensions to your best player. I have the Ravens at three, number two. I let the Rams crushed Puna four defensive line that was an area of need and Devonte Adams and retain Matt Stafford, and their defense Thanksgiving on was arguably the best in the league. Go ask Sam Darnold sack nine times. So this defense is just getting better every month because they're so young and inexpensive. I put the Rams at two. Go back to that game in the snow in Philly. They're down to the fifteen yard line with a chance to go with two turnover, with a chance to go in for the win. Surreal team head in the right direction. Number one. Listen, they didn't over pay for Milton Williams. They had some free agent losses, but they have drafted so well. Philadelphia's number one.
Again.
They are smart enough to know who to pay for and who to let go, and I thought all their moves made sense to me. Zach Pawn bringing him back to the linebacker surprised me a little at that price point, but again, I'm gonna give Philadelphia the benefit here. It remains the deepest roster with the most dexterity. And with that, Nick Wright is joining us, probably not in the greatest mood right now, as I have the Chargers at seven, No, you.
Have the Chiefsssion Jesus Chargers at six. So Naji Harris Worth seven wins.
That's cool.
That's sober minded analysis by America's honesty broker. So let's talk about this for a moment because you you elevated the Bills because you like the Joey Bosa edition so much. If only one could tell what team he left. So Joey Bosa makes the Bills better by going there. The Chargers lose him, they improve the Chargers, by the way, whose quarterback is tied for let me do all the math, dead last in NFL history in playoff wins and the Chiefs quarterback who's second only to Brady in playoff wins. The Chargers, who haven't won the division in a decade and last year again won eleven games. The Chiefs won seventeen games. And this is the year. This is an annual tradition where you pick a new team to win the AFC West and then midway through the year you're like, yeah, I probably.
Shouldn't have done that.
Also, and I hate to do this to you because you know how.
Much I love you.
But you said the Chiefs didn't want to lose Joe Tooney. What was there a gun to Bret Beach's head when he called the Bears and traded him. They didn't lose Joe Toney. They traded Joe Toney. So I just gotta say, the rest of your bracket feels a lot like we are respecting the teams that were really good last year, except for, of course, the Chiefs, which just makes no sense.
And then all to ask this question, we'll move on.
What did the Ravens and Bills do to forget the Chargers? Which is just nonsense, but it's the La warm Sea era. I guess due to it get better. Well, how did the Ravens and the Bills close the gap?
Because the Chiefs got noticeably worse at left tackle at offensive Well, they're getting old.
They got worse at left tackle by signing a player. But they're the only team in the league. They had four guys there last year. They sign a player, and now they got worse at that position. Yes, they're also, according to your analysis, the only team in the league that's not gonna participate in the draft. I guess every other team all they got the draft picks they're gonna prove of the draft. Well, the Chiefs have the Titans third round pick, which like a second round pick. But go ahead, tell me more about the team that's been five to the last six Super Bowls.
Well, it is, I will say, is all these teams I called it last year. I called it eighteen months ago with the Niners that when you get old and Chris Jones getting older and Travis getting older, and here comes Juju Smith getting older, and it's like it's it's now another receiver got in trouble and you got to actually get a running back that you can kind of trust. It's just again, they're not going to go eleven and zero close games.
They may go eight and three.
But if you look at Harbaugh's history, Michigan, Stanford, everywhere he's been, year two is the pop year he took over the worst team in the league, got him to the playoffs. That team is gonna pop with more of his brilliance in the building for a year. So it's okay, listen.
At one point, you know, I like Harball and I agreed with you last year that the Chargers could be a playoff team. But at some point, I'm just curious, is Justin Herbert going to have to earn this benefit of the doubt. Justin Herbert's calling card last year was doesn't make mistakes, only two interceptions all season, and then in the playoff game he threw more picks in that game than he did all year long and now and I like Harball as well. I don't think you think he's better than Andy Reid. So, like, what the at what point does Justin Herbert have to actually live up to the billing that you have given him for the last half decade, Like, at some point he's got a like, actually play well in a big spot once it's been in the league's five years, I feel like that's a fair ask. Once played big in a big spot.
Well, right, this is the year.
Stuff isn't true until it happens, and so that you know, I mean Mahlmes wasn't great until he was great, and here we go.
Yeah he no, No, that's wrong. Mahomes was great immediately.
Mahomes Mahomes was great immediately. And Herbert got eaten alive by a Texans team that then got walloped by the Chiefs, who they then beat Buffalo. You would beat Baltimore, and you have them all out of Kansas City because they had they lost Joe Tooney.
The difference is the Chargers played seven to eight rookies. They're not rookies anymore. Is this is going to be a team where they'll probably only get two starters out of the draft because they have like a real.
Lineup now, so it's a real team.
Going to last year, basically it was a bunch of kids filling holes. This year, they don't have that many holes. They got to They need an edge rusher and probably a tight end.
That's about what they need, all right. I want to move on to this.
I I look at Shaduur Sanders. People are freaking out and they're saying, well, he's overrated. Well, Daniel Jones was a reach into the first round. I watched Daniel Jones a duke. I never saw a first round player. I watched Jackson darted old Miss. I don't see a first round player. Shodeur Sanders is the second best quarterback in the draft by almost all you know executive accounts. Sure is he the third pick? Well that's what the Giants have. Your take on. If you were given the choice and you knew your job was on the line, would you go with better now Aaron or Shadur Sanders?
Oh well no, no, I would. I I would absolutely not get in the Aaron Rodgers business. I mean that's there is no question whatsoever that I think that is a non starter for any team that is serious about winning football games in twenty twenty five, I don't. I do not understand why this player who has not been above average by any metric in four years and four years ago he was awesome, but four years ago was two teams and a torn achilles ago. And he's now forty one, gonna be forty two this season.
So I certainly wouldn't sign Aaron Rodgers.
Shadoor does make me nervous, though, and I do think that it is fair to say that if Shadoor were in last year's quarterback class, would he have been the sixth or seventh quarterback off the board? And this year is he being elevated because it appears to be such a weaker class that being the second best quarterback in the draft might still mean you're the twenty fifth best player in the draft. I understand why a lot of people believe the Giants have to take him because Shane and Dabile have to get that position right. So I get that, but I don't have any concerns about Shador the guy, the person. I think the fact that like, oh, he has an ego, all that stuff I think is nonsense. I do have concerns about whether or not he is going to translate to the Pros, and whether or not the offense they were running at Colorado prepared him for the Pros. But if you're telling me it's one of two options, Aaron Rodgers or shador I would obviously take shador.
So I was talking about this earlier, is that the Warriors have a little issue. Is that Steph looks exhausted. I watched the Nuggets Warriors last night. Warriors had no energy. And so the difference with the Lakers and the Warriors. When Steph sits out, they lose all their offensive oxygen. Butler's not a dominating score either, as Draymond coming is hot and cold. Yet and I've always been, you know, a little passive on my love for Austin Reeves.
When Lebron leaves.
Both Austin and Luca are great offensive initiators. They drive, they get fouls, they go to the line, they score. Now Austin Reeves, now, to me, has shown real value when Lebron's out. Now, when Lebron comes back, he's not dropping thirty. He's not going to get the ball as much. Ruey's going to get more looks, you know, Jackson Hayes is going to get more pogo stick looks. But I will say Lebron leaves, Lakers can score one twenty steph gets in foul trouble or leaves. There's not a lot of offense to me, I think to myself, that is the difference Lakers Warriors is that Lebron's figured out I gotta tweak groin. Daddy's gonna go home and take a nap. See him three weeks. That's what the Lakers are doing. Lebron's like, hey, we can win this thing. I just want to be rested they win. They can win this thing.
I do again, not to be too combative, did you did you phrase your Austin Reeves Reeves takes as passive in my love for Austin Reeves, or I wouldn't maybe use a different phrase openly skeptical, if not outright antagonistic about Austin Reeves historically. But listen, the shorter version of what you said is the Lakers have Luka Antich and the Warriors don't. Yes like the yeah, Luca is and with an offense unto himself and Austin Reeves is a very very.
Good third option.
And I do Here's what I wonder if from Lebron watching, because nobody is shocked at all by how great Luca has been, even though last night he was what five of twenty from the field, he actually, you know, his shot hasn't been what it normally is, but the last few weeks we've seen him look like Lukadancic. People are probably surprised by the explosion offensively from Austin Reeves. I wonder if Lebron watching this, if when he comes back he does something that Brussard has talked about that he's always had available to him, but has never been on a team that where it would make sense, which is take on more of the traditional.
Power forward, almost Carl.
Malone role, which is I'm gonna get you twenty five plus and ten rebounds while allowing Luca and some Austin to run the offense while running it occasionally, because the fact of the matter is this, like of the Warriors have looked prior to last night, really really good, but that was still a team that I felt was probably a guy short. I gave him credit for the fourteen and two run, but no one is Lebron like Steph is thirty seven and wearing down a bit. Lebron is forty and when he was playing, was playing as well as he had played in the last three years or so. But it's not the point is as good as playoff Jimmy can be, He's not Luca, And offensively, there's only one other guy in the league that can generate what Luca does, and that's Joker. And so I think that the Lakers have a really good shot of coming out of the Western Conference. And I listen, I look at the Western Conference right now as the thunder or understandably the favorites, but the Lakers are right next to him, and those two teams are head and shoulders above the rest of the conference.
By the way, circle back to the NFL. I thought Denver did very well. I thought the Rams did very well.
Well.
They got the right players at the right price. I thought, you know, DJ Reid of the Lions for a unit, was smart. I said, this earlier offensive line is a cohesion unit. The Bears O line will be better. It may not be better in September. You can't add three new starters who have never played together and be hey and who by the way, veterans don't play in the preseason, especially old lineman. So the Bears will be very good. It may be Thanksgiving when that O line clicks. Is there a team that you thought one free agency?
This is the one part of your tiers or heard hierarchy that I agree with. Yeah, I would say the Rams. I would say the Rams because one they avoided what to me would have been a totally self inflicted catastrophe of moving off Matt Stafford. I've no idea why you would do that. There he's obviously in the argument for the best quarterback in that conference. So as long as he wants to keep playing, I think that makes sense. I assume that I think they'll get one really good year out of DeVante Adams. They have drafted really well, uh, and so that they've kind of replenished and revamped that defensive line. So I thought the Rams being able to add a couple pieces, but most notably keeping or keeping Matt Stafford made them the biggest winners of free agency because they would have been such losers of free agency for no reason by moving off Stafford. So I agree with you on the Rams piece of it. This is kind of always how it goes for you, Colin. You see the NFC so clearly, and the AFC it's all foggy and like all confusing to you. But like so, if we combined my AFC predictions and your NFC predictions, we probably never lose a bet, Like I mean, it'd just be untouchable. But we just get wires crossed for some reason.
For the record, I had all four AFC division winners, and I had Denver is the surprise team in the league that may have just been lost in the fog.
But I was, well, oh.
Yeah, listen, I know you did, and I give you a credit on Denver. However, picking the four teams that won the divisions last year to do it again is not quite as hard as you make it out to me, who do you like in the AFC? All take Patrick, Josh and Lamar and then I guess in the South CJ Like, yes, you did get that, Colin, But that again, I just try to Colin Coward. I go to you for a lot of things, and the NFC takes are spot on. The AFC takes it just you know, hit and miss at times. I'm just being honest, you know, I love you, all.
Right, Nick?
Right, First things first, he's the star of the show that's coming up after our good seeing you, buddy. All was well ad dressed. All was well dressed. We've got Kyle van Noy stopping by.
Yeah.
I think the reason I have I think Denver is gonna be much better because I got bow Nicks with Sean Payton for an entire offseason. And I think Jim Harbaugh, if you go to year two everywhere he's been, that's the pop year. He'll win. The first year, set the culture. Year two he gets the Niners to the super Bowl. And whereas they had to play a lot of young players last year because holes in the roster.
They don't they need to tight end.
They're not going into a season not knowing who they are on the offensive line. Now they've got Joel Alt, they've got Bozman, the center offensive line is set. Nause Harris is a steal in free agency. So I think the Chargers are going to be a real team. We all need rooutines that bring us calm in a chaotic world. How about simply Safe home security fifty percent off a news system if you sign up for a professional monitoring plan. There's no safe like simply safe.
One more herd the Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like a lot.
Of things going on today. It kind of me up how people look at the Dodgers. You know that there's this headline today, are the Baseball's? Are the Dodgers the villains or the heroes of baseball? And sometimes villains are heroes, and you know, I mean baseball needs a villain. When they had the Evil Empire the Yankees, it was great. Houston was also a villain, but for the wrong reason. So I mean, I look at the Dodgers. Sorry, better GM, better scouting, more committed. The Yankees have one hundred and the forty million dollars more of annual revenue. If the Dodgers have a roster that is so much better than the Yankees, why is that Yankees have more money annually? The Yankees make more money. The gap between the Yankees and the Dodgers annual revenue is more than half the team spend in the sport. You know, on rosters like the Yankees don't have the Dodgers scouting their GM. Brian Cashman's not as good as the Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman. They have done unbelievable with players from the Pacific. Sorry, I mean nobody complained when the Red Sox and the Yankees dominated the offseason. The Dodgers are doing what every other billionaire could do. And so, yes, I know it's easy to hate la a lot of pretty people.
Perfect weather.
The California economy is like fifth best in the world, yep, And that's part of it. People just go, oh, but the governor, and yeah, our governor's a little pretty whatever. But I don't I think it's envy. I don't think people hate the Dodgers. Go look at their road attendants. You show up because it's envy. The Yankees make significantly more money every year. They don't spend it as wisely, so like Otani is not just something that fell into their lap. They were recruiting like an SEC football team O Tawi eight years ago before he was in this country. They are years ahead of other organizations in scouting. It's like Adam Wainwright said, they also don't get top five picks, so they just a better run organization. And it's not like other people can't win the Nationals. The Royals, the Rangers. They've all won World Series titles since the Dodgers got their new owners. But what they are is interesting. I mean, you just look at their batting order. It's just more interesting. They've got more good players. They re signed the good ones. And by the way, they let Zach Grinkey go, Manny Machado. There have been guys. They don't make big runs on everybody. They have let players go sometimes players that are beloved here. Justin Turner didn't they let him go a few years ago. He was beloved in Los Angeles. So they're just I mean, last year they they got bad breaks with pitching. The Dodgers last year could not keep starting pitchers healthy. Now Otani's gonna pitch, that's gonna start in May. Dustin May is gonna come, and they've added Blake Snell and Roki Sazaki, the phenom from Japan. So this is an all time roster and staff. And it's still they're still not gonna use Kershaw, Otawny and Dustin May until later. So it's imperative if you're gonna get after the Dodgers, you want to do it early because it's a gauntlet of fresh arms. And great arms starting in May.
J Mack with a news no, this is the herd Line news.
Your Warriors, Colin hadn't been looking unstoppable since picking.
Up Jimmy Butler.
But boy, they were really really embarrassed last night by the Jokic list Denver Nuggets.
Also, Jamal Murray didn't play, they sacked Christian Brown.
Wow.
Steve Kerk said the Warrior's effort was awful and Steph needs some rest from carrying the team. I didn't know, Colin, you're feeling a little nervous about your Warriors now you stole them from me because you know Curry's my guy.
Well, they have a six game roady coming up, and Steph needs to take a couple of games off, and they don't have a ton of offense when he doesn't play, so they're going to be fine. But they started so low. Even with the winning streak, they've only worked themselves up to about sixth place. And we do know that in the regular season, at least offense carries the league. They're going to be a very good defensive team in the playoffs. Draymond and Butler are elite defenders, so they'll be a very good will the Lakers ever be an elite defensive team. No, Lucas stinks. Austin reeves Okay, Dalton Kenneck.
Dean sympathized when they were a number one division.
This is regular season in the playoff. Austin's not a great defender. Let's be honest. Jackson Hayes, Lebron Luca. So, I think the Warriors will be fine because playoff basketball becomes half court possessions, coaching, playing real defense.
You got a bet.
Against Lebron's defense after he's getting a two week goal siesta.
Here, Come on, I was growing twet by the way.
I like Steve caurr lot, but I she's I hope this doesn't come off that I'm detecting some whininess from Steve Kerr lazy, just a little.
Whiny.
It seems like he's complaining a lot.
Well, what are you meaning exactly?
I don't know.
He's like, oh, Stef Curry's exhausted.
He's been carrying us like a lot of negativity from Kurt. That's not what I saw early on when he you know, I had Clay Well.
I think he's being honest. I think I think I watched the game last night.
I watched the.
First three quarters of that game. Warriors had no energy. Everybody was tired.
You know how you play a lot of sports and he's like, you go up against a team and they're missing their two best players. Oh, we got this, it's cake, and you kind of let your guard down and then you get embarrassed. I mean, the hell the Lakers we were Friday night, We're watching Lakers Nuggets. I kept thinking, what am I gonna live? Bet Denver to blow them out? And the Lakers almost won the game. You know, Lakers did have Lebron or Luke.
There is something in the NBA that's really interesting, and we've seen this with Boston. When Tay sits is like when your best player sits. And last night Denver's top two players sat. Other guys get looks and shots they never get and everybody in the NBA can score. So Denver last night, you know, all these guys are like, hey, we'll get the ball. We get the ball in our hands. You see this when Lebron's out look at Austin Reeves play like he's getting the ball in his hands significantly more when Lebron's out and Austin's delivering.
It's like when you have a sick day and I have him in the driver's seat and then let.
Me cook and I'm just going off. I'm about a fifty burger on somebody's head, all right. Next up, the phrase hometown discount has kind of gone out of style, Colin, as we see everybody just resetting the market. However, in the NFL, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley made it clear he wanted to return to Baltimore, and he made.
It easier for the Ravens to bring him back.
Take a listen, I knew I was going to give Baltimore, you know, the best kind of the best bargain that I would you offer any other team. That being said, I still wanted to be happy with you know, while I'm making it, make sure I'm getting the value that you know, I feel like I deserve.
NBA is pretty much just get the bag, Oh, NFL guys. NFL guys, they don't want to bounce around.
How about you guys, Well, he's the highest paid.
Full time out.
Matt Stafford team friendly deal, Josh Allen team friendly deal, Ronnie Stanley team friendly deal.
Straight off season, Stafford wind up them playing trade me. I want out of here. O. Waitl Okal State, Like, come on.
All these guys agreedy and they should be well. The shelf life is.
Not long in the NFL, but in the NFL especially, I mean, like, if you're Matt Stafford, you're not going to do better than McVeigh. You're not gonna do better. So I think at basketball, it's more about I'm good, I get my shot, I'll go anywhere. I think in the NFL you have to be part of a collective, and nobody wants to play for a lousy team. So if you get on a good team as an offensive player and your coach is Andy Reider McVay, why leave?
Okay, so let's say it's not happening. But let's say the Panthers that offered Ronnie Stanley eight million dollars one, are you going to the Panthers or you stay with Lamar and getting us out.
Of the team.
I want to I want to play with the Ravens. I think it's as well run a team as the league has.
So you would give Fox the hometown discount as opposed to league?
How do you know I didn't. I'm just saying I I I put on the spot.
There there's a there's value in life. I've said this for years to you don't chase money, chase good management. There's a sea of money, there is not a sea of good manager exactly. That's you know, you can just keep running around in the NBA getting paid. And maybe it's better in basketball because it's all about the individual player. Wherever Lebron goes, they win, or you know, wherever the great players go, you generally win. But I think in football there's kind of an understanding do you do you want to compete or do you want to be in a crappy locker room, of which half the league last year was. I mean, like there were eight horrible NFL teams last year.
It's hard. Football practice is hard.
Do you really want to drive to the football stadium on Sunday knowing you're gonna get foxed?
It's a horrible life.
It is.
Yeah.
Final story, A lot of people were surprised when larry Y Tunsel, who is the most famous person that I know that's been photograph wearing a gas mask taking a bong hit. People were surprised when he left and was traded to Washington.
But he is super excited to play with Jayden Daniel.
But that's make huge impact, just talking from a player standpoint, what I bring to the table, that's would take the a damn fild run blocker. DA can't wait. He's a father and just been seeing as it's on TV and watch a film. He seemed like he's a better dude too.
Yeah, he made a little mistake, and I'm having fun with everybody I know in college.
Took a bong hit wearing a gas mask.
Every single person I know, same, same.
Right, So it's not it's just funny. You know that he got kind of exposed by that. But this is a huge upgrade for you. I think Washington's legit super Bowl controlling. You have the Texans in your top ten earlier.
I didn't have them eleven.
Stop, they're not eleven.
You think they're that good.
Well, I thought they gave Kansas City a real game in Arrow.
So Colin, listen, they're all bagged up. I just got to call you out sometimes if you're gonna be Chicago upgraded the offensive line. They got three new guys there.
Look, you've got to downgrade the Texans who lost their offensive line.
I did. I didn't have them in my top ten.
Now the Vikings, by the way, you see their center, he's out.
Yep, I didn't have the Vikings in my top ten.
Smart man.
I mean again, you know, I.
Think Chicago's going to be good. They're just not going to be good in September because offensive lines take forever.
To jel that's a premature take, by friend. We have to see the schedule. What if they open with Indy Fi.
I'm just throwing out teams and they all of a sudden three and oh and you're you're you're in the Windy City.
Fly that Bear's flag. Let's go super Bowl or bust.
Smack with the new. Well that's the new and thanks for stopping by the herd line.
You guys notice Nick right got a little defensive today about the Chiefs offensive line. Right now, the Chiefs all line is bad. It's a bad old lot. You can't lose Joe Toney and go, hey, feel great, Trey Smith. Now Trey got the bag. Watch out left tackle, no big game experience, watch out. I'm just saying, neddle thin skin. On the last year I called the Cowboys and Niners to regress. This year, the chiefs are gonna regress. Think I'm on to something live in La It's The Herd.
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So this is interesting.
I saw this headline, Steelers are stuck in quarterback limbo. If Aaron Rodgers rejects them, what's next? And I said this earlier. It is a little bit like some of these offensive coaches are playing chess and some of these defensive coaches are playing checkers.
It's mid March. You don't know who the quarterback is.
I mean, McVeigh moved off Jared Goff when he was forty two and twenty under McVeigh and had been to a Super Bowl, moved off him Stafford. I mean, literally, last two years. Here's what we can pay it, here's what we can't like. McVay feels like he is two years ahead. Of these defensive coaches like the Dodgers are with some of their scouting, like they're just ahead of the curve and defensive coaches are, well, well, you know, we'll do what we have to do. At quarterback, that's not the position. And I've said this Ron Rivera, I thought it hurt him. Tom Lin, it's heard him. I mean, listen, Kevin O'Connell, had Darnold, had Daniel Jones, had JJ McCarthy, and he was still reaching out to Aaron Rodgers. He was like, no, we'll just make it better.
So is he going to be? Is Aaron going to be a Steeler?
Cam Hayward, a current Steeler, on his podcast, didn't seem that fired up about the recruiting pitch to it.
Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's that's simple. That's the pitch, Like, if you want me to recruit, that's the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don't, no skin on my back.
Okay, I think sometimes with older quarterbacks. I mean, Mike Tomlin has a great line. He always says, I want volunteers not hostages, meaning I want guys who want to be Steelers.
I get it.
But sometimes in free agency, when you don't have a quarterback, you got to put on the telemarketer salesman cap and have a little bit of a pitch to attract a quarterback. Pittsburgh's not terribly attractive right now. Old lines of mess just lost their left tackle, lost their best running back, and they spent a ton on defense. So I mean sometimes, I mean, I get it, you want guys who want to be Steelers, I get it. But can you imagine if you were in college football saying hey, you either want to be a Georgia Bulldog or not, and Alabama and Tennessee and Ohio State and Michigan are putting on the salesman half. That's what made Nick Saban great, the salesman haf you gotta do it even in pro football. Sometimes you got you gotta show some love when you don't have a quarterback. These guys want to believe, and especially Aaron's got a couple options here Giant Steelers or retirement. I was telling people this morning, I think Aaron may retire.
I think he.
Wants Minnesota and if he doesn't get Minnesota. He's like, yeah, I've done rebuilding teams. I'm not doing the Giants. And I just I look at the Steelers and they've got a couple of high maintenance receivers.
But am I a Pittsburgh guy?
So I right now, J Mac, I would I.
Honestly believe this.
If the Vikings offer Aaron, he goes. If not, I think he retires. I think he's got other interests. I mean, I think he showed his hand on that he has other things. Aaron's not desperate. He's got three hundred million bucks house in Malibu. He loves a lot of things beyond just playing football. I think he'd just say, hey, last couple of years were bumpy. I played well my last ten games. I have some pride. I ended playing pretty darn good football. I had multiple teams offer and I said no, it was on my terms. I think I don't think that's the I don't think that's a terrible ending. Your last ten games as a pro you were pretty darn good. I mean, look at his numbers and by.
The way, lost a lot of games.
You weren't desperate.
I mean, Giants offer you, Steelers off for you, and you're like, nah, I'm not gonna do it. I think if I was Aaron right now and the Vikings said, hey, we're gonna pass, I think I'd retire.
Great, go enjoy Coachella and whatever. Burning Man in the Desert.
A lot of a lot of people like those travel the world.
You had a good run. You're gonna be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Good riddance. We can move on.
I'm honestly done talking about this guy, and we can What do the Steelers do a quarterback? I'm looking at the.
Depth chart in Rudolph Yes and Skyler Thompson.
That's not great.
You might as well just tank for archs Manning.
Just forget it.
Yeah, you're not going anywhere.
With there no you know the Steelers.
Are you gonna go with.
Your tail between your legs? Russell Wilson, please come.
Back to us. Is that what you're doing? What are the other options?
I mean, went, Well, here's what's funny. The Colts had a quarterback. They went and got another one, Daniel Jones. They have an offensive, they get a quarterback. They got Daniel Jones. Did they get a quarter Just listen, they had a starting quarterback and they sensed urgency in the position. I mean McVeigh had Stafford two years ago. Let's go get Garoppolo. Let's draft to get out of Georgia. The offensive coaches, they don't consider a quarterback just another position. Ron Rivera did with Washington. That's what they do in Pittsburgh. I mean Aaron's at the end of last year, Aaron Rodgers last ten games, eighteen touchdowns, four picks in the ninety seven pass riding with bad coaching.
Okay, are you ready?
Somebody did a drill down, a deep dive on those numbers, and they're total fugazi column. I'm telling you, they're trailing after three quarters and he's just chucking and ducking in the fourth quarter.
You go look at DeVante Adams numbers with the Jets.
A lot of it was just stacked in the fourth quarter because they were down twenty points in every game. So it's not like he's coming out and making great throws in the Jets are in games.
I'm watching all these games because I'm a Jets fan. I'm like the last.
Jets fan on the earth, and Aaron Rodgers was not good despite what the numbers tell you.
So I don't think it's the worst thing in the world.
If the Steelers miss out on Rogers, can you imagine the drama with him and Mike Tomlin.
Yeah, but I'd like to have something better than the current two Steelers on the roster.
Marginal upgrade over Mason.
Rudolph Mason knows the system.
There you go.
It just seems to me.
That it's mid March, you should have more of a plan than finger crossing. Seriously, unless they like somebody in the draft a lot, No, no, no, that's not crazy.
Well, the last quarterback they drafted high was Kenny Pickett.
I think Jackson Dart's got a better pro future than Kenny Pickett.
I do
