Hour 3 - Jets, Albert Breer

Published Jan 6, 2025, 8:23 PM

Colin discusses what options Aaron Rodgers has if he leaves the Jets, gives his thoughts on the Jets head coaching search, Robert Kraft fires Jerod Mayo after just one season, and more. 

Guest: Albert Breer

Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sportsradio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Here we go, it's our three. We got all sorts of things shaken out live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Matt Hasselbeck was money. We went through every single game. We've got the coaching openings right now. Jmac doesn't know what to make of my Ben Jonson to the Jets, but my takeaway is you got your running back, quarterback for a year, left tackle, two receivers. Let's get the offense right. You're in a division with Josh Allen. You gotta score points. You can't have to win every time you face the Bills seventeen to fourteen. You gotta be able to score some points. I think Aaron played very well in the last couple of months. Let's get him some help, a smart, creative offensive guy. They need to draft a tight end. By the way, the Jets have like the seventh or eight to pick something around there. Right now, I would move down, I would get I would get a tight end Tyler Warren Penn State Yea, I would go get a tight end, and then I think your offense is good.

Well, we need a quarterback, but there is NFL media is reporting that Ben Johnson will interview for the Patriots and Bears during their bye week. So during his bye week he's talking to the Patriots and the Bears, not the Jets. Interesting that he'd used the Patriots job is better than the Jets.

Well you get you get Robert Kraft who doesn't want to fire people, so I get solid ownership, a bit frugal according to people. I mean, he just won and done until I also have a franchise quarterback and we can't get worse. So the thing I like about the Patriots job is, you know, there's the expectations are save us.

It's almost like a blank slate.

Yeah, like just save us, can't get worse. So that means you're going to get two years and if you can go from three wins to seven, people are like, you're a savior. If you go seven wins to ten, it's like you get a lifetime past all the country clubs in town.

Like that's so.

I mean, there is something to be said about when Sean Payton took the Broncos over. Sure he's been successful, but the bar was so low off Nat Hackett that it was like anything was an upgrade. So the Lions have now clinched the number one seed in the NFC that beat the Vikings last night, and there's absolutely no denying that Dan Campbell has been the perfect fit as the head coach and for the city of Detroit. A team with twelve defensive players alone on the ir could have only pulled through this and clinch the number one seed with a head coach who's unapologetically alpha, a motivator that preaches grit and biting kneecaps. Sometimes the NFL messaging from coaches can seem a little cringey or cheesy. Not to the there is a brotherhood and a masculinity that all be honest. I like, people have been paralyzed playing this sport. Sometimes you just have to play through pain. You got to play hurt and one guy in a locker room second guessing the message can unravel the whole thing in a way. It's like the anti NBA League. You have to be selfless and you have to play hurt every week. The Lions clinched a playoff spot on December fifth. With all those injuries to seemingly the entire defensive roster, they could have packed it in. Let's get healthy, and nope, not with this team, not with this coach. They fought tooth and nail last week. Everybody said that Niner game didn't mean anything. I totally disagreed. It was a chance to get backups reps against Sam Darnold and the Vikings. The Detroit Lions are a symbol of so many things that are great about the NFL. Every game matters. Grit and toughness, which our society can always use, is really paramount and again unapologetically alpha. I mean, New England had the number one pick going into the weekend. They played themselves out of it. There is no tanking. Nobody will even consider it, and it's why the NFL remains king and separates from the rest of our professional sports. Dan Campbell on a weekly basis after winning is almost in tears preaching the message and his devotion to the city of Detroit and the Lions. This coach, for this team in this time and this roster and this wacky season with currently twelve players on the ir defensively needed a completely unapologetic alpha and the message to guys like me at the kneecaps at the podium and I'm rolling my eyes. The players aren't. They totally bought in the number one seed. This is the Chicago Cubs in shoulder pads. That's what it feels like. The easiest dominant team. And go back to September, October, early November, it was like college. They were rolling people. But it is the easiest, most dominant physical team to root for I can remember. And here's the one guy, the one perfect fit. After the win, you guys look like you remember who you are.

I'm awesome.

That's a helpful win.

Guys.

All I can think about is, man, we've been forcing this stuff.

Now.

This has been three years in the making. Some of it four like that just didn't happen. You got to work through it and grind through it and go through the downs to get to the ups of where we're at.

That was unbelievable.

Man Division winners back to back Sea.

If you're not from Detroit, you may not get it. You think it's a little cheesy. Oh give me a break. But if you're from Detroit, you're a Lions fan, you're part of the culture, and you watch teams around this league if you think this stuff's over the top. The Bears need that, the Titans need that, the Jaguars need that, the Chargers needed it and hired it. This is not a marketing campaign. This is completely, absolutely authentically Dan Campbell the perfect fit for this city and this team. All Right, let's talk Sam Darnold. Oh I know, let me guess you're all bailing on Sammy. Okay. So first of all, that was the biggest game in Detroit in probably fifty years. And there's an argument that the two best coordinators in the entire league both play for Detroit, Ben Johnson Aaron Glenn, and Detroit's got a better roster and they got one of their defensive starters back. And this is a baby step league. And Sam Donald looked juiced, he looked a little overwhelmed. He probably couldn't hear he was inaccurate and high in all his passes, but across the field. Jared Golf's first big playoff game, and this did feel like a playoff game. I mean, it's the biggest game in Detroit in five decades. It felt like a playoff game. Mike Trico was coming out of a suit. Jared Goff's first playoff game at home, seventy eight passer rating. Peyton Manning's first playoff game, completed forty five percent of his throws. This has always been kind of a baby steps league. Last year, at this time, Sam Donald, who was viewed as a bust, was starting a meaningless game as a backup for the forty nine ers. And then there's yesterday, in the biggest game against arguably the best roster in the loudest field. You weren't winning that game. Minnesota was not winning that game. That's just one of those games. I looked at the playoffs this weekend. I looked at Denver at Buffalo. I love Sean Payton. That is a tough There are games a handful every year where even a good team goes on the road and you're like, yeah, yeah, they're not going to win that game. That's a standalone game. This was the only NFL game that everybody was watching. Sam Darnold is just twenty seven years old. Now they go to Los Angeles. Their receiving corps is a great matchup against the Rams. Young secondary. Don't be shocked if the Rams draft a cornerback with their number one pick. They don't have a corner, they don't have a shutdown corner. And this is the deepest receiving corp in the league. And it'll be fifty percent Viking fans. And my gut feeling is Minnesota is to play here. J Mack disagrees, but it felt like a playoff game to me. It had that kind of feel. It was one of those you know, you don't get the NFL is always entertaining, but there are a handful of games late in the season and you're like, you know when the NFL schedules like Burrow and Mahomes in week seventeen and you're like, oh, that feels I'll give you an example. The Steelers Bengals on Saturday night felt like a playoff game. And that's Saturday playoff game before a playoff game. And there's a reason restaurants have soft opens, right, Like, you're not quite ready for the moment. I just don't think Sam and the Vikings, this young, fun team were ready for the moment. And here's the coach after.

You know, we didn't do a lot of the things that we've consistently done, you know, all season long, and this game came down to, you know, finishing in the red zone. Weady downs, third downs, you know, pitching and catching, and you've got to, you know, find different ways to help guys get open and when there are guys to potentially you know, throw and catch, we've got to be able to do that.

We've done it at a very high.

Level this year and just didn't really show up on the weighty downs.

Yep. Sam Darnold twice was high on Justin Jefferson throws, Absolutely, no question about it. You see this Sometimes first big games for quarterbacks, they looked tight. I mean that was the knock on Peyton Manning for years in the NFL that he was a teeth clencher, that he was great and productive, he'd get into big games and he was too tight. And I thought Sam looked tight. But again, this was a guy that was a bust a year ago that was starting for the Niners in Week eighteen, a year ago, to the biggest game in Detroit in fifty years. It wasn't going to be his night. I said last week. I like the Lions. They have the better roster. It's a bigger game, it means more. I know, it's two fourteen win teams playing for a number one seed. It just felt like it felt like Detroit's night. That's what it felt like to me. So Sam Darnold goes to Los Angeles for his first playoff game. So from bust to starting the Niners to great year, overwhelmed. Let's just look at notable first playoff starts. Peyton Manning scuffed passer rating at sixty two, Josh Allen pretty rough, no touchdowns, no picks, fifty two percent completion, and Lamar Jackson. I remember that one completed less than fifty percent of his throw. So I think you're going to get a pretty good opening official playoff outing for Sam Darnold. I thought that game was a dry run last night, that had playoff vibes, playoff intensity, dry run. But those first playoff starts they're different, and that game last night it just felt different. Albert Breers around the corner. We have a lot of movement going on in the coaching stuff. Are the Raiders going to keep their coach? Antonio Pierce? I thought the Raiders played hard. I thought they played I mean they played themselves out of a great draft pick into a good one.

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With that, Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter Monday Morning Quarterback, joins us, So, let's start with the Jets. I don't think Rex Ryan is crazy. I would prefer Ben Johnson, but I just heard a story he's not interviewing what without I can read the tea leaves you have sourcing on this? What do you hear?

Yeah, he isn't interviewing there, And I think Ben Jonson is going to be picky about where he does interview. I think is significant that he's decided to take the interviews, at least for now with the Bears and Patriots. Look, the Jets search is going to be wide ranging. I think there's specific things that they're going to be looking for in their next head coach. You see offensive coaches, defensive coaches. On the list. You've already seen general manager candidates go through there. They're going to be more. They want somebody with some level of experience, and they want somebody who can handle the market and handle everything that comes along with coaching that coaching and leading that franchise and maybe even embraces it. And I think that's one reason why Rex Ryan would be attractive is because I do think he'd embrace the idea of coaching there, of being in New York, of all of that stuff. So you know, I'd expect them to can continue to wade through the coaching candidates, the GM candidates pick one person, whether it's that coach or a GM, and then build out around that person.

Okay, Bears' I am reluctant to give somebody a job that's never been a head coach. It's a political job. I mean, I Pete Carroll and Brian Flores, Aaron Glenn, I I like a tough task master and intense guy. What say you on that one?

Yeah, there's definitely a recognition that they need more than one person to fix it. And then this isn't like a guy who's going to come in and just develop the quarterback and that's it. It's going to have to be a whole lot more than that because they haven't won a playoff game in fourteen years. And I think if they look in the mirror, that's what they'll find is that there are issues there that go deeper than just one coach or how just one player is developed. So, you know, I think what we'll be looking at here is first the leader of men box has to be checked and that's why I've Rabel Earn Aaron Glenn have been attractive to them, and I think both those guys will interview there. But you know, as they've seen over the last six weeks in how Caleb has kind of been up and down and all around. If they do bring in a guy who's a leader of men who works on the defensive side, that person's going to have to come in with a very clear concise plan for the quarterback and not just for the next year or two, but going forward. If you lose an offensive coach, how do you replace them? All of that stuff? So, you know, again, I think leadership is gonna be really important there. Ben Johnson again is going to take an interview there. He's going to have to give them a leadership plan where some other quote coaches might have to detail a quarterback plan, you know, and then I think part of it's going to be how that person fits into their structure. With the decision to keep Ryan Poles there, there are a lot of questions about Kevin Warren, the team president's involvement in all of this, and that's a big reason why the mccaskeys have chosen to have Ryan Poles, not Kevin Warren run point on the search. But clearly, whoever it is coming in, they want that person to fit into what they're already doing there.

Okay, geradmeo, I didn't love it. I said when he got hired. It's a different chapter in the same book. I thought it was a lot to ask. It's a bad roster. Vrabel feels right. You know, he's got a relationship with Craft. They can be a bit frugal. The roster's not good. Mike has a real opinion on personnel. I think that helps. He knows it. You know, certain coaches are really good with it. Andy Reid doesn't already care about it. Sean Payton wants to say so does Hardball. Vrabel to the Patriots feels like a good fit, doesn't it.

It certainly makes sense. But Rabel's gonna have interest from a lot of places because I think when he walks in the door, he's a top ten coach in the league. Now, you know, you have to sort through what he's going to do on the offensive side of the ball. Is that of Tommy Reese? Is that Josh McDaniels. He's got his list of people, but there's no question that he checks a lot of boxes. And that's why there's interest in him across the NFL. The Raiders are one team. He's been consistently connected to. The Cowboys. If they make a change, I would expect them to have an interest. The Bears have an interest. The Jets have already interviewed him. So he's gonna have options. And I don't think he's gonna be sentimental about this after what happened to him in Tennessee. My feeling is he's going to take a cold, hard look at at what a team is going to present him. The Patriots do have some things to sell though, the fourth overall pick, one hundred and twenty million dollars in cap space, a quarterback in Drake May who a lot of coaches really really like ownership with a track record of support, of support and success. So, you know, I think that there's a lot to like about the Verbel Patriot marriage. I think the issue there, Colin is they haven't been through a real coaching search in twenty five years. Last year was sort of open and shut. So I do I know that the Kraft family would like to take a look at what's out there, hear from a bunch of different people, get a better understanding of what's happenings across the league with even you know, even if it does, even if it does lead them back to Vrabel, sort of what the Chargers did last year in interviewing as many people as they did before they landed on Jim Harbaugh.

Okay, let's talk players. Aaron Rodgers he played well in most of the last eight weeks. I know, I think he's got a market. Am I nuts?

Yeah? No, I don't think you're nuts. You know, I would say this, Like Aaron told me over the summer, part of the reason he came back in twenty twenty four was he didn't want to go out like that, right, Like he didn't want to go out like in a heap on the turf, on the turf at the Metal Lands with the achilles injury, I'd argue that's a better way to go out than the way he'd be going out now, you know. So my guess is he's still got some juice left and he still wants to play. He could come back like Brett Favre came back after what happened with you know, his year with the Jets and been playing in Minnesota and being an MVP candidate the next year. If he comes back with that sort of motivation wherever it is, you know, I think Rogers still has it in him to be a successful player. Here's the other thing that I think affects all that the draft class doesn't look great. I mean, Chanor Sanders and cam Ward I think would clearly be behind the top three quarterbacks in last year's draft and maybe all six that went in the first round. There are gonna be teams that are going to look at this year's draft class saying there's not and they're gonna and some at least are going to say there's not a first round or in there. So you know, I think for certain teams, Aaron Rodgers could be an effect bridge yeah, how would you look in Cleveland, Colin? How would you look in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh's interest.

I think that there are some teams out there that would make some sense, don't you.

Oh yeah, I think he's got I mean, listen if Vegas, Vegas played their way out of a good pick. And I don't think these quarterbacks are worth giving away draft capital to move up. I think there's guys like McCord at Syracuse or Riley Leonard who will be available in the second and I think people will say we're going to send him for a year. They're not quite as explosive. I just I would not give up a lot of draft capital. I'll do it for a Caleb. I'll do it for certain guys. On these quarterbacks, I would not.

How about this, Colin, I would tell you right here, right now, I think, no question about it. The first three quarterbacks in last year's draft, right, Caleb Williams, Jade Daniels, Drake May would all without question be the number one yes pick this year.

Yeah, No, I think you're right. I like, well, let me stay with the Packers. Jordan Love Christian Watson. The news is bad on Watson. What's the vibe going in to this team that now has suddenly banged up at key spots.

Well, this is sort of why they invested in Josh Jacobs, you know. Yeah, like obviously down the stretch last year, Jordan Love was a little bit up and down and he can be streaky, yes, right, and we've seen that they really felt like in adding Josh Jacobs they would bring a real edge of physicality and attitude to their running game. And I would argue, even when Love was out in September, go back and look at the numbers when everyone in the building knew they were going to run it, they could still run it when Malik Willis was playing quarterback. So you know, it sucks losing Christian Watson, there's no question about that. That said, they do have some depth the position and guys like Wix and Reed and Dobbs and so there are guys there that Love's got a great rapport with. And I do think if they go through some more ups and downs because they lost Watson, they now have something to lean back on in that running game. So you know, I really believe in like adding you know, Josh Jacobs. Even a guy like Tucker Kraft is a devastating blocker as a tight end. They've sort of changed the offense, that's the face of that offense, and believe that they're going to be able to go into the playoffs with an ability to play a little bit more consistently than they had last year.

Finally, I like that Brian day Bole and Shane Steichen were retained Day Bowl in particular. You know, he got a win late in the season that helped him. Was this a tough decision? Was it a go either way decision a week ago that day Ball's staying.

Yeah, they John marajuanted to hear the plan out, you know, I think he had some sympathy for the position they were in. They were putting a really tough spot with the hard knocks thing too. I mean, make no mistake about it, having the Saquon thing following you around all year, having the you know, the Daniel Jones situation play out the way that it did, where the kids confidence was killed, maybe in part by his future being aired out on national TV. There's been a lot of missteps in that organization over the last couple of years, but I think John marraw really believed that what they did a couple of years ago was not smoking mirrors. And there's a good core of young players there if you look at it, and you and I have talked about this, right Andrew Thomas, Caveon, Thibodeau, Brian Burns, Dexter, Lawrence Mabers, that's a player of the Year this year. You know, a guy like Malik Davers added to the receiver group. I don't think I don't think it's crazy to think that if you can get quarterback right and now it's not going to be easy, but if you can find a way to get quarterback right, this thing could turn pretty quickly. So there's gonna be pressure on those guys to win. But I think this is an acknowledgment that when those guys came in, there was a long way to go. Twenty twenty two was way ahead of schedule. The real rebuild took place the next two years, and let's see what happens next year.

Albert Breer, Monday Morning Quarterback. Great stuff. As always, thanks man on late late notice. We appreciate you stepping in.

Absolutely gong.

Okay, yeah, I think I've said this before. There are organizations Jam rolls his eyes, but I think the Giants are close. I do. I think the Giants are close. I think they if you have a star weapon, a starlin what close to being a playoff team? Pretty darn interesting.

Did you see the Malik Neighbors interview that's surfacing.

They asked him about, Hey, what do you think about Dabele and Joe Shane returning.

He's like, yeah, I'm really excited.

I mean, come on, I'm telling you the Neighbors is headed down that path of obj tyreek Hill, like super talented, but like he's popping off in.

The locker room.

I don't think the Giants are close to anything. They're not getting a quarterback in the draft.

Well, there's just gonna be. There's always a surprise quarterback. We should we should do that tomorrow as a top Well, I know your, I know yours. I'm not gonna get into it.

I'm just saying I need one because the Jaylen Milroe both before us. He's stacking awful awful looks. I mean that Oklahoma game, if you watch it, you're like, this is not an NFL quarterback.

How about he's gonna throw this out there?

Joe Milton, Oh stop it, that's your guy from like all remember.

You sho that heatery through yesterday.

Talk about the heat you took in August when you were piping.

I go out there as a positive force in American media, and I'm like, Joe Milton's got a rocket yesterday made one of the throws of the year.

Very important game with it in warm ups. He threw it out of a stadium or something. That's what he does. Like he's got a big arm trade bait.

Maybe the Giants.

J with the news.

Let's start with the Chicago Bears. We've talked about it a lot. This Pete Carroll quote badly wants the job and he's already lining.

Up top assistance off he's spot. I mean, I don't know.

I'm always reluctant now guys who are kind of very vocal about I want that job, and like public is doing that because I think.

I don't like that. Is that okay to not like that? Seemly it's like you're desperate.

Well, Pete doesn't have a lot of years left to be a viable candidate. Just it's just the age reality of how people view seventy year old coaches. So he's probably thinking, hey, it's a week year for candidates. There's going to be six openings, and I've fixed. If you go look at Pete's career with Drew Bledsoe, Russell Wilson, he has had young quarterbacks and has given them a run game and a defense and helped them win a lot of games.

I don't know, it just feels very presidential election. He with like seventy five year old guys.

Let's let's stay away from the age. I don't think age is a factor with Pete. I think he is young at heart and great energy.

I you don't think I think age is the biggest story for Pete. Carroll Devers, I don't think it is.

What do you think is?

My knock on Pete has always been that he's a nice guy and he keeps average assistants and coordinators too long. That has always been my knock on him, that he'll he'll keep that old line coach that isn't working for an extra year the DC. It's been my biggest knock on him is that in college he didn't have to worry about it because he you know, he hit some home runs. But in the NFL, the coaching is better. Like in college, Pete was such a great recruiter. He was so much better of a coach than ninety percent of the guys he coached against. He didn't have to have the best staff. You get to the NFL, the margins are small. If you have a bad coordinator, you get exposed. Let's be honest about the Lions. They have a great OC and a great DC. Because look at Minnesota, great d C, great head coach, Kansas City great dat most of these great teams. I mean Jesse Minterter and Jim Harbaugh. A huge component of the Charger of success is the coaching staff. He can be a little loyal to coaches that I think the game has passed them by, and just.

The whole idea of a retread. Like the boy stop using words like retread. My it's my sixty first birthday today. You're not a retread. You've dominated were you've gone.

Well, let's slow down on that. But I'm just saying that that retread it stings a little.

I would just I like outside the box.

I like, you know, this Marcus Freeman guy, obviously Notre Dame, but he's not taking the joy.

Fine, fine, let's think in that vein.

Okay, how would Sark do going to Chicago offensive guy. Okay, I want an offensive head coach because you talk about this every year. You don't want a defensive coach because if the offensive coordinator's good in a year, he's gone well.

But sometimes a defensive coach is the best available coach. I think Aaron Glenn is excellent, and I think he flexed last night on TV.

Yeah, how did he do a week ago today against the Niners when the Niners had a meaningless game like eight yards per play?

I don't I don't know.

Lion's defense had a couple of nights picks in the second half, made some adjustments at half forty good defense.

You're very emotional with some of these reactions, Er Glenn, what about the top of your list?

Well, he had a great game.

Lesson.

I take this stuff, Syria. A lot of you are out there worrying about wide receiver moves. I'm into the coaching moves. I'm into the GM moves. That's what I've been my whole career. I like that stuff.

Well, it's weird.

You're giving everybody on the Lion's staff props except the guy who hired all these dudes.

The GM Allions is crushing it well.

He is great.

We know that next up is Jamar Chase. Colin Listen Bengals are not in the playoffs, but holy hell, this guy just became the sixth receiver in the Super Bowl area to register the triple crown, leading the league in catches with one to twenty seven yards over seventeen hundred and seventeen touchdowns. The other guys, they're decent, Cooper Cup, Steve Smith, Sterling Sharp, Jerry Rice, and Lance Alworth. Of course, Chase is by far the youngest of any of those. And oh, by the way, he is in a contract year. He enters the option year of Kokie deal.

Why are we waiting here? You should have signed him two years ago.

A sign early.

There's about three receivers at any one time in the NFL, like Justin Jefferson, Sign him, Mike Evans when he was young, sign him, Jamar Chase. Get it done. Let's not wait on Jamar Chase when you get the and again I don't I'm not a fan of paying players early, but when you get these transformational forces Burrow like Justin Herbert, just Pam, Josh Allen, payam.

Always pay early.

Jerry Joe how have they not seen Jerry Jones screw this up? Every year the Dak Prescott is bungled because of Jerry. He waited too long. I'll give the Jags props. They paid Trevor Lawrence early. And I know some people are like.

It's not good.

That deal's gonna look great because Lawrence isn't up for five years.

No, it's over next year. The deal looks actually pretty good.

Amazing, So you've got to pay early. And I think the Bengals screwed this up. Like Chase has an argument, I want to be the highest paid receiver. I just got the triple crowd, Like, you can't even push back against that.

No, and he's but by the way he is, he's a dog. He is better in the big games nobody want. I mean, listen, if he tested the market and went to the market, there'd be a bidding more for him. I like him much more than Tyreek Hill. He's a bigger target. I think he's a more consistent target. I think I can do stuff underneath with him. I mean, Tyreek Hill is terrific. But if you're telling me there's two receivers in this league that are just different, justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase are different, and that is no shot at the number three receiver in the league. Yeah, they're just different.

Final story, Colin is just emerging here in the last hour Antonio Pierce and the Raiders looks like he's going to be staying. He just met the media and was asked about his future at a press conference.

Here's in Tonio Pierce of the Raiders.

Jeff Clarty on what's happening next year about your job sets, I haven't been to anything different.

What do you want to get that cleared out? It's only coming from outsides, not inside of building. So to me, there's nothing clean up until I hear from.

Inside of building.

I'll defend him. Didn't have a quarterback played their butt off. They were in every game, every single game, and they and they have a huge hole in a division with Peyton Harball, Reid, Herbert Mahomes, Bo Nicks. You can't have the fourth best quarterback by a long shot and be bible. They were in every they were in. They played so hard, so I would order I would have kept him. Brian Dabole, Shane Stik and all those guys i'd keep.

They're getting kept It's funny you mentioned quarterback. Some Raiders fans are freaking out because Pierce came out and said I basically I wish I had started AOC earlier instead of Minshew, who was tough.

But again, I'm just gonna go back to this calm. A lot of these bad teams in December may have looked.

Like, hey, there's something here. There's never anything there, Okay. A lot of these December games don't mean much. Neither side is trying, and maybe that's why the Raiders stacked a couple wins late. I don't think those wins mean a damn thing. I don't think AOC is a starting quarterback in this league.

To you, Nope, backup doesn't he doesn't move well enough. He's a backup. Good back.

Yeah, you beat that the heck list.

Nothing wrong with having a great backup. Now go get a starter.

As if like you act like that's easy. Let me just go grab a starter from that ninety nine store.

Five five guys out of the draft last year looked like they've all hit. And I haven't even seen JJ McCarthy yet. I'm telling you this draft, there's gonna be a couple of guys in this draft quarterback class. They're gonna get drafted in the second round, third round, gonna pop.

I love when like, I know your takes and I know where you're going with this. You're gonna ram it home to the audience every day because you feel like you're onto something here.

And you might be. I don't know about this, dude. I have not watched him as closely as you have.

Just all I'm gonna say is this, but I like to pivot.

I like to pivot for Riley Leonard. You're like, oh, let me get.

A glimpse of Riley Leonard. Thorn for I still like. I still like Riley Leonard. I am still a fan of Riley Leonard. I think he's gonna start in this league. I have somebody else getting a lot of talk.

Well, remember last year I was early on JJ McCarthy Adam top ten in my mock draft.

For few you did, I was mocked out online.

You deserve credit for that. You went hard.

He hasn't thrown a pass in the NFL.

So's nobody had a good preseason. That does matter.

It does, and I think it's Diana Russini or a couple other reporters are saying, oh no, sorry, NFL network is saying Vikings are not trading JJ McCarthy.

They came out and said one of the reporters said they're not dealing him.

Well, I initiated those reputed ye, yeah, because I hit some brushfires here.

Huh.

I'm just telling you Seattle, Seattle and Sammy d Minnesota has no draft picks, a first and a couple fives. They got to get draft picks. I got news. You want to know how to get draft picks in a week? Quarterback class, JJ McCarthy, Are you gonna Are you gonna try to chase the Lions roster packers and you got one draft pick?

Of No, they're not far off. They won fourteen games and then it's not only because of Darnald. Now, if they lose Flores and Donald, I don't know how many free adad looked at their free agents, but like, yeah, things could fall apart. But the foundation is strong there and Kevin o'connells.

Detroit wins this division going away with twelve guys on the ir on defense, So Detroit's healthy next year. The gap between Detroit and Minnesota is greater than you think. The gap between Detroit and Green Bay is greater than we think.

Well, green Bay falling apart, they've been a let down here.

Listen, all you Packer and Viking and Bear fans. Chicago one point had eighteen guys on the IR and still won the division. I mean, what does that tell you. You go back to October when they were healthy. They were Alabama during Sabans run. They were dropping forty burgers on everybody.

Who's that Detroit.

They were crazy. I mean this idea that the Packers and Vikings are close. This was the year to get them. They fell apart physically, Aiden Hutchison returns. This was the year to get them. The getting was good. So Lion's going to the super Bowl. Come on, say it with your chest, lots. I'd like to see it. I'd be happy if that happened.

You saw the draws. Give me the early guesses at the two Super Bowl tams.

Give me the draws again, guys, get but put them up.

There, the early early guests as Super Bowl teams.

Now that's the draft or draft. Yeah, yeah, those guys aren't going to the super Bowl. I can guarantee you.

Though they're going to.

I would say it's too hard. I gotta see rat too hard for me. I can't figure the Vikings rams came out. You love the Rams.

Yeah, I'm gonna be all over Philly as well.

I'm gonna go. By the way, the Lions have sixty million in cap space next year, and you think the Vikings are gonna be like, yeah, we have a first round pick, and what if they lose Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. That changes the calculation. It doesn't change the offensive line, the run game, homor on Saint Brown, Jared Gobb that pretty and sixty million in cap space Eagles bills. You guys are all thinking everybody's close to Detroit and Philly. No, I think those rosters are significantly better than the rest of the NFC. J McK with the noos, Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the herd line news that hassle Beck push back on my keep your eye on the Chargers. I'm just saying, you know, the playoffs, you need a great coach check, great quarterback check, good offensive tackles for protection check, a good pass rush check starring the secondary check, and a weapon check. Ma Conkey's a weapon. I don't know. I think Chargers are interesting. Live in LA, It's the Herd.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays at noon Easter not a m.

Pacific Packers in an NFL Wildcard matchup Sunday at four eastern one Pacific on Fix.

You know, I know everybody's saying that's the game of the week, and I don't love the vibe for Green Bay right now. Interesting.

I'll have some really negative numbers for Jordan Love in this matchup.

I know I like Eagles. I like the Eagles too. I think it's my my favorite play. Oh favorite, I think my favorite play of the weekend is I like the Eagles at home, and I think it's I think they've got a couple of key guys rested. I don't like the matchup for the Packers at all, and you know I've been a pass.

Is the guy.

I also the two favorites I like, I like the Eagles and I like the ravens now. I'm getting nervous about my Charger.

The only reason people like the Packers is because of what they did in the playoffs last year.

Everybody's like, oh, remember that Cowboys game.

Well, it's been a weird year. Like Jordan Love started hurt and then he was healthy and they won with Malik Willa, So then he's healthy, and then he was great, and then he was kind of it went a little sideways, and I just kind of feel like they've become kind of a power run team. And I really liked him, and now it's the end in Watson and Lover hurt, it just doesn't feel like it they've ever gotten their feet under him for like five six straight weeks in a row. It's Philly defense is really really good. I like Baltimore and Philly.

This is another rematch of a Week one game. And again I would just stress to people, don't read too much into the game in Brazil over what three or four months ago, Like just don't do that with Tampa Washington, and don't do that with Philly in Green Bay.

You know, I think one of the reasons that we're a football nation of the reasons why I think it's a game that speaks to a lot of people. People play hurt, it's once a week, you play in bad weather. There's a lot of reasons it connects with people. And another reason I think the NFL is so popular, it's the league of hope. So I've told you if the Giants could get the quarterback right, I think they're like, you know, one or two players away from being a playoff team. Everybody looks at New England and think, say stink, And I'm like, they have their starting quarterback, they have their backup quarterback. They need to get a left tackle, they need more weapons on the perimeter. I've been saying that for seven years. But here's Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, having to fire girod Mail.

This whole situation is on me. I feel terrible for Girrod because I put them in an untenable situation.

What about it specifically did you find untenable and how will that influence how you approach this search.

I don't losing. I don't like losing the way we lost, and I just just things we're not developing the way we would have liked and it was time to move on.

Yeah, but again, this is a hopeful part. They've got a starting quarterback and they have a backup quarterback. And here's Kraft on that.

If you want to compete long term and be good in this league, you got to have good drafts because those rookie contracts allow you to go out and get the people you need to surround people. For what we looks like we lucked out. We maybe have two quarterbacks.

That's what I said about Joe Milton, old mister Cincle here, Joe Milton is a very capable backup, big athlete, big o and I think dray Manks are starter. So once if you get the quarterback right in this league, everything falls into place. You can be the Colts and have everything going for you be bad at quarterback, and it's Mayhem and Indy. I mean, you got former teammates banging on them, you got the press banging on them, you got the fans banging on you. You got a quarterback that sits on the sidelines. It doesn't want to go back in the Colts and the Seahawks are very good rosters, but they're not special at quarterback, so they're just a nothing burger. Meanwhile, I think New England. I get Craft, I get Drake May, I get Milton a backup. I'm like, okay, I need a left tackle and some weapons we can win. I don't think you're that far off, I really don't. I think the New York Giants. You know, obviously Seattle has a very good roster. They are a quarterback away from being something special. But I you know, it's one of the things about this sport is a million reasons why the NFL it's once a week, but it's always been once a week. The NFL has always had the scarcity advantage. But I do think it speaks to people. As we got more tech and more distractions and more AI and a lot of changes, people like the predictability of one game a week, the same windows and you're never I mean, I mean, this is the only league that we talk about bad teams. I mean the Jets. If the Jets were an NBA franchise, they'd be the Washington Wizards. We'd never bring them up. But because in the NFL, if you get a position or two right, I mean New England, they would be the bottom of the NBA. We would never bring them up. But they're kind of interesting if they get the quarterback right. So that's the big advantage to me. So Tennessee's got the number one pick, obviously they need a quarterback. I think that's my takeaway is do they go down one spot. Does somebody love one of the quarterbacks. So I could see them saying, like I can see Tennessee honestly saying, we're going to trade down, and we think we want to go get a Riley Leonard in the second round. I mean, they have the number one pick in the second round, so just trade down. I don't think it's crazy. Titans don't look like they're a player away. They look like they're six dudes away. When you're laughing at what.

I just love. Our dynamic is fun.

I like when you say stuff like I don't think it's crazy, and in my head I can hear that's.

That's freaking crazy. You think it's crazy to trade out of the one?

Yeah? Out of one? Yeah, the Titans need a quarterback. Colin period.

Who's saying the guy in the second round is not better than the guy the first rounds.

I'm not going to say his name because this is your show, but uh, that's your guy. You can ride with him. You got to take the best quarterback. Cam Woard's gonna go one. I'll put that. Put that out right now, go ahead, cam wod going one, lock it up. I don't January sixth, he is the better athlete than Shador Sanders. I don't I won't push back on that.

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through th 
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