JB's Sports Podcast
JB's Sports Podcast
The Shifting Tides of the NFL: Second-Round Contracts, QB Expectations, and Division Predictions
The NFL's contract landscape is experiencing a seismic shift as second-round draft picks secure fully guaranteed deals, upending traditional rookie contract structures. What began with the Texans and Browns has cascaded throughout the league, with players like Jaden Higgins receiving complete financial security despite their draft position. This unprecedented leverage for second-round selections could permanently alter how teams approach the draft and manage their salary caps.
On the extension front, the Jets have doubled down on their young core, with Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson signing massive deals worth $120.4 million and $130 million respectively. These commitments signal New York's belief in their foundation despite questions about Wilson's compatibility with Aaron Rodgers' precision-based passing style. Meanwhile, debate rages about the NFL's receiver hierarchy, with Tyreek Hill's position as a top-three wideout drawing scrutiny due to his specialized skill set.
The AFC West and NFC North divisions appear primed for dramatic shifts in power dynamics. Detroit looks poised to maintain their grip on the North, though the Packers with Jordan Love remain dangerous contenders. The real intrigue comes from the Vikings, who could surprise with their talented roster if rookie QB J.J. McCarthy can avoid typical first-year struggles. In the West, Denver's resurgence under Sean Payton and Bo Nix threatens Kansas City's long-standing dominance, potentially ending Patrick Mahomes' reign as division king.
What's clear from our analysis is that the NFL's landscape is rapidly evolving - from contract structures to quarterback expectations to division hierarchies. As teams adapt to these new realities, we're witnessing the birth of new power structures that will shape the league for years to come. Which teams will successfully navigate these changes, and which will be left behind as football continues its relentless evolution?
Welcome back to the Davis Post Podcast. Nfl is coming back. College is going to be back here in a few weeks, now, not a few weeks. It's going to be late August. Late August when college football starts August 30th, I believe, is the Ohio State game that's a few weeks bro, I guess it is now.
Speaker 2:Man, just let them up the way. Getting excited Dog days. Baseball this week's been opening season, all-star break, nba really nothing going on. It's honestly a bunch of NFL news because things have been going on, so let's just go ahead and get into it. I really don't have too much else to talk about. I guess I probably should talk about college football at some point soon, but again, jace don't care enough, so he just looks at me and says I hate college football.
Speaker 1:It's boring.
Speaker 2:Until. Michigan State's good, and then he'll be all about it and be ready to jump down my throat. It won't take that long. But I don't think it'll take that long. I think your coach is good, your quarterback.
Speaker 1:It literally took 10 years for us to be ranked again.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, it did but it wasn't. You guys did have to fire your coach because he was doing I'm not sure I forget what he was doing, why they fired him.
Speaker 1:The woman that goes to college is talking about being sexually harassed. He proceeded to sexually harass her. Yes.
Speaker 2:Did he? Yes, not him. No, no, no, the guy before him, not Tucker.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:The guy before him. That was actually really good, but they just got rid of him only because he was old. He was paying players, paying players.
Speaker 1:Which is legal now Again now legal.
Speaker 2:Funny how that works. Okay, so let's just go ahead and get on to things In terms of getting paid. Great segue. Second round picks in the NFL draft from this past year's NFL draft have now started to really start something here. So they are no.
Speaker 1:the Texans and the Browns started something.
Speaker 2:Okay, fine.
Speaker 1:Because the Texans needed their guy and the Browns are dumb and can't make their own decisions, right.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So they decided to follow a team that can make good decisions.
Speaker 2:So they went and now all these second round players are really starting to get fully guaranteed contracts if not get close to fully guaranteed, yeah, which is kind of okay because when I look at this, the deals that they're getting like the top pick in the second round is getting eight, 11.8 million dollars it's like it's not a big amount of money, but their second round picks are still very valuable. So those players are saying, hey, we're not getting nearly the money that the first round picks are getting, so why not you just give us a fully guaranteed deal? And it's really starting to work. Like you said, the browns gave the linebacker, they got 11.8 million dollars fully guaranteed. The texans gave jayden higgins, the wide receiver, 11.7 million dollars fully guaranteed. And it keeps going down. Nick him and worry. Quinch jenkins hasn't signed his, but again he's going through his legal issues.
Speaker 1:He's not getting shit guaranteed.
Speaker 2:He will Okay, Come on. Can we trust the?
Speaker 1:Browns not to make a bad decision. Real quick. Brandon Knight our second round pick, got 80%. Quenchon Junkins they get more than 40. You know what's going to happen. Don't sign with us. Fine by us.
Speaker 2:Find another team that will pick up your shitty legal issues, shitty league oh, so you think, oh, you think they're just gonna play hardball now, since he gave him that you can't not play hardball with him well, he gave him the opening. So if they decided to do that, that's all on him and you're a running back. Come on, bro, true true and they did draft two.
Speaker 2:Yeah, funny, they kept drafting multiple of the same position. Hilarious, so you know. But like you, keep going down the list and all travion got a fully guaranteed deal Luther Byrne for the Bears, tyler Shuck, the quarterback, for the Saints. It keeps going down. I'm like it. That's fine, because second round picks they have a little bit of leverage. They're still good enough players to play.
Speaker 2:Most of these teams are looking for these players to be starters, if not like potentially breakthrough guys. So if they're not going to get the money that the first round picks are going to get, I think the tradeoff is definitely good, that they can get that deal fully guaranteed. And a little bit of a perk is that you don't have that fifth year option on you. So then you get to come back and get your big deal one year earlier than a first round pick, that you'll get the fifth year option and all that madness happening If a team wants to keep you but doesn't actually want to give you the big deal that you probably deserve. So, with all that being the case, it is a very good, very big deal that it's happening. And in other news, we got Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner both signing their extension with the Jets, both pretty lucrative deals. It was Sauce Gardner signed a four-year $120.4 million deal, which isn't necessarily the top of the market for corners, and I think we've talked about this before how when they do extensions for contracts, it is not just a brand new contract. They rip up the contract that's already there and they just add that money onto the back end. So they still had one or two years left in their deal. They just add the years onto the back end. So they still had one or two years left in their deal. They just add the years onto the back end. So when they say average per year, it's actually less than that because the year they still had to play still tacked on that, so it's a little bit less.
Speaker 2:But agents use that big marketing thing as a way to say, hey, I'm the agent that got them all this guaranteed money, when the real thing is, how much guaranteed money did you get at signing? And that's like what's going on. But again for saskar, who had a down year last year, he decided, hey, I don't want to play this year out and wait and potentially see what my market will be after this year. He said, hey, I'll take the big payday now. And garrett wilson I think he's more than shown what he's capable of. Um, he got a very good deal. It was four years, $130 million, so good for him Again.
Speaker 2:I love when Ohio State wide receivers get paid in the NFL. That's another thing for Brian Hartline to go to these young guys and say, hey, I can just get you the NFL and get you multiple contracts. Very big deal for both of them. They are part of a young core. Obviously, it didn't work out with Aaron Rodgers last year. Apparently the whole thing was is that Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson didn't work out because Garrett Wilson's more of a freelance type of receiver hey, let me do my thing, I'll get to a spot, you got to get it there While Aaron Rodgers is more of like, hey, I need you to be where you're supposed to be. Again, why him and Devontae Adams had such a beautiful connection when they were going throughout the career.
Speaker 1:It's probably why Garrett Wilson and CJ Stroud work so much better.
Speaker 2:Garrett Wilson and CJ Stroud. Well, cj was more of like a but again.
Speaker 1:CJ can Again. That's probably why they work. Better is I can fit the ball wherever you need the ball to be.
Speaker 2:Him and Justin Fields this year, I think, will be a much better connection because Justin Fields is able to extend the play.
Speaker 1:Again looking at who the quarterback he's played with. That fits his style a lot more Right.
Speaker 2:Aaron Rodgers needs you to be at the perfect spot at the perfect time, not necessarily Garrett Wilson's game, especially in the NFL. So Garrett Wilson still won. I think they did like a ranking based off NFL execs as to the top ten receivers and again, this is what's really spurred me on. All these rankings are absolutely stupid, but Garrett Wilson was a top 10 guy that they voted in and I'm like you know what, not necessarily wrong. He has all the athleticism you want.
Speaker 1:He's pretty durable. Jermar Chase, Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 2:They had Tyreek Hill at three. Am I crazy for thinking that's bullshit? Tyreek Hill ain't a top five receiver, no more. Is he still a top 10 receiver? He might be a top 10, but I think he's more of a like last year when they changed their offense and Tua was like hey, we're going to protect Tua short passing game that took away. What Tyreek Hill is the best at. What Tyreek Hill is the best at is hey, you're just going to go run as far as you can. Find the open field where nobody's back there and I'm going to get you the football man. Find the open field where nobody's back there and I'm gonna get you the football. But when they took that away, what is Tyreek Hill?
Speaker 2:Again, being very fast and being able to get open is a very, very useful skill, but you are not the likes of Jamar Chase. You're not the likes of Justin Jefferson, where these guys have it all. They can get open, they can do on one-on-one coverage, they can run past you, they can route you up like tyreek hill is nowhere near that. And again, when you're when he at the height of his powers, when he was doing his thing, getting close to 2 000 yards two years ago. Very powerful type of player to have right. He can catch, he's still very thick, he can run pretty, uh, he can run with physicality, but like, if you don't have that play in your office, in your in your repertoire, like what else are you? Again, he can run slants all day but he's not going to route anybody up the way that some of these other receivers are. And if you're not going to be able to run down the field and get the big plays, and what are you? And I think a lot of the receivers are able to do a lot more and tyreek hill being three is absolutely insane to me I agree again, that's just insane.
Speaker 2:Any, oh, it's wild. I can't wait to do wide receiver rankings.
Speaker 1:I feel like that would be interesting can I say it's not as insane as it seems. I think him on the dolphins is not a top three receiver, but I think him on any other team is still a top five receiver. I think how he fits in the dolphins offense right now doesn't make him that, but I think how he would fit in a bunch of other offenses would make him that If he were to just play the way he's supposed to play and just be the big play guy.
Speaker 1:I don't know so if I'm an exec viewing that offense how it is. But viewing him as a receiver. I think then it makes more sense. I think top three is ambitious, like seven, eight, yeah, seven, eight, cool, top three is ambitious. Do I think how they're viewing him does make sense? That, like, if I'm an exec of like the uh packers, perfect. He's another one receiver in the nfl right perfect j hey, throw the ball as far as you can downfield.
Speaker 2:It doesn't help the fact they have a bunch of number twos on their team.
Speaker 1:Exactly. But again, if I'm an executive like the Packers, if I'm an executive of the fucking Cardinals, he fits great into those offenses.
Speaker 2:How the?
Speaker 1:Dolphins play right now. He doesn't fit right. Right Well he doesn't fit right, right.
Speaker 2:Well, he used to fit right, but they changed their offense.
Speaker 1:But I disagree with the top three.
Speaker 2:But I don't disagree with him being ranked in the top ten, top ten is not crazy, I just think top three is.
Speaker 1:Two years ago.
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, obviously he was almost at 2,000 yards in the season. I agree. You can't really say anything then.
Speaker 1:Yes, I understand, but as of right now, who he is right now and how he played last year again how he played last year isn't really on him. I understand.
Speaker 2:Not really on him, but again like.
Speaker 1:I have to get into account though.
Speaker 2:If you are over 30 years old and you haven't really changed as a receiver when it comes to what your repertoire is, that's not going to change.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:And at some point and again, he's not the biggest receiver, he's never going to be the big like hey, just get it to me and I can just jump over somebody. That's not him, but again, to a certain degree like that has to count when you're putting him up against some of the top receivers in the NFL.
Speaker 1:And I think there's other guys that could do a lot more than what he can. Real quick, have you seen the NFL Top 100?.
Speaker 2:I've got bits and pieces of it, but I haven't Tee Higgins at 77.
Speaker 1:Ooh.
Speaker 2:I don't. The top 100 is hard though 77. 77.
Speaker 1:There's receivers that are going to. If Zay Flowers is above him, I'm tweaking the fuck out.
Speaker 2:No, yes, yes, no. I agree, zay Flowers should be nowhere near the top 100.
Speaker 1:If I'm saying Zay Flowers. If I'm saying Zay Flowers, if I I haven't looked at the list since I saw that.
Speaker 2:I hate Zay Flowers.
Speaker 1:If I see Zay Flowers at like anywhere before 50.
Speaker 2:He's not a top 100 player.
Speaker 1:He's not they're going to put him up there.
Speaker 2:They better fucking not. He's not a top 100 player at all. Zero, zero, zilch not.
Speaker 1:If he was, the Ravens have a Super Bowl. Lamar's a class act. Choker Him and fucking Josh Allen.
Speaker 2:I just think Lamar has to do so much because his receivers are mint, and if Zay Flowers is actually a true number one receiver, will they?
Speaker 1:forget how to run their offense and they're like let's throw the ball. I don't know, man, we have ran the ball down everybody's throat Right now, in this moment. Let's throw that bitch Every year. What are we doing?
Speaker 2:I don't know, I don't know, zay Flowers ain't it, he's just not. I know, but TA is at 77. Again, why they signed Hopkins. That's why he's there, because, hey, we need an actual, even though Hopkins isn't close to what he once was. But he's better than Zay.
Speaker 1:Flowers, let me say that he still put up yards.
Speaker 2:The last couple years, he did, but he's not the big explosive guy anymore. He's nowhere near. He used to be able to get over. He's head-topping people.
Speaker 1:Agreed.
Speaker 2:He's nowhere near that, but for what he is at, his'm not getting on him whatsoever. He's still a dope receiver. And again he's a big upgrade as to what the Ravens have had.
Speaker 1:He is a option. He is a great option.
Speaker 2:Yes for sure, especially getting you some first downs, he'd be a great veteran presence.
Speaker 1:if you had young receivers who were worth a damn, he'd be great.
Speaker 2:on the Packers no, they like having all their young guns, all their young number twos and then just drafting a first-arm receiver to hopefully change that, to have a number one.
Speaker 1:Just for this nigga to be another number two.
Speaker 2:It doesn't change the fact that any real wide receiver is worth anything. Going to play with Jordan Love, who's so up and down. I wouldn't want to fucking do that myself.
Speaker 1:I do think Jaden Reed's the best receiver in that room All around.
Speaker 2:Yes, I do think he's the most, but he's not. He's on number one though he's not.
Speaker 1:I, I agree, and I think he lacks like the top end speed, he likes the size.
Speaker 2:I think those are the two things he, that's all he really lacks he'd be an awesome number two, like if you had a legit number one, he would be killing it as a number two. But he's been asked to be their number one receiver and it hasn't really worked out because he's not physically gifted enough.
Speaker 1:And he's doing fine. I think he had like 700-something yards last year.
Speaker 2:They just keep being hurt when you're split it up between like five other guys.
Speaker 1:yeah, it's pretty good, that's pretty fucking good.
Speaker 2:And Jordan Love. Not being consistent also doesn't help either. Also, he was the only receiver that wasn't hurt last year true, no, yeah, yeah, you're not wrong, you're not wrong, but again he would. He would disappear from often the offense, really often. It's like I only know that because I had him in fantasy.
Speaker 1:Well, again, it's like hey he's the only guy only receiver on the field right now. Let's throw a db and a safety at him yeah, he could do then yeah and let's blitz jordan love. Make him make a bad throw and he will.
Speaker 2:You don't even have to blitz him. Blitz him. He'll make a bad decision all the time. He's not.
Speaker 1:I think that also can promise him the game. Some of the highlights I saw is that he would zone in on Reed Because Reed had short hands. He's going to catch the ball.
Speaker 2:Does he have?
Speaker 1:a lot of drops. I don't even know all this because he's a Michigan State guy that years and one guy for you to be proud of from your. He was there with um kenny walker, and they were both very, very good. He had 1100 yards that season. Yes, he did. He went to uh draft because they came out the same second round pick very, very good.
Speaker 2:Third round pick dang. I thought he was second round guy, he's the third round guy.
Speaker 1:They drafted romeo doobs in the second round romeo dobs, doobs, doobs. I feel like we struggle with his last name, because there's so many ways it can be said. It's spelled exactly like Josh Dobbs, because it's D-O-B-B-S.
Speaker 2:No, it's D-O-U-B-S.
Speaker 1:What the fuck? Why is there a U in there?
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a U in there. There's for sure, a U in there, whatever tall, and that's it.
Speaker 1:yeah, but we can't do anything. He doesn't have, like, any type of speed at all. No, you're tall, it's the one guy that's the fast guy, but he always watson yeah, but he always christian watson he has no leg the hamstring injury every single, every time he's never never healthy. He is that. He is the guy. The guy supposed to be number one because he is that good, yeah, but then he'll come out there for four, he'll make one big player like, oh God, if he could be healthy all the time.
Speaker 2:Then he's like oh, I'm out for the next three weeks.
Speaker 1:Oh God, my hammy. I'm going to come back, hurt the same hamstring and then go leave again, but they're going to give me my extension anyway.
Speaker 2:Probably not. They did just draft a guy in the first round.
Speaker 1:Texas, that's just fast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Matthew Golden. Yeah they drafted.
Speaker 1:Golden. Can people stop drafting? Texas receivers.
Speaker 2:There has not been a good one in a while.
Speaker 1:What was his name? Was it Hyatt?
Speaker 2:No, that was Tennessee. He's still ass. He was bad too. Jalen Hyatt didn't know how to play wide receiver. He got drafted by the Giants In fact I remember all this is insane Drafted by the Giants and he was trash. I don't think he's on the team anymore.
Speaker 1:He's not.
Speaker 2:If he is, he's like riding pine.
Speaker 1:Sorry, I just thought about it. I remember him saying he was the best receiver in college football.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no.
Speaker 1:When he was at Pitt the year he transferred. No, no.
Speaker 2:Pitt oh no, that's a different receiver.
Speaker 1:Who was?
Speaker 2:that that's Addison when he went from Pitt to USC.
Speaker 1:That's his name. That nigga's also ass.
Speaker 2:No, he's no. Addison's been great with the. Then it's not fucking Addison, cause Hyatt was always with Tennessee.
Speaker 1:Then it's somebody else.
Speaker 2:I'm not crazy, am I?
Speaker 1:It's Hyatt dude. He went from Pitt to Tennessee.
Speaker 2:Hyatt was always with Tennessee.
Speaker 1:Bullshit.
Speaker 2:You can look it up if you want.
Speaker 1:But I don't care enough.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you don't Um.
Speaker 1:So you don't have to care my nigga.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, j Lynn.
Speaker 1:Jordan Addison Did not play with fucking Kenny Pickett.
Speaker 2:Yes, he did Bullshit. Jordan Addison did not play with fucking Kenny Pickett yes, he did Bullshit. Jordan Addison college football yes. Pittsburgh Panthers and USC Trojans yes. That's crazy, this nigga talks a lot of shit for on a street. I think he's done better With the Minnesota. He's actually played pretty well as a number two. He's not number one.
Speaker 1:But again you have Justin Jefferson on the other side of you. It makes your job a lot easier, I know, but he was saying he was better than fucking Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Speaker 2:Not even close my bad.
Speaker 1:He was saying he was better than JSN. He played in the same year JSN was playing.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. And that's not the case.
Speaker 1:Because he won the Receiver of the Year award.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the year was that? The year that Marv should have won it?
Speaker 1:Yes, it was the year. Marv should have won it because Jason was hurt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, yeah, they took that from Marv and then gave it to Marv the year after. Well, maybe Marv didn't deserve it as much, but again, it was like payback for not getting the year before, when he definitely deserved it um, but yeah, so not even close.
Speaker 2:Jalen hyatt was always tennessee sorry, I just I don't care that nigga was trash, I remember the giants and I remember him dropping three passes and I was like I remember him going into the the combine saying I want to prove I'm the best right receiver here and I'm like not even. All you do is run straight in an offense that says, hey, we're gonna make this perfect, all you have to do is run straight and the ball will come to you and you're going to be wide butt fucking open. And that's exactly what happened and that's what he did throughout his whole college career and that's why, in the NFL, he has done nothing, nothing at all, absolute jack shit. Back to wide receivers believing they're worth more 49ers. Wide receiver Jawan Jennings looking for a new deal from the team because apparently he knows that, based off what team they have now.
Speaker 1:I got no receivers. Debo's gone.
Speaker 2:Brandon, are you coming back from?
Speaker 1:blowing his knee. Horrific injury. Blowing his knee, ricky Pearsall. They said he's always hurt, but my bro got shot. He did get shot.
Speaker 2:He did have a knee injury sometime last year.
Speaker 1:I am all you have.
Speaker 2:So he's like, hey, I want to get a new deal Because I think he's getting paid like $7 million this season. So he's like, hey, I want a new deal. So I'm like that's reasonable, but I think the Niners are going to tell you no. And what are you going to do? Hold out, I'm just like I don't know. I'm not going to get up to you. You probably could.
Speaker 1:You guys should give him a Christian Kirk type deal Like $53 million total.
Speaker 2:But here's my thing I don't think he's good enough to be like that guy for you.
Speaker 1:I don't think you guys have an option.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but they're like hey, Chris McCaffrey's back, we just throw to him 20 times a game and it'll be fine.
Speaker 1:He doesn't have any. A doctor said you have no ACLs, brent. Now you legitimately didn't have a knee five months ago. Yeah, no knee, he tore his.
Speaker 2:ACL Totally out.
Speaker 1:Blew it, blew his knee and Ricky Pearsall has knee injuries. So, yeah, your best target besides Jawan Jennings is George Kittle. He'll be there all 17 games. Kittle's awesome, he'll be fine. He will be there every game you need him. It he'll be fine, he will. He will be there every game you need him. It's just hey, you need somebody else you can only do so much with a tight end for everybody's, like, hey, let's throw a safety and a linebacker on him right, yeah, for sure he'll still probably catch the fucking ball, because dude's a madman and that offense is built perfectly.
Speaker 2:Hey, just be where you need to be and you're gonna play is gonna be made for. And that's what makes it worse is that when you playing in that offense, if you do job, the ball will just find its way towards you and you'll make some big plays. So I can see it from both sides as to why Juwan Jennings will be looking for the money he's looking for. But I also would see the Niners being like hey, we can replace you with somebody else, but they don't have anybody to replace him with right now. If Ricky Piercewell came into camp and was dynamite, they'll look at Juwan Jennings and be like, ah, we're good, come back or just don't play at all and don't get to free agency like you're supposed to after this year, but unfortunately y'all can't do that.
Speaker 2:As of right now they can't. Ricky Biersal has shown he has to sign him. They might.
Speaker 1:You can't give him like $12 million a year?
Speaker 2:Over like three. Not what they're paying everybody now. Brock Purdy's getting paid. They're paying. And who else? Purdy Kittle's still one of the highest paid. I think he's the highest paid tight end right now. That makes sense. Christian McCaffrey's still getting paid a buttload of money. He's getting paid. He's a top five running back salary right now. It wasn't torn ACLs, it was like no cartilage in his knees. I think he has in both knees, which is crazy to say in real life.
Speaker 1:That's kind of worse Might be. Sounds like you need two knee replacements.
Speaker 2:They have their left tackle. Who's still the top paid left tackle in the NFL? I believe.
Speaker 1:What's his name?
Speaker 2:You know the name and you just want to make me look stupid on this podcast right now. I know it, it's freak. I can't Just tell Freak, I can't Just tell me.
Speaker 1:Oh, I can't remember his name. All I can think of is Tristan Wirfs, and I'm like that's for the Buccaneers.
Speaker 2:No, that's Buccaneers Crap.
Speaker 1:He's really good.
Speaker 2:Yes, he's the best tap, but he's 36 years old, he's older, and he's still good as fuck. He is San Fran.
Speaker 1:I remember him punching.
Speaker 2:It's Trent Williams Started with a T.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all I can remember is him punching Richard Sherman in the face. Yeah, he's awesome when he played with Washington.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was so good. He's still good, he's 36 years old.
Speaker 1:But the boy is like that.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to cabot you. I'd keep paying him too if he keeps playing how he is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but he didn't play last year because he was hurt all of last year, true, but I don't recall him being hurt often.
Speaker 2:He's not, but again, now you're dealing with.
Speaker 1:You're 36.
Speaker 2:36, 37. That's another guy you're also paying a ton of money to, and not to mention they're still paying nick bosa so and they just paid him like a year or two ago too much he was still one of the better defensive ends last year. Don't do that.
Speaker 1:He was worse than michael parsons and miles garrett. Yeah, them niggas are ass.
Speaker 2:But guess what? He's actually not. He's not as good as miles garrett, but he's better than michael parsons because he can actually defend the run you're not doing, you're not just running at him.
Speaker 1:He'll make the play. Michael Parsons played more games than him.
Speaker 2:Yes, but the San Fran team sucked last year and they told him, hey, you don't have to play. I think it was like 14, 15 games in. They were like, hey, you just don't have to play. The rest of the year we suck. We're not going to waste the tread on your tires. I don't know what I. So John Jennings, I understand, but I think the Niners are going to play hardball on that one.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:Kansas City guard Trey Smith signs a four-year $94 million deal To become the highest-paid guard in NFL history. The Chiefs need to do that Because they don't have really tackles that you can believe in. They do have a really good center.
Speaker 1:Your interior line is not great. He's their best lineman.
Speaker 2:On the whole line is not great. He's their best lineman. On the whole, he's really good. He's their best guy, which is why they had to pay him a bunch of money. I think they had him on the franchise tag and they were just trying to make sure to get a deal done, because I think they were going to pay him a boatload of money on just a one-year deal if they didn't make it happen.
Speaker 2:They drafted the rookie left tackle From Ohio State to come and they say he'll be ready for Camp, but who knows how Ready he'll be to play football by the time the season starts. So they have their best guy there. They have to sign him. So they made it happen. Highest paid guard, which is kind of insane to make it happen. But you know Kansas City, when Patrick Holmes isn't getting paid all the money he probably should be getting paid, they can make moves like this without much of an issue, and heck, didn't they. They also paid Travis Kelsey too, but again, he's not the highest paid tight end in the league, but he's still getting a decent amount of money.
Speaker 1:He's not going to be paying anybody else. Rasheed Rice is in jail paying anybody else.
Speaker 2:Rasheed Rice is in jail. Oh, we're going to get to that. We're going to get to that. Von Miller signs with Commanders. I think it's like a one-year, like $15 million or something like that. Good deal for them.
Speaker 1:In fact, he's still playing as Wild.
Speaker 2:Again, he's still playing good ball. I think he played last year with the Bills and he was still making plays Again.
Speaker 1:he's not like a down in, down out, no, but he is top flight guy a good guy to have on the defense and just having in the defensive room so I understand why teams are paying him, especially as a commander, when you're trying to build a better defense, commander's defense is fucking ass so like getting anybody on the team is awesome, is it? That's a good pickup.
Speaker 2:He will be consistent for you the entire year because they don't have a back end of their defense. So beginning a guy like von miller in there to try to at least turn up the heat on quarterbacks that are in your like it just makes so much sense. So definitely a good deal for Von Miller. For the, I don't know how much is going to change. Really, Washington's really led by their offense and I think they're kind of built a lot like the Bengals to a certain extent. Oh yeah, I think they're be a little bit better there.
Speaker 1:Real quick they are two games different from the Bengals. That is it. They won two more games than the Bengals last year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but they're in a worse division, so they managed to Exactly.
Speaker 1:But all their games were the same. Oh no they're not.
Speaker 2:They're with the Eagles, that's still the worst division? Yeah, because it's them and the Eagles. And then you have the Cowboys that sucked last year and the Giants who were awful as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, you're right. Fine, you have two good teams and then one team that has a really good defense with a shitty offense. Yes, you have two teams with a really good defense and a shitty offense. Yes, you have two teams with a really good defense and a shitty offense.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And the Bengals and the Ravens.
Speaker 2:Dang, you have to do that.
Speaker 1:You're on with the best.
Speaker 2:But again, you know what.
Speaker 1:I've said this to somebody before hey, the Commanders are gross, similar to the Bengals. I'm like no, no, I'm like no, they are. They are, and they are they are and, like your offense is just a little more cohesive mhm, they had better with his coordinator they do. But, dude, I hate Zach Taylor so fucking much he's the worst.
Speaker 2:He's the worst wet towel so bad, so bad. Watching Joe Burrow cuss him out was awesome, and watching him in that quarterback he don't respect you no, no not at all.
Speaker 1:he knows that a fucking whisper from any A whisper to the owner about you and you're gone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no question that day, but they know there's nobody else. It's an obvious upgrade over him as of right now.
Speaker 1:And again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but they don't. But here's the problem with having a cheap owner when you fire head coaches, you still have to pay them.
Speaker 1:So I doubt he's going to be wanting to pay somebody to not work. Is you extending this nigga? Two years ago, after we got to the Super Bowl, they did extend it.
Speaker 2:You extended this motherfucker Again it's kind of hard not to when you just got to the Super Bowl. That's a hard spot to be like, hey, we're going to fire you, after you were the coach that helped lead us to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1:Y'all wanted to drop him. After his first year Y'all saw he wasn't good. And then we got to the Super Bowl and you're like fuck.
Speaker 2:We gotta keep him. That's smart. They put you in a bad spot, but again.
Speaker 1:I know, but now I sit back and think about it. If we didn't add Jamar Chase, this nigga would've been gone.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. Rasheed Rice ple pleads guilty in his reckless driving case. He gets 30 days in jail, five years of probation, and he'll probably end up being suspended at some point. Five, six, seven, eight games. How do you think this impacts the Chiefs? I'm not sure if it's that big of an impact. They're used to having bad receivers at this point. They've been doing it for two years now.
Speaker 1:I think it's a huge impact because he's their best receiver.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but he wasn't there last year and they still got the Super Bowl. He played one game last year, got the injury and he was done for the year. So I don't think this is something that the Chiefs are not are. I don't think that's something that the chiefs are not used to. When it comes to playing without their best receiver, I do think Xavier worthy he did make some big plays in the super bowl. Again, it was. It was in a blowout effort, so it really didn't matter when everything came down to it, but I think he'll be able to be another big play receiver for them, kind of the gadget guy. They still have Travis Kelsey what's left of him at least. I think he will probably start the year better. I think he'll be a little more focused on what he's doing. He's been doing a lot less of being around the Taylor Swift and doing all that the whole tour with her and all that. And obviously their defense has been good for years and I think their defense will continue to be. So we will talk about this later because we are going to talk about the AFC West, but the start of their schedule is very tough. So if he misses the first six, seven, eight games that they're. That is a big chunk of their schedule that they're not going to have one of their best guys. So if they manage to not be able to win off some games, they probably should. Um, it definitely might impact them long term, but I just think in general they are. They have so much control over their own division and I think the Chiefs, even though the Eagles, have shown a blueprint in the way of trying to stop Patrick Mahomes. What teams can really build that out within an offseason to make it happen? And I just doubt there's going to be a lot of teams that are going to be able to really follow that same blueprint to make Patrick Mahable homes look like, you know, an average quarterback, um, when, when that happens. So again, it's gonna be a big loss for who knows how many games it's gonna be, but um, but you know it's definitely something to keep an eye on, um.
Speaker 2:Next thing, tj watt. It's finally happened. We've been talking about this for weeks, months. I've brought up the potential of trading him, but none of that is necessary because him and the Steelers have come to an agreement on a three-year $123 million extension to make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history and this is a little fun fact about his contract, right? So he gets the $123 million. It's a three-year extension onto what he already had in this last year's deal, so he has $108 million fully guaranteed with this new contract. That is the same amount currently based from when he started his time back in 2017 with the Steelers. He has 108 total sacks to start his career to in his career so far. So nice little coincidence of numbers. But you know I thought this is what I said before is that when they decided to trade away Minka and go ahead and get those to get the guys we got from from Miami, I do think it kind of blocked in that hey they have to keep TJ Watt.
Speaker 2:After they made all these moves, it really did show that they are all in on these next couple years of trying to really make something happen, and I think it's very hard for them to kind of have that mentality without their best player, tj Watt, at 30 years old Still to me the best defensive end in the NFL, one of the best players in the NFL and as long as he's healthy and out there, he definitely gives you a better chance to win than when he's not on the field. That's shown throughout the last few years of whether the record between him being on the field and him not being on the field is stark for this Steelers team. Again, it's not like they've been all that talented, but I think to a certain extent that's how much of an impact he has on the game when he is in it. Does this change their outlook for right now, dude? Will they? Oh no, I think, for if they weren't, weren't gonna have him this year definitely changed their season. But will the steelers be able to put make good on that promise to get him a super bowl by the time he's done being a Steeler?
Speaker 2:Probably not, but I also think the Steelers had to make for damn sure that he is a guy that is a one-helmet guy, because after Big Ben left, the Steelers it's TJ Watt. It's him and Cam Hayward have been the stalwarts of that team. They have been the faces of this franchise. So when they decide, hey, I want to get paid and I want to get that money, I think they deserve it more than anybody, especially when you're bringing in guys like DK Metcalf, who has not spent one down for this team, and giving him $33 million a year. So, with that being the case, you've got to pay your guys that have been loyal and have been there from the ground up, and TJ Watt and Cam Hayward, those are the guys that have been there, so you have to. When it's time to pay him, you got to pay him and I'm glad the Steelers did that, even if I could have been down for the idea that there could have been a time where you should have traded him.
Speaker 1:There definitely was a time you should have traded him Before the draft.
Speaker 2:After the draft happened, there's no reason to trade him because you can't really get anything for him now and him now and that's all future stuff, especially if you're trying to win now. But you know, if once that happened, once that the draft passed, they definitely had to keep him and pay him, and I think for the money he got he's now, I think he's gonna pay just over 40 million dollars a year now, like I said, the highest paid non-QB in the NFL. It's definitely worth it. 30 from year 30. I think he'll be 31 in October, through him being 34 or 35 years old. I think he'll retire as Ste think he'll be 31 in October, through him being 34 or 35 years old. I think he'll retire as Steeler. He'll be a one-helmet guy and I think he's more than deserved that from how great he's been throughout his career and I think he'll continue to show why he's one of the best players in the NFL.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately it'll be for the Steelers.
Speaker 2:True, would you like me for the Bengals? Yes, I know, I know We'd win a Super Bowl, yeah, no doubt, if you had him and Hendrickson playing at the same time.
Speaker 1:Chip, yes, y'all would have definitely won a championship. All we would need would be TJ Watt Fuck a defense, hey hey, I'm all for that, I'm not going to cap at you, fuck a defense. All we would need would be T TJ Watt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no for sure. That's how big of a like again have him. That definitely changes how much you know about him.
Speaker 1:Trey Anderson is good but he is second to TJ Watt, Like you can make the case, like I think, probably about two years ago, that he was better than TJ Watt that year, yeah, but he put out better numbers.
Speaker 2:He did, but can you actually say like say all around a better player? Probably not.
Speaker 1:No, I agree. Hence why TJ Watt's been this dominant his whole career and Trey Hendricks has only been this dominant as a Bengal.
Speaker 2:True.
Speaker 1:Now he did play on a very good Saints defense for a very long time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that Saints defense was loaded with guys.
Speaker 1:Exactly so. It's kind of like all right, you know. Exactly so.
Speaker 2:It's kind of like alright, that's like Marcus Lattimore in his heyday. Like we're talking, you still have Wemifredo in the defensive line, cam.
Speaker 1:Jordan. That's who he backed up. He backed up Cam Jordan.
Speaker 2:You're dealing with some real dudes. When he was playing with the Saints. But yeah, tj deserves it. Do you know? He's already gotten paid more money Throughout his career than JJ Watts His whole career.
Speaker 1:I know I saw the tweet of JJ going. I better never have to reach for my wallet when we go out.
Speaker 2:JJ's been paid like $120 million in his career. Yes, tj Watts getting $120 million in just this contract. So he's made plenty of money. He's deserving of it.
Speaker 1:He's he's deserving of it.
Speaker 2:He's gonna be a one helmet guy for the Steelers and it's awesome. Next thing did you see the Eagles championship ring rings? Yeah, so Cooper, eugene and um, the one dude freak out they had wings on their fucking rings. It was awesome and again, I'm not sitting here googling or everybody else's championship rings, because obviously I would like it to be for the Steelers to have one of those. But like when they, when you little press a little button and you have the eagle wings come out and they kind of flap a little bit, absolutely awesome.
Speaker 2:And I have to say that is there a fan base in like that? I there's one fan base. I don't care about winning a championship, but there's still a big team like there's still like a worthwhile NFL franchise. I don't think I've ever had an issue with the eagles winning championships. I don't know, is that just me? I don't. I don't find their fans annoying. They're annoying to their own, their own team, if they're not being good. So, like I can respect eagles fans, unlike, you know, patriot fans or cowboy fans. I can respect their fans because you they're just crazy people to a certain extent and they're obviously like their team. I like Jalen Hurts, I like some of the players that they have. Like you know, I just don't hate them whatsoever. So seeing them have this moment is nothing like a year ago watching Kansas City get their rings, and I'm like I'd rather kill myself. So, so, definitely, definitely a big deal. I like the rings. They're pretty sick, not to mention where they have the green. When they put the green and diamonds, like that it's. It stands out so good. And that's all I got for the NFL news.
Speaker 2:So let's go ahead and get into our our series that we've been doing for NFL division winner slash previews. We're doing two of them today. We're going to do the AFC West and the NFC North. Is there one you'd like to start with, jay? So you just don't care. Okay, let's go ahead and start with the AFC over-unders. I should have looked this up, but you know, let's do it just now. It's great podcasting to have a little bit of dead stuff here. Okay, we got the NFC, we got nfc north.
Speaker 2:We'll start with, obviously, those teams being the lions got the green bay, got the bears and we got the vikings. Lions won the division last year without much of an like, not without much of an issue, because they did come down to the last game between them and the vikings uh, last game of the season, playing for the not only division but for the number one seed overall. And we're coming into another year where the Lions look like the best team on paper. You got Green Bay, who has Jordan Love. That everybody believes in. Everybody wants to call them a hot team. You got the Bears Caleb Williams, the young guy they had their new head coach in. Why am I forgetting his name now? That's bad. What's the coach's name now for the Bears? He was with the Lions last year. Don't look at me like that.
Speaker 1:Ben Johnson Ben.
Speaker 2:Johnson yes, they have him now. Can he help reform? Oh my God, I just had to.
Speaker 2:Can he help that Bears team build to be a much better team this year? And you got the Vikings. They're now going to JJ McCarthy as their quarterback. Is he going to be able to start his first season starting on a good note? Is he going to have his rookie mistakes? Is he going to be able to be healthy Because he's coming off his own injury when he tore his ACL last year, so that's going to be. Is he going to be able to be healthy because he's coming off his own injury when he tore his ACL last year, so that's going to be. A it's. Nfc North might be one of the better divisions in the NFL. They were last year, I think they will be this year and I think it'll be very contentious, even though I think the Lions are probably the best team of all of them. So let's go ahead and get into it. So you have the Detroit Lions who have an over-under of 10.5. I don't know. I think they should probably hit that.
Speaker 2:They're probably still one of the best teams in the NFL. They're going to get some of their guys back on defense. Their defense side of the football was probably the most injured just literally on one side of the ball, more than I've ever seen in an NFL football team. Everybody Hutchinson went down with breaking his leg and all that so gruesome. He's going to be coming back. He's looking for a contract, which is kind of insane if they'll give that to him or not. But I just think that they have Goff. They have their offense together Again.
Speaker 2:Ben Johnson was awesome and he was very detailed and very creative in the way that he had that offense going together. That really did show in the quarterback show where it just felt like there was a point where they were struggling in that Texans game where Goff threw like five picks. He was in the middle of that and he was like man, I would really love this play right now. And you know how the quarterbacks have a little little piece in their ear so they can hear everything on the sideline, but it's not two ways so they can't hear him. But he's saying, hey, I want this play, and ben johnson gave him the play that he was looking for, so you could just tell it was like a mind melt in the how those two were coming together to kind of build that offense.
Speaker 2:Will they be able to keep that same type of momentum going with a new offensive coordinator is definitely a big question. But they have enough peace on offense to keep it going. As long as the guy that's coming in is not a total idiot, I do feel like they'll be able to make a lot of plays, do a lot of the same things they were doing last year. So I do think the lion should have a decided advantage of everybody else to like at. The Lions should have a decided advantage of everybody else to like, at least on paper, to go ahead and be able to keep doing what they've been doing over the last few years. So if I had to choose, if you had to choose like a division winner, what do you think? Obviously do you think the Lions would be the one you'd probably pick Closer than the division.
Speaker 1:The Packers.
Speaker 2:Bears, vikings.
Speaker 1:For sure, I think, the Vikings, the Dark Horse.
Speaker 2:Are they?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I guess Green Bay would be the obvious number two based on what they are Bears. I think Bears could be because they're talented enough. Can Caleb Williams take that next?
Speaker 1:step. I don't think he's that good, I'm not going to lie to you.
Speaker 2:I don't think he's that good, I don't think he's that good. I'm not going to lie to you. I don't think he's that good. I don't think he's that awesome either.
Speaker 1:That's why I think it'll be the Vikings. Everything else about the team is the same yes, except for JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 2:If you had to look just from top to bottom, I think the Vikings are probably the second most talented team in that division, I agree, but having a new quarterback is what makes me put them at three. I know what the Packers are. I definitely don't believe in JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 1:I agree, and I know what the Packers are, which is why they're two. So it's Lions, Packers, Vikings, Bears.
Speaker 2:Lions, packers, vikings, bears Okay, I can get behind that. No for sure. And I do think too that Caleb Williams is part of it. Ben Johnson, his offense with Jared Goff was a lot hey, everything's right here on time, everything's very timing-based. Can he put an offense together that'll be more based off of Caleb Williams extending plays and getting big plays down the field, which is what Caleb Williams was best at when he was at USC.
Speaker 1:My dog has disappeared under your bed.
Speaker 2:There's not much under there so it's fine.
Speaker 1:Okay, how attached are you to all your shoes?
Speaker 2:Oh, there are shoes under there.
Speaker 1:That's bad.
Speaker 2:That's not good. I'm pretty attached to the shoes. I don't have a bunch of pairs of shoes anymore.
Speaker 1:Copy.
Speaker 2:Let's just hope, all right, let's keep going. Okay, have a bunch of pairs of shoes anymore copy. Let's just hope. All right, let's keep going okay, so, so yeah, I would say that lions, probably I would take to obviously win the division once, once again. Um, going through the schedule just real quick at green bay, probably a win. Uh, first game this is I see I could see green bay winning that game. Chicago win at Baltimore Tough, but I do think it would probably be a win. Cleveland win at Cincinnati. I'll give it an L, I'm not going to do it to you.
Speaker 2:I'm just going through the line schedule real quick.
Speaker 1:At Cincinnati, week five yeah, two defenses Worse than ours, yeah it defense is Worse than ours.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be first to 40. I think is going to be how that game will probably go, and I think we'll get to 40 first, especially at home. But they'll have their pass rusher in Hutchinson though.
Speaker 1:True, did you see his leg last year?
Speaker 2:I did, but at least he'll be on the field. Did you see his leg? Yeah, I know that bitch was in two.
Speaker 1:It was in two. That's not an injury you come back from like that.
Speaker 2:At Cincinnati. I'll give him a loss on that. So that's still four and one At Kansas City.
Speaker 1:They're going to dog the fuck out of Kansas City.
Speaker 2:I don't, will they? I guess Kansas City will probably not have Xavier I mean sorry, not Xavier Worthy, I was thinking of Rasheed Rice. So yeah, I can see them winning that game. Tampa Bay another win by week eight, which is kind of early, but it's just fine, it's right there. It's not like having a week five by the Steelers, so it's definitely not great.
Speaker 2:Minnesota at Washington, at Philly they have a kind of a tough schedule, holy yeah back out of the schedules versus Minnesota at Washington, at Philly, new York, which is probably going to be a win. Jets or Giants Giants, um, yeah, but you know, you're not wrong, they should dog, the Giants Giants should be a win there. Um, green Bay, again, they got Dallas, which they probably should win that game. But then you have at the LA Rams, they have Pittsburgh in week 16, which is you know they should. They should win that game.
Speaker 2:Um, you got at Minnesota, and at Chicago, it's like the back half, their schedule is definitely loaded. Their schedule is not not nice whatsoever. I get having a 10 and 10 and a half win over, under, I would say probably over, because I think the lions are just offensively or just so consistent. Um, but it's a very, very tough schedule. If I have to say, um, you said you think the, you said the um dark horse would probably have to be the Vikings. Hmm, let's see here, vikings over, under is eight and a half and that's not necessarily bad.
Speaker 2:If I have to think Again, I have to see their schedule real quick, but I think that's reasonable. I don't think because, again, it's all on JJ McCarthy man and I'm going to say here and obviously I have my biases, obviously with him being a Michigan guy, but I think anybody that watched him play while he was at Michigan he was a third down guy, he wasn't necessarily a guy that you can believe in to throw 400 yards a game.
Speaker 1:That wasn't his game. No, he's okay.
Speaker 2:And I just think they're going to need to rely on him to do a lot more in this offense. And can he be that guy for that team? And that's the question I have. And if I have to say right now, I'd probably say no, but again, I think he makes or breaks, honestly, their whole season. They have at the Bears, they have the Falcons, which is probably a tough one. They have the Bengals, the Steelers. That one is going to be, I think, in Ireland, so that's going to be a tough game there. They got the Browns, they got the Eagles, they got the Chargers at the Lions and they got the Eagles, they got the Chargers at the Lions and then they got the Ravens. Their schedule is not great whatsoever. They have a very tough schedule.
Speaker 1:It's very, very hard, I agree.
Speaker 2:And again, if Jaden McCarthy can be a normal Again, they did what they did with Sam Darnold last year.
Speaker 1:We're just going to see McCarthy to be okay, and Justin Jefferson and I don't know who else it is Jordan Addison. Yeah, they can do the rest.
Speaker 2:They can. He just has to make the right decisions and do what he has to do. Get the ball to Justin Jefferson whenever you can, and obviously that would be big. But again, if he comes out and makes a ton of mistakes and is like a normal rookie and maybe isn't transcendent like some of the rookies of the past have been over the last couple years, that definitely can change your season around a lot. And again, I think that adds to why the Vikings were looking into maybe signing Aaron Rodgers or bringing Sam Darnold back, because they're like, hey, we have a team that we don't want to waste a year of what we have with this team because it's very talented, our defense is very good, our offense is pretty much put together that we have our wide receivers. So I can understand why they were a little bit apprehensive of going to the rookie. But again, when Sam Donald got the money he got, when Aaron Rodgers decided to go to the Steelers, they're like, hey, we drafted this guy a top 15 pick overall, so let's go ahead and go with it and see how it goes, and I think they have to put their belief in him. Hopefully he'll be able to return on that.
Speaker 2:But again, I'm not the biggest believer in him, so I'm deaf. I I will have to see it to believe it, which is probably the saying I need to go with um Green Bay. I don't know, I'm not a big Jordan Love guy. I think Jordan Love is one of those quarterbacks that if you love him, you're absolutely in love with him and he's awesome. But if you hate him, he gives you enough to hate on him too, because it's just like he's so inconsistent he makes terrible decisions. He thinks he's awesome, but if you hate him, he gives you enough to hate on him too, because it's just like he's so inconsistent he makes terrible decisions. He thinks he's Aaron Rodgers, but really isn't. He throws a lot of big picks. It's just all over the place. When he's on it's like, oh, he can be really good, but when he's off, it's like that's boneheaded, it's farve yeah brett farve is the definition of a gunslinger.
Speaker 1:He's gonna give you 20 for 20, 20 picks, 20 touchdowns. Uh, I don't know. I didn't see a lot of brett farve play and I saw a little like very, very little me too, I I didn't really get brett barb until he was like in minnesota.
Speaker 1:That's what I got but again what he was. I'm gonna sling this football, yeah, and y'all gonna live and die by my mistakes. You want a Super Bowl doing that, true? Uh, and they loved him. And Jordan Love is that? He reminds me exactly of Brett Favre, of I'm gonna sling this football and we're gonna live and die by my mistakes, and it's gonna be some of the greatest and worst football you will ever see played he has a Brett Favre mentality, but he feels like he has, but I think he plays like he has the talent of Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2:Yes, and he doesn't.
Speaker 1:You don't have the arm of Brett Favre either. Brett Favre could boom that bitch, yeah, and in a way, if he could see a receiver open downfield, he's going to hit that. Rodgers could hit anybody on the field from anywhere, didn't matter the arm slot, he's gonna get it. And you don't have the arm talent, nor you just talented enough to do that. The only thing you have above both of them is you are more athletic, and not by a wide margin yeah, um, for sure so I don't know man it.
Speaker 1:It's hard to gauge if the packers are a contender or if they're on the precipice of you still kind of need a quarterback and they still have a bunch of number two receivers. They that's the biggest problem right now. You don't even have one receiver and a running back their defense is fine.
Speaker 2:It's still good, pretty playing pretty good football, but it's not like one of the best without jire, alexander true, they don't.
Speaker 1:I will look now going into this year without your number one db that's a big.
Speaker 2:That's that? Obviously that's a big deal. No for sure, I totally forgot about that. That's definitely a something that definitely could hurt them this year, not to mention the fact they already have so much put into their offenses that that's one piece of your defense that you you could have relied on, but you don't have anymore. So it's definitely definitely a big deal. Um, but it's just Jordan. It's all in Jordan, love man and I'm like.
Speaker 2:I'm not the biggest believer in him. I think him and um, why am I? Oh, no, him and trevor lawrence play very similarly. They have a very laissez, not laissez-faire, but it's like cool dude type of attitude, like they really don't care, like they don't have any type of fire when they play. When they make the mistake, they're like oh, I made a mistake, it's all good. Like they don't have that type of like thing in their brain telling them hey, you need to like, put more on yourself. They're like very, I forget, like, it's like surfer guy, like California, yes, nonchalant, so like. And when I see that, I'm like oh, okay, and then you make all these mistakes. It doesn't seem like you're learning from them. You're up and down. I'm like man, it's just not consistent enough for me to really believe in on a week-in, week-out basis, but there are people that truly believe that Jordan Love is one of those guys. The Packers believe he's that because they paid him all that money and it's up to him to prove it. So it is what it is on that.
Speaker 2:And then, last but not least, the Bears. I don't know about the bears man like again we've talked about it already new coach, can he fix the quarterback? Their defense is still playing very good football. They have a very young and talented defense. Offensively. They have a bunch of offensive pieces that you could possibly have. They draft another wide receiver in the second round, like they didn't already have that. The only question is can can they put it all together and can they make sure that they just play more consistent football from start to finish, because they had moments last year where they had some good games but it just wasn't consistent enough and I think they need a culture change too. That big game against Washington where they let the Hail Mary happen.
Speaker 1:Dude, what the fuck With the?
Speaker 2:corner talking to somebody in the stands while the play is happening, Like that is a culture issue and I think Ben Johnson, coming from the Lions, he knows what a good culture looks like. That's like their number one thing. They're built on culture. I think he'll be able to come and tell, like really set something up there. And I think the players have to acquiesce to that, that's the thing I don't think.
Speaker 1:I think Caleb Williams will acquiesce to that. I think that's the biggest problem. I think if he's, I think, in his head, he has to be the star of the show and the fact Ben Johnson's not really going to let that happen. An equal part of the team, which is what I think the Lions thing was. We're all an equal part of this team. All of you are replaceable. We are all equal cog in this machine. And Ben Johnson's going to try to set that precedent. And Caleb Williams? I know for a fucking fact he don't think that way.
Speaker 2:True, I'm the most important part of this team. They drafted a kicker the same year. He got drafted in like the fifth or sixth round round and he called the kicker and said hey, you're not gonna get that much work in.
Speaker 1:I'm like well that's not really like a team first attitude. Exactly that's my problem. He's not gonna acquiesce to what ben johnson wants to do, and if your quarterback's not doing it, no one's gonna do it that is very true your leader. Your team has to do it first and, as the quarterback being the most public and the most ahead of a football team, if they're not doing it, it's not gonna work maybe I will give him some credit.
Speaker 2:Maybe once he has ben johnson in the building he's learning from him, he's understanding how ben johnson's gonna make him better.
Speaker 2:Maybe he'll make him want to make those changes, kind of acquiesce more to the team and what ben johnson wants I hope so but it's on that relationship to kind of build in for the results to show, I think, to make caleb loomis want to be more that way. So again, just like the Vikings, I think that really could be. The wild card is to how that's going to work. Cool, and I just think that I don't know it's, it's, it's, it's a, it's a wild card. I really do think the bears if they put everything together they could be a team that could be very scary. I also believe they could be garbage, but they can be totally garbage as well. That's the part that makes me question everything.
Speaker 1:I truly think it does depend on Caleb Williams. It does.
Speaker 2:Ben Johnson. I think Ben Johnson can put an offense together. It's just can he do it around Caleb Williams to kind of bring out his strengths and limit his weaknesses? That's the question that they have to deal with, I agree. That's the question that they have to deal with, I agree. So, oh, you make me nervous right now it just rolled out when he came out.
Speaker 2:Okay, all good so, with all that being the case, I go into the bears schedule real quick. Hopefully the bear schedule ain't that bad um you got. They're over under is Six and a half. Six and a half. You had to guess that's higher. I think it's higher than six and a half. That's seven Ambitious. Hold on, I'm still going, I'm still going up. Their over under is eight and a half.
Speaker 2:Vikings first game of the season, that's an L. At Lions, that's an L. Cowboys, third week of the season, I think the Cowboys, especially on man, it is. That is a 425 game. That's Cowboys. I think it's an L too. That's 0-3 to start the year. At Raiders, that's probably a win. At Commanders, that's an L. Saints, that's a win. At the Ravens, that's an L. At the Bengals, that's an L. Giants, that's a win. At the Vikings, that's an L. The Steelers that could go either way, but I'll say the Steelers win that game. At Eagles, that's an L. At Packers, that's an L. Browns, I'll give them that. Packers again, that's probably an L too. At the Niners, that's probably a loss. And then you have the Lions, last week of the season, like that's four wins.
Speaker 1:Like I said, six and a half man.
Speaker 2:And honestly, there was a few that I could maybe give them, but that's like two or three more wins and they have an over-under of eight, eight and a half, which is kind of crazy. I'd probably go the under on that. But again, like I said, if caleb williams and ben johnson put it together, maybe they can be a team like the washington last year that really blows up and like they managed to do some things. But I would say the lions win the division and I think I actually agree, just like you. I think the Vikings are probably the are probably the dark horse.
Speaker 1:Lions, Packers, Vikings, Bears I think the Vikings are the one I could see being at number two. I just don't foresee any of those other teams being at number one. That's the only thing I'm not that is not negotiable. The Lions are the number one team in that division.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I totally agree, Totally agree on that. Yeah, totally agree. Afc West we'll go to the other side here. Kansas City got the LA Chargers, we got the Las Vegas Raiders and we got Denver.
Speaker 1:Okay, Denver, Kansas City Chargers.
Speaker 2:Denver, Kansas City Chargers. You think Denver wins the division? I wouldn't, Honestly.
Speaker 1:I think the I can't in good conscience put Kansas City at three.
Speaker 2:That'd be crazy I would like to.
Speaker 1:I would like to expect the Chargers to be better than them, Because Kansas City has only gotten worse. The only team in their division that's gotten worse than Kansas City is only gotten worse. The only team in their division that's worse than Kansas City that's gotten worse than Kansas City is the Raiders.
Speaker 2:I don't think the Raiders got worse. I think it got better. Okay, you think the Raiders are worse than what they were last year.
Speaker 1:How'd they get better?
Speaker 2:They have Geno Smith at quarterback, which is better than what they had. They had an awful quarterback last year. My nigga went over this.
Speaker 1:He threw five interceptions.
Speaker 2:Get the fuck out of here. They have Ashton Gentry at running back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how much tread is left on his tires. That motherfucker came out of college with 3,000 carries.
Speaker 2:That's true. I think he'll be great to start the year. I think he has three years max.
Speaker 1:Again, that's his rookie contract. I'm just saying we talk about tread-on, running backs Real quick. There's no way he has anything left. You know how like a college football they give you like the career meter for your players. His was on red when they were letting him go. You're talking. He was getting 700, 800 carries a season.
Speaker 2:No, he was getting a ton, Especially last year. It was like definitely on a different level, but I think they have a good coach. They have Geno Smith. Again, you don't maybe you don't believe in him, but I think they have no line, they have no defense. Their offensive line is actually not all that bad.
Speaker 1:Then why did their quarterback throw so many picks last?
Speaker 2:year.
Speaker 1:Because their quarterback Okay. So who are they throwing to besides Brock Bowers? What the other tight end, michael Mayer?
Speaker 2:You got me on that one, okay, so they can't.
Speaker 1:The ball is not going in the air. Name a receiver on their team, and this is not me fucking with you. I can't, I have not a one.
Speaker 2:I can't say one with confidence either.
Speaker 1:I know both their tight ends and Alexander Madison, their backup running back. I know that nigga yeah, but I had him in fantasy, that's why I know him.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's tough.
Speaker 1:But that's it, dude. Their defense has Max Crosby and no one else. They're geared up to be the worst team in football.
Speaker 2:No, that's definitely an option, especially the division they play in.
Speaker 1:Broncos are the best team in that division.
Speaker 2:I think I would be more partial to want to give it to the Chiefs because they've proven it.
Speaker 1:Rasheed Rice is getting suspended. Their best receiver last year was DeAndre Hopkins. I can't name another receiver on their team that is worth a damn. Xavier Worthy was good for one game. Travis Kelsey legitimately looked old.
Speaker 2:He did. No, for sure, mahomes was good, but it didn't matter, old he did.
Speaker 1:No for sure. Mahomes was good, but it didn't matter, and they already struggled to play in both the Chargers and the Broncos last year and both those teams got better. You know what that sounds like, joe? Sounds like they're the worst team in the division. No again they're not the worst, they're the third.
Speaker 2:When they're in the division that they're in. I think it would be very easy for them to kind of be on that trajectory, right? No, okay, I can get behind what you're saying. They are very volatile in what they're looking at right now. I think if Ash Jenty has a great start of the year, maybe they can kind of be a little team that kind of plays very well out of the gate.
Speaker 1:But again, it's very hard.
Speaker 2:If they get 7,000 rushing yards they will be okay, okay, okay, I see what you're saying. Yes, their win total is 6.5. So it's not like anybody really believes they're going to make a huge splash in what they're doing. I think the Raiders are probably the easy team to kind of pencil in as like the worst team in the division, I think. Kansas City I don't even want to go through their schedule. Like you said, I think they're just so up and down.
Speaker 2:Kansas City they still have a very tough schedule. They have the Chargers start the year, they have the Eagles, they have the Giants. They have the Chargers start the year, they have the Eagles, they have the Giants, they have the Ravens at Jags, lions, raiders, commanders, bills, broncos oh my God, that's a crazy start to the season. Colts the end of their schedule definitely gets a little bit easier After that Bills game in the start of November. They have at the Broncos, which is a tough one, but their last seven games is Colts at Cowboys, texans, which is a tough one, chargers, titans, broncos, raiders.
Speaker 2:So I do think their whole season comes down to the first nine, 10 games on their schedule and if they're going to spend the most of that schedule. Without Rasheed Rice on their roster it definitely could be a huge hurt. I do think their offensive line is going to be better this year than what it was last year. With some of the additions they have made, I think that Kelsey is probably going to come into the season maybe a little bit better than what he was last year, but their over-under being, I think, like 10 and a half games. If I'm not crazy, hold on, make sure I'm here, crazy here 11 and a half is what their win total is 11 and a half.
Speaker 2:Again, it's the Mahomes magic man. Everybody's going to believe in that until they absolutely see it just totally fail.
Speaker 1:I just don't see it at this point Going forward. The Broncos were so good last year.
Speaker 2:The Chargers were better. I think the Chargers were much better than they were.
Speaker 1:I think the Chargers are going to continue to get better. I think the only thing the Chargers are really lacking is good playoff.
Speaker 2:But both those at number three, I think the chiefs have feasted off of being in a bad division for the first seven eight years of patrick mahomes career and it's not like that anymore. You have a denver team that's on the way on the come up again. I think they're. My only question about denver is is bo nicks gonna be able to take that next step?
Speaker 1:yeah, and that's what we'll have to see. That's the thing. From what I saw last year, he will. I like bo nicks. I like how how he plays. He plays good football. He plays like leading the team. He fucking took runs last year and took shots. Yeah, that boy got hit and stood up.
Speaker 2:First down and Sean Payton has really put that offense together to be able to have him succeed.
Speaker 1:That team's up for one man.
Speaker 2:They drafted the running back from North Carolina. Why am I freaking that guy's name? I don't freaking, remember his name, but he was very good. He was like the second best running back on the board. They took him.
Speaker 1:Carolina.
Speaker 2:Huh, carolina, north Carolina. Why am I forgetting? I'm going to go right to his name here. Hold on, sorry, denver. No, they didn't. Oh, I, I'm crazy. Who took him then it was the charters that took him. That's who took him, and that was sorry. It was omarian hampton. Oh, big old bruising back like that's going to be a huge deal for the charge when we get to them. Um, but since you, since you were so, so hot on denver, let's go ahead and go to them first. Let's look at their schedule real quick and make hold up. Let's get. I have to do your schedule, oh no um in other noons the high school that teddy bridgewater coaches, for they suspended him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because he was giving illegal benefits. He was paying for Ubers and food and giving them treatment. Again, on one hand it sucks because if he has the money, he has.
Speaker 1:It says he was paying for Uber rides, meals, access to recovery. He says he was paying for Uber rides meals, access to recovery.
Speaker 2:It's not like he was coaching at a prestigious high school.
Speaker 1:No, he was coaching at his own high school Right. So he's probably like, hey, these guys come from the same place. I do.
Speaker 2:They need help. They need help yeah.
Speaker 1:It's not like he's paying these guys to come to this school. He was coaching these guys and they were winning, so he's a good coach. He is just going the extra mile to keep helping these guys because he has the money too, because he was an nfl guy and I'm, in a way, I'm like damn, that's kind of fucked up.
Speaker 2:I understand why you suspended him, yeah if I'm another coach from another team, that's in the same situation as him when it comes to what type of team they have to coach. Like hey, like he has an unfair advantage. I don't have millions of dollars behind me. I understand.
Speaker 1:I get why you suspended him. Yeah but, it's breaking your code of contact. He broke the rules I understand he's helping the kids, but he's doing what he can for the kids that are going to the school living the same life he had to live. Yeah, I, I'm not faulting the school. I'm not faulting anybody for it right, it sucks.
Speaker 2:It sucks for everybody. You have to do uh-huh but he did the right thing like nobody was. You're doing the right thing. No one's blaming you. I'm not mad at you.
Speaker 1:Have the capability if it came out you were paying, like great players in the state of florida, to come play at your school. All right, well, it's fucked up. Uh, no, you're paying for uber rides, meals and recovery services.
Speaker 2:Cool. I think I heard them say like 70% of that whole school is like underprivileged. So like they need it, it's needed. Dude, he is not going to a prep school doing this, he's doing it for underprivileged kids.
Speaker 1:So I'm like it makes total sense, I went here.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:So I, cool yeah, set up a charity.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. Denver schedule Titans Start the year that's a win. Colts Start that's a win. At Chargers They'll probably split with the Chargers. Right, that's, that's an easy split.
Speaker 1:Is it that Denver defense Is so much better than the Chargers defense?
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:And the Chargers still have exactly zero receivers to throw to.
Speaker 2:True, they did sign the guy, the second-round pick that they got from Ole Miss. But you know again another young guy they have Ladin McConkie. That's the one guy. That's the one guy they have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but Ladin McConkie is still nothing compared to Patrick Sertain.
Speaker 2:True, so 0-3. Got the Bengals week four, that's 0-4. You got at the Eagles, that's 0-5.
Speaker 1:0-4. I only went to three teams. You're talking. Deversville lost three games.
Speaker 2:Titans start the year. That's a win, sorry. Titans win, colts win. Now they're 2-2. My bad, maybe to Target. Okay, 3-1. Okay, so you say 3-1. Do they have to come to the Bengals? No, bengals are going to them.
Speaker 1:We're going to go to you again.
Speaker 2:What the? At the Eagles, so 2-3. Jets, that's 3-3. Giants 4-3. Cowboys 5-3. At the Texans I'll give the Texans a win on that Texas defense is nasty.
Speaker 1:This is the Broncos right.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh, this is the Broncos right. Uh-huh, this is at Houston. I think Texas will win that game, I don't know With how much problems.
Speaker 1:The Texans don't really have receivers and that Denver Broncos defense is pretty fucking good.
Speaker 2:I think they have Nico. They have the two young guys they just drafted. I agree.
Speaker 1:I think they have enough. I think this is a lot closer than you're making it seem. Yes, but I also think that if this game was earlier on the season, I'd believe so I'll rock with the loss, but I do believe this could also be a win oh yeah, for sure I can go either way.
Speaker 1:Fine, I can totally rock with you behind that I agree, the fact that houston's was really kind of swaying me of. They'll probably lose this game, but I really do see this being a closer game. But no, yeah, I got you.
Speaker 2:So what is that? Like five and four. Now it's up like that Raiders, that's a win. Six and four, yeah, chiefs.
Speaker 1:That's a win.
Speaker 2:You think they're going to blink the Chiefs? Or you think they're going to go one-on-one with the Chiefs?
Speaker 1:I don't think they're going to blink them Do the Chiefs still have it.
Speaker 2:Their defense is good.
Speaker 1:Oh, how's their offense? Get the fuck out of my face. It's going to be enough. Get the fuck out of my face.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's five and five. No, sorry, sorry. Six and four Commanders At Commanders Boss. All right, so six and five At Raiders, that's seven and five Packers.
Speaker 1:That's 7-5. Packers that's a win. They'll be the Packers 8-5.
Speaker 2:Jags 9-5. Chiefs I definitely can't count because, don't worry, it should be 9-5. They have around six or seven losses. The Broncos have a 9.5 win total. They'll get 9.5. Probably they'll be right around that 9.5, if not over Totally. You got the chargers. Who is the other team we have to go look at. Their win total is nine and a half. A lot of belief for that chargers team with what they have now. Um, la chargers, their schedule chief, start the year. That's an l what they have now. La Chargers, their schedule Chiefs, start the year.
Speaker 1:That's an L Fuck. The Chargers can't beat the Chiefs, man. I want to give it to them, but they can't. They're so bad against them.
Speaker 2:At Raiders, that's a win Broncos, Loss, Loss Giants. That's a win Versus Commanders. That's a win Versus Commanders. That's an L At the Dolphins that's a win. Got the Colts that's a win. That's a win. Got the Vikings that's an L.
Speaker 1:Oh, you don't know.
Speaker 2:JJ McCarthy, who knows?
Speaker 1:That Chargers defense is still good, I agree, but with it being so early in the season, I think it's a win.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's five wins. Now At Titans, another one, that's six wins Steelers. I would say it's a win, yeah.
Speaker 1:I would agree.
Speaker 2:Steelers win, right? No, I would say the Steelers win. I would say you're lying, alright, I'll go with you on that. So seven wins so far At Jags. Win At Raiders, win Eagles, that's an L At Chiefs.
Speaker 1:They're probably L.
Speaker 2:That's an L.
Speaker 1:No, I foresee them splitting with the Chiefs. I think they'll take one of the games.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we'll make that 10. So they have around 10 wins right now At Cowboys, texans, broncos. That's a lot. The last five games are very tough. Eagles At Chiefs At Cowboys, texans, broncos. That's a lot. The last five games are scheduled very tough. Eagles at Chiefs at Cowboys, texans at Broncos very tough five game stretch to end out the year there. That nine and a half is probably a very good over under to have. I think they'll be right around that, if not just I think, maybe under. If I had to choose somebody to go under what their win total is.
Speaker 2:But, you know. So if you had to choose. So, like you said, you think Denver goes wins the division.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Kansas City too.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:You think the Chargers are going to be above Kansas City as well.
Speaker 1:I do, yeah, but they're going to split with Kansas City though, alright but I can't believe they're going to split with Kansas City, though I might simply go Kansas City, dude if I had to choose, I think I think that Kansas City would finish second Chargers third, las Vegas fourth and I think the Dark Horse.
Speaker 2:If we think Denver is probably going to win the division, the Dark Horse has to be the Chargers right.
Speaker 1:All right bro.
Speaker 2:I don't know, it's a tough division, man, when the Chiefs have owned it for so long and now you have the Broncos playing a lot better and you think they could make some moves, and you have the Chargers even though, can we make a claim that this may be the last year of Herbert's, give him the benefit of the doubt.
Speaker 1:Yes, he has to prove something If it doesn't happen this year, it's over.
Speaker 2:We have to really make some changes as to how we think about him, because they really took the ball out of his hands last year and he didn't throw barely. I think he had 20 touchdowns in three picks.
Speaker 1:That is how Harbaugh does it.
Speaker 2:It is. But also they put the ball in his hand in the playoff game and he threw more picks in that game than he had thrown all year. Yeah, I agree. So you had his moment to really take control and really put the game on his shoulders, and he didn't show up in the biggest moment. So I think if he does not show up this year, I think you're going to take some really big questions that you're going to have to make about him.
Speaker 2:But yeah, denver 1, kansas City 2, chargers 3, las Vegas 4. Jace has his questions about Kansas City but again, I think he hates Kansas City. I think if you had to choose which teams you hate the most in the NFL, if you have your top 3 teams, you hate fuck the Bills. Bills number one, chiefs two.
Speaker 1:Who's three? No, no, no, you have it backwards. The Bills are number three, chiefs are two. Go fuck the Steelers.
Speaker 2:Steelers one. Okay, go fuck the Steelers, is that more? About your hate for me or is it actual hate for the team? Both Okay, fine Again, it all started because you hated me, so I think it's.
Speaker 1:I hated you so much I became a bangles fan and I hated you so much I became a michigan state fan. I saw you death, death, despair, head and hands kicks, going through the field goal. I like that and I regret it every day. I should have been a fucking I don't know boise fan. Dang. At least my expectations would be nothing.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. So now we're done with that.
Speaker 1:Let's go ahead and go on to our. What is this? Our second time or first time doing this? Our first?
Speaker 2:installment of our position rankings for the season. So we're going to do top 10 defensive ends and pass rushers. Which one do you want to start?
Speaker 1:with. I don't have it.
Speaker 2:You can just react to mine and say how much you hate it. No, it's not. No, it's not.
Speaker 1:I'd rather do my own and then we can do yours later.
Speaker 2:You really want to hold on to it for the next podcast, then I would like to hold on to it, because I care about defensive ends and I care about tight ends dang. You should have. You should have been ready. My bad, I was fucking busy. All right, man, I get. All right, we'll hold on to it for next podcast. We've done about an hour 16, so I think it's a decent pod to put out copy so all right by jason.
Speaker 1:I can I just ask one question who is your number one? It's not Brock Balor. Uh, oh, ah, no, alright, let's just leave a little teaser, a little teaser, a little teaser.
Speaker 2:We've gone long enough by Jace's request. We're going to go into next week and we'll do our rankings then, so we'll go ahead and end it here. If you've listened to the podcast for a while, we appreciate you very much. If you're just now listening, hopefully you like us and enjoy us enough to want to join us on this ride to talk about sports in the dumbest way possible. And if you are with us and you enjoy what we do, we would love if you could like our podcast, subscribe to the podcast, rate the podcast five stars.
Speaker 2:Wherever you listen to us. We're pretty much available on all audio platforms. Make sure you also share us. Friends, family, enemies, anybody you feel like can enjoy the podcast we put out on a weekly basis. We would love if you could do that as well. And then, last but not least, if you can follow us on Twitter and or X, whatever you'd like to call it. At JV sports pod is the podcast handle. At Javante Boozer is my handle. At Jace Boozer one is Jason's handle and I will hand it over to JJ so we can finish off the pod.
Speaker 1:This has been James podcast. Thank you guys for listening. You guys are always listening. You guys have a nice day, a nice night, goodbye.
Speaker 2:Bye y'all, see y'all next week.