The Mostly Football Show
Four mates from Down Under dive into the world of American Football and beyond. KG Butler, Matt Wiggins, Adam Rowey, and Pete Thompson bring their uniquely Australian perspective to NFL coverage, plus plenty of chat about NRL, AFL, hockey, baseball, soccer, and whatever else catches their eye. Born from casual catch-ups about gridiron, this show delivers fun, informative discussions perfect for Southern Hemisphere sports fans who can't get enough of American Football. Equal parts analysis and banter – because the best sports talk happens between friends.
The Mostly Football Show
Free Agency Frenzy
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Its the official start of the new NFL year. KG is off watching some chickens and will fill us all in when he returns. Pete and Matt work through the frenetic start to free agency, admiring the teams that are doing something, and hoping that both their teams are quiet achievers. Pete declares the Royals will win the World Baseball Classic and we decline to kick Spurs when they are down
This is the Mostly Football Show, a uniquely Australian take on the NFL and all things in the world of sport.
SPEAKER_03Over to you, Pete. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, everybody. Welcome to episode number 20 of the Mostly Football Show. I'm here with the OG Matt. Kerry is away watching some chickens, and we'll hear about how he got on next week, hopefully. A lot's going on, free agency is is underway, lots to talk about, and uh Kansas City look like they're going to win the World Baseball Classic. Matt, how are you?
SPEAKER_01Peter, I'm good, mate. It feels a bit like Deja Vu, it's you and me again. Yep. Yeah, the chicken watcher. I I if we don't get an extremely entertaining and very drunken interview or two from the game, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh I mean there's a chance that the the try-scoring record could be broken by somebody on the bunnies today. And NRL have just issued a stay off the pitch warning, or you'll be fined 5,500. If if if he does it and Kerry's not on the pitch, then has he really been there?
SPEAKER_01That's gonna be my Well, I I'm almost inclined to offer the pay is fine if we if we see him running across the the Hello Turf of Alliance uh stadium. Anyway, let's move on, mate. There's lots to cover.
SPEAKER_03Yes, there is. So let's let's dive straight in with free agency, and uh we can really only start at uh one place today, and that is Max Crosby. As the kids would say, WTF, Matt.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Oh look. I mean I feel sorry for Max. I saw he just put a uh social media post out saying with uh uh with a video of the undertaker saying his back.
SPEAKER_03What a good well that's that's awesome.
SPEAKER_01That's the kind that's the kind of stuff we we want and expect from him. Yeah, I what a mess. What an absolute mess.
SPEAKER_03So uh uh look, I've read a couple of things, uh I've listened to a couple of things. Uh one of them saying that he's fine, there's nothing wrong with his knees, he's on track, everything is there. Um the second one saying, Yes, we agree with that. However, the Ravens are looking at a long-term investment and no longer see it with the state of his knees and his age, right? He's not a young man, uh, in NFL terms anymore, and that's why they're backed out of the trade. Now, there has been no riffle effects, uh so which is is a good thing, and we'll probably come on to talking about where does that leave the Raiders with their salary cap and all that because they've done a lot of good signings. I don't know, I've never seen anything like it. Just the ability just to walk away and keep your first rounders.
SPEAKER_01Well, it the interesting thing, Pete, is it's within Baltimore's rights to do that.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01However, um, I think Baltimore really have potentially done some extraordinary brand damage here. Um, there was a very interesting article in The Athletic. They interviewed 20 execs coaches and agents from other teams, um, all under the cloak of anonymity, and almost to a man or woman. Um, those execs coaches and agents um expressed an extreme amount of scepticism over the Baltimore Ravens' motives, not least because of the speed of their pivot to Trey Hendrickson, who, by the way, is also a very high-end edge rusher with a dodgy injury history.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, and uh may I add, according to the Pat McAfee show, was expecting to play with Max Crosby when they approached him. So I again uh uh Pat McAfee, uh I love listening to his show. He has Adam Schefter on and you get all the the latest gossip, which is generally accurate. But uh that's also quite disingenuous if he's assuming he's gonna be part of a Twin Towers type uh edge rushing. Yeah. To turn up and find out the guy he was hoping to be there with is no longer there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so Eric DeCosta's the general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, he has been trucking this narrative of we were legitimately trying to sign both of them. Um however, um the the general sense if you believe what you read, and generally I find the athletic to be a very reputable source of information. Um, you know, most people think that there's an enormous amount of buyer's remorse uh at play here. Um, one of the executives interviewed said, I'm not at all surprised at what's happened when you think of who was involved. And another um exec slash player agent said, This lot have got a reputation for effing with people. So I dug a little bit deeper. Um, and it's not the first time that Baltimore have done this. So they backed out of a 2020 free agent signing of defensive lineman Michael Brookers, who they were going to pick up from the LA Rams three times 30 million, and they failed, they found problems with his ankle in the physical examination. In 2018, wide receiver Ryan Grant was due to be signed for uh for four years at 29 million, and there was a grey and vague, he just failed his physical. So, in less than 10 years, 2018 to 2026, this is the third time that Baltimore have done this. And um, there's a lot of narrative going around about the fact that Baltimore's never traded a first round draft pick ever. And you know, obviously, when the dust has settled and people have realized that they have traded two for Max, um there's there's a a line of thought that you know that's played quite heavily into this. So, yeah, an absolute mess. If you read, you know, strictly black and white, um, Baltimore are allowed to do it, but they've got form, and I think they are burning their reputation as having said that, obviously Trey Hendrickson signed without even blinking. But um I wonder what's going to happen down the road uh for the Ravens, given the immense amount of negative narrative that is um surrounding the whole affair.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but if if, like I say, the Pat McAfee show is right, then he signed believing he was going to play with uh Max Crosby, and that's totally disingenuous. So um though I d honestly he'd have to have his head in the sand not to realise what was going on with Max Crosby because it was pretty big news that was flying all over the social media, all over the Ravens website, all over the Raiders website. I think the only person who's really coming out with this with any kind of credit in this is is Max Crosby himself. I think the way he's handled it has been superb and to be honest. Um I'm not a big fan of the Raiders organization, but they've done nothing but be professional about this.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they've resisted any any negative narrative.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, and and they've continued to sign the players that they'd agreed to sign. So so um uh one of those being Quay Walker, a free agent who was at the Packers last year, is now at the Raiders.
SPEAKER_01And they signed Tyler Linderbaum, ironically, from the Ravens uh for three years at 81 million, which is a you know completely reset the market for centres. That's the richest deal ever in NFL history for a centre. But I yeah, I agree. Uh I think I guess to an extent Max is backed into a little bit of a corner because if you think about potential other suitors, they would have one eye on is there a bigger issue with his left knee than we were led to believe. So I think poor old Max hasn't got what he's wanted, for either fairly or unfairly, he's potentially seen as damaged goods. And you know, I don't blame him for trying to double down on, you know, I'm back, um, you know, risen from the dead like the Undertaker, and and let's just see what happens. I don't know if it's the last twist in the in the road on this one, but um according to an a very recently, I mean in in the last hour or so um rumour, the Patriots are kicking tires on him, which would be interesting.
SPEAKER_03That would be very interesting because they've done some uh interesting moves as well. I just I I actually think he's in a in in a a fairly positive position. His salary's not gonna change. I'm not sure he was gonna get a get a massive hike by going to the Ravens, he was just being traded across, right? And they're picking up his contract. You know, from a monetary perspective, no not any worse off. And he's come back to a Raiders organization that have started to put players around him. So why wouldn't you look at it and go, hey, we've got Craig Walker and Tyler Limbaum.
SPEAKER_01You're gonna get Fernando Mendoza.
SPEAKER_03Well, yes. Um and and so why wouldn't I hang around for a year and see how things are? I mean, quite frankly, couldn't be worse than last year, right?
SPEAKER_01And I I do I do think, you know, we we both have a bit of a soft spot for him. Um I do think Kirk Cousins would be a great sign in for the Raiders.
SPEAKER_03Mate, I I I could make one of my bold picks because um let's let's come off the Crosby saga for a minute, but that's dominated the headlines this week. The other one is not necessarily Malik Willis signing with Miami, which when you think Jeff Hafley is there, I think five or six podcasts ago I mentioned uh that I I suspect that that's where he would end up when when Halfley left the Packers to go to Miami. Um not only did they write off Tua's contract and and give themselves a buttload of uh cap space and uh but uh dead.
SPEAKER_01A heap of dead money, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, a whole heap of dead money. Um to a Falcons.
SPEAKER_01I know what are they thinking? I mean, that's that's two years running, they've pulled a shocker at the quarterback position. Yeah, I'm not really sure what's going on there, and I would like to hope this was a decision not you know fully made by Ian Cunningham, former assistant GM of the Bears. But uh yeah, it just it this one puzzles me a little bit. And and to the same extent, and I know this is on your docket as well, but talk about creating unnecessary quarterback controversies. Your favourite NFC North team also made a strange move.
SPEAKER_03Yes, they did. Yes, uh absolutely, uh this morning.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Right, so uh after all the shigin shenanigans last year of of getting rid of Sam Darnold, um putting everything behind JJ McCarthy McCarthy, they've now well unbelievably undone all of that and and gone out and and taken the Cardinals call it. Carla Murray.
SPEAKER_01So they is the Minnesota Vikings. Um because I'm talking in positive terms, it's obviously not the Lions, right?
SPEAKER_03But uh yes.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean it's a coin flip between whether it's the lions or the Vikings or the Bears as as your favourite other NFC north kicking back. Yeah, we should have qualified that it was the Vikings. So yeah, I yeah, I'm I'm I'm very I'm very puzzled about that one too, if I'm completely honest. Um didn't expect didn't expect him to wind up there. Um yeah, not really sure what they're looking to um and I I'm thinking with both of those clubs, Atlanta and Minnesota, if you're Michael Penix Jr.
SPEAKER_03or if you're JJ McCarthy, are you looking at your front office and going, hang on a minute, I thought you guys had some faith in me. Because they've they've gone out and got big name players on sizable contracts who may be considering themselves the number one quarterback at both of those clubs. So if I if I was JJ McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr., I'd be thinking, hang on a minute, um should should I be thinking about being traded? Should I be thinking about looking for a move? Yeah, well the irony for free agency.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, I mean the irony is Michael Penix Jr. is in exactly the same spot, Kirk Cousins. Yeah, absolutely. Last year. So uh oh, just one thing before we shut the door on Max. Uh Jerry Jones is also saying that he's different time. But um well that that's a bit of a segue because we talked a little bit about um canine and um the Cowboys as a potential match, but Kenneth Walker the third ended up with the Kansas City Chiefs, which again kind of took me by surprise because I was thinking the way the Chiefs were behaving, they would be going to start looking at a transitional year.
SPEAKER_03Um whether Kenneth Walker the third signing was the thing that got Travis Kelsey to also jump back on the bandwagon. Uh maybe it was the I'll come back for another year if you look like you're gonna try and do something.
SPEAKER_01Or or Taylor said to him, I don't want you around the house, get out and find a hobby.
SPEAKER_03Mate, I'm not uh ta entertaining any stuff with Taylor Swift after you missed my excellent joke last week and just carried on talking.
SPEAKER_01I went over my head. I don't really know uh stuff, if I'm completely honest.
SPEAKER_03Um well I know that now, yes. Yes um do you want to do it again so I can no longer I'm not gonna waste waste my breath on it anywhere. And it doesn't work anyway because Travis Kelsey has come back. So lots to discuss. Um before we again finish up with the uh the Atlanta situation, Kirk Cousins will still get paid 10 million bucks. Good on him. Good on him. What a lovely old job.
SPEAKER_01I honestly I I thought he I thought he came across as a gold star pro in that documentary series. And as we joked, I sent you a text message saying$10 million buys you and your mates a heck of a lot of Roy Rogers. So I hope he enjoys every single one of them and ends up somewhere where he can deliver value. I'm sure he will. He won his last four games. He won his last four games. He's still very solid.
SPEAKER_03How would you feel if he turned back up with the Bears as the backup quarterback?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, uh, he's not can't the Bears double um re-upped on Case Keenum, a minor sign in this week. I mean, the Bears haven't really splashed that much in free agency. But um look, I wouldn't I wouldn't mind him if we had a first year quarterback. I think it would be a genius move if I'm completely honest. But um, yeah, I think he'd be a fabulous mentor to Fernando Mendoza or one of the other, you know, clubs that have got a first or second year quarterback. But I think Caleb coming into year three would be a little bit past shaping and moulding in the cousins fashion.
SPEAKER_03But um it's it's just about having someone who can do a job, right? Uh, and we all worry about uh our backup quarterbacks, especially uh the Packers now, with uh Malik Willis going away. It'll be interesting to see what the front office does about that. Um, one more quarterback before we we go to another surprise. Uh Gino Smith to the Jets.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, what's going on really? Um, yeah, I don't know. I mean he was wholly unimpressive last season, and I don't think he's been overly impressive for the last four or five years, has he? But um yeah, I don't know about the Jets. What are you doing?
SPEAKER_03Oh well they also got DeMario Davis to help bolster their defense a bit. Uh it does feel like their goal each year at the minute is to get the wooden spoon. But let's see, let's see what they do in the draft. Do some good drafting, yeah. You can start building your team, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they did sign Nation Wright, who was with the Bears last year and had six interceptions on quite a reasonable deal. I think they signed him for about three million for one year, but um yeah, there's some puzzling moves, isn't it? Last week we were talking about the good teams in North American sports having very smart front offices. I I think we're you know, our teams haven't disgraced themselves, Peter, but they haven't they've achieved that by doing very little.
SPEAKER_03That's because they haven't done anything, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Right?
SPEAKER_03So if you don't buy anyone, uh and again it's it's hard to say for the Packers whether they try to persuade Romeo Dobbs um to stay or Quay Walker. You know, Quay Walker went to the Raiders uh and good luck to him. I think that's an exciting move for him to start becoming a defensive leader, and uh Max Crosby coming back can only uh he can only benefit from that. Romeo Dobbs to the uh Patriots is a great move for him. Huge contract. Thoroughly deserved. He's been the Packers leading receiver for the last four years without ever being WR1 for them. I I think because they got a whole year out of Christian Watson last year, uh I'd look to see a contract extension for him. Of course, uh a lot of the the Packers guys will be on their rookie contracts as well, so you know you've got to be able to manage that uh and stay within your cap. Right? So um but uh your your Bears lost uh Sterling performer from last year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we did. Uh sorry, just before we move on to the Bears, I was just running through the free Yagent big board and looking at who the Jets have signed. So, as well as that weird move for Geno Smith. Number 78 on the big board was a guard from the Raiders called Dylan Parham. Don't really know who he is. Jets signed him two years for 16 million. They signed Joseph Asai, an edge rusher who was with the Bengals last year, three years at 34.5 million. Um, they signed Nation Wright one year at 3.5 to play corner. Mario Davis linebacker from the Saints, two years at 22 million, and uh 48 on the big board, Terrier defensive lineman David Onimata, who was with the Falcons one year at 10.5 million. So they're burning through the cash, and I honestly can't with any degree of conviction tell you if any of those players are any good or not.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I again there's no point looking at me because I I've only got the same information as you. I'm looking at it and going, that's a lot of money to spare.
SPEAKER_01It's a huge amount of money, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03I mean uh but they've got it, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03You know, they're they're not even close to the cap. You know, they're not losing players. In fact, they've done very well in, you know, if I I don't know what they ended up getting for Sam Darnold, but obviously he he was drafted by them in 2018. I I I think part of what they've got to learn is patience.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Uh because if you if you draft someone and they don't work out in two years, you've probably got to think three or four. And again, if I if I take a look at uh what some of the Packers have done with uh like someone like Christy Watson, yeah, he's injured a lot, has been injured a lot, but you you stick with him. And I can remember the first game he ever played, he uh just lit up and then dropped an 80-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers when he was two or three yards clear of his his defensive uh lineman and just the ball fell out of his hands, and and that could make you or break you, but it it kind of pushed him on. The only thing he has has to worry about is his dad said some stupid things on social media all the bloody time. It's a bit like Aaron Ramsdale's dad, if uh any of you follow uh uh soccer at all.
SPEAKER_01Hey um how how do you rate Kingsley and Igbarre?
SPEAKER_03He's uh yeah, he's a he's a solid guy, he's does his job, but he's probably now on the on the the north side or south side of his career.
SPEAKER_01So um Jets signed in one year ten million from the packet.
SPEAKER_03Wow.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it's yeah, it's madness. I mean uh you would there's an argument here, Pete, they were that bad last year, and they and Gino's gonna be quarterback this season, and you know where I'm going with this, don't you? It's an argument though you tank and you make sure you get the number one pick next season.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean we're also this we're assuming that uh that uh uh Mendoza goes first in the draft, though, right?
SPEAKER_01Because if he doesn't the Jets might pick him up and then you've got more Gino's he will, but um anyway, yeah. So they're talking on the other flip side, um um Bayard signed with the Patriots one year at 9.5. I thought that would be a bigger dollar amount. It's really sad to see him go, but obviously, um, with us signing Kobe Bryant from Seattle, I think that was expected, and then our other free agent safety uh Jaquan Brisk uh signed with the Steelers as well. Um today, I think. Edmund signed with uh the New York Giants, Brisker, the Steelers, Nation Wright with the New York Jets, Bayard with the Patriots. So yeah, the we've we've taken a few body blows there, but I don't think any of that's massively unexpected. I was kind of hoping we'd sign Bayard and um Up you know, have find room to sign him after we'd signed Kobe Bryant, but um obviously um I think I trust Ryan Poles. He he I think he's won more than he's lost. There's been a um Chase Claypool trade was awful a couple of years ago. He sent a second, I think, to Miami or somebody, or it maybe we sent him to Miami. That was a terrible um, but you know, I think he wins more than he loses, which is all you can ask for from your general manager. So yeah, some exits. He's he's signed Kobe Bryan, he signed Devin Bush from Cleveland, who brings an awful lot of speed to the linebacking Corbin. Bush had a great season last year. Khaif Redmond, who's a wide receiver, kick returner, especially second team All Pro as a kick returner last year. Um, and then some minor signings Cam Lewis from Buffalo, obviously free agent, Contavious Street, who was with the 49ers, and then he sent a third, I think a third or a fifth, maybe a fifth, to uh the Patriots for Gareth Bradbury, who's a centre to replace Drew Dolman, who I think we are going to miss enormously.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Uh and well, let's stay in the NFC as well, because one of the other things that uh jumped out to me after letting David Montgomery go, though Sonic and Knuckles got broken up, but uh are they really back together with uh Pacheco from uh the Chiefs being picked up by uh Detroit Lions?
SPEAKER_01Yes, yeah. Um that's an interesting move, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03Well, it's uh it's a it's a like for like swap. Uh uh and I think I mentioned uh uh last week Montgomery had a uh quite a handful of games last year where he wasn't producing the kind of yards you'd expect from him and when he wasn't doing that more often than not the lions were getting beaten. Alright, so um uh Pacheco was used quite heavily by the Chiefs last year. I think their wide receiving core was probably weak. Uh and it's interesting to see they haven't done anything with that so far through uh the free agency, and and whether they'll look to do something in the draft is is gonna be interesting on that. But um they obviously felt the need to upgrade their running back with uh Kenneth Walker the third, and uh Pacheco was chipped out to Detroit. I think I think it's a smart move.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, agreed. Who else do we need to talk about in terms of I think we need to talk about Mike Evans, right?
SPEAKER_03Well yes. Well, uh quietly gone off to the 49ers.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that one's flown under the radar a little bit, hasn't it? So three million dollars.
SPEAKER_03Um emails um and stuff like that that I tend to get, it it most definitely has not, but um, because of all the noise that's going around, it it it kind of has. I think that's a tremendous get for the 49ers.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, me too. 60.4 over three years. Yeah, I think that's a great get. And your mate Daniel, Michael, Trevor, Simon Jones, um, two years eighty-eight with the Colts. Yes, that's a lot of cash as well, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03Well, yeah, considering the year they've had, uh and it's a really tough one, right? Because he uh did his ACL or or something towards the back end of the season, missed the last few games that gave us Old Man Rivers um and the entertainment that came along with that. So it's a bit of a gamble for them because again, if it doesn't work out, it's gonna be free agency. No one's gonna trade for them, or they've got to do what uh Miami have done with Tua and uh the Raiders have done with Geno Smith. So yeah, interesting. Um it's been really interesting this week.
SPEAKER_01It's been easy, hasn't it? It's been really, really hard to keep up. Um just noteworthy the Carolina Panthers.
SPEAKER_03Well, I was about to come to that.
SPEAKER_01That's probably the biggest surprise of the lot. 165 million in into two players, Jalen Phillips and Devin Lloyd, who were two and three on the on the uh free agent big board. So uh Jalen Phillips 120 over four and Devin Lloyd 45 over three, they're getting serious.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh they probably should, right? They they made uh playoffs this year. Um they may have had the worst record to make the playoffs, but if you're in a division uh as uh uh like Philadelphia, uh you don't need to win that many games to make the playoffs. So uh if you can bolster your defence perfect. Uh I I was shocked when Jalen Phillips' name came up. I was expecting him to go to a real big hitter of a team, uh, about a Buffalo or maybe even the Bears or the Packers, right?
SPEAKER_01Just uh money talks so, doesn't it? And free agency. I think you know players worry less about being on winning teams and more about more about the money. I mean, I think this you know this drives the potential for a whole new episode's worth of conversation around asset management. I mean, we talked at length about the Bears and DJ Moore and a second round pick, but at least they got an asset back for DJ, right? And you look, you know, Romeo Dobbs has gone uh for nothing as a free agent. All the players that we've mentioned have gone into walk years, and their teams haven't been able to re-sign them. Some potentially some didn't want to, potentially some would have been at the table, but everybody on this, you know, on this 150-man big board is walking for nothing. Um, so um I think you know there's a degree of acknowledgement that needs to be um uh made for you know for teams uh at least getting some assets back for um for players before they enter their walk years, but um yeah, there's some enormous money being thrown around, right?
SPEAKER_03But but it's hard, right? Because if you think about it, um uh let's take Malik Willis as a great example. So there's a lot of noise on uh the Packers' message boards about did Green Bay do enough to to keep him. He's gone for three years at uh 67.5 million with 45 million guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01You're never gonna pay that.
SPEAKER_03They're not paying a backup quarterback that much money. It's ironically the people who are moaning about it are all the people who say that Jordan Love should be the backup quarterback. And of course he's earning even more, right? He's the highest quarterback in the league, right? Yeah, and then they say, well, you know, get rid of a you know, get rid of the contract. You go, what are you talking about? I know it we've been blessed for the last two years that when Jordan Love's been injured, Malik Willis has had to come in. Is Malik Willis a better quarterback than Jordan Love? I don't think so. Is he a different quarterback? Is he more mobile? Does he his playing style different? Absolutely. And good luck to him, he's got his bag of money now, and and hopefully you know he can get away from um the concussions that seem to happen relentlessly at Miami and and show what he's made of. But there's still a couple of games that you know he made a couple of big mistakes. He made two big mistakes in the Bears game, the second Bears game, cost us the game. So, you know, what do you do? Uh he's a he's a lucky man and he knows that the coach has got faith of it, faith in him, right? He's turned up to a place where they've said, You're our man, you're our man so much, we're getting rid of the guy who came before you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I think um I think what's interesting, Pete, and this, you know, this is just a a rough temperature check, in my opinion, on who the powerhouse teams are and whether we would gun to head at this point in time, and obviously, you know, we're what two, three days into free agency, there'll be another wave, and there'll be you know some more activity on draft A players being traded. But of the powerhouse teams, how many do you reckon feel they're in a better position now than they were at the end of last season? Uh I would argue that not many. You know, the the pack has definitely seemed you know weaker by subtraction in free agency. The Eagles lost Jalen Phillips. You know, we could argue it's a bit of a wash in KC.
SPEAKER_03Well they've got Rick Woolen back there, you know, to kind of cover it off, but he's not a Jalen Phillips, no totally different player.
SPEAKER_01The Rams traded for the um for the cornerback that we discussed last week, but you run through those, you know, those traditional powerhouse teams, and everybody's managing the cap, right? We're losing reasonably, you know, big players. Jalen Phillips, 26, was he, 25? I think we talked about last week. You know, he's not even hit his prime years yet. So it would be it's gonna be super interesting when all of this and you know, all of the dust settles, and we can, you know, look at baseline um you know, projected rosters, who's gonna be better than they were last year. And I I think this is indicative of where we are with that sort of cat management um magic that we talked about last week. Um, so yeah, lots to unfold still, mate. But um it's been uh it's been a frantic and surprising first two or three days of free agency.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, exciting. Very exciting. So um I yeah, you know, you kind of want your team to have done more, and I think our teams have been quiet. Um it's not that they've not done anything. Uh Benjamin St. Just is gone as a uh a very good cornerback assigned with two years for ten million. Uh we want more depth there. Javon Hargreave is defensive tackle. We've given him a contract for two years for 23 million. Sean Ryan is going to be our long-term starting centre. He's been given a 33 million three-year contract. So it's not like they're not doing things, they've aren't they're gone and picked pick things up. And you know, yes, we're betting a lot on Mika Parsons when he comes back and he's ready, but if we can strengthen the defence, uh I still think the the Packers have one of the most frightening offences to play against.
SPEAKER_01And and this is where you win in, you know, this is where you win in free agency and where you win with your cap management situation, it's those players that far exceed the value of their contract that put you know put you in a good position to succeed. So if you're signing the right player and you're signing them to a reasonable deal and they outperform that deal, I mean let's just you know, let's just go back to Trey Hendrickson. I think the athletic um forecast three uh three million at three years eighty-nine or ninety-nine. He signed for four at 112. He's not gonna outperform that contract, he's gonna underperform against that contract because A is aging and B is injury prone. So, you know, look at some of the players that have been signed. You know, I'm just gonna pick somebody, Devin Bush, three at 30. You know, hopefully Devin Bush is a kind of player that outperforms his contract and he's a step up from um Tremaine Edmonds, and the Bears win on that, you know, that out and that in. And uh, I'm not sure if he will or not. Um, and you know, you can go through all of our teams and all of the rosters, but it it's gonna be those players that sign for reasonable contracts and then outperform those contracts that position certain teams to have better seasons or challenge in the playoff run. And obviously, we're now seeing you know the the the um the Ravens saddled, you know, Hendrix's gonna be 35 by the end of that contract. Thirty-five.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I know.
SPEAKER_01There are many good 35-year-old edge rushers in the league. I can't think of uh Khalil Mack.
SPEAKER_03Yep. Who's still available?
SPEAKER_01No, he signed uh he's gone. He's been picked up Khalil's gone. And I I think the Athletic anticipated him one at twelve. He's re-signed with the Chargers one year eighteen million. Wow.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's a lovely old job.
SPEAKER_01Isn't it? Yeah. So yeah, one year eighteen. I don't know how old he is that he doesn't say on his profile, but he would oh yeah, yeah, he's 35. He's entering his age 35 season. So I can't think of many other 35-year-old edge rushers that you know uh gonna warrant what's 112 million divided by four P a lot of money, right? So 20 million a season, right?
SPEAKER_03It's actually 30 million, mate, so you know, get back to school. That's uh that's basically.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've had a long I've had a long weekend. I don't know if you saw a rather large glass of whiskey, which was lovely.
SPEAKER_03Uh I did see that, yes, very good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well I have to I have to I have to resort to a little bit of a tipple to put up with you.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh it also keeps your throat lubricated, right?
SPEAKER_01I also need to just check in with you, Pete. Man to man. Are you okay?
SPEAKER_03I'm okay.
SPEAKER_01Good, because I know you I know you texted me earlier and said I'm gonna have to push the time back because I'm taking the wife out for dinner. So I'm just checking your you're okay.
SPEAKER_03I spend money when I need to, right? Again, uh I'm not the one who doesn't have a dazzen subscription because they think it's too expensive.
SPEAKER_01You don't need a dazen when you've got a DNA.
SPEAKER_03Right. So so let's uh let's uh I I look we're gonna come back to this next week. All right, so uh not well, not the same conversational, maybe the same conversation and and see where things fall out. What free agency has happened, uh first few days are always the hectic ones. Uh let's shift sports to the world baseball classic. Uh so if you don't love watching the world baseball classic or see the romance of baseball, then just uh turn us off now. It's been absolutely brilliant the last last week or so. There are two things, I'll make a bold statement. Um, Kansas City are obviously going to win the World Baseball Classic. They're two big fellas are smashing the ball and centre.
SPEAKER_01That's why they lowered that wall in the outfield this season, Pete.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, absolutely. Um why not, right? Although they could probably make it twenty foot taller the the way uh Vinny Pasquatino's hitting the ball at the minute. But my fa well that uh there's a heartbreaking moment when Australia with uh Korea needing to win by five runs, and with the score at 6-2 in the eighth innings, uh unfortunately Australia conceded another run. Uh but watching the final out and the joy in the Koreans' faces that it qualified, uh again, it was hard to feel sorry for the Australians. They they battled so hard, but seeing the joy with the Koreans was amazing. And the other thing was a 17-year-old high school pitcher playing for Brazil who managed to trap Aaron Judge into a double play or innings-ending double play. Um, I don't know what you were doing at the age 17, Matt, but I imagine it wasn't any of that, right?
SPEAKER_01Unfortunately, it wasn't. But yes, I I did watch it and that was quite stunning. I think the other thing that I've really loved, the Dominican Republic supporters down in Miami have been unreal, haven't they? That's just been spectacular. I'm not such a fan, and I did text you about this, this kind of kitsch, you know, putting some broader on and the King's Guard and the yeah bloke on the espresso. I don't think we really need that. But um, yeah, I think my highlight of the week has been watching squeaky bum time for the for team USA. I think we really need to talk about Mark De Rosa and Absolutely on. Absolutely, yeah. What he's just come out today and said that he was well aware of the tiebreaker scenario before the game against Italy. However, um if we believe what we yeah, well, I was gonna say if we believe what we read and have seen, uh apparently the team USA uh boys were celebrating quite hard after their previous game, and his team selection um was interesting for the Italy game. So I don't think on the balance of play, either of those two things support the fact that he knew he still had an enormous game which would decide the fate of his team. If he did, that that shows an enormous amount of arrogance and um overconfidence, I think. So I think DeRose has found himself in one of these really awkward positions where he looks like he's an idiot, um, or he looks like he's an idiot, um, and he's ended up looking like a bit of an idiot. It's interesting how um MLB TV scrambled because I know he's one of their um premier analysts. They put a post up and then they took it down, and it was all a bit of damage control, so it's just an absolute fiasco, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03Well, yeah, uh and again, just win all your games. You've got Bobby Wick Jr., you've got you've got Mike Trout in there somewhere, you've got uh pitchers beyond belief, you've got Aaron Judge, uh uh Rob Bryce Harbour, you've got just win the game. Just go win the bloody game, don't you?
SPEAKER_01I can't believe you went through all of those names and you didn't mention the name of the bloke who hit two dingers and literally put team USA on his back to try and get them in the game.
SPEAKER_03RPCA finally came to life.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there you go.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so yeah, look again uh for the good of the game, let's let's say that I I think it's a tremendous result. Uh had the US got knocked out, I think you and I would be having a bit of a chuckle, and but then people would look and going, is that really what you want for the World War Classic? However, yeah, the Dominican Republic, uh Venezuela, uh some of these uh South American, Latin American teams, just look at the happening if I was a Padre fan, I would want Fernando Tatis to be celebrating every bloody home run he hits like they like he did the other day. It was it was huge, a huge home run, and just uh the I I love the back flip and uh things like that. Sometimes it uh it gets the pitcher up in in a little bit of a mood, but that's okay.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but it was just brilliant. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And celebrating around the bases and the things coming out, and and of course, you know, just watching people have fun.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's been it's been it's been a fabulous um advert for the game. So we've got uh quarterfinal lineup is Venezuela versus Japan, the USA v Canada, I'm already reading things about it's the ice hockey rematch. It's not whatever, it's not literally not. Uh Korea play the Dominican Republic. Oh uh who's the fourth one. Italy will play Puerto Rico.
SPEAKER_03That I wouldn't want to win. Um interestingly, obviously, with uh Italy winning uh their group now, that it's more likely that the USA will play Japan before the final semi-final, yeah. Um but uh you know, the way the Dominican Republics and the Puerto Ricans have been playing, I wouldn't want to face any of them. No either.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Dominican Republic looked like that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, uh yeah, just if you get fifteen minutes, even if you're not a baseball fan, just to go on YouTube, look one up, and just watch it. It's just people who don't usually get to represent their country at something having an absolute ball representing their country, um which is amazing. Absolutely amazing.
SPEAKER_01Just on the DR um after pool play, here's where they rank um average uh 313 first, OBP 458 first, slug in 672 first, OPS 1.130 first, Homer's 13 first, Runs 41 first, so do yourself a favor and watch Vladdy and the boys. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Vladdy because plays for the Blue Jays, but um yeah, I think it'd be a great final DR against either Japan or the USA, so bring it on.
SPEAKER_03Very good. Very good. So so while we're still on baseball, Matt, uh uh I'm gonna introduce a baseball challenge for you and I.
SPEAKER_01Uh is this or we're gonna do a fantasy team?
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I love it.
SPEAKER_03One each, maybe.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, I think we should do a joint team first year.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Well, uh I I've got uh uh log into ESPN and ESPN do a fantasy league. It would mean us spending a bit of time together to do a draft together.
SPEAKER_01Be my pleasure, Peter.
SPEAKER_03Um yes, perfect. Then uh let's set that all up. Maybe we'll do a bit of a live draft on the podcast.
SPEAKER_01That would be how that goes. Um everybody knows we're picking PCA first.
SPEAKER_03Well, are we? Uh well uh it depends where we get to pick. Yes. If we get to pick first, then if if the name Otani is not coming up, then we're we're not doing our judge, isn't it, really?
SPEAKER_01If we've got pick one or pick two, I think we both need to get our coats and go home if we don't do yeah. But yeah, let's do it, mate. I think that'd be great fun. And then next year, um, once I've built a little bit of uh um knowledge we can split it out and put some money on it.
SPEAKER_03Well I was thinking more of uh So here we go. Well so so I I think it's more because a lot of the baseball clubs they do the fancy football league and and you play a forfeit if you if you finish bottom of the league. So so maybe it's the the forfeit should be that the the loser has to do a whole podcast in the winners team's shirt.
SPEAKER_01Oh that that that sounds disgusting especially after seeing that City Connect jersey that the Giants have a look at one that I've put a request in for for for somebody who's coming over from San Francisco for work from work.
SPEAKER_03Anyway we'll see we'll see how we go with that.
SPEAKER_01I mean at least the Bears Wrigleyville one is classy so I I actually yeah I I do like it I think it's nice so I have one um so um yes all right we'll see where we go over to you on that looking forward so so I'll I'll uh get the the basics set up and and then we'll work out what what where and when we have to draft and what we need to do.
SPEAKER_03Very good excellent okay and of course when uh KG is back from his uh uh chicken watching we will um talk about having a fantasy football league for the NFL this year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah we should and maybe maybe we can get some of our guests Chris and um um McKund and um well not not McKund he'll he's almost bound to win we can't have I think he's he's the th he's a thinking man's isn't he so uh he's gonna pick some obscure linebacker from the Jets who gets 400 points in a season or something that we've never I've got a challenge for you Peter in the last uh few minutes as it's episode 20 yes uh I came up with an idea that we should mark each episode milestone with um a little bit of a section on who your favourite packers player to wear that number is who my favourite Bears player to wear that number is and who our favourite all time NFL at.
SPEAKER_03So episode 20 who's your favourite packer who ever wore the number 20 well there haven't been many great big names that have worn 20 for Green Bay Packers. So my favourite is is obviously a man whose name makes me smile and that is Atari Bigby and yes his name is Atari like the old Atari game he played back in the mid-2000s um or 2006 to 2010 he was there played 55 times um he's a a fairly big fella but 5'11 at 211 pounds across his career he had uh 72 games 214 tackles 10 interceptions and returned those 10 interceptions for 71 yards was he at safety or uh he was yes he played uh 45 times for the the uh Packers with 10 interceptions and and uh three forced fumbles best season was in 2007 um but when I was researching number twenties uh I looked through the names his was the name I went oh you know I remember Atari being very good yes I like it and and when did you say to mid 2000s?
SPEAKER_01Yeah to 2006 to 2010 so uh four years that would have been when I really started to okay um get the get deeper into uh uh being a Green Bay Packers fan you know kind of uh early Aaron Rodgers career as well so you're younger than me right uh well yeah by by about six months or so that's all yeah um I'm gonna take your mid to mid to late 2000s and and uh and up that uh my favourite bear to have worn number 20 is Mark Carrier he was our first round draft pick in 1990 so four years after the Bears won the Super Bowl um he was a safety after he um played I think seven years with the Bears he he had a stint with the Lions and the Redskins um he went to three Pro Bowls in seven years was voted NFL defensive rookie of the year in 1990 racked up 551 tackles 20 interceptions and ten of those interceptions came in his rookie year so uh he was a a great player silky smooth hard I do recall the Bears drafting him um I was very hardcore pretty much straight away 85 86 was very lucky uh a year after I started supporting the Bears they won the Super Bowl and I was thinking wow this is easy um uh but yeah Carrier was uh was was our first round pick in 1990 so he's my favourite ever bear wearing number 20 now I have a feeling Peter that this is a little bit of an easy one your your favourite NFL player of all time wearing wearing number 20 look I I've actually got a couple go on um uh both running backs yes so one is very obvious and I'm sure you'll you'll have him down on your list or your list of well which will be Barry Sanders for four time rushing champion ten time pro bowler uh retired with fifteen thousand two hundred and sixty nine rushing yards um but another famous number 20 is actually third on the rushing yards list and he used to be the bane of uh Green Bay uh whenever we played the San Francisco 49ers and that's Frank Gore. Yeah wow Frank Gore yeah dude good shout yeah listeners will start to realise that names trigger me and and a name like Frank Gore um much like Gary Bears will be uh something that that that sits in my mind and never leaves and I can just remember you know he's a really strong very man yeah yeah absolutely absolutely um if I had to pick one obviously Barry Sanders you can't and I think Frank Gore of you know with that glut of super talented high profile offensive um juggernauts that the 49ers produced Montana Young um you know Jerry Rice etc etc I think Frank Gore um flew under the radar a little bit um generally speaking there didn't he so uh that's a good shout um so yeah let's uh let's tip our hat to um Messrs Bigby Carrier Sanders and Gore for episode 20 of the mostly football pods and uh and and uh you know um our names are pretty bland so uh Atari Bigby is a name I wouldn't mind being called actually well we can call you it for the rest of the year call me I I'll be known as Atari Bigby maybe maybe we call our our joint baseball team the Atari Big Bees well mate you know what they're gonna be called already uh go on tell me what's what's on your mind. The Gary Bears else could they be no it's really not I'm playing a mulligan on that one you can you have you can play whatever you want whoever's in charge of the keyboard putting the name in you have a single uh veto all season and I'm playing mine and it's not going to be the Gary Bears.
SPEAKER_03So I think the Atari Big B's is is much more our style Peter so so uh any fantasy game I've uh I've ever played my team has always been called the Abbey Habit. Okay um yeah and so that references a long long go uh go advert in the UK for the Abbey National Building Society that told you to get in the Abbey Habit and of course Cambridge United Stadium is the Abbey Stadium so I always chose the Abbey Habit.
SPEAKER_01However my NRL fantasy team this year is called the Gary Bears all of my ice hockey fantasy league teams have been called the Sydney nod nodding dogs um I um there's a little bit of a story behind that I was at the uh at the SCG with some mates years and years ago um I can't remember who I was watching it wasn't England I think it might have been Australia and India and we were talking about Twitter and I said I wasn't on it and I actually fell asleep at the test match and my mates got my phone out created me a Twitter account and my Twitter account handle was called SCG Nodding Dog. So I've taken that to the Sydney Nodding Dogs and all 10 years I played NHL fantasy I've been the Sydney nodding dogs.
SPEAKER_03So we can't be the Abbey Habbit we can't be the Sydney Nodding Dogs we're not being the Gary Bear we need to think of something else well uh maybe it's time to to float our email address and see if anyone's actually listening to us. If you want to name our fantasy baseball team mostlyfootball25 at gmail.com is our email address please email in to us make any suggestions uh if you want to vote for the Gary Bears of course let us know that as well because if we're nothing if it's popular if nothing else we will follow through so um I think that's probably us for this week.
SPEAKER_01Matt Yeah I think um I think that's pretty much everything. I'm tempted to talk about Tottenham hotspurt but we can leave that for another day. Yeah just in case they ask us to hold our beer again this weekend and produce another terrible performance yes yes um yes let's let's pause on that one because I think the uh there's another twist in the road there at Tottenham the Villa won this morning in in the Europa League happy days hopefully we turn the corner and hit a bit of a hit a root to the Champions League this year buddy hit a bit of form um before I head back ironically to watch them play Tottenham Hotspur.
SPEAKER_03Well well oh my word oh my word if you can't beat uh don't even go there no I I won't I won't well on that bombshell that that Matt might may have his whole life ruined by Tottenham Hotspur in a couple of weeks uh we'll see you all uh next week thanks very much thanks Matt Ta da's a wrap on another episode of the Mostly football show don't forget to subscribe and review or get in touch at mostlyfootball twenty five at gmail dot com see you next week