The Around the NFL podcast. As time traveled back from 1992, Perot for President. From the Chris Wesley podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. Dan Hans is here. Greg Rosenthal. Got to guess I'm going to introduce in a moment. Welcome back, Mark.Thank you.From 1992.

That's where you presume that I went to.

We were under I have the impression, or at least I was, that because we saw your Instagram, Big Camp Happiness Weekend.

Yeah, okay.

My concern-Mark was posting pictures from Camp Happiness, to be clear. Well, maybe.

Okay.

I thought maybe you got stuck in 1992, hence Monday's absence. Because time travel can be tricky. Everyone knows that. It's a basic knowledge about time travel that one thing goes wrong, one wire gets crossed, you don't hit 88, you don't get to where you need to be. To see you back, welcome back.I.

Think the onlyI always return.fly in the ointment there is that I texted you before the show to alert you that I was not going to be here, but that was not an option to me back in 1992.

It could have been a time to release of a text. That's what I'm saying. There's just a lot of things going through.

I think you went to the most logical place concerning my absence.

For whatever reason, Ross Perot has really over-indexed in mentions on this podcast in the last 12 years. I love that adorable gremlin. He comes up a lot.

I love that guy. Look at this.

If you're watching-YouTube audience.

You know what?

Camp Happy.

I will explain what it is real quick. I mean, unless we would like to introduce our-We're getting there. It's a series that I decided to do about my guy friends from over the years. I feel like guys are just constantly... I know everyone's... Guys are just getting slammed left and right. It's like celebrating my many groups of friends that are male-based.

This is like what the Elks are for.

Yeah, we don't have that anymore. You can't do that anymore.

There's a moose lodge in my town. You want to join? Let's do it.

I would check it out.

Our guest, to my right, Andrew Siciliano.

Hi, guys. I'm enjoying this. It looked like Harry Potter robes there. That first shot we put up, the maroon and the yellow.

I don't know where we got those, but yeah.

That looked That was good. What would you do differently if you could talk to your 1992 self, Mark Sesler?I.

Don't think anything.Nothing? No, I don't think so.

Because I think-You would feel confident, talk to women.

No, that was never a big issue. I think it's more like if you change one little thing, I could be living in Iowa right now, and I don't want to be doing that. So I wouldn't-Classic butterfly effect. Yeah, I think you might F a whole bunch of stuff up.

How about Siciliano? I was thinking about this. Two paths for Siciliano at Syracuse, the way I think of it. Andrew, always a great broadcaster. Always, I'm sure, had the drive to be. Andrew either spent almost all this time in the journalism building or Siciliano was the guy doing play-by-play of beer pong in the toga at the frat party. Which one is the more... Let me ask the boys first. More likely scenario, toga party, play-by-play, or nose in the books and on the mic?

That cues. You get a man that can do both. I mean, it's college. Most people are doing both. Or high achievers, I think, like Andrew, they know how to get it done. They know how to have a good time while also staying in the mix. I had my nights out.

Don't get me wrong, but no, I was like, no, it's a grindstone.Okay.

I was a grindstone.

You strike me as precocious.

I just didn't know any of those people, but that was because I went to an unserious institution, Tulane University.

In a great party town. Are we on the couch right now? Part of it was probably to to compensate for my lack of a social life. I threw myself into my work as a slightly awkward child. I'm like, I'm just going to work.

I can also attest. I went to Ithaca for a semester. But at one point, the weather up there-It was not good. Yeah. I would say as a college student, if you're a guy, females literally disappear off Terra firma.They're gone.See you in April. Yeah.

Because there's no terraforma, it's all covered in ice and snow. It's a disaster. Seasonal depression is year long in Central New York because the sun dies. It does not live there. I remember calling my mother up my sophomore year saying, No, mom, you don't get it. The sun doesn't live here. It doesn't exist.

That's why also, that's Central New York, Western New York, why the bills need to get a Super Bowl? We got to give the bills a Super Bowl. Those are people that have earned it just through the weather quotient.

Well, they're going to have a roof. I am excited that Mark is celebrating the revival of men's friendships and how important it is. I'm going to bring that up the next time. It's so hard to get him to show up to a dinner with the two of us.

I had a couple of photos of you in there, Frank, so you just go check it out.

I appreciate it. Oh, yeah, there's a great one of Wes and I. Good hair. I look a lot younger there. I look a lot younger in the old news.

You look 21 years older.

All right.

Wes is toaster right?

That's Dwayne Munn, I believe, in the back of there. Yes. Yes.

The great Chris Westling. Okay, so today is our annual springtime spin around the American Football Conference. Andrew is going to help us out.

Happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

Thank you for joining us. We're going to go three minutes on Each team in the AFC, starting with the East all the way to the West. On Thursday, we'll do the same thing again with Patrick Claibon in the fourth chair. We mentioned the Buffalo Bills. Without further ado, let's get this thing going. By the way, Eric Roberts, we need to connect with Eric. I know you've done this before, but a reminder that there's no wiggle room with the clock. If we say three minutes per team, we mean three minutes per team. We must move. If you need to use potential lethal force, Eric, you can. Look, there's a clock.

For the first time, we have a clock actually.Wow.It's a scoreboard in the studio.There are no excuses.

We get three timeouts.

Ironically-inside of two minutes, are there coaches challenges?

Does the review come from New York? That's a nice man who loves to make up games, and I love that wrinkle. I'm going to think about that for a future game. Eric, did you have something to say?

I did not. Okay. I'm dealing with some WiFi stuff back here.

I can say you seem to be struggling a little bit. I didn't know if you're trying to reach me about something. No, I'm good.

We're good. Wifi loves to take a crap at the best times, but I think we're good.

I got the gun.

That's the most important It is a dart gun, and you feel free to aim for the jugular, but nothing above the neck. We're broadcasters after all.

If we over speak, Andrew, after the three-minute window, the gun comes out and takes you out.

Okay, no cattle prod. It's actually a shot from the other-Yes, you can hear that.

If you look in the corners of the room, they're mounted guns. All right, let's get to it. Andrew, you are our guest, so you're going to get us going, and we're going to talk about those Buffalo bills. Yes, do it. Let's roll.

The Buffalo Bills. I remember sitting with you guys. That's a broadcaster from. With you guys in Hermosa Beach when you did your roadshow last year. Do you remember that? Last spring? And I said, This is the year where it's make a break for the Bills. The window is officially closing, and if they don't win, they're going to blow the entire thing up. I was not right, but I do think the window is closing. Sean McDermott is back. Josh Allen is back. The defense has to be torn down to the studs. Stefan Diggs somehow is still there despite that cap number, though maybe that changes on draft day. They bring in Curtis Samuel. They bring in Mac Holland, two guys not exactly known as field stretchers, but different and interesting weapons for Josh Allen. My question is, as they rework this defense, has the window closed on this version of the Buffalo Bills?

I think it's the first restart. Poeyr, He's leaving. He's in Miami now. Micah Hyde, we don't know about, but I have a feeling he's going to retire. Tredavious white. The defense has finally restarted. It had to do it. But that doesn't mean to me the windows closed. It just reminds me they're a lesser version of the Patriots where you're restarting as long as the coach and the quarterback are there. You're restarting in certain ways. I just need to see Brandon Beane show a little bit of that magic because this whole thing started by getting great draft picks and great low-cost free agents, and they've lost so many players on defense. Floyd Shaq Lawson, Puna Ford, Linval Joseph, Jordan Phillips, Tim Settel, all those guys in the secondary I just mentioned. They got to start replacing them with contributors in the draft and some low-cost free agents because we know they don't have much money.

They lost a ton of leadership, too. I had a problem with their skill position situation a year ago. They seemed like one guy short. I don't know if Curtis, Samuel, or Mac Holland solves that right now. I would say that with Josh Allen, especially in the AFC East where the Dolphins took a number of hits themselves, yes, they have a chance to win the division, and then, yes, they have a chance to do anything with Josh Allen.

It's interesting with Allen, too, because the window, in some ways, has closed because his contract situation gets more and more complicated. The cap, he's starting to eat up more and more cap, and that's going to continue to build over the next three years, which makes it more and more difficult. Now, it doesn't mean that they can't do it. I still think you mentioned Diggs, Andrew. I just feel it that there's something there that gives them cap relief, that rids them of a player that might be starting become more trouble than he's worth, and they get to radically reinvent.

And maybe some draft capital.

The playmaker situation. So digs on the move before draft day is something I still see in the mix.

Yeah, I think so as well. And I'm going to answer my own question. I don't think that the window is closed, but it is, as you mentioned, Greg, a total defensive teardown. They have to go younger and cheaper, which means that much more on Josh Allen's shoulder.

But you know what? They re-signed Taran Johnson. When I look at their defensive roster, it's still pretty good. It's still good. Not bad.

I feel good. I started slowly there. Wait a minute. That's the end of it. It's zero.

That's the point.

The Miami Dolphins. Wait, wait, wait.

Hold on. No. We hit zero. We finish our conversation. I was saying that felt good. What the hell?

Yeah, that is...

Welcome to the jungle, baby.

You've absorbed weaponry.

The Miami Dolphins.

Part of darkness here.

The Miami Dolphins. Okay, here we go. Where are we at with the dolphins? Can we turn it down just a little bit, some of the sound effects. My brain is about to explode. The Miami Dolphins are in an interesting place. Obviously, a building block season last year. Obviously, the Tua getting through a full season, putting up numbers. Obviously, the season didn't end the way they wanted it to. They blew the division and then weren't competitive against the Chiefs. Now, there's some... Greg, salary cap is real. They had to make some moves to get under the cap and get in better condition. That meant they lose a lot of big pieces of their defense, including Christian Wilkins. It means they lose one of their best offensive linemen, Robert Hunt. It puts them in a situation here now where it's going to be a test with new defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver, to get that team in a good place defensively and make them a difference maker and not a issue with the same old questions, I'm sorry to say, about the offense with Tua as a big-time offense that could win a title.

I'm going to go back to a conversation I had with Tyreek Hill, name dropper, Super Bowl week. He was doing the tour, obviously, for Super Bowl week, and we talked to him on NFL Network. The excuses are done. Like, show me something in January. And they're going to be a good team. They're going to score a lot of points. I know they're reworking the defense. A lot of it has to do with the injuries and the guys coming back. New faces in there certainly as well. The names are less important to me than the results here with Mike McDaniel and Tua and the pieces they have on offense. They haven't won a playoff game since what? A decade, at at least. Last time they were interesting, the play house was when Matt Moore was starting in Pittsburgh and Tana Hill was hurt. Show me that you could win. I don't care about the weather anymore.

Right. I think the offense is weirdly the bigger question because they basically brought back the same group. We didn't talk about it on the show, but Taran Armstead is back with them. They ended up re-signing. Isiah went like, It's the same offense. You bring in John O. Smith. I do think it should be pointed out with all these people that have left in cuts and Xavian Howard, and he's gone. They've had some of my favorite low-wadded signings. Kendall Fuller was a nice signing. Jordan Brooks, I think, was a nice signing. Jordan Poeyer. Add some veteran know-how in that secondary. They haven't done nothing. Shaq Barrett is a good rotation guy still. It's not like they've been totally quiet. My bigger thing is just the offense, which is the same.

Is that same going to be good? Well, in the offensive line, I don't like losing Robert Hunt. I think when you don't have Tron Armstead in there, which you have to count on a couple of games a year where he's not going to play, it seems like at this point in his career. You look at that, like PFS set up. I don't love what's in front of two. That causes a lot of problems for two when they're unhealthy.

Low-key comment said to me when Anthony Weaver was named DC, Show me a D-line coach who became a good DC. D-line coaches generally can't coordinate the back-end. That'll be fascinating.

Don't forget.

Sounds like trouble.

Tua entering the final year of his deal. It is a big season for Miami. Big decision. The New York Jets, Greg Rosenthal.

Oh, my God. Is there a bigger boom or bust this year or else team that we've seen in the last 20 years? They signed Mike Williams since we last did a show. I think that's a good signing, especially for the structure. But it's just so typical. Williams is on a one-year contract, injury risk. Rogers is year to year at this point. I think it's safe to say. Both tackles, Morgan Moses, who they traded for, and Tyron Smith that they brought in, are on one-year deals or on the final year of their deals. Injury risks there. This is just the ultimate year-to-year thing, which is not good process. It usually doesn't work. And yet, if I was a Jets fan like Dan, no one's ever accused me of this before. Someone said I was just being nice about the Jets on Twitter to suck up to Dan. I've never done that. I'm saying you should lean into it this year because what other options do you have? I think they did the most that they could do with this offseason on offense. I think Joe Dees had a great seven days.

I thought all the moves made sense in a vacuum, they also None of these moves for a team that's all in for this year, all these moves, he's added, he's gotten the roster better without burying the team going forward. It's very much about right now, right here, without selling the farm and mortgaging the future. And as I've said, Mark, multiple times in the last few weeks, #once. This only needs to work once. I know it probably won't because history tells us that it won't. But this is a pretty damn good roster. And if things click, this team is It's going to be good.

I don't think Aaron Rodgers would have survived last season, even if you wiped away what happened if you went behind that line. They needed to address it. They've addressed it. I think Mike Williams, if healthy, absolutely is a huge asset for Aaron Rodgers in the offense. My problem, though, is the experience of Aaron Rodgers grows a little stranger by the week. That's not going to change. You didn't have the internal self-scouting and decision-making and correct decision-making to replace the offensive coordinator. I just don't trust core key components of what the Jets have still going on.

That remains a major red flag.

Remember when Rodgers had his end-of-season presser and he said, We need to avoid distractions? All right, great. Thanks. If he does run, which it sounds like he's not going to.

I don't think he's the choice. We spent a lot of time on this.

Do we have to give because the equal time thing, do we have to give equal time now to the other candidates on NFL Network if he is a legitimate candidate?

No, we don't have to do it anymore.

That's a question for you to give to our boss, Todd Smerry, our news director.

That sounds like a Charlie Yuk conversation. I have very little faith, and I like the guy. Happy birthday, Charlie. Tyron Smith has been playing for 35 years. He came into the league at 12 years old. That he and his back can hold up for 18 weeks. I think everyone likes to say, Oh, my God, they're going wide receiver now because they got the offensive line figured out. No. Take Fuaga. Take the best tackle here because you are going to need one of those tackles. If Tyron Smith goes down, this whole thing goes down.

When they're on one-year deals. Exactly.

They'll take the dart once. Just only needs to work once. All right, moving on. The New England Patriots.

Oh, no dart.Mark Sesler.Should have gotten a dart. Select. All right. What I do see with the Patriots is people are talking about, like Antonio Gibson, a true tonal shift inside the building with Gerard Mayo. And yet at the same time, I look at a roster that really seems to be handled this offseason the way that a Bill Belichick operation would largely have done, which is a lot of re-signing your own guys. There were whispers of them being tied to Calvin Ridley. No dice. There were talks about them maybe with a big-time defensive player. Negatory. Mac Jones sent into abstentia. That's a big change. But the Patriots went completely silent, and they could have had Justin Fields for a bag of Spoons. I would have liked that concept. And then you go maybe do something else in the draft. To me, I just see a roster that looks... It was one of the worst in the AFC. It looks very similar to me. And I think there's not enough change here. Yes, you're going to go get a quarterback, but is that quarterback going to be in a good position if you don't trade that?

You sound like WEEI right now in Boston. People are losing their minds about this Patriots offseason. Relax. Have some patience. I like the idea that Elliott Wolf- That was the guy that quit the team as soon as time brought in. No, I am encouraged by what they're doing, which is being patient. I disagree on some level that it's a Belichick type of offseason because actually, they kept players at high salaries that they know are good that he usually just let walk. They gave Michael Awenu big money. A lot of their best players happened to be free agents, and so they kept them. Kyle Ducker, good job. Hunter Henry, solid player.

Too much money. They've let everyone walk for years.

Right. But they kept players that I actually like. To me, free agency is best done by going for role players. To me, Jacobi %, Antonio Gibson, O'Kora Forr, KJ Osborn. Those are all good role players, and I don't think they're done yet. I think it all sets up for them taking a quarterback.

You You are running back a team that won four games, though.

Well, the defense, though, on paper, you're keeping young players I really like.

But they're not really running back because they're going to make a big change of quarterback. Here's the question, and that I think all the Patriots fans, I'm sure, are also talking about on EEI. Do you take the guy at three? And for a team that needs so much work, or do you trade that pick, gather more assets, and build the roster that way, and still maybe take a quarterback? You have to love Andrew. You got to love that. For me, if the Patriots, and I get the strategy of just keep taking quarterbacks, but you got to love the prospect that's there at three to make that move. Otherwise, I think you do move back.

I agree with you. You don't take the quarterback for the sake of taking the quarterback. You have to be in love with the quarterback who is there for you at three. I love Jake brisket. I know. I wish the Browns had gotten Jake brisket back in the building. If it means punting on a year on quarterback, even though next year's class is supposedly not good, then I'm for that if you don't love that guy. I also want to ask, has anyone seen the end of the dynasty doc yet? And considering what Kraft said about Belichick, when did he record that? Because there was no way he would have recorded what he said.

You have seven seconds.

Oh, it's too deep. But he couldn't have taken the shots of Belichick that he took if he knew that Belichick was going to be back this year.

All right.No, no, no.A little bit of clock management. No, I was at one. I was at one. No, the clock management failure there is, that's a great time to call T. O. Okay. Because I'm going to do it now. We're going to T. O.

We need to know more.

I don't know. You're making the 20 seconds. This is the 20 secondsTime out thing.

College basketball guy. This is 20-second timeout.

Yeah, I'm definitely not. This is 20? It's 20. That's good. And what's the full?

It's T. Timeout. Like the NFL.

All right, here we go. Good to know. What happened in this documentary?

You guys got to watch it, but I watched the final two episodes last night, and it's not in any way as if Kraft assassinated Bill Belichick. But the last couple of episodes, he is pretty direct in saying it had to change and Bill's no fun to work for, and it was miserable at times. Tell us the story of Jazel coming in in the offseason before the 2018 season, saying, This guy I can respect my husband. We're out of here, basically. Came back, how miserable 18 was. He did not pull punches. He said all the right things about Bill Belichick. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but he said some very direct things where if Belichick were back on the podium come draft weekend, it would be fascinating to hear him ask, Did you hear what he said there? Now, Bill wouldn't want to go back down memory lane. I have no doubt. I said what I said in the doc, and that's it. But there were some...

I don't have Apple TV. I will just purchase this show at some point.

Masters of the Air also.

Although, but the whole thing prematurely annoys me because of everything I've heard it, which is that it's very much a Robert Kraft production. It feels like...

I can give you my sign.

It has a braided slant to it, definitely. Then you feel that throughout all 10 episodes. But at the end, when it really gets good, you're like, Wow, Kraft just said that.

But you don't know when he said it.

You're saying-I don't know when he said it. My question is, did he say things last summer where he knew this was it whenever this was-Maybe it was during the season. Maybe it was during the season when he knew it was over. Because some When you have the comments, you're like, Wow, okay. Do you want him to respond on an official team podium to that?

It's like, Let's pipe down a little bit.

My wife works for Apple TV Plus, and Mark, I just want you to know I don't appreciate the idea of sharing passwords.

You've never seen Ted Lasso?

Everybody's got to calm down about Ted Lasso.

Ted Lasso.

I'll note that, Dan. It does seem slightly unethical to announce publicly.

I was saying, I think there's a way you could just buy the show without getting Apple TV. I don't know.

Just buy it for a month.

All right, let's take a break. When we get back, the AFC North. All right, we're all back. Now it is time to roll into the AFC North. Let's start with the North champs, the Baltimore Ravens, and fittingly, it's Mark Sesler on Baltimore.

I have always been an antagonist to the Ravens for obvious and overt reasons, but I actually think they have done something to set themselves very well up in the draft because they've You got the 30th pick overall. You can take a wide out to pair with Zee flowers. It's going to be a great wide out draft. You've got a second-round pick, a third-round pick, and two-fourths. I think what you do there is you spend two of those to bolster an offensive line that lost some bodies, and then you have added Derrick Henry to this backfield. If you are the Browns, if you are the Steelers, you are the Bengals, you're going to be spending two Sundays in autumn, next autumn, staring at Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson in a backfield, creating total dark chaos. I cannot I'm going to say it enough, Derek Henry could have gone to the Texans. Fine. He could have gone somewhere else. I think this move, because I really think that people are sleeping on where Derek Henry is and still at his career. I think this is a perfect fit. I think he's going to cause total chaos. I think the Ravens are onto something where I finally think if this works, they can win games in January versus completely melting away.

But it starts with this draft and making sure their offensive line can do what it needs to do.

It also starts in January if they actually run the ball when they get into a playoff game, which they chose not to this past time. I think Derrick Henry is a great addition. I feel like he's been a raven half his life anyway. I feel like we wanted to see this. He follows McNair and Samari Roll and Derrick Mason from Tennessee to Baltimore. I am concerned, though, with the Tread on the Tire, leading the league in carries in four out of the last five years. They need a lot of runningbacks. Just fingers crossed, you hope Keaton Mitchell is ready in September. I don't know if he will be, and he'll be that same guy. J. K. Dobbins, who You need a lot of bodies here.

My concern is I need him healthy for January.

It's not Derrick Henry in September, it's Derrick Henry in January. I feel like they need three more runningbacks.

I'll tee you up on this, Greg. Kevin Cole, formerly of PFF, now he's with unexpected points. They have something called a improvement index, points-based improvement in NFL plus minus based on offseason roster and draft value. Ravens far and away the bottom of that list, that negative 60 plus. That's the other way to look at this, that this roster just isn't as strong after the defection.

They have a major incomplete, and this is what they do. They do the compensatory pick game, so they wait and they sign players later and they get cheap. But this is a very difficult test for Eric Dacosta, the GM. I was thinking the same thing without having those numbers. If you just go onto the NFL free agency page on nfl. Com and you look at the departures, it's like a Russian novel here. It goes on and on. You just keep scrolling. I counted seven offensive players and... No, seven defensive players, and six offensive players who had significant roles, including a big chunk of their offensive line, three starters there. So they have still a lot of work to do. There's a lot of positions. You just look at the roster, they're a little thin.

You have six picks in the first five rounds, though. I think that I trust the Ravens.

You're lucky.

Wow. You rolled that red light. No, wait a No.Shoot.

His ass.It had stopped. Slow his ass away.

I agree with the decision. I mean, he runs the red light. I point out that he ran the red light, and I'm the one that gets it?

Yeah. Welcome to the Terrordome, baby. All right, Andrew, your boyhood team. You've been the voice of this team. It's the Cleveland Browns.

Okay, the Cleveland Browns. You got Judy and Jamis, and those are the big headliners. I think it's interesting. I was on the radio with them, with Browns Radio this morning. They asked me, Are the Browns better now than they were 10 days ago? I had to pause and think about it, and I think that they are. Jerry Judy is a steal for a five and a six. The contract, I can't wait to get under the hood on those numbers. Remember, he had 13 million left this year, so I think it's like a two-year extension for maybe 26, considering what Ridley got. I don't disagree that much with the deal. I love Zedaria Smith coming back. I think Quitten Jefferson is in under the radar signing. That is good. I think there's no shot they're going to get Christian Wilkins. The thing here is Jamis Flacko. I'd rather have Joe Flacko, to be blunt. I know Jamis is 10 years younger. The most fascinating thing about the Browns season to me is talking to Kevin Stefansky in Indy. I got this legitimate excitement to get in the lab with Ken Dorsey, to have this intellectual rebuilding of the offense in the offseason, taking the RPO stuff that they did with Josh in Buffalo and mixing that in now and rebuilding this offense almost from the ground up.

I would love to see what that looks like in seven.

I got a couple of quick problems with the Browns, though, because number one, I think losing Bill Callahan is you're losing one of those two or three offensive line coaches that finds a magical way to make it work no matter who's in the lineup. They've dealt with that. I say number two, the flack of things suggests to me that they were scared to sign someone who was too popular with the fan base. That's just how I feel. Or the locker room, too. Or the locker room, because I think the third thing is I would ask the question, I get that we don't know where we are with Deshaun Watts and the player right now. That's a huge question mark, but where is the locker room with Deshaun Watts and the person? I think that's just something that feels we don't really have a full, complete answer on that.

I think the question they asked you was a good one because, and this isn't to take a shot at them, just more than any other team, they've had very little departures and arrivals, which is fine. They have a lot of content. Judy could be a really big piece. I think the Judy contract is going to end up looking just fine, actually. I have no problem with that contract. But they swapped out some linebackers. Their linebackers are Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush. That's not great. But if that's your biggest issue, that's not a bad one.

What version, we haven't really talked about this a lot, but that was a gastly knee injury for nick Chubb. What version of Chubb returns? To the credit of Stefansky and that team and Callahan, and the fact that they were able to keep moving, keep on chugging on offense without Chubb, without Watson, tells you that they could do it even if it's not the same Chubb. But I hope we get generational talent Chubb back this year, but we'll have to wait.

But more RPO stuff. My one thing is when I think Sean Watson has been in there for various sample sizes, we lost nick Chubb on some level. We lost the same version of nick Chubb. Is that going to change if they're trying to work more RPO Josh Allen type stuff?

No one has any idea if he's even ready in September.

You lost to Sean Watson, the Houston version. That's what they need more than anything.

Steve Smith said tier three for Judy. No, the clock, that's way off. That's erroneous.

I will say something about this.

You Don't shoot based on the chimes. You shoot based on the clock.

I think there's a delay on this one as compared to the one on the back.

It's like a half second. When I was building this out the first time, the chimes were the confusing part for me because I'm like, Where do I get the zeros lined up for? The beginning of the chime, the middle of the chime, the end of the chime.

You have a gun in your hand. You got to be sure.

We've got Mark David Chappin behind the glass.

Be careful back there.

Be careful. Oh, man. Imagine if we had producer Eric during the Cold War, the Cuban Missile crisis. It would just be rubble everywhere across the universe. All right, moving on. Here we go.

Talk about a dated reference.

The Pittsburgh. That's historical, Mark.

It's not like a pop culture reference. It is part of history.

It's a major part of world history, yes.

Bullet dodged.

The Pittsburgh Stealers. Okay, here we go. Anybody feel like potential little Arthur Smith redemption season, SZN on the way?

Absolutely.

I don't know about that. Maybe, though, because remember, some guys, what do you call it, Mark? You always bring it up. Is it Peter Principal? Maybe he got one tier higher than he needed to be.

But beyond your skillset, yeah.

He was very much an effective play caller and successful in his previous stop in Tennessee. So what do you do? What do you do? Everybody's talking about. It's the biggest story line in the league. The quarterback room shake up in Pittsburgh. No one's had a more intriguing offseason as they completely redid that room. Now we'll see what Smith can do. I'm interested in how this all plays out, obviously, with Russell Wilson and Fields. But other than that, Greg, what have you seen in terms... They lost Deontay Johnson, which I thought was a maybe questionable move. Anything else about this team that jumps out to you?

Yeah, I don't love a lot of their positions, but especially wide receiver. Their number two wide receiver right now is either Calvin Austin or Van Jefferson. That's a fiasco. So they wanted to get rid of Deontay Johnson. It's a bet on Deontay Jackson. Even adding Deontay Jackson, who is a cornerback from Carolina, they are thin. Steelers fans are so excited because I think they see a little bit of different thinking by adding fields in Wilson. But I look at their cornerbacks, their wide receivers, their offensive line, some really big spots, and I see a team that looks rather incomplete to me. Yeah, but it is-The worst roster in the division, I think it's safe to say.

They have the 20th pick. I think it's just one of those wide receiver draughts where you could solve that problem pretty quickly. I love the Patrick Queen edition. I just think it's likeI like that. I think it's an interesting quarterback experiment because fields to be behind Russell Wilson or behind anyone. Fans are going to want to see Justin Fields ASAP. The minute Russell Wilson starts to create a snooze fest, Justin Fields is a bit of an interesting character to have as your number two, and I think he'll start sooner than later.

It's a fascinating experiment of quarterback, and I think it's actually a really smart one. You got Russell for nothing. I mean, he was out on the curb. They were trying to throw him away. You get him for free, and you get Justin Fields for free. If I had told you midseason last year, I can get Justin Fields for a six, you probably would have laughed me out of the room. Arthur Smith is going to use him in situational run game stuff. I guarantee you that. If you're Zack Orr or Jim Schwartz or Louana Rumo, you have to plan for the possibility of Justin Fields getting on the field. Then let's say Russell's either hurt or injured come October or early November, which seems to be inevitable. You throw in Justin Fields, and maybe you save the season, and maybe he doesn't even get to 51% play time, and you still only give up a second.

But in the past, Arthur Smith is all about play-action passing and throwing over the middle of the field and under-center quarterbacks and guys who get rid of the ball quickly. Literally the exact opposite of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who to me are very similar. I think they're similar, but it's different than what Smith has had.

I trust Pittsburgh's ability to identify wide receiver talent. They do bring in knuckleheads in that position.

Yes, they're good at the knuckleheads.

Time out, by the way. Not a 20.

By the way, it's always Dan taking the time out. I remember I once took a time out on this show and was given an evil stare. You were scoled.

Well, Well, because I think it's ironic for someone that's very plugged into clock management, and you seem to be good at it when we're watching games, that you're a mess when it comes to this.

You're like Sean McVay over here. We've blown two timeouts, and we're in the first half.

We were all on the same page about the Patriots. Needed to be done.Wow. I agree. Because the new guy, he should have saved it.

No, I wanted to hear what he said because I hadn't heard anything.

Can we not point out that the Steelers should not have won the game? Sean McVay gets ripped for his timeout management and didn't have a challenge when the Steelers were in town this past season, so they couldn't challenge that. Kenny Picket didn't get that fourth down keeper. But do we all agree that Kenny Picket was a yard and a half short? I'm struggling to remember that. The Steelers only made the playoffs because of that BS win.

I was locked in a closet. I don't remember anything about the Kenny Picket era in Pittsburgh. Week seven, look at it. I love Russell Wilson fake tweets. Fly up a fake tweet. Russell Wilson, this is after the Justin Fields move. Let's get it, Justin Fields QB room 'bout to be triple fire emoji. God, wouldn't you just love Russell Wilson just once? Hashtag once. Be real. You're like, This sucks.

Yeah, what was his true internal monolith It's a lot of fog when this unfolded?

Because we don't need it. We know you are a competitor. You are very much in the crosshairs of everyone thinking you're washed. This is your last chance, really, in a lot of ways. This was the last thing you wanted was to have fields in the room. So just lay low and just think to yourself, I'm not going to let that guy get on the field. But instead we get this stuff. Oh, this could be rooms about to be fired.

Okay. And if he said nothing If you had something on social media, it would be inferred that it's a cold shoulder.

And let it be fine. Let it be. Let it be. You know what? For once, don't be so completely preoccupied with your image. Just go kick his ass on the field and win.

Did you ever think that it's actually a sincere, wow, we're a better team with him? No.

Not with him. Not for a second.

Is that seat to you or to him? How about that game?

You might be right.

Okay.

I could be a cynical bastard at times, but I don't really think that.

In that game that he took a picture of Fields versus Wilson, each of their better games of the season. Justin Fields had 335 yards, four passing touch downs in a game that the bears put up 30 28 points, rather. It's like, Justin Fields is a better player. When he had Kenny Picket as his backup, Russell Wilson was the better quarterback, and he had a guy behind him that the whole fan base disliked. Russell Wilson. Now you got a guy who's better.

They're both going to start games this year. Buckle up.

Wilson gone by Columbus Day.

For those that are unaware, that is, I believe, the second week of October.

It seems to float around a little bit.

We've also, I believe, renamed the holiday as Indigenous It's a people's day. So again, Mark, if we can just be respectful of everyone around us.

I'm out of this.

Time in. Greggy on the bangles.

I'm a sneaky big fan of Duke Tobin, who our friend Chris Westley always used to give a lot of credit to, who I think this ownership has been tough to work for, and yet he always makes it work. I think they've had a sneaky great offseason. Maybe one of the better off seasons out there. They let Jones Williams go. You upgrade talent, I believe, with Trent Brown, who's every other year, and by that logic, is his good year, is his honeymoon year. You're keeping Tee Higgins. Don't let him go. It's still a nice wide receiver room there. You swap out Joe Mixon for Zack Moss for less money. I like that. Sheldon Rankins, Gino Stone, even bringing back von Bell as just some depth. These are the types of moves I actually think that work in free agency, just filling these little holes with solid rotational. They're smarter than they get credit for, and I think they are set up quite well to enter this draft, not having any crazy big need, doing whatever they need to do. I trust Duke Toe, but I trust this roster.

I like Mike Gysicki, too, a tight end. They needed to address that position. I don't have a problem with Zack Moss paired with Chase Brown. I think they are a target to draft a running back, and then a not great running back draft. It just seems like Zack Moss feels like a little... I liked him in Indianapolis last year, but it feels like a little bit of a projection. I don't know exactly what you're getting there with that running back room.

Zack Moss's numbers when Jonathan Taylor was injured early in the season are coming back from the contract and the injury and all that were fantastic. I think Zack Moss is a great move, and honestly, I think it's an upgrade. You finally get rid of the Joe Mixon. How long is he going to be here? Question, you ship him to Houston. Good for Joe for getting that deal. I agree with you. It's an upgrade here in the offensive line. If Trent Brown, if you get the real Trent Brown, the guy that can actually play, it all comes down to whether or not you keep the quarterback healthy. Period. Full stop. It speaks to what they thought of the safety play last year. I know the big turnover in the secondary was a question coming into the season. These signings show that they weren't exactly thrilled with it. They get their defensive tackle, although I don't think Sheldon Rankins was the number one target of the fan base here.

They get it. They needed it. They feel actually more win or not like else than the bills to me right now this year.

I feel like they're in similar places.

And we agree there's not... I'm sorry. No Justin Jefferson trade here for Tee Higgins. That is ridiculous. Those internet rumors, shut up.

Go to Peter Pan. Yes. I missed the bangles last year. I thought the AFC was a more great place without them. Burrow was only truly healthy for a couple of weeks, and when he was, he was like, Oh, there's Joe Burrow, and there's Jamal Chase, and we're having fun again. And then he disappeared with that injury in primetime, which was just like the Nadir, which started with Rodgers on Monday Night Football. When Burrow went down, it was like, Oh, come on. This season's annoying. Then somehow the Chiefs win the Super Bowl again without any weapons. Get Get him back. Let's go. Let's make the NFL more fun again. Joe Burrow in the mix.

I mean, Jake Browning was watchable, to say, I mean, if nothing else.

I'm going to say, again. Let's calm down, Wesleyan brothers complaining about the bangles off season. I think they've had a nice one.

Let's take a break. Actually, during breaks, a little bumper. We got a little legal room. You're going to get some text from nick Westling about that one. He's not going to like that. Watchable. Bill will be a little bit more diplomatic. Nick might get fired.

They're just like, What are we doing? It's like, Okay, it's the first day of free agency. Let's let your boy, Duke Tobin, do his work. Let Duke cook. Let Duke cook.

He's underrated. Mark, any comments before we go to break?

I am going to stop talking for a little bit after what happened before. I am very happy. I'm very happy for that holiday and everyone that it celebrates.

The Italians don't share in the holiday. But we could do that as a... That's a separate This is the podcast.

Well, fine. I'm not going to say another word.

Save it for October 13th podcast.

We'll do. Let's take a break. We'll be right back. I'm begging you to shut up.

All right, everybody. I saw that coming. It was repulsive and could never be screenplayed.

I thought it was good.

What happened?

That was for Monday. That was for Monday's show.

Give a physical breakdown?

We tried a few things. We explore the space.

It was Somalier Monday.

Somalier Monday.

It was Somalier Monday. All right, here we go. The AFC South. Greg Rosenthal. Get us going with the division champion, Texas.

Oh, yeah. Walker's new favorite team, Big Nico Collins and C. J. Stroud fan. He wears that T-shirt everywhere, but I'm focused on the defense. I think he wore it at the Super Bowl. He did. One of the only people wearing a C. J. Stroud T-shirt to the Super Bowl. I'm focused on the defense because that's what they're focused on. They basically brought back the exact same offense so far other than swapping in Joe Mixon for Singletary. That's fine. Whatever. Folefatt, Tukasi, Daniko Atri. You swap You bring in O'Neill Grunard for Deneal Hunter. You bring in Al-Shair at Linebacker. How good can this team be, basically, if they are right about these defensive moves? Because I think they looked, and I don't think it's crazy, as this is a window win now, but they looked at it like, Our offense is good enough. We need to help this defense for D'Amico.

I think they will be a trendy Super Bowl pick in the AFC. I don't think they're going to make it to New Orleans, but I think they're going to be a trendy pick on the power of the quarterback. The quarterback is now officially a drawing card when it comes to free agency, much like Joe Burrow was a couple of years ago when he burst out of the scene.

I think they might be in that kickoff game. Wouldn't surprise me.

Would not surprise me at all. I think this is a good team and a team that has really elevated the entire division. A year ago, we were sitting here saying, What are the Jaguars? I know we'll get to them later. What are the Jaguars? Are they a real contender or are they just a good team in a really bad division? I think now it's, What are the Texans? Are they a legit contender or a good team in a mediocre division? I think they are a legit contender if they could run the football, and that's the key.

I think Mixon helps. As much as we might be fine with the bangles moving on from Joe Mixon, I think they've showed a commitment to with the contract that he's had a big role. That was a problem for them a year ago. I thought they were maybe going to address wide receiver in free agency with someone significant, but it's good news for Tankdell and Nico Collins.

The exact same receiver, the exact same offensive line.

The one thing is, I mean, some of these teams, when you're a frustrated fan where it's like a year eight of a 10-year rebuilding process, I can't think of too many teams that flip the switch as quickly as they have. They were a dead zone. They were a wilderness a number of years They completely have transformed that. I like them as much as the Bengals or the Bills go deep into the playoffs. I felt that way last season.

Tankdell suffered a bad leg injury. I think he broke his leg.

He's up and running, however, this week. Everyone says he's great, and they have a second-round pick for a wideout.

That's great. They do not have a first-round pick after their trade with the Vikings. I think they're telling you, We like what we're building. They've kept the roster more or less intact, and they're going to see if they can build off year one with Stroud. You can't blame him for that.

Right. I mean, it's an amazing luxury to have that continuity with a relatively young roster on offense, but there's plenty of veterans sprinkled in there where it's literally the exact same group in year two under Sloak. I mean, they're expecting that growth to just come from everyone knowing what to do.

Expectations can be a bitch. Moving on. The Jacksonville Jaguars with Mark Sesler.

And to Andrew's point, I felt the same way about the Jaguars. A year ago, they were the centerpiece and a team that we were focused on as a playoff nuisance that could go do things we didn't expect. But they've already tumbled behind Stroud and the Texans, and arguably even maybe the cults with Anthony Richardson in the AFC South sexiness rankings. I do like what they did, though, on one level. They didn't overpay for Calvin Ridley. I think that was a smart move to not do that. I thought, Mitch Morris at center makes their offensive line tougher, nastier. I love adding, along with keeping Josh Allen, Eric Armstead, who's about the size of a front door to go next to Trayvon Walker. They can stop the run. That matters against the Cults. It's going to matter against the Texans. That said, this is a team that went one and five down the stretch, and it made me question the soul of the Jaguars. Do you also feel a little suspicious about what this team's ceiling is?

I think so much goes back to, and I feel like we've been talking about this a couple of years now, but Trevor Lawrence and whether he's going to become that dude, and he showed signs of it the previous year. Last year, he was just ruined by injuries. I think people are like, while everyone's so high in Houston, I think people are a little quick now to just say, Jacksonville is in the deep background, because I think if you can get a healthy year out of Lawrence, that's going to cover up a lot of ills in this team, and they might be more competitive and even be a team that could win this division with better health and circumstances.

Let me ask you this real quick. It is heading into year number 4 for Trevor Lawrence. It is that offseason, like with Herbert or Burro or Josh Allen, where you write the big check. He is now extension eligible. Do you write Trevor Lawrence a big check this summer?

I would.

Same.

I would because the price only goes up.

Correct. But what's the price? Remember, the dolphins punted. There were the two of concussion issues last year.

The price is lower the further you're out from free agency. I guess the larger question is, is there any chance they're not giving a contract extension at some point? I would say no, they shouldn't consider that. With that in mind, just sign him.

Is that what you're asking, though? Do you really see him as a top 10?

Are you convinced that he's the guy? Now, Trent Balki, on his end of the year, presser said, Josh Allen's not leaving. We'll tag him or do a deal. Guys, yes, Trevor is our guy.We're happy to send him an adventure.I.

Think he's a step below the top seven or eight guys. The contract becomes annoying or tricky, but what else are you going to do? Because to me, he's very much ahead of He's way ahead of the Dalton line.

I would say his NFL career so far has been a B, but the problem is he came in, touted as a generational quarterback, and that's, I think, a little bit of a tax that's working against him. I think there's room for him to develop and in the row. I think those are the guys you bet on.

Look how he finished year two when he was healthy. He's one of the best quarterbacks down the stretch in the league. Last year, you're right, he was derailed by physical ailment. Hard to judge.

I like the Armstead move so much. One of my favorites all offseason.Agreed..

The Indianapolis Colts with Andrew Siciliano. Syracuse graduate.

Let me pull up my Colts free agent tracker.

The Orangeman.

On nfl. Com. Well, speaking of Orangeman, can we start the clock?

There it is.

Bam. Speaking of Orangeman, Zier Franklin, congratulations on your new field.

That's a broadcaster.

The Colts obviously made a point of keeping their own.

Like the most exciting thing they did, though.in.

The building with Michael Pitman and Zier Franklin. I feel like this is very much a Chris Ballard, Incomplete. You're conflicting on who you want to believe on whether or not Lejaria Sneed is a legitimate target. I feel like they still, however, have a move to make here somewhere. I love the Flacko move, and I know I'm being a Browns homer here. I think Joe Flacko, this version of Joe Flacko, not the, I'm tired and I don't like Lamaris here, and I want to get out of here, Joe Flacko that we saw in Baltimore, but the one we saw last year helps Anthony Richardson immeasurably. I think there's a good Over Under to be had here. How many games, considering Richardson's injury past last year, does Joe Flacko actually start? I'm going to go Over Under five and a half.

Because I think Richardson, it's the concussion thing in the way that they want to use them. I could see that happening. I think you mentioned this, Greg, previously that Shane Steigen, it shows confidence to go have Anthony Richardson, but then also say, I can build an offense on the fly around Joe Flacko, too. They're two completely different humans.

I love that you I wanted to point out the Sneed news. There's been some reporting that Titans, Colts, are a possibility for Sneed. Him and Marshawn Latamor are two really big names out there that are going to change someone's offseason. The Colts would make a lot of sense because if you go to the nfl. Com, it's a bunch of resignings. Seven of them, they resign. Zack Moss and Minchu are the biggest players that left, so almost no one's gone out. If you go on Our Lads, which has the best depth charts, it's highlighted if you have any new players. I did this exercise for all the AFC teams today. They are the only team without any highlighted players in their starting lineup. They have the 22, essentially same starters as they did a year ago, or at least people that were on their roster a year ago. So they've made almost no... I like Raquan Davis as a nice rotation guy, and that's it. They're basically running it back. I think they have another move to make.

The Colts, this is from The Athletic, committed 170 million to hang on to their internal guys, Pitman, Franklin, Grover-Stuart, Kenny Moore II. Good players. I think, like Houston, I think they believe in what they're building, and it's easy to forget now, but Richardson really flashed in between the injuries, and you can't look past the head stuff and then how it season ended. But I really think there's a reason for a lot of excitement around this team. Yeah, I still see him as a dark artist. Did you say five and a half? I'm banging the under just out of hope and optimism. Real quick.

I was in Indianapolis week 6 last year, Browns Colts, and that was right after they had shut Richardson down for the year, walking around town. In that building, you thought their season was over. Nobody has any reason to come to any game the rest of the year. And look what they did. Good coach. Shane Steigen can coach. He's a great coach.

Good GM.

Team of ATM? I'll take it.

Hold on. Do we have to wait until that very last note fades into Bolivian, as somebody once said. Take the shot. Siciliano. I don't take it. These rules confuse me.

Take it from the sixth floor of the book deposit.

Well, also, these darts appear to have no effect on a human to begin with.

I'm feeling losey. I have to say.

Book depository. Check out the new Rob Reiner JFK podcast. It's interesting.

You want to talk about a call time out, okay? Dardem.

Can't talk in the middle of the segment. I mean, this is just...

The Tennessee Titans. All right, Where are the Titans at now? Okay, so Derrick Henry, out the door. They also lose Aziz Alshair, Sean Murphy, Bunting, Daniko Autry. Okay, but we add Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, Lloyd Cushenberry. That addresses three major areas of need for this team. You get Mason Rudolf in the building. Here's my question. The seventh overall pick they have, they have Will Levis, and they seem to really believe in Will Levis, and maybe that's fine to just turn the season over to him with a nice supporting and see what happens. But I wonder, like move the sticks. Jeremiah. He's saying Joe Alt is the guy, and everybody loves Joe Alt, and adding someone after the Andre Dillard misfire makes a lot of sense at left tackle, and you further build around this prospect. But Man, if there's a quarterback you like, not the seventh pick.

Not going to be there at seven, though.

But maybe you get a little ballsy and trade up and make a move. I'm just saying, are they laying in the weeds a little bit on a quarterback?

I don't think so. I think, though, they would love a quarterback to fall there so they can get out and get more. I think that is their perfect scenario.

They're pretty committed to it. It's a new coaching staff, so that was a question mark coming in. I mean, this is the team that added Bill Callahan. I think that matters. The issues around the offensive line were terrible for every quarterback the past couple of years in Tennessee. They weren't great for the ground game. And so getting the best tackle makes a lot of sense. I think it starts right there to keep your quarterback safe, to have a functional offense.

They still have the third most amount of much cap space in the NFL. There's too many teams with too much cap space. They have $46 million. What's the point of all that? They have no good players to spend it on. I guess that's the reason that they played a lot of good players, great money in terms of Ridley, like a Whoosie is coming off of a down year. They are slipping a little back into the background here. They're the least exciting team now to me, in this division.

Because we've been a little critical, Tennessee, and I don't want to go too far down that road, but I just didn't see it with Levis, the way the Titans see it. They're going to develop him for another year, it looks like. But I just think they should get their off.

He had some moments, the Stealers game in primetime. Take out the one monster game he had, and how much did he really show us?

He showed some big-time throws. He showed some traits in terms of being able to read the defense. He also showed some craziness. I think your point about Callahan is good because that's, to me, the biggest reason to believe in this, because otherwise, it's like a coaching staff and a roster.

I'm with you, Dan, though. There's only one way to survive in the league right now, and it's to have the best possible quarterback you can. Levis could just be a one-year realization that this was not the guy, and then you've wasted a season.

You could have had Derrick Henry with Brian Callahan and a rebuilt offensive line. You made that decision.

But then you're paying a 30-year-old running back who has-But you're paying Tony Fowler just as much.

That's fine. I like that combo, him and Spears.

Look, they're the worst team in the division, but I Pieces.

Good job there.

Pieces. I don't know what that means.

Group discipline. I was really nervous for you there because you've taken many shots to the body and the throat area. The jugular took a couple of hits, but that one you landed beautifully.

I feel like Indiana Jones here floating down the river on a raft, just getting the blow dart.

No, don't give him the dart because now we're heading into a break. We have a little bit more buffer.

I don't get the rules around the darts situation on any level.

What? It's pretty clear.

Good night now.

Let's take a break and hit the AFC West. All right, we are back. It is time now to wrap up this path around the AFC in 48 minutes, and let us start with me, the Zuzzer, and the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions. Okay, here we go. Hollywood Brown, in the building. Mvs, out of the building. I guess it's an upgrade. I'm not that on fire about it. We'll see what happens. I think Lejaria Sneed as we just mentioned earlier, still on the roster on that franchise tag. Is he the guy, the chess piece that allows them to bring in that real piece they need on offense and to make an aggressive move, whether it's up the draft or a player-for-player swap? I am so curious, Andrew Siciliano, if the Chiefs really have the gall to go into another season with this type of skill group around them and Travis Kelsey, another year older on offense, or are they going to make the splash move that makes so much sense.

I think they need to go out and get a legit number one, Marquise Hollywood-Brown, although a nice piece, and certainly, I think makes that offense better, is not in any way a legit number one. Go back to the trade where the Cardinals gave up a first-round pick to get him on draft day a couple years ago is still just dumbfounding to me, but happy for him that he found a good spot. You can get a legit number one, likely picking at 32. You could, or you could try to make a move up. I think they're fine. I think they will figure it out one way or the other. I do think tackle is a concern. Certainly, you got to replace Donovan Smith. Let's face it, Jwan Taylor, who lined up at fullback for much of the season, seems like a questionable signing now a year past.

It's not a terrible It's a terrible draft for offensive linemen. It's the same with wide receivers. The Marquise Brown thing, I don't hate it with this fit because it was a one-year deal. They didn't overpay him. In Marquise Brown was stuck in a run heavy Greg Roman offense in Baltimore and played He's obviously without Kyler Murray for much of his time in Arizona. I think the Chiefs are the one... A lot of landing spots for him I would have been annoyed at. This, I think, is a part of a larger plan. It's good for Rashi Rice. I think they draft someone. It looks like a different wide receiver.

I think he's a significant upgrade from Valdas Scantling, and I think he's cheaper. The difference between this year and last year, as you're going into this year knowing Rashi Rice is a two plus maybe with room to grow. Now you have two guys that are guys you need one more. The Sneed piece is massive. I do wonder if they're letting him test the market and see like, Hey, no one's giving you that contract that you want. Maybe it's not so bad to just come back with us for one more year because that defense, man, they have great continuity for a defensive defending champion. They're quite young on defense with a lot of the same players coming back. I like that if I'm a Chief.

It was Mahomes with some help, obviously, just enough help, and then a great defense with a great defensive coordinator that got it done. I feel like also that they got away with murder a little bit this past year where they had some roster flaws that otherwise would have sunk their season. But so many things broke against other teams around them.Thank you. That they still won the chip.It.

Reminds me of the 2018 Patriots, a lesser team that won the title.

They Dance with the Devil and Survive this year. Give yourself a better chance. The Raiders with Greggy.

All right. Is this hit at quarterback? Is it? We're going to just go into giving the Raiders five primetime games again with Gardner Minchou and O'Khanel. Minchou, final status. Because, man, they've been quiet. They swapped in Alexander Madison for Jacobs. They got a lot of work. I look at this is one of the worst rosters to me still in the AFC. Defensive tackle, huge need. Running backs is a huge need. Wide receiver to me, they're thin there. Quarterback is certainly a huge need. They need cornerbacks like, Man, Antonio pierce has got a tough job, and it's even tougher if that's really it, or do they move up for a quarterback?

Flip this off and send it to Antonio pierce, please.

Well, it's almost saying if you get seven wins out of this roster, that might be a good work. Did you see how we finished?

It's a team that feels like they're just floating out in the ether, and I'm not sure what the plan is. You're stuck with the 13th pick. If you're looking for a quarterback, you've got to move up, probably, to get the guy you want, unless it's the fourth or fifth guy off the board.

It'll be the fourth or fifth guy off the board.

But it feels very Raiders-esque to just have to settle for that. It feels like years in a row, we're settling a quarterback. Even you bring in Wilkins, and they still need another defensive tackle. They have the eighth most cap from, too.

To me, they need a lot. They've been very quiet, surprisingly, other than the Wilkins move.

I don't think Tom Telesko can come in and just tear the whole thing down, although there was only so much to tear down. I like the Wilkins thing. I don't know that he's worth the 13th pick. I am a big Michael Penix fan. I know DJ in his most recent mock draft mocked Penix there. That would be interesting.

That would be spicy.

His mock draft is chaos. That would be spicy. We know, because they were together at ASU, that Antonio pierce loves him some joy. Loves, loves, loves, loves, loves, It's good to watch, but you are selling Vegas time shares for the next five years worth of draft picks to move up.

Again, like we said earlier, don't force a QB pick. If it's not there, you want to be aggressive, go get it. But I know the Minchou story was a nice story playing in a lukewarm AFC South. If you send Minchu out there in the AFC West and you get the Chiefs twice, I just feel like he needs to be the backup or the bridge for a young quarterback.

I don't know if he meets out O'Kunal, even if this is it. I can't believe this is it. They should have done, to me, the Commander's type of offseason, where it's like, role players, just sign 10 to 12 guys that can possibly play. Instead of spending all your money on just one guy, Wilkins.

There's definitely another move to be made here. I just can't believe this is what they're going to try to sell to Raiders fans.

You're probably right.

They probably got Penix or nick. They got a piece.

Devante Adams is there, too. That's a major chess piece to play, potentially.Who.

Will be agitated.Cannot wait to see the receiver show on Netflix with McDaniels and Adams.

You got it.

The Denver Broncos with Mark Edward-Sessler. All right.

Sean Payton came to Denver, and right out of the gate... What are we doing there?

You started talking before I got to reset clocks and stuff.

Sometimes you guys are quick on it. You say I'm quick on the trigger.

It's like you're running the 40.

It does seem, Eric, though-We're taking your time.you tend to interrupt Mark more than others. Is that a respect thing, what is going on?

That seems to carry over.

The clock is still running by the way.

Here we go.

Still running.

Here we go, Mark.

All right. Hey, fresh clock, Mark. I would say this. Like Sean Payton in a very Sean Payton-esque way came to Denver and quickly slashes the previous coach, Old Daddy Hacket. Old Daddy Hacket. Blames him for all the team's troubles. We're in a fresh start. Now I'm here. Then the Russell Wilson does what we expected him to do to some degree, and it's you blame Russell Wilson to get him out of the building. I think it's interesting that this team has done literally nothing. They are cap, strong. It's a weird season. There's a depressing feel around it. But Sean Payton is running out of people to blame. I always wonder, how long is his patience for this project if they don't get someone at quarterback that he can work with? Maybe it's Bo Nicks at this point. But do you believe still in Sean Payton as someone like he did with the Saints way back when, that he can fix all this mess? Or is it someone else gets blamed and then he's the fall guy in there?

I believe in Payton still. I also disagree that he's running out of people to point out because when he came in last year, he inherited Russell Wilson in an odious contract. It was almost like you had to get through last year just to make your move through the Russell Wilson era. Unfortunately, Now you have to trade Russell Wilson. It's really why Sean Payton taking the job in the first place was a big risk because of the Wilson situation, because now, obviously, you're capstrap for multiple years. Now, I think, is the beginning to me of the Sean Payton era. However, Andrew, I also think he has one hand tied behind his back, and it's going to be challenging to get this team up and running this year and maybe even through next year. It's a huge challenge. If he is as good as he thinks he is and as he's proven in his past, we're going to have to see it starting this year.

I think they're another team that, obviously, we've all said this, you have to keep an eye on to be aggressive on draft night to try to move up and get the quarterback, because if not, then you are looking at Jarrett Stittam and Bodenix. I mean, I don't know that that is the pick there either. I don't know what they're doing, to be honest with you. They have a plan. You want to talk about a team, however, that has pressure on its shoulders come draft night on April 25th to do something. I think this is that team.

It's interesting. They had the 12th pick, and the Raiders had that 13th pick. That could change the division for a long time.

No one's done less, really, this offseason. I went to check that improvement index. I was just looking at it. I was I got to say the Bronco has got to be pretty low on that.

They are 29.

Well, consider they gave away Judy for a five and a six when they were asking for a two last year.

Judy, they're starting QB in Russell Hills, which they can replace. But Cush and Barry, who played a lot for them, Josie Juhl, who played a lot for them well. Justin Simmons, who played a lot. So it wasn't a great roster to begin with. Who have they brought in? Like Brandon Jones, a safety from the Dolphins, who's okay. They got Will Lutz back. Oh, wait. They brought in some 46th guy on the roster players that used to play for Sean Payton. What a shock. They had no money.

We close out the AFC with Andrew Siciliano on the chargers.

The third week of October, gentlemen, last year, where were you? You're likely here. I'll answer for you.

I think we might have been in London.

Do you remember then, maybe from over there, watching Sharon Moore in Michigan run 28 consecutive times against Penn State? Because they couldn't block.

Was that the one where he cried afterwards? Correct. About how much he loves to be a barba? That's what I remember.

That's what they're going to do here with your chargers of Los Angeles. When their moves are Will Disley, Hayden Hearst, and Gus Edwards, that tells you everything. Then Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are both out the door. Everyone who thinks they're going wide receiver at five, no. They are playing big boy football.

But they might take Joe out then.

They could. You want to do a over-under, a flacko starts. How about Herbert pass attempts per game? That's going to be like 20.

Andrew, here's the problem with that thinking to me, is that this isn't Alex Smith anymore. Jim Jim Harbaugh has got Justin Herbert, who is a great young quarterback. You're going to throw the ball. You're going to throw them into that.

Greg Roman. Look what they did at Stanford with Andrew luck.

Okay, fair.

They played six tight ends.

Is there any world where you are rebuilding the team to some degree, and you would ever move Justin Herbert and get a different quarterback. No.

Absolutely not. I've heard that. I would have stealers fans thinking like, Hey, there's this non-zero chance we can get Herbert next off.

No, it's It's actually zero. It is zero. Yes.

Because I'm like, What are they doing here? It's new GM Joe Horitz. We don't know. Harba is back. It's been a long time. What are they doing? It feels to me like they just decided to keep the defense as, You can only overhaul one side of the ball, maybe per offseason. They decided, We're going to restart this offense because we're offensive coaches. We know how to coach up offense. We actually inherited quite a good offensive line on paper. We can add one piece, but compared to League Average, this is a good offensive to find a good quarterback. We trust that we can remake the offense, and let's just kick the can down a year on defense by keeping Mac and keep... I actually think that's the smart way to do it because they can coach up the offense maybe more.

My one thing is, issues with Herbert, with the last two offensive coordinators, not quite using him the way that you'd want him to be used in certain situations, especially a couple of years ago. Now you're going to put him into an offense that looks like a 1943 creation.

We got to see, though. They're very creative. They're very People are copying what they do in terms of the run game. They are a creative often, even if it's run first.

I thought getting rid of both their Dandout wide receiver was a choice, as they say.

See, I thought they might have kept those guys and gotten rid of Bosa and Matt.

That's what I expected, and they did the opposite.

They've got nothing. They've got Josh Palmer and nothing.

Like, Josh Palmer, Keenan Allen, if you want, and keep Mike Williams, or Cut Mike Williams and keep Keenan Allen. But now they've really put themselves in a pickle in terms of playmaking.

Show me your lightning bolt.

We did it, and we went into the locker room with the TO, which also maybe you don't want to do, but we did, and that's okay, too.

Well, we had to get Andrew to Beverly Hills, to Beverly Hilton or something. What's going on? What's happening there? What is going on?

You want to pull back the curtain on my-The eligible bachelor of the South Bay.

Not that. I'm going to be-Lunch date?

No, I'm going to be doing... It was just announced today, actually, back for a third Olympics with NBC, and I'm going to be doing a gold zone, like red zone, but the Olympics. That's awesome. Did it for Sochi and did it for Rio, and now we're bringing it back on the Peacock.

What does that have to do with a ritzy hotel?

For the summer games? I'm getting there. It's not a hotel. Have to do a fitting for their wardrobe.

Oh, wow.

That's nice.

Yes. The reaction was a little more excited than I was a fitting for the wardrobe. I mean that he's getting fittings. They're like, well, Andrew stays in good shape. They're like, he's actually bigger than last Olympics.

I'm actually smaller than last.

I meant like muscly or something.

You did get the suit from NFL Network with your name etched inside. I did.

Did they spell your name right? Mine was spelled correctly.

One of ours was not spelled correctly. I took the L on that. But you know what I did? I sent it back. Really? Said, Bring it back to me. Properly spelled.

They did.

How did they spell it? Was it spelled Dan wrong?

The was after the Z or something. It was an outrageous typo.

I checked into the hotel in Mobile, the Senior Bowl, and the Marriott, it says on the screen, Hello, Greg. Right? You've seen that? It just said, Hello, Siciliana. I'm like, What?

The other thing about that-Is this how we're talking to each other? I will never complain about free stuff. It was a very nice gesture from the NFL. That media summit, they fitted us for suits, and everybody got a new suit. You got to pick out the material. Really cool.

Yeah, we don't doubt that you appreciate it.

I tried on the suit, and it was like David Byrne in the Talking Heads documentary. I was like, I can't. This is not a flattering look on the Zuzzer. I can't do this. That ended up I have a lot of issues with the suit as it turned out.

I liked my suit. You've been through a lot, Dan, and we note that.

Now that we're no longer... Unfortunately, NFL Now is no longer a program. That was the only time I ever wore a suit in my life, so it doesn't come up too often.

It's true. I'm past the wedding phase. I don't really go to weddings anymore. The idea of wearing a suit is becoming...

You don't play bar mitzvahs or anything like that?

No. Andrew, try to get me a job with NBC on their Olympics tennis coverage.I attempted to do that.He's not joking.

I'll throw in your name.

I tried 12 years ago because my old boss runs things there and stuff.I struck out.It.

Seems like you have it in.

Well, yeah.

Can you hit him up for this favor off the mic?

Big strikeout.

You and John McEnroe.

This was like 12 years ago.

Andrew, you've said it all.

He could have been the next Patrick McEnroe.

Let's stop.Thank you, buddy.

Thank you for inviting me, guys.

Great spin around the AFC tomorrow, the NFC with the great Claybon. How are we doing, by the way, Eric, on the Claybon theme songs?

I have a couple that we will debut tomorrow.

That's something to look forward to.

Theatn podcast@gmail. Com.

Andrew Ciliano theme song. Anybody gets a theme song?

Oh, yeah, buddy.Send them in.Send them in.

Send them in. Theatn podcast@gmail. Com. The ATN podcast. Especially, the call is out for more Coleen theme songs. Be creative. Keep it short. Be yourself. Keep it on there.

That's a short joke for me and Coleen. That's a big one. Keep it short. These three-minute long songs that get sent in are great.

What did we decide was the limit? We want 20 seconds, right?

Yeah, a little sting.30.30 max.

We're not looking for November rain here. 30 seconds max, 20 seconds.

Something nice. Maybe a little fade underneath them when we intro a little bells and whistles. But yeah, nothing longer than 30.

Don't test our patience. Exactly.

But please give us your music. We would love it. All right, Andrew, good luck with the Olympics.

Love you guys.

Love you, too. Till Thursday. You know what you got to do. Greg, do you know what we got to do?

I've always known what you got to do.

Chris Westling told us what to do.

I've got it on my arm.

There it is. Heave the call.