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Now. On with the show. Ah! This is the Rich Ising Show.
Okay. The news we've been waiting for. Anthony Richardson goes out of the gun, ball in the near hash. Backs the throw, and he is decked from the left. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
He hit me then. I was trying to make sure I had the ball, and I just looked down. I see my finger differently. Today's guests. NFL network insider Tom Pellisero.
Six-year NFL veteran Andrew Hawkins. Gold medalist Paralympian Ezra Freck. And now. It's Rich Eisen. Hey, everybody.
Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live on a Friday. And preseason week number one is underway. Three games last night, a whole host tonight, including at 8 Eastern Time on NFL Network. Up the road, my uh friends and compadres there will be bringing to you. Cody from Browns.
Taking on the Carolina Panthers and Shadur Sanders getting the start tonight.
So tune in to see every single snap of that game later on tonight, 7 Eastern Time, to check things out with our pre-activities, pre-game shows, and everything like that. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial right here coast to coast. If you're listening to us, whether it's terrestrial radio, Infinity Sports Network, Sirius XM Channel 375, Odyssey, the app, you can check us out, stream us every single day that way. Our podcast, of course, the Roku Sports Channel is another way for you to hang with us. Could you say over there, Christopher Brockman?
What's going on? Good to see you. Rich, not much, what about mamma? DJ Maki D is in D's nuts in his chair on a Friday. Good to see you.
TJ Jefferson candle is lit. Everything good over there? Better than yesterday, man. Better than yesterday. I'm glad to see you doing all right right there.
So we've got three preseason games in. And the question is: what can you glean from it to maybe. Look over the steering wheel and get a sense of what the 2025 National Football League playing season is going to be all about. I got thoughts. Or are there anything...
Anything stand out to you? Or in the case of Ashton Genty no longer stand up. Pre-snap to you. To come out of last night's three preseason contests. Maybe he should have gone back to the stand-up.
That might linger.
Okay. Or is this an overreaction Friday, like Chris Brockman just kind of alluded to right there? Really, what? stands out. From last night's game.
is The pinky on Anthony Richardson's throwing hand because it really didn't stand out. It stands out and. Perpendicular. Listen. Um I'll help out.
Because again, I'm a Michigan man and I'm a guy who is not just a, you know, what that means in terms of what I like to say all the time. It's like, we're helpful people, we're productive members of society, most of the time. Yes. And um David Ojabo of the Baltimore Ravens formed Michigan. Player.
And I remember him in college, he was a game wrecker of the first. Variety. But just to be particularly helpful. Let me get this right. 6'4, 252 pounds.
And if he's standing to your right. Like you're you're a quarterback and It's it's tough to miss them. It's tough to miss him. And David Ojabo comes in completely unblocked. 100% without question, unblocked.
And Anthony Richardson. starts to um Wear him Like uh A child waiting for Santa Claus. And, um, Or he's, I guess, the Santa Claus. And a jabba winds up in his lap, and that's how the pinky went perpendicular. dislocates his pinky.
Now then. This is one of those things, again. When You see things in practice, you can say, well This guy's stinking in practice because, you know, he threw an interception. The play doesn't look good. It's going to be bad for him this season.
But you never know what the intent is in practice. You never know what you're practicing. You never know if you're just going to wing it because it's practice. You never know. A game situation, regardless if it's preseason or not.
You can kind of glean. And this particular Piece of video that went everywhere last night because 7:33 into last night's game, Anthony Richardson had to leave the game, and his throwing pinky was perpendicular. And Well, I guess the offensive lineman whiffed or The running back that's coming free right out of the backfield. Shouldn't he be chipping number 90? I mean, the conversation was all that.
I always go to Kurt Warner. My colleague, the NFL Network, Hall of Famer, QB Confidential. He knows some things. He knows stuff. Yes.
He also knows how to turn his microphone on.
Okay. Yeah. And Kurt. Tweeted out an early preseason example of having a pressure plan. Offensive line, and as a whole, sliding left.
Quarterback is now responsible for the linebacker on the right. He comes off tackle correctly. The off tackle correctly squeezes to make the furthest guy away the hot guy. That means it's a Jabbo. AR Anthony Richardson has to see this and dish to running back or tight end to the right.
Mm-hmm. It's on number five. It's on number five. And that's what you have to take away from this. Game.
Now, thankfully. Richardson's Pinky got popped back in. And he's now termed day-to-day.
So, this is one of those things where it's broken, and he's now definitely out for week one and his entire summer. And preseason is now wiped out. And he got lucky. And he got lucky in that regard. He doesn't need any pins.
There's no rehab. There's none of this stuff.
So he can stepped to the podium last night. And, you know, where His smile a bit is his umbrella. Yeah, and I was weird. Um He hit me then. I was trying to make sure I had the ball and I just looked down and I see my finger different direction like Maybe I'm tripping.
And I looked at it again, and it was definitely like that.
So I got to get this thing popped back in place. But I'm good, though. How does this feel? Is it hurt? Swollen?
I mean, it's a little swollen, but it'll be all right. It's just tender right now. It'll be a little bit more so in the morning, but I'll be good. He's going to be good, which is good. The question is: is he going to be good enough to see?
That's David Ojabo. He's 6'4. He's standing right there. You know, your line is sliding here. You take a look at the play again.
He's looking. He's looking left. He's looking left. As soon as the ball hits his hands, he's not looking in Ojabo's direction. And this is the stuff he needs to see pre-snap and get.
Saddled? And he even after the game last night admitted exactly that. Yeah, I definitely looked at it. Um That's a tricky one because it's five-man pro and I'm hot from the backside. I just got to get my eyes, just be able to react to that.
But this five-man pro just playing hot. I just got to be on my P's and Q's when it comes to that. Entirely gets depth. I mean, uh it was just gonna be hard for me to see it anyway 'cause, um, My eyes are looking a certain way, but I just gotta be keyed on when everybody brings pressures like that. I thought it was about to be the nickel, but they brought it from the other side, so I gotta be ready to just get the ball out.
No, listen, I'm not an X's and O's guy. You know that I'm more of a narrative person than X's and O's guys, but I've had them around long enough to know that that's a problematic answer. That answers problematic. They're lucky he's healthy enough. But that's a massively problematic answer, because I'm assuming tricky means Not that that's a tricky thing for him to read.
I mean, you just look at all the all 22 folks on social. It's not just Kurt. I saw Chase Daniel or. Our friend Jeff Schwartz, they're all the offensive line and quarterback gurus out there will just basically say this is as basic as it comes.
So it's not tricky, unless he's basically saying it's tricky. It can't be tricky for him. Maybe he's saying it's tricky because he should know better. And he should. That's year three.
He should be all over this. And that's why they got Daniel Jones. Because they're not going to be left with somebody completely green there, or I guess. Um Last year, you know, Flacco was there. And it didn't work out.
Daniel Jones, that's why they have him there. And Daniel Jones got all the reps last night that he wasn't supposed to get. He was supposed to get them in the preseason game number two. And maybe James Deichin said afterwards that he'll flop them. This is why they have Daniel Jones, and you could sit here and make fun of Daniel Jones about why he's there and what happened with the Giants and all of that.
He's still way young and also has Had some quizzical moments where it's like, you didn't see that? Or why did you do that when you should be seeing this sort of thing? guy who's been in the league much longer than Anthony Richardson and went to Duke.
So Not a great first night on that respect for the Colts. I I will say Tyler Warren looks the real deal, but that doesn't surprise anybody. You know. But Anthony Richardson, once again, not being available, and this time because it's something that he should absolutely be seeing. You want to chalk it up to Rust find.
He should have had these mental reps down pat by now, which is why they have Daniel Jones there. And again, they are lucky. that they're able to. get through this without him being Banged up. Considerably.
But that's a problematic moment, problematic answer. And could be a canary in a 2025 Indianapolis Colts coal mine. I don't know. We'll see. Can Richardson show up week one, win the job from Daniel Jones?
Show up week one against the Miami Dolphins and do incredibly athletic things, and now begin to play with the neck up.
So The ojabos of the world aren't just going to come scot-free, and he won't be like, Yeah, that's a tricky one. When everybody who does the alt 22 and knows the alt 22 and knows the position says that's not so tricky.
So Keep that in your Background.
Now then. The Cincinnati Bengals, we all know, here are the two things: they don't start fast and they don't play defense. I know that's oversimplifying things, right? Way oversimplifying things. But I'm giving you the narrative.
Two big bullet points. They don't play defense.
Okay. Well, last night they started fast. Zach Taylor's like, screw it, we're playing everybody. All right. And Joe Burrow comes out and he throws against the Philadelphia Eagles, by the way.
Joe Burrow, um Goes 9 of 10 for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns and 15 reps. All right. Okay. And Jamar Chase has four catches, 77 yards, and a score. And uh T.
Higgins didn't do very much, but Joe Burrow short did, and so did the offense. And um This right there, that's what you're looking for. This is what you're looking for if you're the Cincinnati Bengal.
Now, the 34 points by the Eagles, Tanner McKee was terrific. By the way. You want to talk about needing reps with your second string quarterback. Tanner McKee, how many reps do you think Tanner McKee gets with the tush push? Probably not many.
And he got one last night. That's how the Eagles scored their first touchdown of the. Of their title defense preseason. It seems like the Browns traded for the wrong quarterback.
Well, I don't think McKee was available. I think the Eagles made the other one available for the Browns. I think they like Tanner McKee for a good reason. As Hertz and Saquon and everyone, you know, of that. Ilk, if you will, sat.
But I just found that interesting that McKee, and you could sit here and say, well, that just shows you how the Bengals need to get Trey Hendrickson. True or not, they still need Trey Hendrickson. And after the game, Zach Tell us is we're not showing everybody what we're doing on defense, pretty much. In the preseason anyway. But burrow Looking like that.
Now that's what you're talking about. And if they do see potentially Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco in week number one. They in Cleveland are going to have to go point for point. I know they've got the Grim Reaper. They got my guy Mason Graham.
They've got a defense that's pretty fast. I get it. But this is what we're talking about. If the Bengals can avoid that 0-2, 0-3. One and three, two and four.
Start fast, play fast, look like this.
Now we're talking. Especially when Joe Burrow Could not, he could not have been more blase. about it. And also. Critical.
Hit it. Today was average. close out. But overall I'm happy with where I'm at. Uh Next week, I'd like to be a little better.
I wouldn't say I didn't. like anything I think You know, for myself, I I could have been better. I missed first throw. Uh I put all the other ones where I wanted to put them. would have liked to I've spawned it a little better.
consistently today, but You know, we had Scored two touchdowns, so Go learn from a couple reps and get better. Also, sorry to inform you, TJ, because you always seem to have a problem when I say it. Burrow did say afterwards that Chase Brown is going to have a huge role in the offense. Joe needs to be quiet.
Okay. I just don't think that Chase Brown is a secret anymore. I got to say, I watched the film last night. I agree with Joe. He was a little off.
Good. Yeah, he was watching film last night. Only a 157.5 passer rating. He could have been 0.8 better. That's all I'm saying, Joe.
Step it up.
Okay. You're you're Hey, listen. You just are the critical eye. That's right. You just can't.
That's right. He missed the first speed. You only know one speed. We can't have that sort of thing. We can't have that, Joe.
Yeah. Stupid. Joe Burrow's six to one MVP, in case you're wondering. Six to one. That's why I'm talking about the Bendles a little bit around here.
Who cares? They gave up a billion points. That's not going to change. Big deal. What is different?
Nothing.
Okay. Pay that man his money on the screen stop. I know. They scored 27 and lost. But again, that's just the narrative from last year.
But I told you the two narratives. They start slow and they don't play defense. Last night, defensive challenges But they started pretty damn fast. And I think that is going to rule the day for this team. Tanner McKee lit up their first-string offense.
Yes. Defense. Or no. It's a what's more likely Friday. We will play it later prior to Andrew Hawkins being in studio in hour two.
What is more likely? The Bengals Have more wins this year than last. Or the same or fewer than last? The same or fewer. I will take the other way.
TJ, break the tie, please. What, they have eight last year? Nine. Nine and eight. As they were the proverbial don't let them in the tournament team that didn't make the tournament.
In the American Football Conference, TJ Jefferson, you have the floor. I think we're looking at about the same.
So you go with him, and the same or worse, and I go better, which is 10 and 7. At the very least.
Okay, dude.
Okay. You can dude me all you want. I just did. They can score 40 a game, but if you give up 41, you're going over. I'm aware of math.
Okay. I mean, you went to Michigan, so I guess I've got to explain the math for you. And the more or less situation?
Okay. Thank you for that. You're welcome. 844-204-H is the number to die. We'll talk Raiders, Seahawks later on.
Again, we're going to set the stage for NFL Networks coverage of Cleveland. At Carolina tonight, featuring Shadur Sanders starting and playing most of the game, unless. Tyler Hoop Snoop Huntley pulls a uh A Baker Mayfield and starts ripping up a new playbook like he did for the Rams years ago. And Ezra Freck is going to join us in studio as well in hour number three. Uh he is a gold medalist Paralympian.
Um he is a uh a USC kid. And he's going pro. And last time I saw him was in that Pete Carroll class, and Pete Carroll returned to the sidelines last night. and in Seattle.
So there's lots to talk about with Ezra, who is part of a new documentary called Adaptive, which is streaming now on Peacock. There's again you at 844-204-Rich number to dial. When we come back. Tom Posero is checking in from what appears to be some sort of log cabin lookalike. I have no idea where he is.
That's coming up next. This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. Navy Federal can help you find and finance the right vehicle with ease. And this summer, you're in the driver's seat with savings. You could get a $250 bonus when you buy your next car through Navy Federal's Car Buying Service powered by TrueCar and finance with Navy Federal.
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That's right, free at ziprecruiter.com/slash zip. That's ziprecruiter.com slash zip. Ziprecruiter dot com slash zip. All right, before Tommy P joins us, listen, I know it took a very Bengals-centric point of view. Of last night's game in Philadelphia, the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champs.
And Tanner McKee did look really good, man. I'm telling you, he's a good quarterback. Yeah. And that's why they made Kenny Pickett available. I don't think there's any...
They weren't going to make McKee available to the Cleveland Browns. That I don't think. And it was, did you see afterwards last night what what McKee's nickname is? In uh In his locker room, it's 61. Because that's his Madden rating.
Oh, I did see that. And he wanted a pro.
So he was asked afterwards if. You know. He proved he's more than a 61 in Madden in in the preseason action. Yeah. Listen, it's all you know, they're all chill right there, dude.
They're in gents in Philadelphia as well. They should. As well, they should be. They're stacked. They're remote.
Jalen Hurts has just turned 27 last night. Yeah, I'm going to pick them to repeat. I see no reason why they shouldn't be there again. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be there again either. To win the NFC, I think they are the best team top to bottom going in.
They're healthy. Absolutely. I know they're going to probably. You could say, well, they're missing some people on the defensive line. You know.
They know that, and they probably have guys that they feel they could plug and play. And if not, guess what they're going to do? They'll find more. They always do. They always do.
How do you make a move? At the trade deadline or something like that. I don't know why you wouldn't have the utmost faith in what they're doing. The other thing, too, is that they know what they have, they know what they probably need, and they've got the. The smart people to go out and Jedi mind trick somebody into giving them somebody.
And Jihad Campbell Everybody says, is just going to be a massive load of a problem for people. And of course, he dropped to them at the very last pick of the. The draft in Green Bay.
Next two shows of this program. Tom Pelicero will be sitting in this chair. Hey, joining us right now. Tommy P joining us from. Where are you?
What's happening right now? Are you with Walter White somewhere? You know, like avoiding. Uh Public detection, what is happening right now? Where are you right now?
Yeah, the RV is actually parked right out there, which will be cooking right after this spot. No, I'm uh. I believe I am in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. I got back from personal time offing. We're PTOing after ITC.
Is that what's happening? I wouldn't quite say PTOing. I would say a two-week training camp tour, 13 teams in 12 days, followed by immediately coming to Los Angeles to host the Rich Jisen show. Oh, okay.
So and my family be Up here with friends, we had to squeeze it in.
So made the late night trip. We'll watch you do Sanders and the Browns tonight, and then we'll head back tomorrow to get this thing rolling.
Well, then I appreciate the 15 minutes of you actually spending time with us before you spend more time with us instead of your fam.
So all clear with Anthony Richardson's hand, right? After everything last night? It sounds like it dislocated Pinky. I think that last night probably raises, as you were documenting off the top of the show, some other questions with regard to Anthony Richardson.
Now, he had had a really good practice in the joint practices with the Ravens a couple of days ago. It was one of the more encouraging moments that he's had through the course of the off-season. Made people believe, okay, you can see this thing maybe tracking in the right direction with Anthony Richardson at a time that, to be quite honest, he basically got to overtake Daniel Jones for his own job because Jones was the one who was there and healthy through the course of the spring. Anthony Richardson was rehabbing that shoulder issue.
Now, you know, Daniel Jones obviously got a lot of the reps last night. Shane Steyn said he's got to recalibrate in terms of his plan for how they're going to handle things with regard to the quarterback reps through the rest of the preseason here. Yes. We're cut out, and the biggest thing that Daniel Jones has going for him is to get the ball to the rights with Anthony Richardson. You still have those questions just based on the inexperience.
Whether he's going to be able to do that consistent basis, all right. Tom Pellicero here on the Rich Eisen show. Just across the street yesterday, the biggest. injury to date of the NFL season. Rashawn Slater.
goes down and so He's done for the year, correct? And then on top of that, what does this mean? Joe Alt now. Moves over. What do you think Jim's plan is here to replace one of the best and obviously the best paid?
and recently so uh left tackle in the business. Tom.
Well, first of all, if you question ever why some players hold out, hold in, refuse to participate in practice until they get their deal. A left tackle just having a freak injury and tearing his patella in practice is a pretty good argument for why Rashawn Slater didn't do a whole lot in the early stages of training camp. Obviously, just a brutal, brutal blow for the Chargers. Joe Alt, that is the logical plan. My understanding is that it is definitely a strong consideration to flip him to left tackle here.
Joe Jamari Sawyer, who was a starter before Joe Alt got to LA. That would be one other option. They got some veterans like Trey Pipkins. You know, you're protecting Justin Herbert. I mean, that's your most valuable guy.
That's the one that Jim Harbaugh said repeatedly here in the preseason. Everybody's got to get up to Justin Herbert's level.
Now all of a sudden you take away his left tackle. You know, the issue is he was a running back, a receiver, a linebacker. Like a lot of things you can trade for somebody. You can look at other people's depth. Nobody's given up a left tackle right now.
There aren't 32 of those guys walking the planet as it is. Even want to trade their swing tackles because things can happen here. You know, the good news is they do have some depth. At that spot, and quite possibly it's gonna be Joe Walt stepping into a really big role after playing exclusively right tackle to this point, flipping over to left, and just kind of being able to patch together the rest of it from there. Tom Pellicero joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show.
So, no Jerry Jones and no Micah Parsons spotted at Cowboys practice in Oxnard. You see stuff like that and you're like, okay, could they possibly be?
somewhere to hammer this problem out. And You know Who knows, obviously, maybe you do. What is the crux of it? Like, what is the crux of it that Jerry thought they had a handshake agreement. that Micah Parsons has essentially reneged on.
I might be oversimplifying it, and he's one of those old school guys that you don't do that to him. And um and Micah is one of those new kids, if you will, on the block. who are like, yeah, I'm, you know, I did speak to you. But um you know, I'm being disrespected by being made to go through all of this. And I'm not apologizing for that.
I just had my agent get involved. And I don't care who he is or what the Cowboys are. I don't want to play there anymore and I actually will not. And that am I simplifying everything or is that basically it? Tom?
That is a significant part of it. And you saw it in Micah Parsons' lengthy statement he put out on social media one week ago today requesting a trade. And he mentioned in there, I no longer, well, he said, no, I no longer want to be a part of the Cowboys, but also I no longer want to be held to. Contract talks that occurred without my agent present. That's referring to what Jerry Jones thought he had in terms of an agreement.
Based upon conversations between Micah and Jerry six months ago, five, six months ago. When you're talking about negotiations and how they play out in the NFL, there's only a couple of teams in recent NFL history that have kind of defied the way that this is supposed to work, the way that this is required to work. You had Bill Belichick would make a habit of bringing in players and negotiating directly with them without the agent present. And you had Jerry Jones, who there have been a number of occasions where, you know, everybody knows part of Jerry's M.O. is whether you're hitting a snag in contract negotiations, you're trying to get ahead of it, Jerry will.
Invite buddy up to his office and basically try to hammer it out face to face.
So while it seemed like that was what took place with Micah, there was never an involvement of Micah's agent. And of course, Jerry made the famous comment now that, well, I Know what his agent's name is, it's David Mulaguetta who has negotiated over a billion dollars in contracts this year. He is not a difficult guy to get a hold of, and I'm not going to sit here and do a David Mullagetta infomercial for you right now, but it's not as if you have like a long history of him being difficult to work with or not being able to get deals done, not only. Have they never, have the Cowboys never just submitted a contract proposal in writing? Which is, that's what negotiations are.
It's exchanging of bargaining proposals. Not only have they never. Sand In a contract proposal, they've never even had a conversation. They've never even had contract talks with Mike as agent. That's not how this is supposed to work.
And it makes it hard to believe that the Cowboys and Jerry Jones can continue. Say well, fans should Yeah. Maybe the idea that, oh, you know, this is their truth. It's been a week since he requested a trade. And as of last night, there still hadn't been one conversation other than on multiple occasions Micah's agents saying, hey, We're ready when you are.
For business, there's been nothing in terms of actually trying to hammer out a contract. Here we are, what is it, 27 days from Cowboys Eagles in the kickoff game? They're nowhere right now. And so, without reading too much into what Mike is feeling, you certainly see in that statement his frustration of why does it have to be like this? I'm not just going to sit here and have no talks, and you're not talking to my agent.
Until that happens, a deal is not going to get done. And at the same time, whatever trade interest is out there, the Cowboys don't seem interested at this stage in trading Micah Parsons, which makes some sense because trading in August is not when you're going to maximize the value, even if you were wanting to move the player. Let's talk a little bit about a third real subject matter, which is, you know, Parsons is somehow worn out as welcome with people in that building. Over the years. uh the previous uh coaching staff might tell you some stories, right?
and, you know, Tank Lawrence. might tell you some stories now from Seattle. and that Jerry is kind of fighting a fight. on that regard. as well.
Is there any truth to that? Is there something going behind the scenes here, Tom? There have been, and we reported back on Super Bowl Sunday, there were internal conversations going back to last year about, you know, potentially should they trade Micah Parsons? And that was as much because of the top. Nature of the roster, and does it really wise to sign a guy for at the time 35 or 40 or now 45 million dollars per year?
Already got PAC and CD making the money that they're making. But if Jerry Jones were concerned about personal dynamics, locker room dynamics, coachability, the fact that Micah kind of does his own thing in the spring and isn't a full-time participant in OTAs, if you had those concerns, you wouldn't have been negotiating or whatever you want to call it, the handshake deal that you had back in the spring. Jerry Jones was willing to make a commitment to Micah Parsons. I've seen some of the things out there recently that it was, you know, $200 million guaranteed and all that. And that.
As far as I know, is not true. I mean, the highest guarantee, I believe, for a defensive player ever is $123 million. And Jerry's not just going to cut a check for an extra 77 out of the goodness of his heart. But he was clearly willing to make a significant commitment to Micah Parsons. That deal ultimately did not get done for the reasons that we just discussed.
But if you were concerned and, hey, we got to get this guy out of here, you wouldn't even be willing to have that conversation. And again, if they had come to Micah or David Mulligetta back before the draft and said, hey, we're going to move you, they would have been good with it. Hey, go and all right, you're going to move on. We'll go play someplace else. We'll get a big check.
You guys get all the draft capital.
Well, now it's August. And while Micah has requested a trade from the Cowboys' perspective, never say never, Rich, because we saw this happen with Khalil Max some years ago, and it came to a head right about this time. They couldn't agree on a deal. And, you know, John Gruden ended up trading him away and getting some draft capital for him. But when you're talking about.
Not getting draft capital even in this year and not having any way to replace Micah Parsons. And by the way, Matt Eberfus has come in building his plan in part around: hey, we can use Micah in all these different ways, and this is how our scheme is built. It would really put, you would, in essence, be signaling. I don't wanna overstate this, Rich, but you would, in essence, be signaling. This is a rebuilding type year.
If you trade Micah Parsons away right now for future draft capital, you are basically saying, hey, 2025, we're going to do our best. We're probably not going to win. We're going to start building this thing again in 26 and 27. And that just doesn't seem. Like something that 82, 83-year-old Jerry Jones would have a really high level of interest in.
Tom Pellisero here on The Rich Eisen Show. Let's look over the steering wheel tonight's game on our network. Uh NFL Network, 7 Eastern Time, Browns and Carolina. Uh regardless of why Shadur is getting the start. Um He's gonna get it.
What opportunity do you think he has tonight?
Well, not only is Shadur going to get the start, Rich, he might play the whole game or very close to it. You're talking about getting more reps than anybody normally gets in a preseason game, which is wild because what was it, four days ago, it was arm soreness and Shadur wasn't even on the field.
Now he's the only guy healthy enough, besides Joe Flacco, who's 40 and probably doesn't need to play in the preseason. He's the only guy healthy enough to go out there. You know, he's going to be with second and third stringers. The Panthers are going to play some of their guys, their first stringers.
So I think that regardless of what happens, you have to try to take it with a shaker assault here. It's not going to happen. It's going to be a massive overreaction one way or another because Shadur is as polarizing as he is. What the coaches are going to want to see with Shadur is: can you operate in the offense? It's all the things that we talked about in terms of the potential concerns on the field with Shadur at Colorado, which is, you know, all the sacks that he takes.
Is he really getting through his progressions? Can he play in an offense that's not necessarily tailored precisely to covering up certain things? And he doesn't have Travis Hunter. He doesn't have somebody he can throw the ball up to when he needs a play and go and get it.
So The best thing Shadur can do tonight is play clean football. Get the ball out of his hands on time, get it where it needs to go. Don't try to play hero ball. Don't try to run around and make things happen. Don't take 10 sacks.
Just go out and do your best. And again, he's going to be challenged. You got a backup offensive line, backup weapons. You're going against the Panthers defense that, you know, we'll see what sort of stuff they dial up, but they are going to play. Like I said, they're guys in this game.
This is going to be a challenge for Shadur, but if you're him, Would you rather have this challenge and go out and play 50, 60, 70 snaps, or everybody's healthy and you're picking up the scraps in the fourth quarter when everybody's kind of worn out and it's threes versus threes? I would take this opportunity, if I'm Shadur, show that you can be the guy. Again, not by playing amazing football and creating a highlight reel. Just go out and show: hey, you say I can't play on time. You say I hold the ball.
You say I take too many sacks. I'm going to show you. I can take steps forward here. The hardest thing for the Browns is always going to be. Go to either of these rookies out of the gate as the starting quarterback just because they got so much to learn and there is a learning curve, and they both have a transition element coming from college here.
They were supposed to be working behind probably Kenny Pickett in this game. Pickett's now not available.
So here you go, Shadura. Let's see what you got. Yeah, and then we got a triple header on NFL Network on Saturday. Giants. Bills, Texans.
Vikings Jets. Packers, what are we going to see out of J.J. McCarthy? What do you think? That's in the middle of the day of that Saturday.
Yeah, they're going to roll him out there. You know, he was really good last year in the preseason opener, and then Torres Miniscus finished off his time in that game, but then missed his entire rookie season. You know, this has been, everybody believes in the makeup and the person and the, you know, frankly, the traits as a quarterback. It's just, is he going to be able to do it? And so this is going to be the first test back.
Everybody always says the first time that you get hit and you know, how do you kind of rebound from that? But for JJ, it's also showing, hey, I can play on time. I can get the ball where it needs to go. You know that he's capable of it, but he's just missed so much time. This is kind of a rust-shaking type of a moment for JJ McCarthy.
I wouldn't think one way or another that anybody internally is going to overreact to whatever we see tomorrow, but it certainly will be interesting just to see for the first time in a calendar year this guy go out there in a live situation play football. Yeah, Cowboys and Rams are playing that day too. We all know Matthew Stafford's out for the moment, but Sean McVay said yesterday that he would be cleared to play if this was the regular season. Does that mean the episode? But Dural did its job.
Like, what's the scoop here on the back? You know, as a guy that's had a couple of epidurals in his back rich, I would tell you you can feel good and then right up until you don't.
So, you know, we'll see. The one thing with Matthew Stafford is every year he's got something in camp. Every year, it's, you know, oh, his, you know, it's his shoulder, it's his thumb, or it's something. And then week one rolls around, and one of the toughest guys, most durable guys we've seen in the NFL, finds a way to play. It doesn't sound like there's any major concern there.
I mean, I can tell you, disc disc issues are fickle. You know, and with a guy of Matthew Stafford's age, if that's something that's bugging him, he might be able to play through it. And that's what Sean McVay is saying. But playing through it and playing effectively through it are two different things. And so we'll continue to monitor that for sure.
And then lastly, before I send you back to your family, the double dip on NFL Network on Sunday, two more games starting at one Eastern time. Dolphins and Bears. Shortly before we went on the air, Ben Johnson said Caleb is not playing.
So what's the scoop? I guess let's figure it out. Let's finish up here. You're reporting on Caleb Williams' progress. You know, if he's drinking through a fire hose and they're throwing everything at him.
You know, why wouldn't they put him out in game situation right there in Soldier Field against the Dolphins, even for a little bit? Everybody's got their own philosophy in terms of the cadence. I would imagine you're going to see a lot of Caleb in the second game. This is probably the best opportunity for Tyson Bajan, a guy that the previous regime liked a lot, to go out there, get his reps. It's way too early for red flags on Caleb.
And I've seen some of the viral videos and I've seen some of the quotes. But let's see. Caleb Williams is a gamer for sure. He finds ways to make things happen. A big part for Ben Johnson is just ringing him in a little bit.
That's an ongoing process. I'll be most interested to see week one. Because listen, Ben Johnson is not going to roll out the whole scheme in the preseason. He's not going to have the wild plays and throwing at the tackles and pretending to fall down and all those things. Nice.
Let's see as we get into week one. It's going to be national TV. It's going to be Monday Night Football against the Vikings. It's not that far away, right? Say, you think about how close week one is right now.
It's under 30 days. We've still got a handful of unresolved situations across the NFL. We talked about Micah Parsons, but we still don't have resolution right now on James Cook and the Bills. He is still not practicing. I know that people have fixated on the $15 million number that he put out there at one point.
My understanding is at this point, James Cook is looking for closer to what Kyrie Williams got, which is 11, than he is to 15. But there's no such thing as close. There is only done. They're not far apart, but this deal is not yet done. And so keep an eye on how that entire thing plays out.
I would anticipate that if I'm the Bills, I want to bring this to a head sooner than later and get the player on the field. With Terry McLaurin in Washington, that's another one. He did not travel up for the joint practices in the game against New England. Either way, the Commanders are planning on McLaurin being a part of the team and playing. He's on the roster.
He's due. Close to $20 million. He's currently on the pup list, but they're fully anticipating one way or another that he's going to be out there in week one. And then Trey Hendrickson, there's just not been a lot of movement on that one over the past couple of weeks. We talked about it on the show.
You know, they're more or less in agreement on the big numbers, the years, and the total money. It's just about. The guarantees. I can tell you, I mean, the Bengals have gotten calls about Trey Hendrickson. They haven't really signaled that they'd be willing to deal him.
And similar to Dallas, if you trade him away, unless you get. A past structure or two in return, how on a team that you expect to compete this year do you replace that type of productivity? You know, this is for players of that stature, that caliber, Rich, we haven't had a lot of times recently, whether it's holdouts or in this case, hold-ins, that many, you know, Pro Bowl, all-pro type guys with unresolved situations at this point in the calendar. I mean, we're going to the first preseason weekend, and that's four guys who are all at different stages of the same problem, which is the team is making them an offer, or in Micah's case, hypothetically would make them an offer, but they're not where the other side wants to be. And we'll see.
Ultimately, everybody's got to make a choice. Every player's greatest, you know, greatest leverage is withholding their services.
Well, it's a lot different to withhold your services in early August when you might not be getting fined or fined a small amount versus getting closer to the season and suddenly having game checks taken away. We're going to be monitoring all four of those extremely closely here over the next several weeks. Lots of unresolved situations. And after 13 days on the training camp road and two days in this chair at the top of next week, let's make sure that does not include your marriage.
So thank you for the time, Tom. Appreciate it. The boys will see you out here next week. And I appreciate that. That'll be next week, Tom Pelicer and this year, getting you everything you need to know.
See you soon, Tommy. While I channel out in advance of next playing season, and of course, our move to Disney Plus. 844-204-H number Dial. There goes Tommy P. Off he goes.
Ark, you can take him off the screen now. Why? No. We have to say, making the videos right now. You're going to see him enough.
Plus, you got to go to break. Uh fact that this is Atlanta. 11.
Okay. This city is so beautiful, man. This city is so dear to my heart. Because I chose it. You know, it was different when I came out in the draft because I had gone to an all-American function here in Atlanta.
And when I got to the city and went to the airport, I was like, dang. We did a little thing at the hospital. I was like, dang. Start going around the city to dine and to do the different things that we had. I was like, oh my God.
I had truly never seen. African American people. in such roles and positions and titles that I had never seen it in my life and it blew my mind. You know, city officials, doctors, lawyers, political figures, it blew my mind.
So I said, that's where I want to go because I knew the dude I was. I was non-apologetic. It was brash. I was gonna be me and I felt like Atlanta would at least understand me. And I said, I'm not going to you.
Don't draft me. I'm going to play baseball if you do. I'm not going there. I'm not going there. And.
Sure. Atlanta was. Number five pick. I was so happy I didn't know what to do. And I also love the story that you told, and if you wouldn't mind telling the audience here as well.
at the combine. When you would be pulled into rooms and you didn't know which room you were being pulled into by which. Yeah, yeah, I was. I was, you know, it had to come back in, not back in that day, everybody was reaching for it. Agents was in the hotel.
Everybody was everybody. It was all scheduled. It was scheduled structure. You can't be in a hotel. You can't be on the premises.
Then it was everything. It was wild.
So I'm backing away from crowds and people trying to grab me. And I backed into this room, and the Giants was there. And it was the Giants' room, and they had people sitting down taking these tests. What do they call these things? Oh, yeah, like the psychology.
Yeah, I mean, the thing was that thick, man. And I sat down and they gave me this thing. What is this? They say, it's this test, and you know, we need you to take it. I said, oh.
What picker do you have? It's like the 10th. I'd be going for then. I gotta be walked out. I'd be going way going for then.
And then let's just get into it here. I mean, Belichick said he watched you run the 40 at the comp. And that you ran it and then ran into the tunnel. And is it true? That's not true.
Okay, you did not run into a waiting car and being technically there. No, because I had more interviews and all of that. No, that story just grows and touches. It is. It is.
That's not true.
I did everything. That I was asked to do.
Now, I didn't lift, I didn't do none of that because Jay Rice to this day hadn't laid across my arms and let me bench press him. You know, I don't know where that comes from. I love that you say that when you're watching the defensive backscope, the weight reps of 225 struggling. When have you ever said, man, well, if that guy would have got one more rep, he'd have been there on that play. Never.
Or the three-cone drill. Like, nothing, but this has nothing to do with nothing.
So I didn't do any of that stuff, right? Yeah. Well, it all worked out. Yeah. in advance of tomorrow.
Now more than ever. Happy birthday, Beyonce. Oh man, that's awesome. It is tomorrow. Love it.
21. Turns 58. What?
So it would be was his other number 37? Because that's how old he was when he played with the Ravens.
So it'll be his 37th annual 21st birthday tomorrow. Happy birthday to you, Prime. Back on the Rich Eisen Show. I got to be honest with you, man. When I heard that Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons were not on the field together yesterday.
Oh, you were like deal hammered out. That's what has to happen. Right. What must happen, Micah's not there. Right.
And Jerry's not there. Because they're on the phone with Micah's agent, and Jerry's got his people in the room doing what's supposed to be done, which is talking to each other. Settle down just a little bit. In a conventional way. Do you remember the story Charles Woodson told here?
on the program when He And Lloyd Carr grinded gears, and all Coach Carr wanted. Was an apology from Charles about whatever pissed Coach Carr off. And he refused to do it. He was going to transfer. He was going to transfer.
He was not going to be allowed to play against the Ohio State. Lloyd didn't care. He was pissed, and the player needed to come to apologize to him, and Charles refused to do it. And one of his Position coaches got his mom on the phone, and his mom said, You go apologize to him. If not for yourself, then for me.
And Charles's like, Damn it. That's a rat at that point, bro. We're going right in. It's one of my favorite stories that we've heard in the history of this program. You're going right in.
Doesn't that sound like that's what Jerry's waiting for? Whether it's right or wrong. He thought I had a handshake agreement. Jerry's going to be waiting a while.
Now, that's the point. Who's the one who's going to call Micah Parsons up and say, Dude, at the end of the day, when you're cashing 45 million bucks a year, does it really matter to you that you went? And apologize to a guy that you really didn't feel you needed to apologize to. Does it really matter? And then, of course, you're sitting there going, why should the kid be forced at age 26, this lion of a kid, be forced to go in and the owner?
Because the owner is the one scratching the checks, and that's the way he does his business for whatever reason. And this is the boat that you are in. And I thought to myself, somebody kind of, and somebody goes to Jerry and basically say, Jerry. Kid's 26. These are different kids these days.
You know? Different kids these days.
So, why do you like?
Well you go up to him too. Who can move these two together? And that's why I thought. Maybe that's what they were doing yesterday. But apparently, I don't think you were alone.
I think a lot of people were thinking that. What has to happen is these guys need to get away, not in front of a camera. Not standing there, you know, talking it up with Andrew Whitworth, our buddy. You know A way. Go on a retreat.
Darkness retreat. Jerry's big yacht. Hammer it out. Hang on, Miguel. Hour two coming up here in the program.
Mike, very helpful. What yacht at Oxnard? You know what you think boats float around? Not at Oxnard. He probably could have it driven out here.
There's no giant dock at Oxnard. Oxnard's going to be out. Oxnard's an hour from here. Guess what I'm not doing? I'm not going on a boat.
You know what I mean? Like. I I I'm just I told I'll keep saying it. Get your agent on the phone, walk up to Jerry Jones and say, hey, Jerry, I know we haven't spoken yet. My agent's on the phone here.
And he might be like, This is BS, what the hell are you doing here to me?
Somebody needs to be an adult. Like the Joe Flacco quote: be an adult. Again, I keep being told by a bunch of adults, I'm talking to so many people about this. You know, about because when I come here, I just want to make sense and I want to sound. Like I well not sound like I want to I want to give you.
A general sense of what I'm hearing and and be accurate, obviously. I don't care about, you know, hey, I told you so. It is great when I can do that. I'm about to say you care a little bit. But no, but I'm telling you that I can't imagine this doesn't get done.
You keep saying that, and I'm hoping you're right. And I've been told by some people, Mike is a different. Cat. Mm-hmm. And he is the type of guy that is like.
I don't care who the hell Jerry Jones is. or anything like that. If I'm not getting the respect, I'm out. And literally, it doesn't matter how much money's on a piece of paper for that. And I'm hearing Jerry Jones is like: handshake agreements, a handshake agreement.
I bought this team in a handshake agreement as if long forms don't exist. And you know, paper, paper, like right now, paper is getting pens being put to paper or or Documents are being created right now on any business deal involving the NFL, whether it's with the SPN or any teams with the other players. That's also part of the problem. Jerry still is operating like it's 35 years ago. Right.
And that Micah and Jerry had multiple. I've heard maybe. I've heard they had multiple conversations that resulted in a handshake that they did in fact. Exchange some numbers, but the actual long form and Hammering it out. I mean, like, you.
Jerry's also gonna know, Mike, is Micah really gonna... Sit there and go, oh, yeah, the guaranteed dollars have to be here in year two and then year three and then year four. It's just, and if he believes that, then he's clearly. You know doing something that the kid Should bring in a paid professional to hammer out, as it's supposed to be done in the NFL. Bottom line is this: I was hoping that somebody, somebody's got to put these two together.
Maybe I should go do it. You're an adult. Like, be an adult. There you go. That's what's up.
That's what's up. I am Michael Rosenbaum. I am Tom Welling. Welcome to Talk Bill, where it's fun to talk about small books. We're going to be talking to sometimes guest stars.
Are you liking the direction Plois is going in? Yeah, because I'm getting more screen time. That's good. But mostly it's just me and Tom remembering. I think we all feel like there was a scene missing here.
You got me, Tom. Let's revisit it. Let's look at it. See what we remember. See what we remember.
I had never been around anything like that before. I mean, it was so fun. Talk, Bill. Talk, Bill. I just had a flashback.
Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Let's get into it. Mm.
