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Now, on with the show. Live from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, The Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show. NFL network analyst Charles Davis. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller.
Coming up. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. NFL network insider Tom Pellisero. NFL network insider Ian Rappaport. NFL draft prospect Caleb Downs.
And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air live on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, SiriusXM Channel 80. Thrilled to be here. Day number three of the Scout and Combine, but day number one of a two-a-day for me. As soon as this show hits the middle of the third hour, I gotta run to Lucas Oil and get to the 50-yard line booth with Daniel Jeremiah.
Onfield drills start today. Defensive line group is out there. Hour number two kicks off with the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Brian Schottenheim here on the show. Good to see you, man. How are you doing, man?
Good to see you. You said what I was going to start this interview with, so I'll do it anyway. We go way back to a sushi dinner at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii in 2005. Back in that day, man. We go way back.
Where were you at that point in time?
So, quarterback coach with the Chargers. Right. Drew Brees' first Pro Bowl. Back in San Diego. My wife Jemmy and Drew and Brittany, very close.
We're actually the godparents of their middle son Bowen to this day.
So they took us out there and yeah, sure enough, I remember sitting there having sushi and you were just getting started and I was just a quarterback coach in San Diego. This was the first Pro Bowl I had ever covered for NFL Network and Rod Woodson warned me not to give out my room number to anybody. Really? Because it would be used. By somebody to run up their tab on my dime without me knowing.
Well, I never heard your number, but I do have a few numbers. I won't say the name. I do remember a few numbers from that trip, and I was probably one of the people running up those bills.
Well, let me start this interview with this question: Then, what was it like being Drew Brees' quarterback coach? And now you see him, he's a first-ballot no-brainer Hall of Famer, right? Yeah, well, first of all, congratulations to him, Brittany, his entire family. Just an incredible man, incredible person. They're an incredible team, Drew and Brittany.
Yep, I'm not surprised. This guy was just unique in every Every step imaginable in terms of the man, the person, the work ethic, the preparation. I'm so proud of him. But a quick cute story about my time with Drew.
So I was quarterback coach. This was probably 2000. five maybe and the Chargers get ready to play the Chiefs. Short week, Saturday, and as I'm getting on the plane, my mother-in-law calls me, Rich, and says, Honey, your wife's Jemmy, she's going into labor.
So I have to go to the head coach, my father, and say, Hey, coach, I gotta go. And he's like, Yeah, absolutely, we'll get you there. And so, Waiting, waiting. My son didn't cooperate.
Okay. He did not come out in time for me to make the game.
So I'm literally sitting there, Rich, going, man, I feel bad for Drew. He's going to play terrible. This is not going to be good for the team. He goes out, he throws like 400 yards, five touchdown passes. It actually started hurting my feelings late in the game.
They win like 38 to 34. The only positive thing that came out of it, because my ego was totally bruised, was he did take the last snap when they took the knee. He grabbed the ball, and that's the ball sits on my son's in his room to this day. Come on. Yeah, very, very cool.
To celebrate the day of his birth? Yes. Or did he come the next day? No, he came during the game. Right as the game was starting.
Just as the game was starting. NFL Films actually has it. My dad, Drew gave the ball to my dad, and my dad said, if you would give me a moment. This is for my grandson. That whole locker room exploded.
Needless to say, my ego is bruised because he played his butt off. That's coaching and parenting. Yes. You got two very harsh lessons right there about parenting and And coaching. Yeah, and he actually got better as he got away from me.
So, I mean, maybe I was the problem. And now he won't pay for a meal in New Orleans the rest of his life and things of that nature. How did you find being an HC for the first time? You know, obviously, you've been around coaching, you know what it is, we've already established that. But being an HC for the Dallas Cowboys for the first time was.
You know, Rich, there were so many things that I think. I was ready for, but there was something every day that you didn't see coming. And we certainly had some ups and downs, some highs, some lows. I never would have thought that we would have to deal with what we dealt with with losing Marshan. That was probably one of the lessons that as I look back on this year, I'm so proud of the brotherhood and the culture that we built that we could withstand that.
It was remarkable. And it was not. Me, it was the players, it was the strength of the players, it was the connection that we had. But, you know, now that I've settled down a little bit, we had to do the whole defensive search and all that, it's been really good for me to go back and we do these AARs, after-action reports, where you go back and you look at almost every facet of your program, and from the off-season program to the draft, to free agency, to the coaching search, to training camp. And there's a ton of lessons learned, man.
And what do you take into year two that you feel that you're better at? Probably just, I would say, the overall organization in terms of being involved in all three phases. You know, I think last year we hired Clayton Adams, who's a superstar, by the way, offensive coordinator, but I still felt like I had to get him up to speed on our offense and blend it. And I felt like I didn't do a great job being involved with the defense. And this year, I'm going to be much more involved.
I'm thrilled about our hire with Christian Parker. I think he's excellent. The staff we put together is excellent. There was a ton of shoot, we did nine interviews in our search for coordinators. Jerry and Steven and Will McClay were involved in everything.
We dove into concepts and techniques. I mean, to hear us talk about coverage concepts and Jerry asking questions about run fits and stuff like that was awesome. But, you know, I really do feel like being the play caller is something I know how to do. I've done it at a high level.
Now me being the head coach and really truly being involved in all three phases is one thing I'm really looking forward to. And what'd you learn about Dak? As the HC. Obviously you're around him. Before being the HC.
Is there anything new that you learned about Dak? Just that the guy's curious as anything, man. He wants to grow. He wants to get better. He did get better this year.
Which is crazy. I mean, he did. I mean, you look at the metric, you could see he. Maybe he had his best year as a professional. You could point to certain aspects of his game.
But what's more important than the head coach? Also, play caller relationship with the quarterback. There really isn't one. That's maybe the most important relationship you can have in a football team. Yeah, and again, I think that's one of the benefits that.
I was given having been there and had the relationship with Dak, but I just think how quick we picked up each other's rhythm. You know, obviously, I was the coordinator for the last couple years, but didn't call the plays. There was a rhythm that we got into. We came out of the gates fast, and he did have a great year, and there's still room for improvement. I love that we were able to play it more under center and do some more of the play action stuff.
I think he's great at that. But the leadership and the command of what that guy brings to our locker room is unique. Do you have a moment where you caught yourself and go, That's my dad? I just sounded like my dad. Do you have that moment?
Ever. Probably when I cry in front of the team, you know, I'm an emotional guy. Yeah, I mean. Me too. Yeah, I am.
You're a crier, huh? I am a crier. Touch of the Vermeeler. You're going to touch the Verler. Probably, yeah, it's probably Dick Vermealer, the first guy I coached with.
Actually, it's funny. I was calling the guys up after one of the games, and I started to get choked up, and Jake Ferguson goes. Hang in there, shoddy. He literally called me out. I was like, really, bro?
Like, really, you're going to call me out? Like, amid my feelings? Right. But, you know, my dad always taught me, Rich, he said, hey, you know, go on your emotions. And I'm a very authentic person and I don't change who I am for anybody.
But it's good for these guys to see that we care enough and how much we love them and we care about their success, not just about them as players, but as people as well. What was it like, again, just to hit the machine before you even coach a game in the regular season, Micah Parsons? That was out of your control, right? Like, you talk about controllables, and you're in a position where you're a control freak. All head coaches are.
Yeah. I mean, how do you handle something? You know, the great thing about that thing, Rich, was again, just the communication between Jerry, Steve, and myself was non-stop. And at the end of the day, we really felt like this was something that could make us a better football team, give us the firepower to go and do the things that we've been able to do. Mike is an incredible player.
I love Micah. Actually, when we lost Marshawn, he was one of the first guys that I reached out to after talking to all of our players. Really? Yeah, because they were so close. And Micah was in that room, and he really appreciated me reaching out to him.
And, you know, Mike and I will be close forever, and I wish him nothing but the best. But you look at what we've been able to do, and getting a guy like Kenny Clark was incredible for us. And then you turn it around and you take one of those picks to go add a guy like Quinnen Williams, who I think is one of the best, if not the best, interior defensive linemen in the league. And now you got the firepower of the draft pick.
So I think it's Worked out great for both sides. And in terms of communication, how much talk are you having with the Joneses about pickings and what the plan is here? Yeah, we talk every day. And I think, again, that's one of the things that when I took the job, we were really committed to making sure there's just constant communication. And the thing I say about GP from the moment he got there, this guy is the best.
I love this guy. I love how much fun he has playing the game. I know how much he loves football. And I expect George to be on our team for a long time to go.
Okay, we like that. We like hearing that because he, I mean, boy, did he ball out. I mean that's all you heard from Pittsburgh is that he had the physical skill set, would he be able to put it together? How were you able to connect with him to get the most out of him?
Well, I think that was the thing. You know, when I first met GP, he came up to my office, you know, we made the trade, and I have a basketball hoop in my office, and I like to bring the players in there and see who the competitors are and who can shoot. And I beat him. You know, he'll remember it differently. I beat him.
Yeah, if you're listening, GP, I beat you. But from that moment on, man, it's just like he knew that I cared about him as a person and that what he could do for us on the football field was important. But more importantly than anything, you know, I love the guy. I care about the guy. I want what's best for him, like all of our players, and I think he felt that.
What was it like in, what's it like then, being in a, in Jerry Jones' office for an interview? To be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Well, it's funny. Let me just tell you how I see it, and then you tell me how far off I am. The lights aren't completely on. They're dim, okay? There might be a candle later around here for, you know, to add a little bit of mystery to it.
You know, and that he's sitting behind a desk, you're sitting in front of the desk. Am I far away?
Well, I don't want to ruin your dream, but no, that's not how it was at all. Oh, no. Yeah, I mean, I didn't want to crush your spirits, but that's not how it was at all. I appreciate you being straight up honest with me. That's who you are, Brian Scheiner.
I get it. I am. It's not like that at all? No, but it was very thorough.
Okay. It was probably the second or third time that we talked that I actually got off the phone and I was like. Damn, I think I got a real shot at getting this job. But the conversations were great. The conversations were seamless.
The direction that my beliefs and my philosophies, he was very excited about my ability to communicate, my ability to connect with the players. It was really seamless. And I do think that was part of the benefits of him seeing me around the players and on game day and after games, not just after wins or losses, as a coordinator, leading the guys and giving direction or giving advice or consoling these guys. I think that was a big, big part of it. But it was in the boardroom.
The lights were on. Yeah, it was a little candles. No candles. No candles. If I had one complaint, was after about six hours, I got a little hungry.
And they had salads.
So I went and got a little bit of a salad. Salads? Yeah, no salad, yeah. Because when you're interviewing, you can't have food coming out of your mouth or something like that.
So, yeah, we had salads. Oh, what is it? A Caesar? What type of Caesar? It's a Caesar, yeah.
Look at that. Look at you, Caesar. See, I got that right. You're back. You're back.
I'm back. Uh before I let you go, what can you uh allow about what you're Thought process for your first round draft choice is going to be. Walk a cowboy fan through. Yeah, again, everybody wants to point the picture at defense, and certainly we've got more holes on defense than we do on offense. But I love the process.
I love the conversations that we've already got started with Jerry and Steven going through the draft board. I love this time of year. Like, I love getting in the room with these guys and watching them talk ball because you can see the guys that get real passionate about the X's and the O's, but even their brothers, they talk about their teammates and hey, this is so-and-so. I think this is the best part of it. But, you know, we're going to go through the process, man.
And again, is defense going to be the only thing that we draft? No. But we certainly have a number of positions that we want to address in the premier positions of defensive football.
Okay, I like that. You met TJ, my guy TJ, right? TJ and I are very close. Come on out here, real quick, TJ, before I let him go. I know he's got to get going.
There you go. There you go. Have you seen his picture of the flag? I live with this man almost every day professionally. You got a quick question for the coach before I let him go?
I do not in all 22 or anything like that, Coach. It's more about you, okay? I know you got your first gig in 97, 28 years it took you to get to this point. Like, personally, how did that make you feel? What is the validation, the fact that you put in all this hard work?
And I'm sure there were jobs that passed you by that you didn't get. Are you trying to get him to cry?
Well, no, I think he's trying to take your job because I would rather talk to you actually than Rich. Let's talk about it.
Well, he's a bona fide cowboy fan. I thought you'd get that. But it is a great question. And I got a second part that might make you cry.
Well, I mean, we might run out of time, but that's for you guys to decide. No, that's for you guys to decide. But here's what I would say: I thought it had passed me by. I really did. Yep.
I think when we won the division in Seattle in 2020 and we set the record for most points scored in franchise history, and Pete and I kind of agreed to go our separate ways, which happens in this business. And I wasn't getting looks from other teams. I kind of thought it had passed me by. But what it proved to me and what it showed me was you're always being evaluated. Four years ago, I was a consultant in this organization.
And now I'm one year into my head coaching regime there. A lot of room for improvement. But be who you are all the time, every day, and you will get noticed. That's what's up. Also, I noticed that you carry a card.
If your dad, Marty Schottheim, were with you on game day.
Now he is trying to get me to cry. Just like, what would that, you know, how do you think that he's feeling? What would he say to you in this moment, man? Oh man. You know, I I I think of him every day.
I really do. I think of him every day. I carry him with me on game day. And uh good times and bads I I I I hold on to the card. But uh He's proud.
And here I go, and I see his picture up there. What I remember is he was a legendary coach, but an even better father. Yeah, he's a good man. And I'm the same way as you, I'm a crier. James Ferguson's yelling at me right now from TV, saying, Shawnee, stop, hold it together.
Me too, man. But yeah, you know, I worked in LA for 20 years. I always wanted to do something like this. 20 years, I was always behind the scene. He took a chance on me and he put me and gave me the shot that I had.
I don't think no, man.
So, when I got to learn about you when you got hired, this was part of the story and it just resonated.
So, I just wanted to tell you that, man, I'm excited for you, and I'm happy. And, man, let's do this. TJ, let me say this to you, man. People. This business and life in general is about people.
And the way you talk about rich is the way I hope my players talk about me. It's how I talk about my family, and certainly how I talk about our players and coaches.
So thank you. I love it, man. Brian Schottenheimer, good luck to you, and you're too bad. Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
Sorry, I brought TG on to make you cry. I thought he was going to basically say, when are we getting to the championship game? When are we doing it? He took it easy on me. He took it easy.
Well, we know championship game's coming. I'm not worried about that. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Brian Schottenheimer, thanks for the time, man.
Thanks, man. The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer, here. Tom Policero, next on the Rich Hodson Show. Save money and get a better view of the road when you replace your worn-out wiper blades at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Right now, save $10 on a pair of Rainex Latitude Wiper Blades.
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The SPN Radio audience is back. I've got Tom Pellisero sitting right here talking about his hair. The floor is yours, sir.
Well, the radio audience says some of this will be lost on them, but I believe we do have a photo of what I looked like at the Super Bowl. I have been growing out the hair for some time. And so, after Super Bowl weeks, it's a long flow, but I put into one of the AI programs what should the next step be? And so, what you're seeing here is the evolution through several different versions of AI. And I believe we have the last one as we're making our way through, it's becoming more of a mullet.
The sides are getting shorter. Looks more motor, and then in the final iteration, there I'm Patrick Mahomes, turn me into Patrick Mahomes over like 10 prompts in ChatGPT, and that's apparently what I would look like. I'm not there yet. We're making our way. You're like, what is it?
Like you're the Dylan Rayola of information. Yes, exactly. I got the headman in the gym. You're just going to turn into Mahomes. Gradually, it's still, it's a few cuts away.
We are. Look at that. That looks more sideshow Bob than anything else. I don't know why it changes the face over time, but the hair, without me even trying, went full Mahomes. Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Pelissar on the program.
All right, where are we on the Max Crosby? Is there still any there there? Where are we right now? Anything? I would say it is fair to assume.
that the Raiders are getting many calls about Max Crosby. We heard what John Spytek said in this room. Expects Max to be back. Yes. Great relationship, texting and talking.
We have not heard from Max Crosby. Since that session, Max has many ways on social media, on a podcast to potentially respond. But I would say the Raiders don't need to make calls. they will get calls on Max Crosby. Is there a world where Max Crosby gets traded in the next seven to 10 days?
I believe there is. You do. We're not there yet. In terms of a deal actually getting done. But almost every player in the NFL has a price.
Even setting aside the frustrations Max has had with the constant churn being shut down at the end of last season, he's a 29-year-old star player who is still at his peak on a Raiders team that's probably going to be challenged over the next one to two years to really be competitive in a tough division. All of that, to me, tracks toward Push this as far as you can, maximize your leverage by saying, we're going to keep the guy here. See what type of calls you get. I'm not aware of the Raiders calling anyone. I do believe that they are getting calls, and I do believe there's a possibility of Max Crosby being traded sometime between now and the start of the league year.
When you get calls, your Spy Tech or Brady are saying, call John. Yeah. I mean You can receive the calls. And then you could say, thank you for your interest, we'll let you know. Or do you say Actual compensation that would work.
You know what I mean? Like, how deep are these that you are willing to share with us based on your knowledge? How deep, detailed calls are these? There's about. 1,700 players in the NFL, 2,800 in the offseason.
I would say maybe 20 of them. It's a thank you for your interest. Hang up the phone. maybe 20 in the entire league. There are not many guys that there is not a price.
And just again, my opinion, look at the circumstances here. You have a player that has been very frustrated on multiple levels and has expressed that. We know that much for sure. We have a Raiders team that is not probably a Max Crosby away from winning the Super Bowl this year. New regime.
Clint Kubiak has had a good coffee with him, spent a little time with him. I do not believe that John Spytech, Tom Brady, want to trade Max Crosby. But there are so many teams that need pass rush help. Every contending type team. I've been asked here: would it be the Bears?
Would it be the 49ers? Would it be the Bills? Would it be the Lions? Everybody. I would say.
Why would any of those teams, any team that's a contender, not make the call and try to find out what the price was?
Well, what is the price? That's what I'm saying. Are the Raiders um verbalizing a price. In these conversations. It's not really how it works in terms of it has to be here, sometimes, but a lot of times it is more so: what would you offer?
Why would we as the team that has the player that other people want, constrain ourselves by saying, here's the price tag? It's a good idea.
Somebody could just go hog wild and say, I'll give you three ones. And all they were going to ask you for. Or you continue to listen to what you're being offered. and then let people know, well, actually, we're being offered this. And that's a lot of times how.
you drive the market. I don't believe that it would be Micah Parsons, which was two ones, and Kenny Clark. Why? Max is 29 years old. Mike is younger.
Mike is younger. Mike is 25. He's got more years left in his prime. Max is still really, really good. Of course he is.
He's got three, four years left probably of playing at a really elite level. But it's hard to justify for the teams we're going to give up that type of package. Never say never. I mean, I wouldn't have sat here prior to the trade deadline last year and say the Jets are getting two ones for Sauce Gardner, but that happened. They drove the price on Quinnen-Williams.
There's a lot of different dynamics at play, but the calls are going to come. It's fair to assume they are getting calls. They have no reason not to listen. Does the price get to a point where they're willing to move them? That remains the open question, but is it possible, yes?
All right, over the last half hour, news breaking about Anthony Richardson here being allowed to look for. A new place of business. What do you know about that? That was probably inevitable, I would say. Three years in, all the injuries, the really unfortunate circumstance last year where a resistance band accident in pregame warm-ups leaves him with a serious injury to his orbital socket and his eye.
We don't yet know firmly where we stand in terms of the medical with Anthony Richardson. Everything the Colts have said publicly is he's continuing to progress. He was able to practice a little bit, but it's one thing saying you can get back out on the field or do conditioning or throw the ball around. It's completely different to can you go and play quarterback at a high level. It's also the reality of Anthony Richardson knows he has no path to be the starter in Indianapolis again.
Even with Daniel Jones having an Achilles injury that may or may not have him ready in week one? Everything is tracking toward Daniel Jones being ready for week one. The Colts have been in negotiations on a contract extension, a multi-year deal to keep Daniel Jones there, which shows you they're not sitting there going, well, maybe Anthony's that he can beat him out. That was last year. It didn't happen.
This is full steam ahead. Maybe more likely that it's a tag, at least initially, on Daniel Jones, but they've been trying to do a long-term deal.
So if you're Anthony Richardson, you're at a point like Trey Lance was with the 49ers, where Trey Lance was drafted number three, Richardson was number four, a lot of injuries, hadn't played, super talented guy. And we've seen that with Trey when he got in in the preseason with Dallas, what he looked like last year with the Chargers. If you're Anthony Richardson, you're hoping that's your trajectory is. Just get me someplace else where I can settle in, not have the pressure on me at least 23, 24 years old. I mean, he's a young guy who's 6'5 and 250 and has a massive cannon of an arm.
Just get me somewhere else where maybe the dynamic's a little bit different and I'm not the guy who was supposed to be the guy and I'm not.
Now it's a fun project for somebody. And you know. that the, and not saying he goes to these teams, but the Sean McVays, Kyle Shanance, Kevin O'Connell's the world, they love Matt LaFleur too. Look what he did with Malik Willis. All those guys, if you got somebody with a ton of physical ability, let's put him in a good system with really good coaching and see what we can get out of him, assuming that at some point he's fully cleared and all the way back from a medical perspective.
And when Ben Johnson was on the podium, we're hearing Tyson Bagent's name being mentioned, right?
Well, well I mean the reason why I'm bringing it up is are teams going to be looking at other teams' number twos to say, let's get you in our program, let's give you a chance to compete for a starter's job rather than wait for Tua or Kyler to clear? Wondering if they're going to clear. Like, I'm wondering where we're going here on the quarterback front. It all fits together. You have a draft where Fernando Mendoza, we all assume and believe, he's going number one to the Raiders.
After that, the only other quarterback that somebody might think can be a starter sooner than later is probably Ty Simpson from Alabama. And even that one, he's a one-year starter. There's some growth that needs to take place for him to get ready.
So, if you're one of the seven to ten teams, I'd say seven firmly that need a starter, there's probably a hand half dozen more that at least need a compete guy or somebody who could step in or a really good one underneath a young player. You're having to tip over all these different buckets. There's not the, hey, we'll go draft Dylan Gabriel in the third round. We'll take you know, Tyler Shuck and have him come in and compete with Spence Rowler. Those guys don't exist in this draft.
And so you have this unique combination of other than Malik Willis, who I do believe is going to get somewhere between 20 and 30 million a year, I would say between Miami and Arizona, maybe somebody else. The price is going to get driven up. We had John Eric Sullivan on, and he said, my gut tells me it will not be cheap.
So there is a price for Malik Willis. Other than that, And Daniel Jones, obviously, who they're trying to get something done with. I don't know that any other, and Aaron Rodgers is in a different category entirely. There's not another guy who's going to get paid.
So you're talking through a bunch of budget-type options. Tyson Bajant is a budget-type option. I don't know what the price would be in a trade. I would have to think it's not a throwaway. He's a really good backup.
Is it a third-round pick for Tyson Bajant to potentially go get him? Mac Jones, same thing. It's not going to be a giveaway. I do believe the 49ers, regardless of what's been said publicly, would move Mac Jones at a certain point, but that too might require a day two pick. You're sort of in this at Richardson, Will Levis.
There's guys who have started games in this league. You have almost a competition between which of the budget options is going to be the best one and becomes available first. And if you're a team that might be a less desirable situation, you might not be able to get one of these veterans. This is an important thing to understand because of the four to five veteran quarterbacks that could be cut. In the next two weeks, here between Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, Tuatunga Vailoa, Geno Smith, and Justin Fields doesn't have an early trigger, but he does have guaranteed money.
When you have quarterbacks who have guaranteed money, or any player with guaranteed money, When they become free agents, The money doesn't matter. You can't bid on the player unless you're paying them above and beyond what their guarantees are. In other words, let's say all those guys get cut tomorrow. Where are they going to want to go? No one's going to sit there, probably, I don't think, and go, my first choice is going to the New York Jets.
Your first choice is probably going to a team like the Vikings that has Justin Jefferson and Kevin O'Connell who sprinkles magic dust on quarterbacks and maybe all of a sudden play really well underneath him. I mean that's been the track record for him. You might have to trade something to get one of those guys. You might have to trade something to go get Kyler because you're not going to have the opportunity to pluck him off the street. It's a really unique thing where we could have four or five quarterbacks with a ton of starts who all have guaranteed money and are all signing for minimum salaries, which means there's no such thing as a bidding war.
It's literally the players choosing where they want to go. And oh, by the way, if some team does work out a trade, to eat some of the money. If the player doesn't want to go there, he can go, I'm not signing the revised contract. and can blow up any trade. It's really fascinating because we've never seen a quarterback group quite like what we're going to be dealing with over these next couple of weeks.
So all the machinations happen in the next three weeks, right? Essentially. What are the odds that All of this doesn't pop before the two days that you're allowed to talk before the new league year starts. What about that? Kyler has an additional $19.5 million that Vestivi is still on the roster March 15th.
Tua has, I believe, another $3 million that Vestivi's on the roster March 13th. Kirk Cousins, we already know he's getting released. He's going to be released on March 11th based on the revised contract. Geno Smith also has, I believe, an extra $8 million that becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the league.
So March 13th, March 15th, more than likely March 11th, 12th, you're going to see these things begin to happen. The only question within the league, and the only threat, frankly, that the teams have that have these quarterbacks is: we'll just keep them. We'll do what the Falcons did last year. Let that extra $10 million vest for Kirk Cousins and keep a really high price backup until you give us something for him.
Well, how that worked out with the Falcons is they've got a completely new regime, and that regime is still on the hook for $10 million of Kirk Cousins this year. It's rare, it's not unprecedented, but it's rare for a player you know is not going to be there for you to go, we're going to let a bunch of additional fully guaranteed money vest.
Okay. Hmm. I got what? What are you thinking over there?
Well, the Falcons needed Kirk Cousins last year, so it was good that they kept him around. I'm so curious about the Minnesota situation. I was just literally about to ask. Yeah, I mean, Cameron Wolfe is reporting that there's mutual interest between the Vikings and Anthony Richardson. Could you see that happening realistically?
It would be a complete projection. With Anthony Richardson.
Well, I mean, forget about Anthony Richardson, just the mere fact of what Chris just brought up. Like, what is The plan. in year two. based on, pardon me, year three. For Jim McCarthy.
Right. Where year one was him and Sam Darnold made the best man win and then the injury gods. Made the decision for everybody. And then year two was: we're going to offer Sam something, but whatever the heck it was, it wasn't good enough for him to stay in a situation where he knew there was a kid right behind him.
Okay. Now, year three is what? Where. Where they bring in a veteran who's going to compete with them? It's what they intended to do last year.
When they did not get Sam Darnold back, and realistically, they knew someone was probably going to outbid them, even though the Seahawks offer was structured similarly. Plan B. was Daniel Jones Stace. What they didn't know was that Daniel Jones would choose to take a virtually identical offer and leave to go to the Colts.
Well, because he's in a situation where if he's competing with somebody who is already on a tenuous ground. With an opportunity to really get the job, why wouldn't he do that? J.J. McCarthy was 100% going to get. The runway to start.
Both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones chose the path least resistance. You're absolutely right about that. You don't have to look over your shoulder and go, here comes the kid. I would just tell you, the Vikings thought they were getting Daniel Jones back. They had the offer in place.
The Colts didn't do anything. And then what? Compete and then compete in the summer? And then compete with J.J. McCarthy and have that be the setup.
You're absolutely right. That Daniel Jones looks at that and goes, it's probably a matter of time until they go to the other guy. But remember, he did have to compete with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis to win that job as well. What I would say is, what the Vikings are going to do this year is what they intended to do a year ago, which is have a legitimate guy, a former starter, competing with J.J. McCarthy.
And they're optimistic that competitive environment is going to bring out the best in McCarthy. I would say the logical guys, and again, I believe the Vikings, all things equal, because the money doesn't matter. They're going to be able to get someone for a minimum salary if these guys get cut. The ones that make sense to me would be Kyler Murray. Coming in, he's played a ton.
He has not played in this offense.
So you get an opportunity to learn from Kevin O'Connell. And we know he's got playmaking ability. He's fully healthy now. Geno Smith would also make some sense as a compete guy. Because again, you can, at some point, you can turn it over.
Even if those guys are your starters out of the gate and they all play J.J. McCarthy, at some point you can turn it over. The idea of bringing in Aaron Rodgers, and if the season doesn't get off to a good start, you're not benching four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. You're having an open competition between Aaron Rodgers and J.J. McCarthy.
That's correct. I don't believe you can have an open competition between Kirk Cousins and J.J. McCarthy because you got thousands of fans pulling out their number eight jerseys because he is Kirk Cousins. And because I don't know that Kirk wants to come in and play for a minimum salary either. He's made a ton of money, as everybody knows.
It's what he's most famous for. I believe that a guy like Kyler or Geno. Makes a ton of sense to come in because you can have a truly level playing ground. You can choose the best quarterback. If JJ, who it sounds like is back healthy, he's working on a lot of things in this offseason, he's going to spend time with Justin Jefferson in this offseason, Justin Jefferson still believes in JJ McCarthy.
I can tell you that factually. He still believes in him. There have been a ton of bumps. J.J. McCarthy is much more in the Trey Lance Anthony Richardson category of we have no idea what he is right now than he is in the two-year, 34-stars, failed and not good enough.
Let me push back on that a little bit. Please. You know who you're talking to here, J.J. McCarthy. Lost one game in college.
One game in college. Two years. All right. I mean, Anthony Richardson had one, you know, year in Florida. And Trey Lance had a COVID year in one year at a certain level.
JJ has more experience. And has shown that he has the ability to make throws in big games at the collegiate level. As a professional, I understand he's in the same mix of a highly drafted first-round guy that you're wondering what he can possibly be. What I mean is, there's no reason for the Vikings to punt on a guy that organizationally there's a belief in. But aren't you punting on him by bringing in a veteran to potentially beat him out, which might actually happen because he is still green?
And then how do you, then when do you turn it over to him? In year four, when you got one more year of contractual control after you're going to be able to get it. You bring in a guy for a million dollars, essentially. If one of these guys gets cut loose, And you are setting it up for JJ to go out there and win the job. And then Kyler has an earbud in his ear in Minnesota?
Maybe you trade him. They did it last year. They traded for Sam Howell during the draft and then traded him to Philly. During camp and signed Carson Wentz. There was a lot of quarterback stuff in Minnesota last year, and some of it's got forgotten.
But the idea last year was to have JJ in a competitive situation. It didn't play out that way based on all these other things that happened that were somewhat out of their control. They want to have him in a competitive situation. They have a belief in JJ McCarthy. And you're absolutely right.
JJ is a highly accomplished college quarterback. But the point being, I don't think that we know in the NFL, there are way too many people who have memed JJ McCarthy. He has memed himself. On certain things as well. Referring to himself as nine, his alter ego is nine.
Which campaign bottle stuff? Every good. moment JJ McCarthy had last year was followed by something strange. First game, the comeback in Chicago, they win, he's fired up. has a baby on Thursday, misses practice, is watching tape in the hospital room, goes out and doesn't play well, and suffers an injury, misses six weeks, comes back against Detroit.
I was at that game. There is no one who's going to tell me that J.J. McCarthy who played in Detroit is a bust in the NFL. He was excellent. He was.
Didn't have to throw the ball a ton, but red zone, big situations. He was really, really good. Comes out the following Wednesday, talks about his alter ego.
Next week doesn't play as well. Then later he's got a concussion. Then he's got the wrist or hand thing. There were just, there's been so many bumps. But you would know, there have been other quarterbacks, Rich, that we've all covered, right?
And that we've all seen it take place. Where you're two years in, it's like. This guy. Come on. We can't.
This is not going to work. They don't feel like that in Minnesota. Kevin doesn't feel like that. Rob Brzezinski, who essentially is the interim GM, doesn't feel like that. What they're saying publicly matches what's being said privately.
So Justin Jefferson doesn't feel like that.
So why are they bringing in a veteran to compete? Why not just call him the starter? Because they want, A, they want to have options because he's not shown that he can be durable. They don't want to be signing Carson Wentz off the couch. At the cutdown deadline in August, and then having to play him.
They go to the playoffs last year if Carson Wentz doesn't get hurt, by the way. They're still a 9-8 team. They're not that good. Because Cars McCarthy came back and won football games. He came back and he played well.
Down the stretch at the moment. Max Brosmer playing is really what. Really crushed it. That's if Wentz doesn't get hurt, Brosmer in Seattle having to start a game where didn't Mooch predict he was going to throw for 500 yards? I don't think he threw for 50 in that game.
I know. But it's, listen, there's still a lot there with J.J. McCarthy, but there is something to be said for being in a competitive environment where every day. You're having to fight for the job. That's why some teams don't want to annoy people.
And the Vikings didn't want to. They're going to do this year what they intended to do a year ago. I got to throw it a break. Can you stick around one more second? Sure.
Okay. We're going to be right back. And, boy, I look very uncomfortable. I thought you looked pretty comfortable. I mean, you're going to be good.
I think the rockman's going to be a little bit more than a bit. All right, we're going to take a break. Tom's going to go through another wardrobe change. Don't go in here. I'm going to relax.
Stop watching this. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen show, Tom Pellisero here for a few more minutes. Let's, before I let you go, the trade that the Jets and the Titans made. What's the genesis?
Why would the Jets want to cough up a pass rusher? Because they got second overall. They're going to get somebody new there? That definitely gives him the ammo to go and replace Jermaine Johnson. But it's also this: he's 27.
He's an older fifth-year player because he was older coming out. He was due over $13 million on his fifth-year option. It probably wasn't a long-term fit for what they want to do with Aaron Glenn now running his defense and taking over the play calling. You got a guy in Robert Sala in Tennessee, Hi Ian, who's time. My viewer, my bad.
He wrote back: nice job on that trade, period. That was his text to me after. No, it was definitely a period. But anyway, so Robert Salazar. What do you want?
An exclamation point? I would like an exclamation point to show that he was.
Well, you get punctuation. He officially happened. happy for me when I break something. But Barbara Sala gets one of his favorites, Jermaine Johnson, back. And the Jets get, I mean, Tevandre Sweat is a top nose tackle, a huge space eater type of guy who is going to fit the way that Aaron Glenn wants to play in New York.
It goes back to what Kyle Bennoy was telling us. Is Eddie Brogan a train today? Oh, no, there's only been one so far. There's only been one.
Okay, so is it Starbucks? Yeah, yeah. Is this a Starbucks? Is this your fight on air? We had it out the other night over something else.
We're good now. You and Ian? Oh, yeah. Oh. There's occasional.
Oh, is that the Avengers thing? Yeah. I don't know, man. Just only a handful of Infinity Stones. I don't remember the part of Avengers where Iron Man ditched Ironheart and War Machine to go coddle up to Captain America.
But we all got business. This is real talk. Unbelievable. This is real talk. I am greedy.
The announcing is awful right now. You bet. Here he comes. He's got a trend mic. Is that what it is?
Ian, take a seat. It's as hard as you take a seat. I'd like to take a seat. I don't understand. You guys have prop mics?
We got it all working.
Now you don't need two microphone. This is like when old school artists were having like the Madonna mic and then when it's time to actually sing instead of lip singing, they hold the real mic. There you go, now you got that mic. Double fisting. There we go.
How many mics do I need? I've only seen that a few times this week from you. I drink beer. It's like drinking water. This is fantastic.
It's like Landman, where if you drink beer, you're basically nothing. It's not shocking boys. Right now. Huh? What's up?
Your finger. He doesn't even know what they don't even know what's going on. I don't even know what the Sunshine Boys are. Oh, really? You don't even know?
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So, Rich, are you aware that there's a well-known, successful general manager? in the NFL, who only refers to Pellocero as the Fons. And it is moments like this. It is moments like this. I just saw him actually.
The Fons? He only calls you the Fons, and this is why. He's going to be real excited. I was chatting with him last night. Yeah.
Loves my hair, too. Have you seen? You saw the AI, the me where AI turned me into Patrick Mahomes, right? Have you seen that? I think I sent that to you guys a while ago.
Fantastic. It was fantastic. AI can do some amazing things. Do we have it? You got one more time here?
Oh, you've seen it? I've not seen it. You've not seen it? I think we've established here that my Pop culture reach is limited. Oh.
I stick to it. Yeah, I stick to what I'm doing. I named a 70s movie just. You know, Sunshine Boys. I got a very small wheelhouse of movies I like.
And Tom probably hasn't seen most of them. Tom Pellisero here on the program. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
