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Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show right here in Los Angeles, California, on a very busy Tuesday in the sports world at the convergence of day two of NFL Free Agency and also the Awesome world baseball classic that's going on. The NBA season is beginning to get down to the nitty-gritty. And by the nitty- and the gritty, I mean right in Jokic's face. Lots to talk about on this program. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial right here on the program.
Whatever you want to talk about, we're here for chatting about it with you. Albert Breer, top vower number two from Sports Illustrated. He's going to tell us everything he knows about what we saw yesterday, what's going on today. Yesterday is expected a lot more active than what's going on on this day. Kyler Murray's still up for bids if anybody wants.
To go grab his services.
So that's just one name that's out there on the quarterback carousel still. Marcus Spears of ESPN will join us top of hour number two to give us his two cents on everything that we've seen and everything that's going down right now. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial, whether you're watching on Disney Plus or ESP on the app or listening to us on ESPN Radio, a SiriusXM Channel 80. How are you, Christopher Brockman? What's going on?
I'm excellent, man. Yesterday was so fun. I love the start of free agency each year. It's great. It looks so great.
Because you never know. And I do have a top five list of the top five biggest surprises of day one that's coming up. Good to see you over there, Jay Felly. How are you? I'm doing great.
Good to see you. I think you're the only one the Raiders didn't spend on yesterday. We're glad that you're still here. Good to see you. TJ Jefferson, what's going on, sir?
Hey, man, I'm just happy. Candles lit. We're happy here in our neighborhood as well. Please, again, phone lines, 844-204-Rich. We have time to chat with you.
We always do, but today in particular.
So, listen, free agency, as you're going to be able to do that. You pointed out, Chris, is very exciting, right? It's a day of renewal for fans who need hope. And it's also a day where rosters get built and Championships can get won. New beginnings.
For sure. For instance, let's just say. For instance, the day the Seattle Seahawks signed Sam Darnold after dispatching DK Metcalf and opening up a spot for Jackson Smith and Jigba and signed Cooper Cup. Would you say those were crucial pieces adding to Marcus Lawrence and free agency last year as well? Crucial pieces for a Seattle Seahawk Super Bowl run.
I think that anniversary is today. Signing Sam Darnold. There you go. Who knew? The needle was not moved at all.
We did.
So this is why you get excited. And so there's a difference between hunting and pecking for the right moves. And then obviously using your massive cap space that you have, perhaps because You're not very good. You don't have a lot of stars. You don't have a lot of draft choices that have hit that you feel the need that you have to re-sign your own.
and you are leveled down and starting from scratch. The top five teams that spent yesterday. Put it up on the screen if you wouldn't mind. Mike Hoskins, there you have it. The Raiders spent $281.5 million in total value contracts on day one of the money.
A free agency. The Titans are right behind them at $270 million. The Commanders at $1.47, the Colts at $134 million.
Now a lot of that belongs to Alec Pierce signing one of the richest contracts we've ever seen of somebody with one singular thousand yard season at the receiver position. And then you see the Saints at one hundred thirty two point seven million dollars. Other than the fact that they spent A lot of money. What do all these teams have in common? I think it's jumping off the screen at you.
Not a lot of wins. None of them made the playoffs last year, and the only team that had a shot at making the playoffs last year. Had the old first alert happen to them. They fell. and could not get up in Indianapolis.
And They Clearly think The reason why is because Their quarterback position Had an Achilles pop. at the absolute worst possible time, When they're back up, young Buck. Had already snapped a r band in his eye and Anthony Richardson causing them to Have to Get Philip Rivers out of the pickup line at school and say, What do you say? You want to play.
So they feel that these moves that they made signing one of their own and Alec Pierce. And any other moves that they did make are in support of a team that's ready to win now. The commanders are just two days two years removed from Or I guess would you say 17 very highly disappointed injury marred games away from almost making the Super Bowl.
Okay.
So positive way to look at it. And Conversely. There are Four teams Who didn't spend a dime on anyone else's free agent yesterday? Didn't bring in a single free agent from another team yesterday. And there are the Broncos, Eagles, Jaguars, and your defending Super Bowl champion, Seahawks.
The Packers were on this list. Overnight This morning we had to remove them because They signed from across the street Chargers cornerback Benjamin St. Juice. Juice, Juice. And That's not a bad pickup for Green Bay, but Only four teams.
Said, you know what? We'll lose some free agents. John Franklin Myers for Yeah. Denver. Of note, Philadelphia.
lost Jalen Phillips. To one of the richest contracts you'll ever see given out in free agency. But Howie Roseman's laughing because he gave up only an 87th overall pick to get. the top defensive end on the free agent market's best games. In the back end of the season for only $1.5 million.
And now he's going to get a comp pick right around. 87 overall. He's just, he's laughing. It was a million and a half bucks for Jalen Phillips for him. for half a season.
And he's gonna get it he's gonna get his pickback. The Jaguars really don't have any money to spend. They lost... Travis Etienne of note, and Devin Lloyd as well, in Seattle.
Okay.
Lost Kobe Bryant. Just to name one.
Okay.
Bob. There you go. Seahawks brought back Rashid Shaheed. They did bring back Rasheed Shaheed, which was a smart move on their part. Smart move.
And they lost, obviously, Kenneth Walker III. Right. And on that front You know, we'll hit that a little bit later about what I think of John Schneider's maneuvering in his first. Day of free agency defending his title. But that's the point here, folks.
is that You don't want to be Spending like a drunk sailor on shore leave on your first day of free agency. Because that means You don't have a lot of your own players to re-sign, and that means you gotta get, you gotta. You gotta get some in your house because you're down and you're out. You'd rather be the teams that are like, yeah, fine. Everyone else, spend your cap money.
We're good. We're good. That's just one sort of note. That said, Seattle. On this day last year, as you pointed out, Chris.
Got Sam Darnold. Added Cooper Cup. Let D K Metcalf walk. to um let him Give him the exit visas he was asking for. cut Geno Smith or send him obviously to um Vegas, which caught you know Smith this year.
So You'd like to be in that position of just hunting and pecking for the right moves. As opposed to spending. like you've just seen. Mm.
some of these teams spend on Monday. That said. If you are a team like the Raiders. And you have the first overall pick. And you sent away.
You're lion-hearted. Defensive and an SAC master. for another first overall pick. And You've hardly got a darn other thing on the team, with the exception of, notably, A tight end, a running back, and a tackle. And I know I'm potentially denigrating others who are pretty darn good at their jobs in Vegas, but didn't have the circumstances surrounding them to succeed.
What do you do when you've got a bunch of cap space again coming into Monday? The number one team with the amount of cap space in the National Football League were, in fact, the Las Vegas Raiders, who had the most of any other team. North of a hundred million bucks. the Vegas Raiders had. And at the end of the day, On Monday When all The trading was done.
Okay.
And the machines could not be turned back on. Hmm. And the frozen concentrated orange juice in Las Vegas, Nevada had already been. Bought and sold and bought again. The Raiders are toasting each other about feeling good and looking good.
Because the names that they brought in are pretty darn good young football players in this league. And if they had the cap space to pay for them, They said, screw it, we're going to do it. Tyler Linderbaum is. Number one on that list. A plus plus.
A three-year, $81 million deal for the kid At age 25, you're getting a 25-year-old center. The reason why he was available. Is because the Ravens last year decided when they had the chance to not pick up his fifth-year option, which would have been about $23 million, which would have on the spot. made them the highest annually paid center in the business, and they made a business decision. We're gonna let this kid potentially walk.
We're going to let this kid potentially go. And Lose Somebody who is part of our terrific run game and our terrific pass game. And At age twenty-five, he becomes a Las Vegas Raider right in his prime. And what did we see last year? How many times did Geno Smith take the snap?
And before he turns around on his play action, somebody's in his lap, right up the middle. How many times do we see Ashton Genty in His pre-snap pose that They finally let him do out there in Vegas. Chip Kelly's finally like, yeah, okay. We'll let you go it the way that you you want it to go. The way that we got you here.
from the blue turf. How many times did he get hit before? He could move an inch. Every single time. Right.
So, Linderbaum. Great move. And you have more cap space than anybody. And he's the most sought-after center and interior lineman in free agency by far, by a wide margin. You're like...
We're gonna We're gonna Do what they do here at the table at the poker tables when everyone else is more short-stacked than you. We're shoving. We're going to bully everyone in the out of the market and they did. Mm-hmm. Money is for.
That is what the money is for. By the way, a great free agent drop. You know what else the money is for?
Okay.
you're going to get a weapon for your new kid quarterback. Who, by the way, needs a strong center in front of him, too. That's the other point of it. Forget about blocking for your running back and also protecting your quarterback better than you did last year. Quarterback that you're bringing in is the most precious commodity you can get.
And also to hook him up with a 25-year-old. They're practically age peers. Jalen Naylor. You know, you could sit here and say Um bigger names on a free agent market.
Well he's a peace. And he's a player and he can ball out.
Now the other ones. You're adding Nicoby Dean and Quay Walker to your linebacking corps. Again, young. And now finally in their careers. Paid?
In the case of Nicoby Dean, I mean, his injury coming out of college, his injury that he suffered while in Philadelphia. He's paid Quay Walker paid Quiddie pay. I guess he's paid. He's quitty paid. I got quitty pay.
Pass rush, guys in the front, front seven. Nice moves. I mean, you gotta sit here. I know he went higher register, but you've gotta sit here. and say hey You know, this is exactly the type of maneuvering.
You need to do with your money. You don't pay somebody who's on contract three. Or even contract two. You pay somebody who's on contract one who has shown enough of a. Resume.
That you feel smart betting on them. But again, Nobody enlists contracts nobody On this day, where they spent 281 million bucks on total contract dollars. Signed longer than a three-year deal. Nobody. Which means in the world of the NFL, this is a these are like a two-year Booksie.
Now If it all works and it all hits, you know, two in two. Free agency periods from now, John Spytek's going to have some tough decisions to make, but at least it's going to be coming off of some success. These are all smart bets. They're smart bets. Again, even Linderbaum is 60 million guaranteed.
It's a lot to give to a center, but he's 25 and he's also. Made the Pro Bowl three years in a row. The last Raven lineman to do that was Marshall Yonder. Who did it six times in a row? Good moves.
I like what they did. Good moves. Agree. You know what I mean? It's smart, young.
Players again, Nicoby Dean is his ask anybody who roots for Georgia. That guy, that kid is smart and he is a leader. These are the, this is the, this is good stuff. It's certainly Certainly if you're going to be um You know, sending your Clear clubhouse leader to Baltimore.
So. Good stuff.
Now then, I have you. Oh, they pulled you back in?
Okay, great. This guy was ready to sign the slip yesterday. It was a wrap yesterday. There's nowhere else to go. Which is an officer in a gentleman line.
I got no idea. You were going to give your DOR to the Raiders. Listen.
Okay.
TJ Jefferson. Yes, sir. Nicobe Dean is a good player. I like him. The Kobe Dean.
The Kobe Dean. Good Dean. Good Dean. Better than Dean Martin. Oh, well, really?
No, the one from back to school. Hey. Listen.
He had a choice apparently. To go to the Vegas Raiders. or the Dallas Cowboys. My colleague, our colleague, your colleague, Jane Slayer. What up, Jane?
She said that it was a competitive market, and Dallas was actually very competitive in said market for the former Eagle. He was one of their five Zooms allowed. I'm told their offer was similar to the Raiders, but ultimately he went with his gut feeling. But he was told he could have seen himself in both places, and it was 51-49 margin, but the Raiders won this one. at least tells you Dallas is trying, is what she said.
Your thoughts on the Raiders being a better gut-feeling choice? For this young man, than Dallas. TJ Jefferson, the floor is yours. I mean, how can I seriously address that? Please, I don't know.
You must. You must. I'm asking you to, please. I don't know everything that was going through with Nicobi Dean, Brock?
Okay, very good. Wow. I don't know everything that was going through his head. You know, maybe the system was better for his skill set. I don't know, tax-wise.
Maybe that had something come into play. Look, man, if tax-wise, isn't Dallas a Yeah, an income tax-free state? Taxes were the same. Taxes are the same. It's called apples to apples, sir.
I don't know what to call it. I'm not a CPA. I don't even play one on TV. But if he feels like Oakland or Oakland to me, Jesus is a better fit for disrespect. Is real.
Good luck to him. Good luck to Jason Feller and the Raiders. Look, we're building something in Dallas that, I mean, as a longtime fan, I'm pretty happy about. And if he didn't want to be a part of that, hey, it's all good. I'm not going to sit here and besmirch the man's name.
I don't know if that's what you want. No, I don't want that. But. Look. He could have been a person, something special.
All right. You won't do it. Let me do it. What were they really thinking? Please, please.
I usually do this for coaches that drop. Please, Jason Feller, what were they really thinking? I normally do it for coaches on a podium or a general manager at a podium or a player. at a locker room. I've never done it for TJ before.
But what was TJ really thinking? What was TJ really thinking? This is even better. That's what I'm saying. This is fantastic.
Do you have it, please? There we go. What were they really thinking? Okay, TJ, you're too nice. Are you kidding me, Nicobe Dean?
This is me as TJ. Nikobe, are you kidding me? Did you see what just happened in Vegas? Did you see what just happened in Dallas? You know what happened in Dallas.
You see us twice a year. You know, you know we almost came in your house on the opening night. If uh C D didn't Lose the ball in the lights, or whatever the hell it was, I'm going to give him a break because I'm a big-time Dallas Cowboy fan. I've. I went I I grew up in The East Coast.
Thank you. Despite, you know, being in the western part of Pennsylvania. But listen. Are you kidding me? Nicoby Dean chooses the Raiders over the Dallas Cowboys, America's team, the varsity.
That all we need is a defense, all we need is somebody who knows the division, all we need is somebody like Nicobe Dean to join us. And get behind? Quinn and Williams? Were you getting behind in In Vegas, who's gonna clear the space for you to do your thing? What are you out of your mind?
Was that tough? It was tough for me where I'm caping for the Dallas Cowboys. That was tough. That was as professional as I could possibly be. Poll question: Who will have the better 2026?
Cowboys or it's not even close. It's the Raiders. Dak is your quarterback. CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens. Look, I treat this like.
Come on, man. Remember Hayward we were talking about Aaron Rodgers? Like, it's the it it's the Steelers. If you want to play with us, fine. If you don't, don't.
If you want to come to the Cowboys, great. If you don't, go to the Raiders. Running back, who are you taking? Running back, who are you taking? Oh, I'll take Javante Williams.
Over Ashton Gentees. He had a much better season than Ashton Genties. Imagine if he's a good person. He's got a much better line in front of him. Come on.
Exactly. Are you ready?
Now that the Raiders are spending, who's got a better quarterback? They got the best center. Can we see what Mendoza is going to look like? He's not going to be better than Dak Prescott. I don't know about that, man.
You do know. I don't know about that.
Well, if you don't know about that, Dak has been underachieving basically his entire career, save one season. He's doing the assistant playoff choke artist, Dak Prescott. We just saw Mendoza turn in one of the best college seasons in recent memory. Heisman Natty undefeated. How many players have done that in the history of college football?
Cam Newton? That's probably it. Joe Burrow? That's it, right? Just to stream, those guys were pretty good pros.
Brock Bowers is probably 1B tight end in the national football. I would take Bowers over McBride? No, Ferguson. Oh, I'm just talking about in the whole league. By the way, I was trying to rile you up by saying what you were really thinking.
I think he's trying to rile you up with what he's really thinking. Give me Raider Nation. Take them. I'm enjoying this. I refuse to be riled up in the middle of.
Hey, Max Crossbow, you don't want to be here? See you later. Guess who? We're going to take at 13. A starter and probably a Pro Bowl guy.
Wide receiver one is going to be there. Edge rusher is going to be there for the Raiders with the Ravens pick at 14 to go with Mendoza and Brock Bauer. I like what they do. Ash and Genti, awesome offensive line. Revamp the defensive look.
Oh, and do I need to even mention that Tom Brady is in charge? Tom Brady, guess what? Raider Nation is fine. Raider Nation is going to be sniffing playoffs this year. Better than the Cowboys.
10 wins. Book it. Spoken like a man who loves going to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he's actually, I'll say it, gonna get married. Thank you. Looking for a free roll.
Now I'm talking over there.
Now we're talking about that. He's looking for a free roll at a nice hotel. Come on. He wants to roll in on his wedding weekend like he is Elvis entering the building. That was great.
Yes. You know what? If I'm a Raiders fan, I'm slip back and I'm going to play that fella. You should play that and put that on top of your Instagram and your Twitter. That's all great.
That was tremendous performance, Ark. You deserve some type of award for that. But nothing that you said there is going to make me feel that Fernando Mendoza is a better quarterback today or by the end of year one than Dak Prescott. You who sit over there and always say, oh, Dak's underrated. People crap on Dak.
Like. You don't even believe those things that you just got done saying. It sounded great, though. Fabulous. That was great for the two minutes that it went.
At Rich Eisen, is that where the poll question is? At Rich Eisen Show right now. 80-20 Dallas. Raiders. 80-20 Dallas by the end of the show.
Cowboys. 8020s is because Feller has five burner accounts. He's going to go to all those. What is Burner accounts? 17 and oh, man.
But yeah, that sounded tremendous. Let's take a break. You got rigged. I love it. We're off and running here on this program.
Top five biggest surprises of day one of NFL Free Agency. I've got that. And your phone calls. Phone lines are lit. Go figure that.
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All right, everybody. Back here on the program, 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. Let us go to Donald in Mississippi. What's up, Donald? Uh oh.
Donald, are you there? Three, forgot me, but I'm here. What's going on? What's up? Hey.
Uh yeah, just talking about my Dallas Cowboys. Uh You know, uh, I like what they did on the first day of signing Thompson from the Arizona Cardinals. and trading for Gary who can play As an edge wrestler and uh stand-up outside linebacker, uh, but also a lot of things that people are not talking about that. If George Pickens is offered by one of the teams in the first round to have two draft picks and we don't match the offer, then they would have to give us those two first round picks giving us four in the first round. We could then take one of those six trade down and get additional just capital.
and be at our defense up to be back in the playoffs. And try to get in the NFC championship, get up for the first time. I hear you, Donald. And I was saying that just last week, even that end of the day, End of the day.
Okay.
The Dallas Cowboys can 100% get all of their defensive ducks in a row. and off they go. 'Cause the offense is set. Offense is absolutely set. You add a little piece here or there in the draft.
You hit that right. You get the offensive line even, maybe a little bit even more short up. You're you're You're golden. That's why I kind of don't get the whole McCoby Dean aspect. of it here.
Other than the fact that, you know, bless him, he could potentially, thanks for the call, Donald, just feel that. Um Vegas is a a better spot. Where he could build from the ground up. I don't know. Um But the Dallas Cowboys, 100%, have the right QB, running back, tight end, wideouts.
The line could be short up a little bit.
Now on the defensive front, Quinn and Williams Rashawn Gary Kenny Clark. Come on now. That's pretty damn good. I mean, that is better when they were this time last year. We're wondering what's going on with Micah, how are you going to sign him?
So 100%. Dallas is doing the right thing right now. And, you know, Nicobi Dean next to Overshone would have been a pretty damn nice front seven.
So they've got some draft choices still. They didn't trade any of them. For Crosby. And then went Rashawn Gary instead for a fourth. I mean, next year.
Yeah.
So not even this year. It'll be doing great. I mean, look, I like what we're doing. We still have time to get better. I'm not sweating this at all.
Right. 844-204-Rich, number to dial right here on the program. We'll take some more of our calls in a minute. I've got a top five list, everybody. Top five most surprising moves of free agency day one.
Hit it. Hit it, please. At five, one, two, three, four, five. Riches, top five. Here are my top five surprising moves of free agency day one, presented by Hyundai.
Number five on the list, moving up to one, is in this day and age, in this world. In a world where supposedly running backs are a dime a dozen, doesn't matter. You could draft one, suddenly you're going to draft and get somebody in the seventh round. I mean, you can go to the Rutgers seventh round shopping store and pick yourself up a running back, apparently. Pacheco one year, Monongai another.
But there was a massive run on running backs in day one. Uh I have a list here in front of me. I'll show it to you, the NFL network, crack staff, crack research staff. Sent out a 120-page document to all of us about free agency. And they have every position broken down top free agents at the position.
There's only one position where the top five players. went off the board. At the free agent position, and it's running backs, Kenneth Walker, the third, Travis Etn. Kenneth Gainwell, Rico Dowell, and Tyler Algier, all gone.
Now, this may be. An indication of what the NFL front offices feel. about the running back drafting. The running back group in the draft. That may be part and parcel of like, let's get ourselves the free agents now.
Pay them a little bit more than what we're used to paying the running back position because we're not getting one in the draft. They may have looked at what they saw in Indianapolis. and said we are going in the free agency market. Certainly, when you take a look. Also, at the fact that the teams on this list that snagged running backs.
Um are Both New Orleans and Kansas City, eight and nine. thinking The running back group is so poor. That there's no question Jeremiah loves going top five. We're not going to get him at eight or nine. We better go to the free agent market now.
But outside of all of, This draft talk How about the running backs getting paid in free agency?
Now, again, they're not being paid nearly as much as, say, Alec Pierce or anybody else. But A run on free agents in day one, top five. Free agents. At the running back position, all gone. Number four on the list.
Is the Carolina Panthers boosted their front seven in a big Bad way. Wow. Max. Jalen Phillips. goes to Carolina.
For a four-year $120 million total value, $30 million annual per year contract with the Panthers. That's the largest contract given out on day one in both total value and APY. And he is, Jalen Phillips is. The first non-quarterback in NFL history to get an annual Perfect. Annual per year average of thirty million.
An APY. Of 30 million plus. He's the first non-quarterback to ever. Get that. And then...
At the end of the day, Carolina says, you know what we're going to do? We're going back in and we're getting Devin Lloyd three years for $45 million. After his superb year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, that was quite a day for the Carolina Panthers front seven. Not too shabby on all of that mix. Number three on the and by the way, not too bad either for a team that coming into.
free agency Uh As of 8 o'clock Eastern on March 9th. The Panthers had only 8.6 million in cap space. Go figure.
Okay.
All right. So they got it done on their front seven with the cap space that wasn't nearly as vast. As one would think for a spree like that. Number three. of most surprising moves of free agency day one.
Miami's quarterback to affirm.
Okay now. Because not only do they deadcap tour, to the tune of 99 million in change. But then they're the ones who also get Malik Willis too. And they're like, we don't care. We are taking our medicine.
and hope that he is the spoonful of sugar that helps it go down. You know, that right there is an aggressive day. That if it works out for Miami, we can look back on day one of free agency and say, that's the moment. The Dolphins finally figured it out. when they got really aggressive.
Because at the end of the day, of yesterday. How about this? Chris, you can add it up. You're my math guy. Let's do it.
22.5 and 1.25. That's $23.75 million. Yes, sir. Add that to the number 54, and you get what, Chris? 54, you get, let's see, 77.75 million dollars.
That's how much the Dolphins are paying their quarterback position in 2026. 54 million goes to Tua. Guaranteed. And Malik Willis gets a $22.5 million signing bonus, and his salary for 2026 is just $1.25 million. By the way, you want to take a look at the rest of his contract.
His 27 salary is $21.5 million. He's got a signing, but he's got a roster bonus in 2028 of $2 million, which is nothing. And then a salary in 2028 of 20 and a half million bucks. If this kid's the real thing, They can somehow, some way figure it out with their new coach, new GM, draft well, and they have a path to be the next Denver Bronco. Type run where they deadcap their quarterback to an insane amount of money.
But get the right young quarterback, pay him a certain way. And you make the playoffs and you go on a run anyway. I know I just went higher register. But that was pretty that was. Listen, I know everybody thought Tua is going to get cut, and it's entirely possible that Malik Willis shows up there, but they did it.
They actually did it. Number two on the list of top five surprising moves of free agency day one. Alec Pierce is getting paid how much? For real. What?
Dude. We were still talking about that yesterday after the show. I mean, Alec Pierce is getting paid how much money? He's 25 years old, okay, and he's a second-round draft choice.
Okay.
By the way. 25-year-old second-round draft choice.
Sound also once upon a time. Described A.J. Brown, D.K. Metdaff, Debo Samuel, just to name a few, right? He's entering his fifth NFL season.
But here's the thing. Um He made 3.6 million bucks last year. And it's only as He just finished his only thousand yard. Season. That's it.
No Pro Bowls, no nothing else. 1,000 yard season, and it was last year. His career stats, just 157 catches, his entire career. That's it. 17 receiving touchdowns.
You, Chris, keep saying, why are you paying anybody because it's a market value deal? Really? You're like, why don't you just let him walk and you can draft somebody else? You say that all the time at the quarterback position. This is that for wide receiver.
We'll see what he does. We'll see what he does. They sure as heck did, man. Stay sure as Heck did with Alec Pierce.
Now, he does have the most receptions of 40 or more yards since 2024. 12. The ones behind him are named Chase, Smith, and Jigba, Jameson Williams, and Nico Collins.
Now that's up there with some of the top, right? Most yards per reception since 2024, minimum of 75. He's tops 21. 0.8 yards per catch. The other ones are named Jameson Williams, Calvin Ridley, George Pickens, and Nico Collins.
So Would he get $116 million, right? And he has 157 career catches. That's $730,000 per career catch, DJ. Wrong business. I mean, gay, man, next year he's wide receiver one.
He'll get a chance to earn that money. Just saying. One last note for you here. Pierce is the ninth player since 1970 with six or more receiving touchdowns and 20 or more yards per reception in consecutive seasons. The first to do it, the last one to do it.
My goodness gracious. James Lofton with the Packers in the 83-84 seasons. Hall of Famer, James Lofton. Oh boy, it's on. Number one, the most surprising move.
of free agency day one is without a doubt. Mike Evans, San Francisco 49er. Yeah.
Okay, like the fact that he left Tampa at all. The fact that he's like, I am. Ah! Uh 100%. thinking about other things than being A receiver that plays for one team for an entire career, which is a rarity.
in that Bust room in Canton, and he's just like, Yeah, I want to see where else I'm going. I want to see where else I can go, and I'm going to San Francisco, and I'm going to try and ring chase one more time in my final few years. You know, the same way that Nicobie Dean went with his gut and said, I'm a Raider over a cowboy. He clearly's like, I'm going to go with my gut. and say I'm a niner.
over a buccaneer. And This is interesting. I've got this number for you here in terms of Mike Evans figuring his. His future out. Um, his tweet also went with his wallet, potentially.
I mean, was Tampa gonna pay him 20 million a year? Is $21.1 million APY is the fourth, he becomes the fourth wide receiver in history to get a $20 million or better APY, signing with a new team and free agency. The others are named Stefan Diggs last year with New England, Devontae Adams last year with the Rams, and two years ago, Calvin Ridley with $23 million APY for the Titans. That's it. And that's my number one shocker.
He's a niner. Crazy. A niner going into a deep end of the pool. I understand. I said ring chasing.
It's easier to win your division in a division where you can be eight and nine and potentially win it, as opposed to going into the division with the defending Super Bowl champs and the Rams. And now the Niners obviously get Mike Evans hit it. I got one more. I do have one more. All right, we'll get one more.
You ready for this one? Yes, sir. All right, the one more Atlanta kings of the NFC South. Pause. Look at you.
Turning a phrase. Pause. Two assigns with the Atlanta Falcons. He does. And I said last week: you know what?
Him being a backup is concerning because you don't usually want your backup to be the lefty. And I understand when I said that, when your starters are righty and your backup's a lefty, because again, the ball spins a different way. It is an adjustment. You made a great argument. It is an adjustment you have to make as a receiver to catch the ball.
And you want to do that midstream, no matter how many times you might practice with the guys who catch it from you. And I got some answers back on the comments.
Well, Rich Steve Young was a lefty behind Joe Montana. Yeah, I get it. Sure, you just don't usually want that.
So, guess what? The Falcons did. They're like, our starter's a lefty? Let's get a lefty. If you're wondering, the last NFL team to have two left-handed quarterbacks attempt to pass in the same season.
Last time that's happened. The 1997 Jaguars. who had Mark Brunel and Steve Matthews. And before that, The only other teams were the Bengals in the late... 80s, early 90s.
Eric Wilholm and the very apt named Boomer. the Siacin, since he's talking quite a bit like one lately. Hi, Boomer. The Raiders in the mid-70s, Ken Stabler and David Hum. Remember David Hum?
No.
Okay.
He was lefty. Oh. Um and now comes uh Pennex and Tua.
So That's your top five most surprising moves of day one of NFL Free Agency brought to you by Hyundai. Get into the Hyundai Getaway sales event and get away with a deal so right. It almost feels wrong. Visit hyundaiusa.com for details. We take a break, phone calls, and so much more when we return.
And Albert Breer is just 13 minutes away with the latest and free agency: The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Back here on ESPN Radio talking about how, you know, I love the. Kenneth Walker signing for the Chiefs. Kareem Hunt was, in fact, their last thousand-yard rusher. In 2017, as a rookie.
Oh, no way, really. You know what? Yeah, so let's get Pat somebody who's gonna. Ron the rock and let's commit to it. Let's commit to it.
Let's get this guy downhill. Could you imagine what a Chiefs team would look like if Mahomes only throws it 25 times in a game and they still win? Let's go. Interesting. By the way, certainly if the defense is losing some players and you're trying to retool that side too.
I don't know, and you in vit you trust, you know, in vit you trust. For sure. Kelsey's not busting the budget. It's a one-year, $12 million deal he's signing for, worth every penny. If you're the Chiefs.
Worth every penny, And I kind of dig it. Like, let's commit to the run, can we? Not like just, oh, yeah, he's going to run.
Well, we've got our first 15. Look at me. potentially even denigrating Andy Reid's choices. Remember Eric Bianca? What did it sometimes?
Like, let's run it. Oh, right. I forgot about that. Let's run it. No, I mean Ken best be ready to be coached really hard.
It'll get handled when it gets handled. Yeah.
I love it. I love the idea. Let's go. Let's even add in let's add more.
Now all we got the running backs. Let's go. What's going on? It's been since 2017. Come on now.
You think Ken goes for a thousand? Why not? Let's go. Why not is not an answer. Probably not.
The Chiefs have not had a thousand-yard rushing season from somebody, not because somebody's not able to or competent enough, they just don't commit. They don't commit. Walker had 1,027 last year. Great! Let's go!
Kareem Hunt had 1327 as a rookie. Kareem Hunt was nice. Let's get them. That's the longest.
Now, why we got the must. It's our one in the books here on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
