REShow: Geno Smith - Hour 2

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You in? Earlier on the show, senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. Coming up, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.

Plus, latest news and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Ah yes, welcome to our number two of the Rich Eisen Show, live on the air here in Los Angeles, California on the Roku channel.

This Rich Eisen Show terrestrial radio affiliate smart enough to have a serious XM odyssey and more. We are still in a world in which Zach Wilson's the starting quarterback of the New York Jets at this very moment. Wondering when Aaron Rodgers might actually make the seemingly obvious official. But he's still out there and we're waiting and the new league year begins on Wednesday at 4 Eastern Time and he has said that that is when he would make a decision by which he would make a decision. He did say that it was a decision he would make on his football future. I think he's decided to keep playing. Unless he just turns around and says thanks for knocking on Mazard's door and knocking on Cobb's door jets and thanks for flying out to have me over, you know, have me out to dinner and thanks for wanting me but I'm done playing and I'll leave 60 million dollars on the table.

Get out of here, as we would say in New York, forget about it. Hopefully he makes the obvious official soon. So, there's so much out there that it's already a done deal or what have you.

We'll place that aside and we'll stay in the wait and see mode. Geno Smith, speaking of former Jets quarterbacks, he's joining us in less than 20 minutes time. New, fangled, nine figure if he makes every single dollar contract for Geno Smith.

So, congratulations to him and what he has been able to affect and change in his life. He said to us when we spoke to him before the first game of the year, the Monday night home date with Denver and Russell Wilson, that don't call it a comeback. Don't call this a comeback. Well, he now returns to the show as the comeback player of the year, which is normally given out to somebody who comes back from an injury. He just came back from the bench. Anyway, he's going to be joining us in 18 minutes time.

Phone lines are lit. Love it. 844-204-rich number to dial to have a chat with us. Let's talk Lamar Jackson. We spoke about it with Albert Breer in hour number one. His market doesn't look great as he gets set to hit the restricted free agent market on Wednesday. He can speak to any team that wants his services at four o'clock Eastern time on Wednesday, as long as they've got a first round pick in both drafts in 2024 and 2025, because that's what would be required to give to Baltimore. If Baltimore looks at the offer sheet you signed Lamar Jackson to and says, we pass, we'll just take a first in 2024 and a first in 2025. So technically, you need to have those in your back pocket just to sign Lamar to an offer sheet. And thus, I would imagine just to talk to him.

That happens at four Eastern time on Wednesday. Right now in the negotiation window, you can talk to any unrestricted free agent. As we know, Lamar is restricted with a franchise tag that allows him to seek his market, because the Ravens and him have not been able to come to an agreement on a long term deal.

And the Ravens told Lamar, you go find it yourself. You seek your market, even though the market is definitely depressed by the fact that it costs two ones to sign him. And also, one would think, his monetary demands. As the story goes, he wants Deshaun Watson's contract. $230 million, all guaranteed.

And that contract's already been unworkable, deemed unworkable. Just one year in, because the Browns and Watson redid it. I mean, Watson, I imagine, will still get every penny. But they redid it so the Browns have more cap room this year. Well, Adam Schefter went on his pod and said that the Ravens, prior to last season, offered him a contract, $133 million due at signing, guaranteed. Also had injury guarantees that brought the guarantees to $175 million. And then they had what he called a springing guarantee that could have brought the value of the contract, the guaranteed money of the contract, to $200 million, saying that that was the situation. So quote unquote, so those really were the guarantees for Lamar Jackson. That got tweeted out by a Twitter account called at Be More Beatdown, Baltimore Beatdown. They're talking about their favorite team, the Ravens. Well, that caught Lamar Jackson's eye on Twitter today, because he tweeted a GIF of somebody giving the look of, yeah, right. Is that what you would call that? That GIF of, forget it, that's not true.

That ain't happening. He didn't turn it down. However, he did then string the tweet of that GIF to a tweet saying, 133 over three years fully guaranteed, but I need an agent, question mark. And then finished up by saying people throw poop emoji at the wall and hope it stick.

Leave that up for a second if you don't mind, Mr. Hoskins. So if you read these tweets, this is the 21st century, right? I mean, this is straight from the newsmaker himself. So that means it's not true that he turned down 200 million in guaranteed. And it is true that he was offered 133 over three years because he says, I got that on my own, so you think I need an agent, huh?

Because as you know, that has been the major criticism. He doesn't have an agent. So right now there's nobody working a back channel for him because you can't contact the player. He's currently not allowed to be contacted until four Eastern time. So there is no agent doing the groundwork right now to find out what the market will be or drum it up.

Drum it up. Because he's representing himself. That's 44 million a year. So that's his point. So now then, if he turned that down because he says, I don't need an agent, right? Am I reading that right?

To use the Tyree Kill phrase that pays here, because... I think he's making fun of everyone who says he needs an agent. Right.

By confirming that he's turned down $133 million, guaranteed? Am I reading this right? Correct? I think so.

Okay. Thus, do we also read into it that $200 million guaranteed, he wouldn't turn that down. Because that's crazy.

But that's not true. Meaning what? The Ravens didn't offer him that. And thus, do we read into the fact that he would accept that or he would entertain that? Or he's just rejecting that the Ravens didn't reach that number, thus giving him pause to sign it, agree to it? I don't know. Am I reading that right? I'm not sure.

So is he just saying that it's not true, people just throw it out there as if it's true? Meaning if I'm the Colts, because again, put up on the screen, Mr. Hoskins, what we believe based on the fact, if you don't have two firsts in the next two drafts, and you don't have a generationally talented quarterback already, and you do have a quarterback that you pay a ton of money to, or you've just signed a quarterback, like say Seattle or the Giants or the Saints, we believe this is the remaining market for Lamar Jackson. And even the seven teams that we have on the screen with the Jets and the Falcons being two teams that the Jets are clearly in on Aaron Rodgers. Could they be in on Lamar if Rodgers does final, does he'll turn?

Maybe. Falcons just signed Taylor Heineke to a two year deal. He could say, Rich, so what?

Well, so what? It was it was $20 million. And they also signed Jesse Bates as safety for 60.

I mean, you can read the tea leaves on how they're building their roster. The commanders head coach, Ron Rivera, told Sherri Burress of NFL Network, she mentioned on her reporting multiple times when I was on the Free Agency Frenzy show hosting it on NFL Network yesterday, she spoke to Ron Rivera, who said, We are not in on Lamar. And then you look at the Texan second overall, are they flipping that? To Baltimore for Lamar, or are they going to draft C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young and go to work with a kid starting from scratch with a new head coach starting from scratch?

I think that's it, too. So you put this put it up on the screen again, if you don't mind, Mike. So you remove the Jets, Houston Falcons commanders. You were three teams that could knock on Lamar's door tomorrow. Titans, Colts and Bucks. And the Bucks have Kyle Trask and $35 million of dead Tom Brady money on their cap.

I don't think they're going in that direction either. Are the Titans and Colts doing it? Let me just choose the Colts.

Because they're sitting fourth overall. And they might not get the quarterback they want. If I'm a Colts and I read these tweets, I make up a contract. $200 million guaranteed. That's not the full contract, but do it and send it across the table. Lamar, you say it was not true that you turned down $200 million.

Well, here it is. Do you turn this down to come play for the Indianapolis Colts? And if you do, we are happy to flip the fourth overall selection and our first next year. We are off this train of revolving doors of veteran quarterbacks that disintegrate in front of our eyes behind a line that doesn't protect them well enough. We're done with it. So one way that, you know, you don't worry about the protection of the line is if your quarterback's out the gate anyway. And we got Pittman, we got Pierce, we got Jonathan Taylor.

We got a team here. You know, can't be too far off on the cap number if you can make sure it's not all guaranteed. You figure it out, you fit them in. And you send it to Lamar and say, you didn't turn down $200 million? Well, turn this down.

He just, in my mind with the tweet, said a number. If I'm sitting in a front office somewhere and I'm inclined to do this. And the other part about signing him to an offer sheet is, as Albert Breer pointed out, and it's true, a team will lift the kimono on their current quarterback situation by going in Lamar's direction with an offer sheet. And you don't want to do that to a quarterback that's young on your team that you say you've believed in for two, three years and the locker room is bought into. Suddenly you're like, OK, we're going to go in a completely different direction and give the richest contract in the history of the franchise to somebody that's never played it down here. Sorry, everybody that's waiting in line for their enriching deal.

It does create a problem. But there is no quarterback in Indianapolis to piss off right now. And you have a new head coach that just showed what he can do with Jalen Hurts. What can he do with Lamar?

These are all things that I'm sitting around thinking about when I see these tweets. Lamar just set a price. 200 million guaranteed. I didn't turn that down.

There's my GIF of saying, get out of here, big cap, big cap, big cap, big hat. So that's what I take from all this. And Lamar has got to read the writing on the wall. As far as I'm concerned, there's two teams. All it takes is one, but there's two teams that are quarterback needy.

That are going to be knocking on his door unless it's one of those that blow your mind. Like, say, the Vikings, would they do that? I mentioned a whole bunch of teams that would blow your mind. Rich, this is the NFL. To Lamar. Would something that blew your mind surprise you?

No, it wouldn't. This is the fame hell going on month. March is the hell going on month. I think we should lean towards that maybe. I don't know what a team that blow your mind for going for them. Dallas. I mean, Arizona. Instead of trading down and getting all them picks for the third overall pick, you get Lamar and you tell, hey, does the team want to convalesce in Kyler?

I don't think that that is a position of strength. I don't think they do it. The Vikings, they swap one quarterback that they pay fully guaranteed to another one that's paid like a Major League Baseball pitcher. The Packers after all this. The Bears after trading down and out. The Lions, the Patriots, the Steelers.

I don't think this is happening. I think there's two teams and I don't think the Titans are interested in that either. But if I'm the Colts, I don't know. I know Baltimore already hates the Indianapolis Colts for many reasons.

You're going to start another flood future. But for them to basically stick the Ravens with a big fat 200 million dollar tab or you get Lamar Jackson instead of rolling the dice on Will Levis potentially? For a fan base that watched basically the movie Cocoon play out at the quarterback position over the last three years?

Minus Jessica Tandy, of course. You would think having Jonathan Taylor would make that really enticing, right? I don't know if they're going to have it in them to do that. They don't have the fortitude? I don't know if they have the fortitude. I mean, you don't look Chris Ballad in the face and say you don't have the fortitude. No, I just don't think that anybody wants to go in the direction of spending that much money on the quarterback position.

But it's the most important position on the field. I get it. But there's enough question marks that to from the way he finished the last two years to what does he really want to how do you get to him? You know, I guess you dial up his phone and then and then how much does he want? I would make the call if I'm the Colts. That's for damn sure. At four Eastern Time, I call up what I'm assuming is what a 305 code number.

Not to peg it, but. Oh, yeah, probably. That's the my is that the Miami area code? Yeah, five is Miami.

So, I mean, it's a three old school Miami. So I'm I'm the Colts. I do it. Let's take a break. Gino Smith, then your phone calls.

We have an entire third hour open. So everybody on hold, stay on hold. We will take your phone calls while we wait for Aaron Rodgers to become the next quarterback of the Jets. A quarterback, what, four removed is now with Seattle Gino Smith when we come back. Youth football is all about style and fun, and the NFL celebrates that through play football, an initiative aimed at creating positive experiences for players, coaches and parents with the goal of preserving and promoting the values of the game on the football field. Kids can continue to grow through teamwork and build trust as leaders to learn more and to find a league near you. Visit play football dot com.

The future of football is here. You in. Back here on the rich eyes and show on our live Roku channel stream with the rich eyes and show radio network. I'm sitting at the rich eyes and show desk furnished by Granger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Granger is the right product for you.

Call click Granger dot com or just stop by. The new league year starts tomorrow, which means this is when the contract that this man just signed becomes officially official. He has earned every penny as the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

The reigning comeback player of the year. Gino Smith here back on the rich eyes and show how you doing, Gino. Rich, how you doing, man? I'm doing well.

Well, congratulations, first off on a great season and and your new contract. Last time we spoke was right before. Well, last we spoke on the air. Last time you and I spoke was in Munich. What a game that was. And so but last time we spoke on the show was right before the beginning of the season, the Monday nighter. And you said, don't call this a comeback.

So how do you take winning comeback player of the year? Gino. Yeah, that was interesting. Did I lose you? I literally thought like that was his one. So we're done. Let's put him back on hold.

Is that it? Chris, would you mind white gloving the situation, please? I thought that was a great question. And he's just like, yeah, that was interesting.

Click. Now we lose him. Come back on the horn there.

Is he there? We're going to call back. He's calling back. One and done.

That's what I thought, too. It's like, oh, that's interesting. All right. Next question. Didn't like the story.

You don't like any story. Gino, what, Hugh Grant on you? Oh, my gosh. I thought it was a great way to start the interview. And we're going to get an interesting answer. All right. Very good.

It's gone back. Eight, four, four, two, oh, four, Richard. Is Aaron Rodgers made a decision yet? No, not in that three minutes, Rich.

No, but the Jets are interested in another former Packer. Hold off on that. Oh, God. Hold off on that. I know it's going to be I know it's going to be I know it's going to be insane. I know it's going to be I know exactly what's going to be.

And I haven't looked on online. I'm going to guess who it is. Absolutely. OK, let's hear it. Absolutely. But Gino Smith is calling back.

He's going back after right after this. Right. I know I know exactly who it is. I get it. All right. I totally get it. Look, I have not looked.

I have not looked. How are you doing, Gino? You there?

Yeah, I'm here. I thought you hated my question. I'll be honest. I took it personally.

No, no, no, no. I was in full answering mode and I don't know what happened. OK, so how how how do you take being named Comeback Player of the Year, Gino? Yeah, I was you know, as I was saying before, man, I'm just very grateful, you know, and was always grateful for just to be, you know, like I said, commended and recognized just for having a pretty good season. But, you know, for me personally, you know, as I told you, you know, before the season, I kind of felt like, you know, these things were just, you know, going to happen eventually. I just kind of had to wait my turn. And so, you know, the comeback part, I felt like I was always, always here, you know, just kind of in the shadows for a little bit.

But, you know, when I got an opportunity, you know, it was just about going in and taking advantage of it. And so do you proudly display the award somewhere? Does it does it exist or where do you just I don't have it yet. I haven't received it yet.

So I have to probably in the mail on the way to me, but I'll definitely put it up there in my office. It'll be, you know, one of my proudest moments for sure. OK, good. Because I mean, again, normally that is given to somebody who's coming back from an injury, not just making the most of an opportunity that you've been waiting for for a while. But what do you think did click for you this year?

You know, just the opportunity, really. And and the guys, you know, that I play with, you know, really, really great players. You know, D.K. Tyler, you know, Will Disley, you know, Noah Sant, Kobe Parkinson, you know, the emergence of Ken Walker, you know, Rashad Penny was having an excellent season before he went down.

You know, all the guys on the front line, you know, talk about Charles Cross and Abe Lucas, you know, two rookies. You know what, it's interesting that we just lost him again. I'm going to hop on, Chris, to see if he's there. This is, interestingly enough, now that we've had two drop calls, this is what number birthday would this be? Hoskins? We determined this before the show.

Today would have been the 144th birthday of Albert Einstein. Interesting that I would bring this up right now with a lack of cell reception. Brilliant. Because that's now that's twice that that's happened during this interview. Yeah. His guy was like, must be where he's at.

They're going to try. OK, he's going to go back. That means Geno's on vacation in the remote islands. It's nice of him to do this. That's very nice. That's what I would suspect. OK, he's going to call us back. Is he the Turks and Caicos? You know, it is the 144th anniversary, the 444th birthday of Albert Einstein. Really?

Yeah. And that's twice his cell reception has been kaput. Steph Curry's 35 today. I don't care about Steph Curry right now. I care about Albert Einstein.

It's his birthday and two phone calls have been dropped. And we all know all Albert Einstein had to do to fix this problem. We've got to fix up Geno Smith with Cicely Strong. The crystals today. Is that right? Now you care? I'm a fan.

I'm a fan of Steph Curry's as well. Michael Caine. Did you say Simone Biles, too? Are you back, Geno? I'm back.

OK, this is funny. The comeback player of the year is now called back twice. Third time's the charm, fellas. Third time's the charm. We got it. All right.

So let me let me ask you this question, since, again, we're talking comeback player. The first time I ever met you is in Radio City Music Hall in 2013. You probably don't remember, but you were, you know, because your head was probably. I remember.

OK, very good. I remember. OK. And then I remember hearing the next day after you were not drafted, that you were not really keen to come back to the green room and wait all day.

But you did show up once you were drafted. What would you tell that kid today? Now with the contract you have in your hand, Geno? You know, I remember, you know, Aaron Rodgers, actually, I think he might have tweeted something and said something along the lines of, you know, patience is a virtue or something like that. You know, I think he had like a similar situation. And, you know, obviously our careers went a lot different.

But, you know, if I was talking to myself back then, you know, I would I would say just that. Just be patient. Take your time. Everyone's got a different process. And, you know, not everyone's process is exactly the same or in the same amount of time. So, you know, for me, I've always had the work ethic and I've always been focused on football because I truly love the game. But, you know, there were some bumpy times, you know, some bumpy times in the road.

And obviously it wasn't the best 10 years that I would have expected. But the fact that I remained patient and I kept working and I just, you know, continue to see, you know, the end goal, which I haven't gotten to yet. But, you know, continue to see that end goal kind of has allowed me to go through my process, be patient with myself.

And then obviously, once I had the opportunity, I was very confident because I thought I'd been working. And isn't it interesting now, Geno Smith, ironic, however you want to put it, that you're now in position to give advice to Aaron Rodgers on what it's like to be a quarterback in New York City, it seems like. What advice would you give Aaron Rodgers on that front, Geno? Yeah, I mean, you know, we all know it's the Big Apple.

You know, it's, you know, big on, you know, the media, big, big market. And a lot of great things, you know, really to talk about, you know, nothing negative in my opinion. I think with the team that he has and the direction they're going, I know that, you know, they're going to be a pretty good team in that tough division.

And so for Aaron, I mean, what can I tell Aaron? You know, he's a Hall of Famer, one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game. But as far as the city and, you know, just the organization and Woody Johnson and just, you know, the Jets in general, you know, I've always had high regard and high respect for that organization. And, you know, I think he's going to do great.

Geno Smith here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's talk about the here and now with you and the Seahawks. Were there any bumps in the road? Any possibility of you going somewhere else or this was just the way it was going to be because of how terrific 2022 went, Geno? Yeah, I think there were definitely possibilities. You know, we didn't quite fully explore all those possibilities, but they were there.

But we really wanted to make it work in Seattle. And I believe they did, too. You know, it was a great negotiation.

I know it's not always like that, but it really was. We tried to make sure that, you know, there were no hurt feelings, anything like that. And, you know, we got something done that, you know, was middle ground. You know, I feel like for me, people still want to see me prove myself, which is fine.

You know, that's fine. And, you know, I respect that and I look forward to it. And so I think the contract says that it's like, hey, if you, you know, are who you believe that you are, then you'll get paid X amount. And if not, then you'll get paid this amount. And so for me, it's like, oh, people are saying, well, you're betting on yourself.

Well, I mean, I bet on myself last year with a $3.5 million base, a $7 million salary, and I made the entire contract. And so, you know, why would I not have that confidence in myself? Why would I not believe that I'm only going to get better with the way that I work and the type of team that we have and the type of guys, you know, going from their first to their second year and the additions that we're going to make?

You know, I only see positive things. So I was very happy that we got something done and, you know, it was really good for us. And then, you know, I imagine you must have heard from your guys, right? The minute that you signed DK and those guys. Unless DK was playing in the NBA All-Star game or something like that.

Yeah, DK was dunking on people still. But yeah, everyone reached out, man. Everyone was happy. And, you know, really just we all have, you know, we all have a goal that we want to reach. And, you know, last year was kind of just a step in the right direction. But I know that we all believe that we could have been a lot better. We know that we can be a lot better and we're focused on the bigger picture. And so that's that's really where everyone's mindset is that, you know, we want to continue to build this team and get ourselves prepared to go into this season and really try to make something happen. And, you know, I believe we got the right guys. And I know you speak glowingly of Russell Wilson. Did you hear from him upon you signing your contract? That's cool.

Yeah, yeah. Russell and I, we actually were talking just all the way throughout the entire process. And it's not always about football. You know, he's really a good friend of mine. Sometimes he's asked about his family, his kids and how everyone's doing and, you know, his parents, his mom and stuff. And, you know, just really checking on him as a brother, just, you know, making sure that his spirits are always high. And he couldn't keep congratulating me. You know, he was he's always been in my corner. You know, I was telling him, man, you know, I always just I always used to say that we had the best quarterback quarterback room in the NFL, you know, when it was him and I.

And I was like, man, it's just kind of like a dream come true, you know, for for for both of us, really, because I believe he always believed in me and my ability. And the irony again here is that the Seahawks have a fifth overall pick because of the trade of Russell Wilson and you performing as well as you did. You have been resigned from all that.

But being a fifth overall pick that Seattle has, that is in the realm of potentially choosing a quarterback because, you know, the Seahawks aren't used to being that far up. Have you had conversations with the team about that at all? Do you know? Yeah, they know me, man.

They don't have to have any conversations. But it is. Oh, boy.

That was the that was the that was the mother lode question, too, wasn't it? You're doing really well, too. Okay. One more time. That connection to Haiti is bad. He is.

It's a nice sunny day. He deserves it. Did you hear when he came on that last time you could hear the music in the background? So he's definitely on vacation. I know.

That's very nice of him. Can you hear me again, Gino? Yeah, he's in Caput.

Caput. All right. See one more time here. Well, I mean, that's too many comebacks, don't you think? At what point? At what point do we just go, you know how I feel about this? Yeah, you haven't said goodbye. You know how I feel about this sort of thing.

You know how I feel about this sort of thing. Man just cashed in. He's on vacation.

Excuse me. Let me just tell you something. He can afford a better plan. Sometimes international satellite phone.

You know what? A sat phone? You want to get a sat phone? Does this mean am I in the role of Cicely Strong here and he's in the role of Einstein? Right. Well, if we were doing our own cell phone commercial, I don't want to be a part of this. Robin hates this. That's what he's like.

By the way, while we're seeing if he does call back, because I don't blame him if he's just like, I'm not doing this again. I'm going to the pool. You do realize with the NCAA. I know it's going to be everywhere. Oh, it's going to be nuts. Or is it just going to be Seth Meyers?

Isn't that an AT&T tournament? Oh, yes. Right.

So you may, we may, we may not see a single Einstein commercial. Hold on. Did he call? No. All right.

Geno's done. Do you want to answer the question I asked him? It might be us because it's pouring. I feel bad. I mean, I wanted to talk to him one last one last time. Yeah, it's a ring. I need closure.

Well, we'll get him when he comes back from the Turks and Caicos. Man, do I need closure? I need closure. Damn it.

Bora Bora. You know how I am with this sort of thing. It's going to.

Oh, it's going to eat you up all day. Are you back on NFL Network today? No.

OK. No, I was one and done there yesterday. The free agency frenzy. I get frenzied once and not again. I can only get frenzied once.

So rich. I can't I can't deal with it. I'm going to I'm going to say. But I didn't say goodbye to Geno. I didn't get closure. And the last question I asked him was one that you might feel is.

I mean, that's a news story, right? I mean, like, this is something I wanted to know from him what they talked about. I get it.

Just DM. And by the way, just in case they're wondering, my follow up question was like, what does click with him and Pete? Because it does. I saw the clips in the locker room. By the way, I saw them off camera together in Munich and they were like that. Yeah. So that was going to be my follow up. I get it. The spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. You know what I mean? In the most delightful way.

In the most delightful way. Unless the cell phone. Did he get on his bike and then go run off to get better cell reception? Is that what he just did?

I don't think he's walking through White Sands right now holding this phone up. I'm done with this. I'm done with this. All right.

Oh, my God, this is awesome. We need to go to break. Well, what if he calls back? I get it. Well, we'll go to him. But Diana Residius tweets and stuff and we got to get to it.

Also, Emmett Smith just posted maybe one of the greatest pictures of all time on Instagram. Hell going on. I'm just going to say that.

Damn it, Gino. Call back. I just want to say goodbye. I'm not that good with that. All right. We'll take a break. Damn it. Damn it. I understand. It's not your fault, though. The comeback player of the year will only come back twice.

He's in a tropical paradise. All right. We'll take a break. You're saying it's breaking Rogers and Jets news? Ish, yeah.

Ish. And I know the name of the guy they're going after. I bet. I'll peg it.

Back here on The Rich Eisen Show. Gino didn't call back. He didn't. Sorry, buddy.

This is really going to... No, and I understand that and I know that about you. And I know he's going to write back, but he called back twice. Back player of the year, came back twice. Yeah. Third time? Third time's tough.

He didn't call back, though. Now I got to turn my back on you. Yeah. All right. It's been a rough spot. It's all good.

Get to what you want to get to, Chris. Do you want to guess first? Let's guess first. Yes.

Who do you think? The Jets, Rogers has requested a Mercedes to come with him in the driveway. Well done. Look at you. Yeah.

Chris Lewis has drawn interest from the Jets and the Raiders. Once Mercedes. However, Rich, according to Diana Rossini, our good friend at the Worldwide Leader... Now let me guess, because again, I didn't see. She says... Hold on. Just hold on. Hold on.

Stop. I can guess. Let me guess this. I just want to tell... Based on how eager you are to tell me. I just want to tell you... It's a snack. Just tell me it's a snack.

I want to tell you the setup first. What? Okay. She says that Rogers has provided the Jets with a wish list of free agents he would like them to target and acquire. Okay. Okay.

Includes the ones that we've talked about already. Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, and Mercedes Lewis, plus one more. Odell. Odell Beckham. Let me say this.

Let me say this. There are a lot of people who make fun of Aaron Rodgers for being a thinker, that he's not really a thinker. He's not as deep a thinker as you think. Are we one of them?

We might have taken a shot or two in that direction. Okay. With the books behind him. The eruditeness. For the sake of sounding erudite.

Big word alert. Yeah. Well, he's a Cal Bear.

He went to Cal by the way of Butte College. But let me tell you this. I like the way you think, Aaron. That's a thinker. Yeah, but did you see the report that Odell wants 20 million?

You know what? It's not my money. It's not his money.

Yeah, but there is a cap. But if this is a prerequisite, if this is a requirement for him to say, I'm coming. It's not, I mean, Odell, does he want to go back to New York? Does he want to go back to MetLife? Does he want to play for the Jets?

If you want to make a big ass, but by the way, too, it's just, you got to endear yourself to your new teammates. Obviously, Garrett Wilson's going to stay. I mean, what does that mean for Elijah Moore?

Poor Elijah Moore. He's still waiting to get targeted by his old quarterback and now he's being apparently targeted by his new one. I mean, it's because at some point, you know, how many, how many roster spots are there turning the Jets into your own fantasy league? But I do like the way he's thinking.

I mean, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, I assume Corey Davis still sticks around, Randall Cobb and Odell Beckham Jr. I like the cut of your jib, Mr. Rogers. Am I reading this right?

I'm reading it very well. He's like, if I'm going to be leaving Green Bay and I'm coming to New York and you want to win a Super Bowl, by the way, that's the way you load up. Yeah. Yeah. But the Jets have to pay Quinnen Williams. They have to pay their own guys and they have to get this done.

I mean, this is a heck of a Rubik's cube that's being placed in front of them. That's good. Okay. Warren Sharp just tweeted this and I'm wondering your thoughts here. Let's assume that this gets done, right? And Rogers gets these guys. Let's just play best case scenario.

Rogers gets all these guys. Lamar sticks around and plays with Baltimore this year. I think that that is, these are likely scenarios. Let's assume all of this. Where are the Jets in the AFC?

Chiefs, Bills, Bengals, Chargers, Dolphins, Jags. I'm not going there. I'm not going there. Why not?

Because I won't go there because there's too many trap doors. Do you not understand? I'm going to say this. Do you not understand? No, I'm going to say this. I'm going to say this because I'm hopped up on caffeine and I'm overtired.

Well if you were on caffeine, would you be on caffeine? Do you not understand? Do you not understand? I have settled into somebody else's house. I remember exactly where I was when it happened. I was in Steve Bornstein's kitchen. Oh.

Okay, you got to do the impression. Richie boy, are we watching his game or what? I was in his kitchen on a Thanksgiving night in front of my children and watched Mark Sanchez run into the ass of his own offensive lineman. It's like a flashbulb moment. Where were you when this happened?

We all have awful moments in our lives that have far worse personal ramifications, admittedly. So I'm not going in this, what if, are they as good as the Chiefs? Can they battle for the Super? The idea is, yeah, if this happens, you're trying to win a Super Bowl, pal. You're not just trying to, you're not trying to win NFL honors night like the Jets did this year. That was nice though. It was, but you know, you don't want to win the Thursday before the Super Bowl. You want to win the Sunday of the Super Bowl. That's the idea.

And that's what they're doing here. So don't give me these what ifs. I'm just saying if all this works out, like where are they in the AFC?

They should win the Super Bowl. There you go. Okay. Now finally. Come on. Now you're one of us, finally. Everything else is acceptable.

Thank you. Because this is why you do all this. This is why you lift all these trade offers.

This is why you get some Air Johnson, where do they rank? If it happens. That's why you bring Jordy Nelson out of retirement. It would just be like the Jets to say, Rogers say, you know what, I'm done with this. I'll figure something else out. Yeah, you know what?

I don't want to do it. So until it happens, it hasn't happened. And if it happens, I'll be very excited about it. And of course the idea is to win the Super Bowl. That's why Rogers is saying, Hey, you know what? Bring me to New York, bring all my fellows and get Odell too.

And order out for pizza. I would tell the Jets though, don't bring in all his fellows. It's not like they won a lot of Super Bowls with those guys. All right. Tough guy. No, I'm saying don't give away.

He beat the Cowboys when he counted. By the way, I'm trying to save your team some money and now you want to try to turn on me back off. I don't get it because I don't trust you having my best interests in mind. Why do you always think the worst of me, man? Why? I know. And you are one of the sunniest people I've ever met.

I try to be, but you turn to me, you're going to turn me expected from me. Yeah. Other news real quick. Rich Mike Thomas is a re-up one year with the Saints and the Chargers have granted Austin Eckler permission. Now that one shocks me.

That one shocks me. Why would you show the door to Austin Eckler? By the way, you know, when we were opining on this subject yesterday, when we first heard that Eckler wants out or wants to have a chance to get out, that he had to have had the most touchdowns in the NFL over the last two years.

We determined it was 38. And sure enough, I go to NFL network. Next closest was James Connor with 26. Nobody is in the realm of this guy's touchdown making ability. And if the Chargers think, okay, we're not going to have red zone problems with Justin Herbert without this guy, they are sadly mistaken.

And I'll tell you what, man, you see, like where he mustered sign for 5 million bucks, everybody thinks the running back market is defrayed. I would be all over paying Austin Eckler. If I'm the bears and I got all of this space and David Montgomery's about to walk, I'm all over Austin Eckler. If I'm Philadelphia and I'm watching Miles Sanders walk and I'm watching everybody else potentially go away, you want to have somebody in the red zone with Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown fading to him or Devante Smith doing some sort of jujitsu maneuver and get himself wide open isn't enough for you, I'm all over Austin Eckler. He just doesn't fit into Kellen Moore's plans, obviously. I don't know what the hell is happening in SoFi Stadium or down the road, wherever they are in Orange County.

Good kid too. I don't know. They must think somebody's not going to pay him. Really?

That seems silly. So you're going to go back in the draft and figure we'll get somebody who can fill his shoes? Damn, man. Chargers of 22. And I'll tell you what, too, while we're on the subject of the running back market and then the third hour is all about phone calls and just us chopping it up while you guys bait me into getting more upset about waiting for Rogers. Let me say this. If I am the Buffalo Bills, I am calling up the Tennessee Titans and say, are you willing to trade Derrick Henry or not? What is your plan in free agency?

Is it possible? And is Derrick Henry worth the second round choice that the Bills have? If Staphon Diggs is going on the shop wondering about his Western New York existence in the world, and he gives voice to a lot of people saying, what the hell happened?

What the hell did happen? With everything all set up, we were all on the Bills bandwagon for good reason before last season. They had a rough season, though.

And they sure did, I understand, and they could have been emotionally spent by the end of the road. Remember the parking lot shooting in Buffalo before the season? I remember everything that happened in Western New York and the fact that they had to play two games in Detroit, one on Thanksgiving and the one before it because they had to get out of town. It was an awful season.

I think we kind of did. Von Miller getting hurt. All of it. I understand that. I'm saying one way to just reinvigorate everything and one way to fix making sure Josh Allen doesn't have to do it all himself. I would get Derrick Henry and I would put him in a Bills uniform and I would go to work the diminisher standing right next to the Mandalorian quarterback and say, how do you want to get hit in the mouth?

What is your choice, man? And if he's available for a two? You don't do that? You're Buffalo? Like you can draft somebody the second round that can do what Derrick Henry does? I don't know if he's available.

I mean, respect to Devin Singleton. But he's a free agent. If he can, if he's available, go for it. Holy cow, go for it. This running back market's nuts. Austin Eckler's available. Go for it.

Anybody with a half a cap of room. Go for it. Now the Chargers may say, go seek a trade. And they can do, you know, the Aaron Rodgers, which is, I want this. I want that. I want that.

And I want this. And, you know, what what they could tell Austin, hey, man, you saw at the market, but we didn't get we didn't get the proper return for you. We love you so much that we need you back here.

But we did let you explore. I don't know why the Chargers would let him go. Also rich, a low mileage on Austin Eckler. He's never had more than 206 carries in the season.

Some guys are toting the rock 300 times. Is he the best pass catching back in the league right now? Hands down. Right. He had 107 catches last year. Hands down.

One hundred and seven. The dude, the dude gets hit on the six yard line and still scores. He's a red zone. He's like five.

Because threat of the strongest guy in the NFL, a variety, a red zone threat of the first variety. Wow, that one surprised me, as you know, yesterday, I'd be like, OK, thanks, Austin. Sorry, you're staying here.

But they also might look here and say, we can't pay you what we pay you because you got to pay other people. And that includes your quarterback. Crazy world we're living in right now, man. Our number three phone lines are all it. Good news is we've got a full hour.

Just us chatting right here on the Rich Eisen Show. No one in the wrestling business has experienced the trials and tribulations, along with redemptions and longevity, quite like Jeff Jarrett. Come along for the ride on the My World with Jeff Jarrett podcast. They didn't really brand belts in the heyday of boxing. You know, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard. I mean, they had them, but along comes sports entertainment, professional wrestling. And now it is truly a part of pop culture. They've just branded what it looks like to be a champion. My World with Jeff Jarrett, wherever you listen.