Greg Cosell: JJ McCarthy is not a first round pick

Now, your ideas don't have to wait.

Now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, loves expanding your business, evolving your passions. We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen right now.

Find out how to bring your ideas to life at dell.com slash welcome to now. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. A friend from Sports Illustrated is back here on the Rich Eisen Show, Albert Breer. I'm just wondering, are we seeing the receiver position viewed more like a running back?

It's become replaceable because there's so many great ones because that's where all the great athletes in the sport are gravitating because of the passing game. Earlier on the show, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan. Coming up, NFL film senior producer Greg Cosell, actor Henry Cavill. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air.

844-204-rich is the number to dial here on the program. First hour, we talk with Jeff Passan of ESPN about the latest in Major League Baseball. It is closing in on the first month of the season, being in the books. And we talked a lot about the Major League Baseball replay system that could be coming for balls and strikes, the future of the Oakland or Sacramento athletics. And then, clearly, the story that's on everyone's mind, Shoei Ohtani's interpreter and what's the effects of all of that. If you missed it, don't worry.

We re-air every single day on the Roku channel, but that's for another two hours. Hour number three, Henry Cavill is going to be here in studio. His new movie is outstanding.

It's called the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. It's a Guy Ritchie movie and it gives you everything that you're looking for, quite frankly. He's in studio hour number three, but let's turn our attention to the NFL draft. We're going to get some answers in ten days from now, but between now and then, let's talk with one of the Mavens who looks at all the film and breaks it all down from NFL Films. A long-time producer, the senior producer of NFL Films, our friend Greg Cosell. It's been a while. How are you, Greg?

It's good to see you. It's been a bit. It's been a bit. Now, behind you, I see on your bulletin board there, are those...

I haven't seen this before. Are those Steve Sable cards that are tacked up to the board behind you? Oh, sort of. Sort of, yeah. They're cards, yeah.

What are those? Are they... Well, some of them are just... I probably shouldn't have them up. Some of them are like personal things. Sorry to call attention to it then, Greg. My bad. No, you probably don't want to. No, because they look like Steve Sable index cards that he would have.

He would write down sayings. That's what it looks like to me. I've seen some of them. Oh, yeah.

As you know, his office was for that. Can you believe it's been about 10 years? That's crazy.

I can't believe it. Just before we go, I'm kind of throwing your curveball here, but why did you meet Steve Sable? How did the first meeting between Greg Cosell and a member of the Sable family go, if it was Steve or Ed? Well, I applied to NFL Films in July of 1979, or June of 79, and I got a call from Ed Sable asking me to come in for an interview. I came in for an interview, and I did not meet Steve at that point, and about a week after the interview, I got a call back from Ed Sable saying they wanted to hire me. And I started working for NFL Films on July 23, 1979.

And any Fescenda moments for you? Oh, I worked with John quite a bit. In fact, unfortunately, I was the last one to work with him before he passed. Okay, so which quarterback available in the draft throws the perfect NFL Films spiral, Greg? Oh, the perfect one, wow.

Probably Michael Phoenix. Right? I thought the same thing when I saw him at the Combine, and we were zooming in on it, and I'm like, okay, to use a phrase that Fescenda would say when he got a good piece of copy, that's a horse you can ride. That's a horse you can ride. That's good you remember all that stuff, Rich.

Good for you. I thought you and your colleagues who are just masters at this can really zoom in on that Phoenix ball, right? He throws the tightest spiral, would you say? Yeah, he throws a really tight spiral.

And it actually showed up at the Combine as well, but it certainly shows up on tape. So what is your analysis of Michael Phoenix? Let's start with him. Well, before we just do that, I think we need to understand everybody wants a bold answer to these kinds of things.

Who do you like? Who's going to be a star? We have to understand a number of things. Number one, nobody's a finished product when they come into the NFL.

There's all projection involved in this as well. No one comes in where you say that guy's a definite. I mean, just think back, what is it, three years ago when they used the term generational with Trevor Lawrence? And nothing against Trevor Lawrence, who I think is a solid NFL quarterback, but I think we have to be careful about making these bold, definitive statements. So getting to Pennix, one thing I really enjoyed about watching Pennix is that offense under Ryan Grubb, who, as you know, is now the offensive coordinator for Seattle. It was very sort of intermediate and vertically based.

So you saw a lot of difficult intermediate and deep throws in that offense. And he's a he's very accountable to the system. He wanted the system to work. He let it play out. He did not leave the pocket. And the thing that went along with that, which is really impressive, is he rarely got sat, which means he was getting rid of the football. He was not just waiting and waiting. So that tells you that he knew where to go with the ball. He understood the route concepts. He understood what he was seeing because he didn't get stuck in the pocket, Rich. Yeah, I mean, the processing that Pennix has has shown, I think, is first grade.

I really do. And as a Michigan Wolverine fan, you know, I was concerned about that going into the national championship game, that his neck up ability is really good. But then, you know, some of the evaluations and evaluators that I've had on this show about that national championship game is that Michigan threw as much of an NFL defense at Pennix that he'd ever seen. And they kind of had him off stride.

So I'm wondering where you stand on that subject matter. Yeah, right. They did to some degree. They also had a ton of false start penalties in that game that put them into really too many long yardage situations. It's really difficult to play against any defense, but certainly a Michigan defense that had, what, eight or nine defenders at the combine. And probably all of them will be drafted.

So, you know, I'm not necessarily a believer in one game. I think when I start the evaluation process, I start, as I think most guys do, with traits and attributes. Then I think about the offense that they're asked to run is, am I seeing things that I'm likely to see at the NFL level? Is he being asked to some degree to do things that he'll be asked to do in the NFL? And then you start thinking about projection. You start thinking, OK, what kind of offense would he best be able to work within?

The projection part is where it becomes pretty difficult. The easy part very often, Rich, is to look at a quarterback and say, boy, he's really talented. No one's going to argue that Caleb Williams isn't talented. That's not the point. That's the easy part of the evaluation.

Then you have to go further. Look, I mentioned Trevor Lawrence. He was generational, as we all recall.

It hasn't quite worked out that way. And it may still, maybe in a year or two, we'll say he's one of the two or three best in the league. But generational is one of those terms that goes well beyond just being one of the two or three best. So I think you have to factor in a lot of variables when you evaluate quarterbacks.

It's not just an easy mathematical equation. Greg Cosell from NFL Films here on The Rich Eisen Show. So then, assuming, and I think rightfully so, that Caleb Williams goes to Chicago, when you're talking about scheme fits and you're talking about the proper fits for the traits that you see on tape from college, which quarterback that's still available minus Caleb Williams do you think best fits Cliff Kingsbury's system and the Washington commanders roster as we currently know it?

Which one do you think is the best fit there, Greg? I mean, Drake Mays played in that system because two years ago in North Carolina, Phil Longo, who runs an air raid system, who was the North Carolina offensive coordinator two years ago, when many believed that Drake May had a better season than he did this past year, he's been in that system. So he understands it. He knows the methodology. He knows how it's taught. He knows the concepts. So he would probably not have a problem really stepping right in and understanding at least what he's asked to do. That doesn't mean you execute it at a high level.

It's obviously a different level of football. I would think Jayden Daniels could execute that system effectively. You know, certainly there's a run element that Jayden Daniels gives you, although he's not just a runner. Some might think he is because he's so dynamic, but he stays in the pocket. The running is his parachute.

It's the last thing he looks to do. But, you know, I think that both those guys in an ideal world would fit. I think both of them will have some learning to do because the game will be different. The game will be faster.

So and that's the thing. You know, you never know exactly how long the learning curve takes. The one thing about the air raid offense is these guys aren't really taught much about defenses. And one advantage Drake May had this past season in North Carolina is Clyde Christensen was there essentially coaching him. And as you know, Clyde Christensen coached in the NFL for a long time. He coached Andrew Luck. He coached Tom Brady.

He coached Peyton Manning. So I guarantee Drake May and he's got some issues he has to work out as well, by the way. But Drake May probably has a better understanding of the process of how to go about playing the position because it all starts rich with the process. Yeah. And then the consensus that I've heard, too, from a lot of evaluators, Greg, is that May needs maybe more time to sit if you have the luxury and can afford that sort of thing. I don't know if you already gave me the sort of head nod in a way that thinks that that that that's not a certainty. But my question for you, then, is which one do you think that you've seen out of all the quarterbacks available as most pro ready that can step in based on the processing, based on the knowledge, based on, you know, what you've seen on tape?

Greg? Well, I'll answer it this way. I think that no one is theoretically pro ready because the environment and the game is different. So I think when you talk to coaches, which I do a lot of at the combine, as you know, you know, I get to see you there on occasion. One of the things they always talk about is you sort of have to tailor what you do to what their strengths are, especially if they have to play early. So it's not so much being pro ready. It's taking what you believe they do really, really well and tailoring some of what you do offensively with your pass game to what they do so they're comfortable because they've got to play. And and you want them to have some success. Now, do some quarterbacks come in and have great success?

Yes. Look at what C.J. Stroud did. And now everybody thinks that, hey, every quarterback who's drafted high is going to come in and be C.J.

Stroud. It's like when coaches go from worst to first. Every owner thinks that that's going to happen all the time.

You know, so you have to be a little careful with that. But you tailor what you think they do best. So in other words, if a quarterback is mobile, you'd like to be in a situation where the quarterback run game is a factor, where the quarterback action pass game is a factor.

You try to give him things that he's comfortable with and that help him see things clearly. The key thing is for the quarterback to see things clearly in a very short amount of time. So which one do you think has that skill set? Who? Yeah, that's a hard question.

I mean, I only ask those. Now it comes down to how you structure your offense. I mean, you know, you could look at someone like Bo Nix, who's not going to be drafted in the top five. But Bo Nix played in a system that really defined things beautifully for him. He was a brilliant executor and ball distributor.

You know, I would bet that there are some coaches that look at Bo Nix and think that, hey, I have a system that is really effective. He can execute it at a pretty high level right now. He's not as gifted a passer as some of the other guys. He doesn't have as big an arm. He's not a power thrower. You don't have to be a power thrower. Joe Burrow is certainly not a power thrower.

And I hope people understand I'm not making a direct comparison between Bo Nix and Joe Burrow. But, you know, arm strength is a relative term. Some people it's really important, some people it's not.

Think of it this way, Rich. If you talk to 15 different coordinators or quarterback coaches, they'll probably have the same 15 traits on their list of what's important. But it's the value they ascribe to specific traits. Some might ascribe higher value to a specific trait.

Others, not so much. You know, it all depends on what value you ascribe based on how you see the game as a coach. What's your opinion of J.J. McCarthy, Greg? I don't think the tape spoke to being a first round pick.

You know, I think that. The system he played in, I'm sure it was pro based in terms of terminology and methodology. You like to see things on tape that you feel you can extrapolate to the next level. You did not see a lot of that with J.J. McCarthy, which, again, doesn't mean he can't do it, Rich.

It just means that you'd like to see it and you didn't. So now you look at him. And obviously he's got, you know, every quarterback goes out on a pro day and throws the ball nicely.

I mean, it's it shorts and a T-shirt. So I don't think he showed a particularly good arm on tape in Michigan. I think he played behind the best offensive line in college football. Receivers were open. It was relatively easy for him. I'm not necessarily a believer that he wasn't asked to do a lot because that's not on him.

But it does matter when you think that. How do we evaluate a lot of these quarterbacks, Rich? If you're losing twenty seven seventeen in the fourth quarter and there's eight minutes to go and you have to drop back and pass literally every play. Do we know if J.J. McCarthy can do that? Maybe can't. I'm sure you'd say we don't really know the answer to that based on what he did in college.

Well, in terms of in terms of your evaluation there, let's say a bunch of folks in the top say 10 or 11 agree with you that that the tape doesn't say first round. Does he fit what Sean Payton does? Greg?

Probably. I mean, look, I think McCarthy at his core and everybody is a system quarterback because that's what the way it's taught. But that seems to have a negative pejorative connotation, obviously, as you know. But everybody is taught that way.

I think ultimately with J.J. McCarthy, you want him in a in a system where the run game is a factor where personnel and formations really factor into the equation, where play action factors in. One thing he has done is he's turned his back to the defense with play action. And that's a learned trait.

If you've never done that before, that's a little scary for a quarterback, because when you turn your back to the defense and then turn your head back around, they're not in the same spot they were before you turned your head. So that's a learned trait. And he knows how to do that. That's something he has done. But I think that the complementary nature of the way in which he played in Michigan is the way you'd like him to sort of get his feet wet in the league to start. OK, before I let you go, Greg Cosell, I don't know if this have I set a record for the longest interview or the longest host conducting an interview with you has gone without diving in on Caleb Williams yet?

I mean, have I said that normally he's the first guy that then I'm asked about. Yeah. And I went Pentax, you know, I kind of flipped it upside down on you. I like it. I like it. I like it. I'd like to think so.

I have patches on my on my sweater, so. Right. So I'm in that sort of mood today. But in the question, this is how I'll term it. I'll approach it with you. What would be your counsel and expectation setting for Bears fans for Caleb Williams in his rookie season? Well, I'm going to answer it this way, because I'm going to give you something that I don't think is talked about a lot with Caleb Williams, I think is real positive. Everybody talks about, you know, the so-called Mahomes element.

OK. And let's put that aside, because to use an educational term, it's really hard to major in the homes. He's just a special cat. And you don't want to start thinking that every quarterback that comes in the league is like Patrick Mahomes. What I really like about Caleb Williams is he really controls the ball exceptionally well. And what I mean by that is he can place the ball exactly where he wants to place it. And sometimes I think that gets overlooked, Rich, because we focus so much on movement now because of the Mahomes is because of the Josh Allen, the Lamar Jacksons.

And I'm sure I'm missing some other names as well. But we focus so much on that. And there's no question that Caleb Williams has that ability. We've seen it in college, but he really controls the football beautifully. And I think when all's said and done, that's maybe the most critical piece, because you can do everything right as a quarterback, Rich.

But if you can't throw it where you want to, you don't really have anything. And you think he's got that ability while also doing the off platform stuff? I do.

I do. I mean, it's hard not to like Caleb Williams based on the tape. I mean, you know, I'm not going to sit here and say he's the best quarterback I've seen in, you know, in 44 years of the NFL films. But he's certainly a high level prospect. And again, having said that, do I think he's going to come in and throw 40 touchdowns and five interceptions? Not likely, although he is going to go into a pretty good situation. Normally, a number one draft choice does not go into a situation quite like that.

And I know a question I'm about to deliver is not usually the lane in which you thrive or like to drive, Greg. But do you agree with the assessment the Bears clearly made to send Justin Fields packing and choose this kid? Do you agree with it? I do. I do agree with it.

Yes. Why is that? You know, I think Fields has played enough games.

I believe he started 37 games in this league. And one of the things that I think that is just stands out and it's very hard to coach this. Believe me, you've had these conversations. I've had these conversations.

It's very hard to teach someone to see things clearly when they really don't just innately. And I think that's one of the major issues with Justin Fields that may never change. And if that doesn't change, he'll always be a spectacular player who can make special plays and will have special games, but may not just be exactly what you want at the quarterback position long term. And based on what you saw out of Russell Wilson last year on tape, Greg, if this is truly an open competition between these two gents when the training camp opens in Pennsylvania in August. Do you think it's it's a that Fields has a shot at being a week one starter? You think Russell's going to take the gig?

What do you think? You know, you know me, Rich, I'm not a hot take guy. I would think that based on the way Mike Tomlin talks anyway, you know, I've not had this conversation with him. I actually think that because he wants to run the football and that's important to him, it seems to be anyway, doesn't it? Playing physical football. Doesn't that seem to be important to Mike Tomlin?

Yeah. I would almost think that Justin Fields, because of the quarterback run game element, would actually give them a more diverse offense than with Russell Wilson. Neither Fields nor Wilson is a true timing rhythm passer. So, you know, Fields would give you more options offensively if he was the quarterback. If assuming that that's the way they want to play, if they want to run the ball with their two backs, Najee Harris and Jalen Warren, if that's the way they want to play, you know, and be physical up front and establish that kind of offense, then Fields gives you more options. Well, listen, I know when you talk about two way threat quarterbacks, the name Ryan Tannehill is not usually the first couple of names out of somebody's mouth. But Arthur Smith had Derrick Henry and on Ryan Tannehill on the same offense.

And they would look pretty damn good. They were a couple of years there. They were really good. I mean, they went to the AFC Championship game. They averaged over 30 points a game that year. They almost beat the Chiefs. I mean, no, no question. All right.

Last one for you, Greg. You had mentioned C.J. Stroud earlier, and obviously that's who everybody's going to be trying to strive for when they choose a quarterback in 10 days in the first round. So my question for you is, was Stroud the unicorn that we all thought he was looking at his tape? I mean, Kurt Warner saying, look at his tape. He was as good as anybody, veteran or rookie, last year. He is, in fact, the real deal. Greg, for real. I mean, he was my number one quarterback, but I'm not going to sit here and say, I thought it'd be this good.

You know, I think I'm OK doing this, but I'm not going to sit here and say I knew the answer to that. But I tell you what, he made some throws. I think it was week two last year. OK, I'm watching tape because, you know, I watch tape every week, grind away.

And he made some throws in that game week two, whoever the opponent was, I can't even remember. And I just called in the guys in our matchup room here at NFL Films and said, hey, look at the timing. Look at the anticipation. Look at when he's starting his delivery to throw this ball. He just saw it really, really clearly.

And that's a hard thing to teach. And he just saw it really clearly. And the precise ball location.

That's what I spoke about earlier. Just he's so precise. And I actually thought his delivery was more compact a year ago with the Texans than it was his last year at Ohio State. So, yeah, he was really, really good. Yeah, he lost that game to the Colts and starting 0-2. It's the only time he lost consecutive games last year. He was spectacular.

That's right, it was the Colts because now I can see the play in my mind. Yeah, yeah. So what does year two look like for him, do you think? What does that possibly look like here, Greg?

I can't imagine. Again, let's not look at the number of interceptions. He could throw five more interceptions and have a better year.

Those are just numbers on a page and you have to look at the plays. But obviously they're going to have three really good receivers because Dell will be back. And Nikko Collins is a clear number one right now. So they're going to have really good receivers. They have a good tight end. Yeah, they just added Diggs, too. They just threw him in the mix. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. They have three really good receivers.

So I can't imagine anything's going to be theoretically worse. And again, now you get into numbers and all that, but this kid's a special kid. I've gotten to meet him and know him a little bit. He's a special kid. He's going to be a really, really good player.

He is now. Yeah, that's the new, I would think, standard on a draft night, a first round draft night. You want the next C.J. Stroud.

That's what you want. And you and I both know the Texans can say whatever they want now. They didn't know he'd be this good.

They liked him, obviously, or they wouldn't have drafted him. Right. You know, you know, he was so, so good. I mean, ridiculously good. Which is why, again, just to circle back to the beginning of the conversation, you put out the caveat of the so many different parts of an evaluation.

And and then some of it is is let's see what happens when Tom meets ball in actual playing season. Greg, I appreciate the time. As always, we'll chat again real soon.

I loved it, Rich. Thanks so much for having me. Right back at you. Same to you. And say say hi to everybody in Mount Laurel for me.

I will do that. The great Greg Cosell of the fantastic NFL film, senior producer right here on The Rich Eisen Show. I love that.

Yeah, I love that tape talk. How about that? Him saying, I'm not a hot take guy, but if you want to run the ball, let's you know, the quarterback ran for a thousand yards last year and he didn't play a full season. Good point. Oh, man. That's his answer.

I first want to run. Most importantly, though, I got to see how you're feeling, because it didn't seem like he was as high on J. You might know it.

So were you like, I thought you snapped the pencil at one point. No, no, no, no, no, no. Again, again, if you've noticed when you talk to Greg, he is I go by what I see. That is what I do. And then he will, of course, he just doesn't sit in a room and turn the lights off, you know, and then not speak to anybody else.

He he talks to evaluators all over the place. And and I understand, hey, you didn't see a lot like if somebody is going to be down by two scores, can he do it? That is definitely a mystery. And thankfully, it's because Michigan wasn't down by two scores a lot. That's the only time they were was in that Fiesta Bowl disaster. In in Arizona against TCU and and, you know, they're trying their hardest to come back, but the referees kept taking away from him. So that's something he also learned.

No, but that's, by the way. True. Outside of that, I understand you look at his tape and you're like, can he do that sort of thing? Can you win a game on his arm? And I keep pointing back to the time in the horseshoe when things weren't, you know, were didn't start very well.

And then he went up top and the whole game broke open. But is he the guy who's does he have one of those Baker Mayfield, the Big 12, crazy ass, four hundred fifty yard, five hundred yard games? No, he does not. Exactly.

No, he does not. Because that's not what Michigan needed. I get it. I get it. So so that's my response to what he just had to say. I just figured sometimes when he's talking to a draftee's father, he may hype him up a little bit more.

No, but and his response was, as you saw in college. So I know what you're saying. I choose to ignore it. Henry Cavill is our next guest. That's our number three overreaction Monday.

However, when we come back, baby. Let's talk sleep number, people. We all know quality sleep is essential. I'm just not myself when I don't get a good night's sleep. That's why the Sleep Number Smart Bed is designed for your ever evolving sleep needs.

So you can choose what's right for you whenever you like. For instance, my side of the bed. My sleep number setting is 60. My wife's side of the bed. Her sleep number setting is 70.

Two different numbers. Same bed, but we get the same great sleep. So make sure you get your sleep number bed right now because you will absolutely love it.

J.D. Power ranks sleep number number one in customer satisfaction with mattresses purchased in store. And now you can save up to eight hundred dollars on select Sleep Number Smart Beds for a limited time.

That's right. Eight hundred dollars for J.D. Power 2023 award information. Visit J.D. Power dot com slash awards only at a sleep number store or sleep number dot com. Check it out. Sleep number.

You won't regret it. A lot of you folks who've been listening to this show know about our relationship with game time, which is the ticketing app that gives you complete peace of mind with your purchase because you could see views from your seat. And before you buy your tickets, before you hit that purchase button, you get all in pricing.

So, you know everything that's into the cost of your seat and there's no surprises at all. Now, here's something you may not know about game time. It's the authorized ticket marketplace of Major League Baseball, which makes getting tickets even faster and easier. Prices on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets to the first pitch.

Killer last minute deals, all in prices, views from your seats and the lowest price guarantee with game time taking the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets. So download the game time app, create an account and use my code ISEN for twenty dollars off your first purchase. Restrictions apply. Visit game time dot com for terms.

Again, create an account. Redeem the code EISEN. You get twenty dollars off.

Download the game time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Very rare that I begin an interview with somebody asking, who's your real estate agent? But coach, who's your real estate agent? Lisa Roberts.

She does a great job with anybody in Scottsdale needs a spot. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

Free product. Oh, this is. Yeah, man. I mean, this is this is the spot. This is you.

You got a guest room. Apparently. Yeah, there's a couple. You're always welcome, man. I appreciate that. The question I have for you is the fire in the background. That was extra. Yeah, that was. Now, did you did.

Does it light up when you draft Isaiah Simmons or I mean, like, yeah, it's the whole house. We got that. We were fired up. I bet.

Like you're like, fire up the coals, fire up. You know that that that probably had to happen. Who took this photo?

People want to know. Yeah. You know, you were allowed to have one I.T. guy there at your house. It was one of our I.T. guys. OK. And he stayed in the cabana.

I.T. guy. He did not.

He did not. Do you like the fire or did you like the fire? We're all fascinated. This is fascinating to everybody.

It is fascinating, isn't it? Yeah, I lived the fire. OK, go ahead, Chris. Go ahead. And did you get in the pool at any point? I did not get the pool.

That's maybe next year. What's the one, I guess, comparison you've heard about the photographs before? I guess we give one what it looks like to people. What have you heard? The most funniest one I saw was like it was such a trend and they had the browser's logo like that was actually like really well done. Fantastic. I was going to go cologne.

I was going to go cologne. You know, like Bond, you know, Bond. Yeah, yeah.

That's back in the day during Covid. My gosh. Back on the Rich Eisen Show radio network, sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you.

Call clickgranger.com or just stop by. It's Henry Cavill is going to be stopping by. It's going to be a tough two shot for the kid, but I'm feeling good about myself. I'm not going to be I'm not going to laugh. The sweater looks good.

Thank you so much. That's why I stepped up my sweater game today. The patches. Henry Cavill's coming in, my guy.

I like the patches. I'm telling you guys, this movie that you're going to love it. And I can't wait to talk about it with him when he comes in studio next hour. But it's a Monday. And you know what that is? That means.

Oh, I just short circuited. Hit it. Hit it.

Hit it. That was terrible. That was crap.

That was garbage. This place sucks. Overreaction Mondays. All right, Christopher, what do you have over there?

What do you got? What's up, guys? Happy Monday. Good. How's everybody feeling? Good. It's off season workout program Monday.

Everybody's all 32 teams are getting people in unless somebody is holding out for a new contract. But we'll discuss that top of the next hour. And I'm looking at you, Mr. CeeDee Lamb favorite. What's going on, Christopher?

What do you have over there? Goodness. Man, I saw a picture of Aaron Rodgers today. Oh, yeah. Coming to work.

Mustache going to work. Oh, yeah. If the Jets take Brock Bowers 10th overall, Jets top five offense this season. Oh, I'm going to overreact to that. You wanted to say not an overreaction, though.

I tweeted out when I saw Peter Schrager tweet out that Brock Bowers is in the Jets building today when Aaron Rodgers is showing up for work and Breece Hall and everybody's coming away. If you just kidnap him, not is it possible? That's what I said. Is it possible that we can't let him go?

Is it possible? This is what I'm talking about. This is no and I'm sorry to do this. There's no Kyle Brady first round Jets draft choice.

No, no, no, no, no. This guy is for real. This guy's for real. And I want him. I'm pounding that I am officially pounding the table for him in the same way. I pounded the table for Sauce Gardner two years ago.

This is what I want. This is what the Jets could use. And the best part about it is Joe Douglas cleared the decks for it with the way he conducted his business in free agency. He hit the line hard in free agency. Thanks again for Dallas going all in on on Tyron Smith.

And so that's settled. Could they use another offensive line piece? Sure.

If Brock Bowers is not available, if Brock Bowers is available and the Jets are on the clock, 10 days from now, 10th overall, that should be the choice. I would like to provide the Sharpie to to write it in. And that cards. So the ghost of Johnny Mitchell, turn it in.

And now the ghost of Johnny Mitchell. Did you start Googling that? No, I remember. OK, Nebraska. OK, very good. Listen, Tony.

I am. I'm going to that's going to be that's going to suffice is my answer. What else? That's a yeah. You're into that. Sufficing is my answer.

You may choose to accept it or not. Got to talk about the bills. Their draft will be a failure if they don't trade up and take a receiver. Trey, why do I have to trade up there? Because they're not going to get a top guy if they sit there. Excuse me. This draft is so damn deep.

They can get somebody who's a top guy at twenty eight. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. A.J. Brown. What round was he drafted in? Brandon, I quit.

Ron, was he drafted in first? No, no, no, no, no. Samuel, what are the results here?

DK Metcalf. Those are results. I'm saying the game changing wide receivers don't have to be top 10 choices. Is what I'm saying. Windows closed.

So no, that's an overreaction. Failure. Get out of here, man. This is just for everyone. It says I get out of here. And by the way, it's entirely what if the bills wind up with Brandon Iook in the next 10 days? Oh, Mr. Mr.

Kicking the kicking the Niners off of there. Is this inside info? No, I'm I'm what do you mean inside information?

Well, you're an insider. You get it. Oh, Brandon, I did.

Did the did the social media scrubbing. Oh, he did. I mean, you know, I miss that. Oh, baby.

I love tradition as old as time. Debo was walking through clubs in Los Angeles with signs in neon lights, essentially saying, you know, come stay with the Niners and him shaking his head. No, that's not happening. And he guess what he wound up doing.

They showed him the money. Well, exactly. And they might do that to Iook.

But right now they're not. Maybe they'll go through the draft and see who's available, because that's how deep this draft is. I would counsel any wide receiver that's out there right now.

That's waiting to sign a dotted line to think twice unless their name is C.D. Lamb or Justin Jefferson. Would you trade if you're Buffalo, would you trade twenty eight for Iook? I don't know. Great question. I'd have to think twice. That's that's a high draft choice. Knowing that you have to pay him. Yeah, exactly. So I know. How about that? Don't trade the first round draft choice for him. What else, Chris?

What do you got? Last football one here and move on some other stuff. Joe Burrow, healthy, we assume, right? So the answer is yes to whatever you're saying. Oh, what are you saying? And T. Higgins told it told his campers.

Yeah. Looks like he's going to be playing in Cincinnati. What did I tell you last week? He's read the he's read the Mike Brown writing on the wall like that's not that's it. The Bengals are winning the North this year.

I totally think this is not an overreaction. Last week, when we were talking about which quarterback is going to be the first to win his first. I said Joe Burrow. So, yeah, with Burrow healthy and T. Higgins is not going anywhere.

I said that Mike Brown used the franchise tag that is available to him. And if you think they're just going to sit there and go, oh, he's we need to make him completely happy with a long term deal that we're unwilling to give him right now, knowing he got to give Jamar Chase that that deal. That's the way they're going to get one more year out of these two terrific, superb wide receivers for a healthy Joe Burrow. That's the way they're going to do it. They're going to use the levers that are available to them. And if there's anybody knows how to use levers available and doesn't care about the way anybody's talking about it or thinks about it. His name's Mike Brown.

So that's not an overreaction at all, sir. What else, Chris? OK, let's do some hoops. The set set east west. It's all locked and loaded.

I'm looking at the West. Oh, man. OK, see number one.

Yes, indeed. How about them? You know who's in that seven, eight playoff game? The Lakers. Lakers. The Lakers should load manage their way to make sure they're the eighth seed. So they could take on Oklahoma City instead of the Nuggets. Exactly. I don't know, man. Avoid Denver at all costs.

Avoid Denver at all costs. So they should say that LeBron. But that doesn't AD. Yeah, but there's no guarantee that they that they win the game against the winner of the nine ten. Right.

Yeah. But you got a better chance to do you really maybe advance? Why would you just don't have to avoid Denver? It's a silly conversation. You're going to have to face them at any point anyway.

You might as well get them when you're feeling good about yourself. I am in the fire and this is positively insane. You know what else is insane, Rich? I'm going to go to that with some Lakers fans. Yeah, I'm getting text all morning. This guy's clowning me about the Clippers. I'm like, bro, you're in the plane.

Like, what is wrong with you Lakers fans? Are you texting with O'Shea Jackson Jr.? I'm texting with double way.

You know, my man, the way it is dangerous to text who's double way. But remember, I went to a birthday party at the suite and Rihanna was there a couple of years ago. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Wow.

My goodness gracious. Grab that name. I mean, look at you name dropping Rihanna. He's like somebody who doesn't like name dropping.

That's quite a name. You know, we talked about it. Remember when we talked about Rihanna's party? No, I don't remember that. I do. That's another reaction. Can you pay attention? Good job. Oh, you're oh, you got one more. Oh, I got lots of multiple. I think the NBA playoffs are going to be nuts this year.

You can't really. What's your what's your what's your definition of nuts? There will be multiple first round upsets in the first in the NBA. What does that mean? So lower seeds win? Lower seeds win.

OK, so I'll buy that. I'm talking Orlando. I'm looking at Indiana. Milwaukee is bad news bears.

OK, what's going on? All right. Dallas for sure. You tell me Phoenix can't beat the T wolves. You say Dallas for sure. Lakers in the eight can't beat the Thunder. Come on.

Hey, man. You know, the Clippers have no shot. Dallas is so much better. Luca is the MVP of the league. Brotman, you know, the Clippers have sent Dallas home the last two times they played in the playoffs. Right. And Lucas, nineteen seconds.

The Clippers might take on a Hawks team that swept them just about a month ago. And that's this guy's ex. OK. All right. What else you got? All right. Masters. I'll buy that switch. Let's switch.

I don't think that's an overreaction. Fresh tones. We're going to talk about the Masters.

Do me some birds, Mikey. Scottie Scheffler is winning at least one more major this year. This year. How about next month? Oh, yeah.

How about. Oh, I thought we were talking, dude. You want me to say he's going to win the grand slam? That's what overreaction Monday is built for. Do we have time to rewrite this?

Of course you do. Mike Hoskins and Don Buehler are in the room to go for it. He's going to he's going to win at least one more.

He's you got to speak louder for them to hear it. We're going to get that. Scottie Scheffler is winning the grand slam. Not one more major with one more.

You know, hard it is to win major Chris. This is trying not to, you know, this is overreaction Monday. There we go. Oh, wait a minute. Even put an exclamation point on the screen to make sure.

So now you can say Scheffler is winning the grand slam. That's insane. Here's my answer.

That is insane. Here's my answer. Damn, Skippy.

Three out of four. Yes, he is. Can I tell you why he's winning the grand slam? Oh, baby.

Let's just make sure that Meredith Scheffler gives birth in between the tournaments. That's why he's not going to win anymore. No, no, no, no, no. He's going to be. Oh, yeah.

No, no, no. He's going to be getting no help. They'll have no help. They'll be.

They'll have no help. I understand. There's no. We have to talk in the hush. I don't know.

Is there a doula in the house? Meredith. I mean, I love the Scheffler. One thing that Scottie Scheffler will definitely do this year is win the Masters PGA Championship, the United States Open and Father of the Year and the Open Championship to go along with the players championship. That would be and drop the friggin mic. That would be the greatest golf season ever.

Yes, it would. All right. Well done. A couple more. That's a reward. What's going on? The stage looking. That's like an encore.

They're clapping and coming back out again. He's about to throw the guitar pick to the hottie in the front row. And this one pains me the most. Oh, another golf. Oh, my gosh. This one pains me the most to say Roy McElroy, who I love, will never win the Masters.

He is never going to complete the Grand Slam and win the Masters. I'll I'll I'll on behalf of you, be your better angel and say that's an overreaction. Thank you, Rich Eisen. Because you don't mean it. I don't like you don't mean it.

But I watch Rory play every week and every year at Augusta. And you take the cheese. It's not great. You took the good Mad Men reference.

It's not great, Bob. You got one more. The last one. And this might be one of my most controversial takes of all time.

Although I will say I crowdsource this to Mike Del Tufo earlier today. That doesn't help at all. Oh, God. It's the truth. This is not a blue checkmark you want. Yeah, it is.

Masters Sunday is better than Super Bowl Sunday. Yes. What? And let me tell you why.

Yes. Let me tell you why. You can't tell me why.

Let me tell you why. You go to a Super Bowl party. Right. And it's the Super Bowl. It's two teams. Might be a team that you hate. Like the Philadelphia Eagles. Yep. Might be a team. Their fans are getting a little annoying, like the Kansas City Chiefs.

Yes. Or quarterback you don't really believe in, like the San Francisco 49ers. And you go to the Super Bowl party. This guy. And the spread is not quite right.

I didn't want tacos. Okay. The pizza's a little overcooked. Yeah.

The TV's a little too small. Yeah. Mm-hmm. The Masters. Oh, man. What? The Masters.

What about it? You got Azaleas. You got the calm, hushed music. Oh, my goodness gracious. You got Tiger Woods. What if this, what if you're... Every shot looks beautiful. Every shot is beautiful. I've had enough of this. I let you, I let you, I let you go on long enough.

What is it? So what, are you going to go to a Masters party in some, like, Nikolai Hojba, you know? Guess what. You know how much it costs to go to the Super Bowl, Mike? Exactly. You know how much it costs to go to the Masters?

A Master's sandwich. Six bucks. By the way, I don't know where the Super Bowl is every year. Oh, God.

It changes venues. Enough. I know it's always at Augusta. I love... How dare you make me choose between these two Sundays. That's an easy choice in my opinion. TJ. TJ.

Masters Sunday. It's the best. It's the best.

This is recency bias and absolute insanity. No. No. How dare you. Okay, Mike.

That's crazy. Great. Mike, am I proud to have you as a teammate?

A hundred percent. I stop what I'm doing to watch the last five or six holes every Masters... I said it to Brock. What if the halftime show stinks? Yeah, it's like everybody can embrace the end of the Masters. So you stop what you're doing to watch the last six holes of the Masters. Every single Masters Sunday. So you treat the last six holes of the Masters better than you treat this show. He's saying that's not right.

That's not an overnight action at all. You don't stop what you're doing for this show. I did right now. Dude, treat this show like it's the part 316. Will you please? From now on. Treat this show like it's your Amen Corner. Will you please?

In your life he doesn't pay attention. Let's take a break. This is crazy. We'll take a look at the NBA playoffs when we come back.

And by the way, in NFC East Roundup, top of the next hour, Daniel Jones has spoken. He knows what they're talking about. And as helpful as a smile on their face and gets you back on the road. They've got thousands of parts and accessories in stock either in store or online.

So you never have to worry if you're in a jam. The team at O'Reilly Auto Parts can test your battery for free in or out of your car. If it needs to be replaced, they'll help you just find the right battery for your vehicle. Need your windshield wipers replaced?

A brake light fix or a quick service? They'll help you find the right part or point you to the nearest local repair shop for help. Whether you're a car aficionado or an auto novice, you will find the employees at O'Reilly Auto Parts knowledgeable, helpful, and the best of all, friendly. Stop by O'Reilly Auto Parts today or visit us at OReillyAuto.com slash Eisen. That's OReillyAuto.com slash Eisen.

Our house is a mess. Come on in. I'm Amber Whalen, internet comedian and host of your new favorite podcast, Fly on the Wall. That's pretty presumptuous to assume that this is going to be their favorite podcast, by the way. Anyway, that wasp that you just heard interrupt me is my husband.

And co-host, Benjamin Whalen. Listen in as we discuss relationships and keeping our sweet baby kid alive. Fly on the Wallen, wherever you listen. All right, the Jets have new uniforms. They put out this fancy video. Roll it. Keep our mics open over it if you don't mind. Oh, we don't have the videos?

What do you got? I put the fancy video. It's okay.

Yeah, they put out a fancy video. Go ahead and hit it. We'll keep the microphones open. Here we go. All right. It's okay.

It's a plane taking off. MetLife. Down here.

MetLife. All right. A lot of green.

A lot of green. I like it. It's sort of like a superhero thing here. I like it. That looks like a Super Bowl ring, by the way. I like that idea.

I like the imagery. Is that really Rogers? No. In the eight? Is he? No. All right. Stand in.

What do you got? Is that Rogers for real? No, that's Madden. That's Madden.

That was the video, right? That was Madden. So Rogers wasn't available. Or Garrett was. That's Joe Buck calling that week one big catch against the Bills.

I don't know if Garrett was fortunate to have another last year. Jermaine Johnson's good. He's going. It's Breeze.

What do I mean? Top five offense. Dude, come on.

He's so good. What do we got here? Sauce looking good. This is the elaborate video. All right.

Wow, that scared me. G4. Okay. Flight crew. Listen.

Flight crew. Apparently the new look is more 90s and all I'm saying is just as long... Listen, it's a bold move to remind me anything to do with Rich Cotite.

Coslet and Cotite. Let's roll it back. Let's look at those 90s records. Don't. Let's get Elijah Veritucker and everything that we see on the screen healthy, please.

Rich Cotite was 4 and 28. Stop. Stop. I love it. Let's get the new Jets winning. Back here in the Rich Eisen show.

844, 204 Rich, number to dial. NBA playoffs match-ups are set. Love it, buddy. All right, how about the Oklahoma City Thunder? Getting Chet Holmgren back. He played all 82 games. How about you?

How about it? SGA may be getting the MVP this year. He probably should be. He's the one seed. The defending champs are the two seeds, huh? All right, Timberwolves Suns are set.

By the way, the cat's back for that, right? Karl-Anthony Towns is back. And the Suns go in fresh off the momentum of giving Grayson Allen 70 million bucks.

How about that? What's more surprising? Grayson Allen getting 70 million dollars or Emma Stone shouting him out. What's more surprising to you?

Emma Stone giving him a shout out like, hi, Grayson. I would say the 70 million. 70 million, all right, very good.

He's been their third best player this year. By the way, people would give 70 million dollars for Emma Stone to say hello to them. Clippers Mavs, you nervous? You nervous? As Dan Patrick said to me when I was a young pop and sports center trying to get ready for a show looming over me. So well, as a Clippers fan, you always get nervous this time of year because, you know, a random finger breaks, hamstring pops, weird things happen, bubble wrap them. Contrary to what everyone believes.

Yeah, Luka does put up great numbers against the Clippers. And by the way, I am the games in the series. I am not I am not of the subscription of, oh, avoid that team in the first round. Sorry, you got to face these people at some point.

You got to go through them at some point. Would it be would it be better to have somebody else knock them off? Of course. But you can't assume that. That's why this whole business of, oh, the Knicks, it might have been better for them to play the Pacers unless, of course, you're on the inside the NBA set. They said the Knicks would lose to the pace in the first round. Now they're not. Now they're going to take on either the Sixers or the Heat.

And I was kind of thinking this yesterday. I kind of want to play the Heat first. Let's just dispose of this team.

Let's get him out. Listen, if Jalen Brunson keeps playing the way that he is playing. It looks like MVP the last month or so. He has been absolutely dominant best player in the Eastern Conference the last month plus period.

I don't want to don't come at me with anybody else. He has been dominant and he should get MVP votes. A big man from Philly. No, he's coming back and maybe Nick Sixers talk about an Acela series. That would be outstanding.

Hopefully, I think that's outstanding. Cavs and Magic. That should be fun. And Bucks and Pacers. I want Giannis to come back for two reasons.

One, because I want them to be as healthy as possible. Two, I want him to be back there and setting a record and have the Pacers steal the basketball from him. Let's please have that happen in the playoffs.

Yes, Giannis has a record. He wants the basketball and the Pacers run off with it. And also you like Doc Rivers, so you don't want. I do want it's going to come. I want Doc to be happy and healthy, but Bucks Pacers, as we all know, back from the in-season tournament days, they didn't like each other.

Give me my ball. So let's see it back when Doc was a mere ESPN announcer, right? Those are the days. That's a big dude. That seems like so long.

Doesn't it? But that happened this year. So that's the first round series there. And so you're waiting, your Celtics are waiting for.

Just wait it out. Find out if it's the Heat, the Sixers, Bulls, or the team that swept you a couple of weeks ago. Just swept in Atlanta. Here we go. NBA playoffs begin. Playing tournament for the West tomorrow and then the East on Wednesday. And then off we go.

Seven-game series begin all over the place, and it will take forever to finish. Two more days for Embiid the Hill. We can go home now. There we go. Kings Warriors.

How great of a 9-10 city that that's unbelievable. Draymond Green's foot is coming for some bonus. Lakers, Pelicans, Zion versus.

Oh yeah. Oh, by the way, Anthony Davis against his former team. That's fun.

That's fun. You know, I'm just saying if the just Brandon Ingram's coming home, just maybe sit those guys. Brandon Ingram's rest. One more game.

That's so dumb. Chris, you know, would be the greatest thing ever. I mean, you got to be a Sixers fan for this. Remember when Miami beat Philly and Jimmy Butler came off the court and he was like, they picked Tobias Harris over me. What if the Sixers beat the Heat and then Tobias goes to the locker room and he's like, yeah, they picked me over Jimmy Butler. That would be incredible. That would be great.

But he's got to drop. There's some fun matchups. There's some fun matchups.

They are. NBA playoffs is going to be amazing. Anthony Davis is back in Smoothie King. It's too bad it takes two and a half months, but the playoffs are going to be.

I know it's a little long. Isn't that amazing? During the season, they're going to go back to back. We're going back to back and we're going to make rules to make sure there's no load management until the playoffs. When you get four days off in between games, sometimes I like that. Four days between games.

I don't strength, man. Like hockey. Every other game. That's not that.

You're not wrong. Let's play. We're big hockey fans around here. You're big hockey after after they give us the Stanley Cup. We are all in.

Yeah, there are people in our YouTube comments who are not happy. No, we're like, oh, you guys will never talk hockey. Never talk hockey endeavor.

As they say in hockey. Let's do that hockey. Let's do that hockey. We do that hockey. We did this hockey last week. We're supposed to say, no, we don't want Lord Stanley's Cup.

Get out of here. We want to see the cup in which a 20 minute old individual was placed. Set the record. Mario Lemieux had his hands on that cup. Cut the cord and put them in the cup.

And it was a backup. Swaddle it. Don't forget to swaddle.

Swaddle alert. Mike Carruthers shares little pieces of intel and interviews you can use to improve your life on the Something You Should Know podcast. The next time you're looking for a job and have to write a cover letter, here's some advice from Skip Freeman, author of a book called Hit Hunters Hiring Secrets. Add a PS to the bottom of that cover letter. That can actually increase the chances of that letter being read by up to 75 percent. Some people actually glance down and read the PS first.

Something You Should Know. Search on YouTube or wherever you listen.