NFL Teams Need To Sign Their Guys Early

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today.

Smart choice. Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your Progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you.

Give it a try after this episode. at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Not available in all states or situations.

Prices vary based on how you buy. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first. The same way you know you've got to make sure your lucky jersey is clean on game day or your team might lose. Checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate.

Savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates.

Northbrook, Illinois. Light the beam. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Staff looking left, throws right. Touchdown. Devondae Adams.

Touchdown L.A. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Mitchell out front. Three.

Got it. Does it for three. Chasing a Thunderbunny low. OKC forces a Denver timeout. Airs it back into Holliday. Kickout Tatum. Open three.

Got it. The Rich Eisen Show. Today's guests. Hosted pro football talk. Mike Florio.

Plus your phone calls, latest news, and more. And now it's Rich Eisen. Why do we have a show in store for you? Because it appears NFL free agency is starting right now.

You've got two straight days of being able to talk to people as if that didn't happen over the weekend. And we're talking to you about what might be going down in the National Football League world. Mike Florio, pro football talk in the middle of the show. The rest is for us to watch all the news come in because the window in which you are allowed to actually talk to free agents opened the minute I opened my mouth about 15 seconds ago right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman.

How are you? Rich, locked and loaded. Let's do it, man. OK, good. Jay Felley, you've got the breaking news drop ready.

I'm sure you do. Very good. We're going to be hearing that quite a bit over the next three hours. Here it comes. Good to see you over there, T.J. Jefferson. How are you, sir? I wish I had popcorn to get ready for what we're about to see.

Oh, if only you had a popcorn maker at home. Oh, and by the way, it's only fitting. Today is the Mike Hoskins just said today is the one year anniversary of of the of the drop. It was one year ago. No, no. Chino said my eyes.

And then I see and then awarded an Oscar. So it's only fitting that we hear that a million times today as we're expecting here. OK, so listen, so much went down over the weekend and so much to hit to start this program. And we greatly appreciate everybody taking us in on the Roku Sports Channel.

This rich hasn't showed terrestrial radio affiliate Sirius XM Odyssey, yada, yada, yada, and so much more. So much went down over the weekend. And listen, we have been talking about Myles Garrett since Super Bowl week because it was Super Bowl week that he announced he's making a trade request to the Cleveland Browns. He wants out. He doesn't want back in. There's no way to get him back in, especially when he sat on our set on the Wednesday of Super Bowl week and told us that he's not going back because he wants out because it's about winning a championship is sitting right in front of the Lombardi trophies.

He said it. We have a Lombardi trophy on our set as he said it. He wants to win that one of those things right in front of even want to make eye contact with it. And then lo and behold, he signs for 40 million dollars per over the weekend. I mean, honestly, we go off the air Friday and the entire conversation is about what Tom Pellicero is reporting that he attempted to chit chat with the owner of the Browns, Jimmy Haslam, apparently for a second time since the end of the season. The first is when I guess he heard the plan for the team and he wasn't all into it. And he wanted out unless the conversation number one with Jimmy Haslam was about money and he didn't hear the figure he wanted.

Plus the plan that they laid out. He says, I want out. I just was at the Pro Bowl. I saw all of my friends who are coming off of either a championship season or playing for their conference championship or were close to playing for their conference championship. I watched one of the worst seasons of my career unfold and Deshaun Watson's out for next year.

And what's the plan? We all know the backdrop of it. And then that was Friday. We were showing pictures of Jimmy Haslam looking all angry because apparently that's the only pictures that we have of him.

Or Tom Pellicero as well. And honestly, how can he just turn around and take the money when he said something like this to me at the Super Bowl? Hit it. I'm already hearing when you say you want out from Cleveland. Listen, he's got two years of unguaranteed money left on his contract.

Browns, all I got to do is just make him the richest guy at the position in the game and he'll go back and he'll be a Brown. And that's the end of that. How do you respond to that? Where that this that this is something that can be bridged, fixed, and you can stay with the Cleveland Browns.

How do you how do you say that? I said, I don't care about the money. I just want to win the championship. Now, is it is it something that, you know, maybe they end up keeping me or saying that they're not taking any offers? That's a possibility. But, you know, I just want people to know that it's not about me being the highest paid non quarterback or me having a huge contract or any of that.

I want to say no. At the end of the season, I played in the biggest games that I won. That's in my career. I had a chance to display my talents and everything I had. And, you know, it all came to fruition.

Everything that I dreamed and everything that I hoped for. In that trophy, that's right in front. Right in front. OK, as soon as you guys texted me the news over the weekend that Miles Garrett had signed for forty million dollars per. And it's now going to be tied to the Browns organization for the next six years with a no trade clause contract to boot. I thought to myself, I texted you guys my immediate response. That Miles Garrett is going to turn me into a cynic. And, you know, I sit here with the glass half full every day, every day. And I also thought of the scene from the fugitive where I guess I'm U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard and he's Dr. Nichols. Dr. Nichols lied to me.

Go get him. And I'll be honest with you, I was pissed hearing this. And then I just thought. To myself, you know what?

This isn't personal. And we in the sports media take this stuff so personally. Because I believe Miles Garrett had two choices over this weekend. One in which the guy who showed up at the Super Bowl digs his heels in. And says, I don't care how much money you're putting on the table right now, Cleveland.

I want to win a championship and here is not the spot in which it's going to happen. What are we going to announce today? That the Browns are signing fill in the blank quarterback that's available today. As of right now on this taping, it's everybody pretty much.

Although Sam Darnold could be signing somewhere, who the hell knows as I'm opening my mouth right now. Not yet. Thank you. A couple of things have happened, Rich, but nothing.

Thank you. But you know. After that, what we draft somebody, we all understand it's going to be a slog in Cleveland. And the guy who showed up at the Super Bowl and looked me right in the eye when I said, yeah, people are going to say it's about the money and he says it's not about the money. And then he's like, got all this money on the table. He's going to stand pat.

He had two choices. One, that guy who showed up at the Super Bowl spends the next five months in holdout hell. Holdout hell, where he says, I'm not signing and we go through the entire draft period and it's draft week. And there's a whole conversation and the Browns are like, we're not trading them. And we get through the draft. And now and before the draft, the team shows up and it's all about.

Miles isn't here and where is Miles? And you know what holdout hell is all the way into the summer, all the way into week one, all the way into the season. That's what we had had to do because the Browns were essentially saying we ain't going anywhere. That's what I heard at the combine.

And that's the way to telling everybody. And they even told him that with Jimmy Haslam's closed door, apparently last week. So he chooses five months, at least, of holdout hell, or he takes 40 million dollars a year and 40 million dollars a year at the position. Last week, Max Crosby signed with the Raiders an extension that paid him, on average, 35.5 million dollars a year, which is half a million more than Justin Jefferson's 35 million and a million and a half more than Nick Bosa and CeeDee Lamb's 34 million. The reason why I'm mentioning these contracts is they were were past tense, the most lucrative annual per year contracts of anybody who doesn't play quarterback in the history of the National Football League.

And the Browns didn't just say, all right, well, we'll just up it by half a million. We'll make it thirty six. We'll just beat we'll just beat Crosby from thirty five and a half to thirty six or even just a million and a half to thirty seven. They went all the way to 40.

Spinal Tap 11. With the total value of the contract, over 200 million and 100 million in the first three years in cash. Workout bonuses like he needs that.

Those will be met. I mean, one million dollars a year. I mean, the contract they put in front held the beer of Deshaun Watson's.

And so at the end of the day, we all have numbers. Honestly, I can't believe if if you had told me on the day of the Super Bowl where he said that to my face, that I would now be saying this on the first day of free agency after he took the money anyway. You know, I would have told you, let's go to Bourbon Street and take a shot of.

Name your alcohol. Right. But he he had two choices.

I will take 40 million dollars a year and swallow whatever I was thinking about needing to go elsewhere to win it all and going, yay, Cleveland. Woo hoo. But, Rich, didn't he started off saying unless they say they're not going to trade? No, he didn't say that. He didn't say that. No, he did not. He did not. What he did say was, I'll deal with that when it's time to deal with it.

And I guess when they come to him and say, we'll pay you probably more than what they were offering him the first time around. He says, no, I want to no trade. I want to I want out of here.

I want I want to trade. So Miles stays put, takes the money and swallows whatever he thought about needing to win now and hoping that it does work out and that they do have a plan. They do have a two time coach of the year.

I mean, there are reasons to sit here and think it's going to happen in Cleveland and the it being at least winning their division. And I'll tell you what this means to 40 million a year at the non quarterback playing position. Of edge rusher, the latest example, again, sign your guys early. Sign them early.

If you know you're going to keep them and you know you have to keep them, sign them early. Do you know how much more this means for Micah Parsons in Dallas? It is. It's probably going to it probably is going to cost. It's going to probably cost Dallas over the life of the contract. Another 30 million. You know, at least not per year, but over the life, it's going to be like six million more per at least. At least.

Yeah. Sign them early. And again, you take a look at what our friend in Philadelphia does. Howie Roseman signing A.J.

Brown early. Thirty two million a year at ninety six million for the life of the contract. Well, how does that look now that DK Metcalfe's making thirty three million a year for four? Looks pretty damn good with the trophy in the case. And on top of it, with DK and we'll talk about the DK acquisition in larger pictures for Pittsburgh, as well as what Seattle's up to, because, oh, by the way, the first big news drop of the prior to the free agency week weekend was Geno Smith being traded away to Vegas.

That D.K. making thirty three million a year now at the wide receiver spot. And Miles Garrett making 40 million dollars a year at the edge spot in the AFC North.

How do you think? Bengal's owner, Mike Brown, received that news over the weekend. And whose job was it to inform Mike, since I'm sure Mike wasn't on his phone looking at his alerts? Hey, Mike, you know, while we're dealing with signing not one, but two wide receivers and an edge rusher who we told to go seek a deal while Joe Burrow says we need to sign them all and we'd love to do all that. Guess what? Our two competitors, two of our three competitors in the division just reset the entire market for a non quarterback.

I mean, blew the roof off that sucker. And the Steelers go ahead and give a second round pick for DK Metcalf, who has got a ton of stats. But how deep into the playoffs is he ever gone? Guess what he's making?

He's making thirty three million a year and Jamar Chase is coming off a triple crown season. How's that going to taste? And then on top of it. Hey, Jimmy Haslam may have that Walder Frey scowl.

Guess what the looks I would imagine if I may have the temerity to suggest? How do you think the looks in his direction are going to be when he walks into the owners meeting later on this month? After he gave Deshaun Watson the contract he gave him. And Myles Garrett is now they just they didn't. I mean, honestly, you take a look at the way the non quarterback market has been paid out in twenty twenty three. Nick Bosa gets thirty four million the next year. Last year, Justin Jefferson gets thirty five million.

C.D. decides to outside for a million less, whatever. Thirty four is fine with me. And then the Raiders just tick it up just a notch, just a little notch, just a half million bucks for Max Crosby. And Max is like sold. And the Browns go, screw it. We're going to forty million per. How do you think T.J. Watt is handling that news?

I think by being very happy. Certainly as of right now, D.K. Metcalf is the owner of the largest contract in Steelers history on a, you know, total cash and all that sort of stuff basis in terms of an annual payment. Huh? D.K.

Metcalf hasn't played a snap here. How do you think T.J. Watt feels about it? So guess what?

Prices are only going to go up for everyone. What do you think? Brock Purdy is going to take forty five million per when Miles Garrett, a non quarterback, just five million behind him? Huh? Really? OK. Jimmy Haslam just says, screw it. Pay that man his money.

Forget about pilot flying, flying pilot J or whatever the hell his name is. It's like he doesn't give a flying F when it comes to resetting markets. He just did it again. Did it again.

And I guess that's the number that Miles Garrett can go from. Yeah, I don't believe I can ever win there. And there is no dollar figure that will be anywhere on the table to get me to reconsider. How much? What? Oh, OK. Where's my pen? How much now?

How quickly? Excuse me? What? What? Baking powder?

There is there is rich eyes and there is no way I'm going back to the Cleveland Browns because guess what? How much? What? Excuse me.

Excuse me. How much? What was that again? Does anyone have a pen? Oh, I have a feather pen as a matter of fact. Take the pen. What a way for this week to start.

Tastes like a buffalo. He's still there. All right. We'll take a break.

We'll check on the breaking news when we come back as well. D.K. is now a stealer.

What does that mean for them? Who is throwing the ball to him and George Pickens and also the remaking of the Seattle Seahawks? I haven't even mentioned Devante Adams is in the Rams house house. Josh Allen getting Pizzade and an eye on everything else. Eight four four two oh four. Rich is the number to dial here on the rich eyes and show.

Is going on now. So visit your local Hyundai dealer today. It's a great day for a new Hyundai. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive dot com to see if you could save on car insurance.

Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first.

The same way you know you've got to make sure your lucky jersey is clean on game day or your team might lose. Checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate.

Savings vary, subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Northbrook, Illinois. Back here on the show, have you noticed the newfangled tweet from news and information people in our business? What's that? Which is, it leads with sources.

Tell them. And then at the very end it tells you who negotiated the deal. Tells you the agent that negotiated the deal. So I guess that's not the source that's telling you.

And what agency they're with? It's like hmm. It's kind of like giving a photo credit to a photograph or you know.

It's very strange. Like an artist is signing the painting. This is my, this is the new contract. It's everybody's giving credit to, okay, the agent.

Yeah, it's like come on. Man, Ben Johnson is doing work. The, what do you mean Ben Johnson is doing work? It's Ryan Puls is the general manager. I mean they're both doing work together.

Oh okay. I mean I just talked about giving credit where it's due. Deal negotiated by, shouldn't like the assistant general manager or the, you know.

Maybe I'll ask this of Pelosero when he joins us later on. You know what I mean? Like shouldn't like the the capologist get credit?

Negotiated by, you know, legal work done by. Should we just have like rolling credits for every contract now? Yeah, it's like at the Masters, the Oscars when you're up there and you're thinking your whole team. Yeah. Like give everybody credit. Shout out to everybody.

But how do we play the music to end the tweet? Well you only get 280, I mean. I guess so. Not anymore, pal. Oh that's true, that's true. It's a great point, Rich, because the person who's actually sitting there at the calculator doing all this number crunching, those are the true MVPs of anything. Yeah, I mean not just that too.

Like, you know, long form, typed out by and then named the paralegal. Yep. Like we should just keep going. Captated not writ. These are just terms and dollars. Now comes the long form.

You know what I mean? Now comes the fine print. There's always fine print. Fine print. Contract printed out by FedEx Kinkos. Like let's keep it going.

Did you see the memo? Right, let's get it. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show radio network. I'm 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 clickgrainger.com or just stop by. Alright, hit the drop for the first time. Go for it please, Jay Felley. Here it comes. I see breaking news. Alright, Chris, what's gone down? Alright, I got everything that's happened. There's been six moves so far. Six? Six moves already. Have you written them down on an actual piece of paper?

I have, I have written them down. The first one that kicked it off right as the show started, Hasan Reddick. Oh God. One year, 14 million to the Bucks.

Okay. Hasan Reddick's going to the Bucks. Let me just say this. In terms of New York Jets of all time.

Where does he rank for you? Somewhere between sucks and really sucks. Does that, does that, does that explain it? Yeah, that hits. Oh, I'm going to demand a trade.

The Jets are going to flip. By the way, Howie Roseman is laughing his ass off. You take my problem and then he becomes your problem. Then he doesn't, then he doesn't show. Then he, oh my God. And then honestly, you might as well just like have resigned on a cocktail napkin. Then the next one.

I've never described the tenure of a team, of a player with a team anywhere between sucks and really sucks. But this one, I mean, really sucks. Sucking. Yeah.

I'm trying to go in order of how they happen. Okay. By the way, nice signing by the Bucks. Yeah, of course. Is he going to show? Is he going to, is he going to appear?

14 guaranteed, 12 guaranteed, 14 total. You think? I think he's going to show. Oh, okay. The Chiefs signed Jalen Moore, the tackle. So he's going to be a new protector for Patrick Mahomes.

Well, that had to happen because Ronnie Stanley, that was the, that was the target. Bummer. He resigned with the Ravens. Yep. Two years, 30 million for him. Okay.

Then the big one really bums me out. Chris Godwin doesn't hit the market, stays with Tampa. Three years, $66 million, 45 guaranteed. Ian Rapport saying he left at least 20 million on the table.

New England was pushing hard. Okay. Well, I mean, here's the deal, man. I mean, this guy is one of my favorites and just keeps getting hurt when healthy. He's awesome. And kudos to, you know, Jason Light of, of the Bucks to keep resigning his own and, and, and enriching them, you know, and in a manner in which they're comfortable and the fact that he's like, you know what, I know Baker. I know my family likes it here. I like it here.

Why do I need to change an address? The money's good enough. Let's sign it. And good for, good for the Bucks. They keep running it back and that works since they keep winning divisions four in a row.

Yep. So that's good news for the Bucks right there. Congrats to Godwin coming back from that knee injury and still getting paid three years too. Rich punters are people too. JK Scott, uh, staying with the Chargers two years, 6 million. Yeah.

And then this one is what I said. I wanted to give credit for, to Ryan polls and Ben Johnson and the whole, the whole bears. They are remaking that offensive line for Caleb Williams, Drew Dalman, the big center on the market from Atlanta.

He goes to Chicago three years, 42 million. Good for them. Okay. That's now three linemen that they've gotten this off season. Do you think that's what they needed to do or what? And then obviously, you know, you take a look at the Ben Johnson offense in Detroit. That line is the 100% generator of its success. I understand. I'm saying that with, I'm on Ross St. Brown on the team and those two dynamic running backs and Sonic, you know, and Thunder and Lightning and Knuckles and Sonic and whatever, you know? I mean, and so, um.

That's none of that goes down with the Porter and golf and the rest of it without that upfront. And they got to hit that because Caleb Williams, I'm sure is sick and tired of being hit. Yeah. Dalman Joe Tuni and now Braxton Jones, like for them, this is the plan. I mean, Hey, and, and plans are, are, are great. If they work out, I hope it works out for them.

I'm sorry. It's just Hassan Radek going somewhere else after all this, it just, it's just good for him. Braxton Barrios to the Texans on a one year and Elijah Mitchell to the chiefs for up to three and a half million and Adam Schefter saying, not, not anyone signing anywhere, but saying that Justin Fields will not sign with the Steelers unless they commit to him being QB one.

Give me that one more time. Justin Fields will not stay with Steelers unless they commit to him being QB one, perhaps you know what? Good for him. And I, I, I imagine, I imagine this is born out of him having another option in his back pocket because if he does want to play, you know, leverage with the Steelers, I I'm hoping that means he can go somewhere else and be a starter. And a lot of people think it could be the Jets having interest in Justin Fields.

And the question for him is, is he ready? And what he has done is nothing but being a pros pro from whatever happened to him in Chicago, falling out of favor and then being sent to Pittsburgh for a fifth round pick, by the way, in this year's draft, it wasn't even last year's draft. And then him getting the starting role, going four and two and then losing the gig and then watching Russ take them from four and two to 10 and three, only to have them fall off the cliff. And him saying nothing the entire time, I guess he's putting his foot down and saying, it's time for me to either be a starter or not. Like don't resign Russ and say, well, who's got pole position and who's got this and who's got that. You know, don't sign me and then Aaron Rodgers and then give it to Rodgers and I'm going to learn at Rodgers's side while he gets one last shot at a ring. Don't sign anyone else unless it's to back me up and let's see how that plays. I don't know if Tomlin and Omar Khan are going to sit there and go, okay, we hear you.

Good enough. I can't imagine Tomlin will take any sort of sense of telling him how he has to do his job that there will be no, there will be no competition, Mike. I don't know if that, that will go over like the proverbial wet gas in a place of worship.

That's what it sounds like in a place of worship. You know, I don't, I don't know how that would fly. But that is the question for the Pittsburgh Steelers is how do they go about their business here? Because they have a new wide receiver in town and they flipped a second round pick for him to Seattle and they paid DK Metcalf a contract on an annual per year basis that is monstrous. Now what to make of this? Who's going to throw the ball to him?

Great question. That's number one. Number two, if you're sitting here saying, you know, DK fell off last year and he might be having diminishing returns. Just know this is 41 touchdowns since 2020 is tied for fifth in the NFL with AJ Brown. Metcalf is one of two players in the history of the NFL to have 900 or more receiving yards and five or more touchdowns in each of their first six seasons.

The other one's named Randy Moss. Metcalf is one of three players since 2019 to have 2000 or more deep receiving yards. We're going deep. These are, these are not old gen stats I'm giving you right now.

What does that mean? Deep receiving yards. He's caught a ball that's been in the air for more than 20 or more yards. So, chunk plays, as we say, the other two players with 2000 or more deep receiving yards since 2019, Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill. And George Pickens is a guy who we have seen has been in DK's mold. And if Pickens, who is looking for a deal because he's on his last year, by the way, isn't that amazing that he's been in the league? This is his fourth year of being in the league. And and if he's looking at these numbers of wide receivers and says, I want one of those deals. Well, one way to back your leverage play and telling him no would be to have DK in your back pocket, which makes sense.

And you're also putting the pressure on Cincinnati in your division. Good luck signing those two guys long term. If DK costs $33 million per year, what is Justin, what is Jamar Chase going to want?

A lot more. And he would deserve it. So it makes sense for the Steelers to make a move like this, certainly since they were looking for Brandon Ayuk last year. And DK's got to be out of his skull happy.

And one would think being up there in Seattle, it's not a dome and it certainly isn't the most pleasant weather sometimes. So you're getting a guy who is tough weather tested in DK. And I think he's going to be a player that Steelers fans love. He's got that physical nature.

That's what you're looking for. And so I guess, you know, Pickens is going to be on the team. He's got a year left on his deal.

We'll figure out what to do there. You know, Calvin Austin, the third there, my guy, Roman Wilson's coming back. You got Fryer Muth over the middle and you got Jalen Warren. And what are they going to do with the running back spot? Because, you know, it's it's it's moving on time option, right? So they didn't pick up Naji Harris.

They did not. It's moving on time from Naji. And the question is, who's going to who's going to be the the trigger man? I don't know. Do you think Russ now is more appealing because DK's there and they have that? I guess what you're going to run it back history.

You're going to you're going to run it back. Why not? With Russ that he's got a pole position on Justin Fields.

So I don't know. It really is that they had a front row seat to what Russ looked like at the end and a front row seat to whatever was going on in the facility. And they have to make that decision. In my estimation, though, with Russ and with Justin Fields, it it just strikes me as Aaron Rogers to the Steelers aren't going to go and get that. I guess Justin Fields will be the one choice where you're just going to get somebody young, stick with that person and develop them and see how long you can last. Because the year to year stuff right now, that doesn't sound like the Steelers. That's the sort of stuff that a team that churns through people and that's not a churn through people organization. It's what the Jets did with Aaron Rogers didn't work out. Guys, do you think that the Steelers might be a better spot for Sam Darnell? Because like you said, you're looking at Rogers or or Russell, what are you getting one, two years out of them?

That is correct. And a way to do it would be we're going to bring in Ross, we're going to bring in Aaron and then we'll have Justin Fields there is another guy, a package guy, even though we never saw much of a package from him. And he's just to bring it all full circle, saying to hell with that, not doing that. I just hope he has an opportunity somewhere else for him to actually be named that starter and be the guy. I don't know if the Jets are that option for him.

Aaron, everything that I'm hearing is that Sam Darnold is going to Seattle, which is why they they flip Geno and that there may be a bidding war between Pittsburgh and Seattle unless the Vikings come around and surprise everybody. And there was a time, let me just say this, we start this segment with Hassan Redick leaving the Jets, by the way, there will be no, do the Bucks play the Jets? If the Bucks go into, if the Bucks go to MetLife, you know where there won't be a welcome back remembrance video?

You know, there won't be a thank you Hassan. They do play the Jets. Where? Are they in, are they in New Jersey this year? Probably not.

No, in Tampa. Oh, okay. Well, there wouldn't have been a thank you Hassan video, but there was a split moment over the weekend when, you know, Geno went to Vegas and that opened a spot for Darnold in Seattle and everyone's just penciling him in there. We all know that's a very dangerous assumption. That Darnold not going back to Minnesota and them going with JJ McCarthy and needing a veteran there, do they keep Daniel Jones there or not? Would that be the guy to hedge against the JJ McCarthy's not ready yet bet? And there was a chance, and it might still be the case, where Aaron Rodgers would be an option for the Vikings. And if Aaron Rodgers winds up in Minnesota and does in fact complete the triple farve Lindy of Green Bay, crapping out with the Jets only to show back up in Minnesota.

If that happens, I don't even know if there's enough of a hat for me to eat. I can't even, I can't even explain to you that if this happens, it would be proof, proof that still some people are searching for this proof and I don't understand why they are because they're not somebody who grew up with the Jets. It would be proof that the football gods despise the New York Jets, like despise, like come up with ways in which to conspire.

To create more inventive ways over and over again than the previous inventive way to kick the Jets fans in the Nards, if Rodgers winds up with the Minnesota Vikings. It would be the triple Lindy. It would be just like off of one diving board, flipping up in the air, landing on the Jets diving board only to blow out your Achilles and then flip up in the air over and over again and then splash into the pool of Nards kicking. I can feel it.

It would be the far of triple Lindy if this happens and I'm front loading it right now. That's what I thought when I saw really, could he, because I think we even had this conversation once upon a time. He's going to wind up in Minnesota and this is after, this is while, you know, JJ McCarthy and Sam Darnold were there and Darnold was kicking ass and we all know that McCarthy's going to be the guy of the future.

I'm like, there's no way he winds up in Minnesota and there is, there's a path right now. There's an opening. Let's take a break and talk about the, was that Cy? You need a water.

Do you need a water? Nah, I'm fine. A couple of defensive tackles, Rich, we got some news there. Okay, we'll do that when we come back and we'll talk about the remaking of the Seahawks and we'll keep an eye on everything going on. In the NFL, there's no margin for error.

As we just saw, one mistake can change the outcome of the game and a season and the biggest game at that. Science proves quality sleep can help boost reaction time, recovery time, and overall athletic performance and that's why Sleep Number is the official sleep and wellness partner of the NFL because they provide players with data and insights to optimize their sleep for the ultimate competitive edge. Imagine what it can do for you. I know, my sleep number setting is 60, my wife's is 70, just 10 numbers apart, but guess what?

It makes the world of difference. So why choose a Sleep Number smart bed, so you can choose your ideal comfort on either side. And now save 40% on the new Sleep Number special edition smart bed, limited time, exclusively at a Sleep Number store near you.

See store or sleepnumber.com for details. Can you just clean that up please, sir? This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. At Navy Federal, our mission is to help members of the military, veterans, and their families achieve their financial goals. That's why we offer great savings and investing options like our certificates. Certificates come with sky high rates and some even have the flexibility to add money any time during your term. Whether you're saving for a home, a new car, or your future, our options could help you get there and certificates are just the beginning. Navy Federal also provides financial advisors to help you manage your investment portfolio along with online tools to guide your savings plan. With our support, you'll have everything you need to take charge of your finances. So don't wait. The sooner you start building your financial future with Navy Federal's savings and investing options, the better off you could be in the long run. Sign up at navyfederal.org, Navy Federal Credit Union. Our members are the mission.

Savings products insured by NCUA, investment products are not insured, not obligations of Navy Federal and may lose value. I don't think Rogers is going to go to Minnesota. I just don't, I don't see that. No, I don't think so either.

The key is, I'll be honest, the linchpin there is Daniel Jones. I think he is going to stay there it seems like. Is that right? I don't know.

I don't know. It's him and JJ maybe? JJ's not ready. I told you what I heard at the combine. Miles Garrett is not being traded was my number one rumor, number two rumor, right? That's been, that's proven correct. My other rumor was the next option for the Vikings if Darnold doesn't stay is Daniel Jones. Oh no, was, what did I say on that one? No, the option for, right, the option for Anthony Richardson competition is Daniel Jones.

Yeah. Hey man, this whole business with Daniel Jones, I will just say this, hey, just keep your mouth shut in this world. Certainly if you're playing quarterback in the NFL and you're, you're younger than 30, you're going to, you're going to, the world's going to turn back in your direction. Same thing with Justin Fields. He must be thinking it won't ever turn back in my direction if the Steelers are going to move on and go get Rogers this time around, which may just be happening. But I would tell Zach Wilson, have your head in a swivel kid. Somebody should take a run at him, man. I mean, why would the Broncos give up on him right now? Well, they brought back Stidham.

Why would they give up on him either? You need three. You need three if you can in the NFL. That's true.

At least that's the way I would handle my business. It's, it's, it's kind of crazy that the, the Vikings could wind up turning to Daniel Jones to start their season and Daniel Jones could be in the Sam Darnold position, which is stick with us. You might, you, you too may win 14 games and then hit it somewhere else as Darnold is apparently about to.

I would imagine in Seattle, certainly if, if Rogers is currently red hot, rumored to be a Steeler and if that happens, I will just say this. Every Steeler fan friend of mine that was sending me tweaking texts and fun while the Jets were circling the Rogers drain last year, that would be what we would call a delicious O Henry like plot twist. That's all I'm saying on that front. How old is that O Henry reference by the way? O Henry? I don't know.

People might think it's a candy bar. That's what I thought. Nope. Got it.

You don't know who O Henry is? Nope. Okay. It's an actual author. Okay.

Whose brand was to write stories with a major plot twist at the end. Okay, great. You're learning stuff while you're writing stuff down like this tackle signing here. I am. And we asked, I'm expanding your mind and your horizons.

I mean, I'll probably forget it, but it's fine. You know what they call those people? Influencers. Thank you.

Got it. I can't stop influencing. I'm sorry guys. Can't stop. Won't stop. Won't stop. 47 minutes in.

I got to do something rich because our Stockport Voyos are tanking. Oh, is that right? Don't look. That's weird. See?

That's really weird. At the Hyundai getaway sales event, get deals so right, it almost feels wrong. Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted. Plus every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and three years or 36,000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance. Don't think you can get away with all that.

Think again, but don't wait. The Hyundai getaway sales event is going on right now. So visit your local Hyundai dealer today.

It's a great day for a new Hyundai. Hey, um, headline, what are the Seahawks up to? I'm sure that the twelves are wondering that over the weekend as they send Geno packing saying, Hey Pete, you love Geno so much have them.

You take them and we'll take a third round selection for which there is no way they're getting a quarterback who will be, one would think, as productive for them as Geno has been for them right off the bat. I don't know. I shouldn't say that because once upon a time, wasn't Russ a third round selection?

He was. One never knows. So what are they up to? I believe it's Sam Darnold. They're making a major play for him.

And I would, I would proffer to say the contract might be starting with a five. Cause I think Sam's got the leverage to do something like that and it would be amazing for him. And if you don't, you know, if you recall in week 16 of last year, um, he went up to Seattle and performed very well in a win that really, um, hurt Seattle's playoff run at the time. And then Sam went home and eviscerated the Packers and had that moment on everybody's shoulders.

And then we all know what happened in the Nat, the final two games, regular season against the Lions and then playoffs down the 105 freeway from here in Los Angeles. To me, that's what they're playing for. And then why are they trading away DK Metcalf? Because they don't believe they want to pay a guy $33 million a year at the position that he's already number two for them, Jackson Smith and Jigba, the man, he is their number one guy. And he is at least a couple of years away from getting a contract and maybe they will pay him that in the meantime, you know, if they're going to pay Sam all this money at the position, they're not going to keep DK and sign him to 33 million a year. Certainly if they're going to be one of those teams that just runs the ball and runs the ball and runs the ball and play some defense. And also they look around their roster and see a bunch of young players that they're going to have to pay. And they'd rather do that than pay DK.

I think that's as simple as, as that. And if the Raiders are willing to throw a flip, a three for their quarterback, and they're willing to run the risk of, of having to figure out who their starting quarterback it is starting with Sam Howell, don't forget, he's the backup there. If that's what they're willing to do to run that risk and then redo things with Mike McDonald in year two, and so be it. I proffer to think though, that they're going to wind up with Darnold. I don't think they would have made this maneuver without knowing the pole positioning.

And I understand that that is technically outside of the window in which you're allowed to talk to somebody, but you'd have a general good sense that you're going to get this guy. And I hope they do for Seattle, because if it's not, then they're, they got, they got, they're going to go in with last year's backup as their starting quarterback, and then figure out who's after that. Now they're, now they've, they've downgraded that position because, you know, Geno is definitely one of the better quarterbacks in the league.

I know you might not say he's a top five or even a top 10, but you're going to win more games and lose with a good defense and enough weapons for this guy. So Seattle's remaking, they're remaking and they're going to go to a run first, throw off of the run. And if you got Sam Darnold there pulling the trigger, and you hope that last year wasn't an outlier, that Sam's all groansed up and you go to work with him. I imagine that's what it is, Kenneth Walker and the rest of the running game and that offensive line and the defense that they're, they're building there.

I mean, that's, that seems to be their plan up in the Pacific Northwest. And certainly you're going to have to play a lot of defense if you have to cover Puca and Devontae in division and then whatever the Niners are going to be cooking up. And you got the Cardinals who are trending up after last year, despite finishing poorly. So I guess that's what the Seattle plan is, but the Geno to DK days are definitely over. And for the split moment when Geno went to Vegas and everybody thought maybe they'll just take DK also, that went by in a flash as DK is now in Pittsburgh, maybe getting ready to catch passes from Aaron Rodgers, crazy talk. But as of this very moment in taping, this is the reality, but Seattle's remaking their team, for sure. And it is some interesting choices in this quarterback needy league to say, we're going to expose ourselves for a 48 to 72 hour period that they can hopefully rectify with Sam Darnold coming and hoping that last year wasn't an outlier, that it was an unlocking for them to have their new quarterback for years to come in the NFC West.

And if not, plan B, which will be fascinating because that means Darnold's going somewhere else in the whereas, who knows? That's hour one in the books. Anything else popping? Yeah. More fresh dough over there? Yeah. Just some updates here. Not worthy of the drop? No, not really. Mike Brown's wallet does work.

The Velcro is not in fact broken. BJ Hill stays put, defensive tackle, three years, 33 million. Commander's making moves. Javon Kinlaw, three years, 45 million.

That's a nice one. Patriots get Robert Spillane from the Raiders, three years, 37 million. Jordan Lewis is going to Jacksonville. They're going to make him the highest paid nickel corner. I don't think he got that Mickey Spillane reference.

No, I'm just breezing through these guys. Jimmy G is staying with the Rams for a year, so him and Davante Adams reunited and it feels so good. What do you mean they're reunited? Well, they were with the Raiders. Remember? Oh, that's right.

And on the wide receiver show, Davante did not like playing with Jimmy. Oh, that's right. So that's fun. And it looks like Denver is going to get Hufanga.

They're working on a deal with him. Really? Yeah. And then we saw this. Hold on a second.

I want to get this other tweet real quick. Really? Hufanga would leave the 49ers to go to Denver? Correct. That would be a really nice signing. My goodness gracious.

The back end of that defense. All right. Has it been done or it's rumored to have been done? Working on it. All right.

Working on it. Okay. And then Jerry Dulak tweeted this out.

Our buddy, Jerry Dulak. Steelers are getting close to a deal with Aaron Rodgers. All right. Let's dive into this at the top of the next hour too. Let's dive into this top of the next hour. Aaron Rodgers.

In Pittsburgh. Oh, baby. Oh, baby. Yeah, I want this to happen next week. This is going to be amazing.

Oh, baby. Hold on a minute. This is going to be amazing. What we're doing is we're showing everybody on the Roku Sports Channel and the Rich Eisen Channel, whenever you're watching this show live or how the sausage gets made, I'm now looking up what the Steelers 2025 schedule is, where they're going and what that would mean and how, oh my goodness gracious, we're going to see. So this is for the next hour. Top of the next hour, let's hit this and we'll hit, what happened now? Nothing. I was looking at the Steelers schedule. Oh, okay. Great. Top of the next hour, we'll hit this and you know what the Raiders are up to, right?

The Geno acquisition that started the weekend and so much more. I knew the first hour would go fast and it sure as heck did. And I said the word sucks and really sucks in successive words. You did? Yeah, I did it again. It felt good. It still does. Let's get let's what you've got to show.