Who Are the Top 10 QBs in the NFL? (Hour 2)

We'll see if the NBA season comes to an end tonight, or will we have a game seven? It will be the Pacers and the Thunder coming up. At 8:30 Eastern Time, or as close as they could get it to it, as you do have the Thunder one win away from winning a championship. Let's go out to the guest line right now. You can listen to this guy, 10 a.m.

to noon Eastern Time, and many of these same Infinity Sports Network affiliates each and every weekday. And he's also a CBS Sports NBA insider. That is our friend Bill Ryder. Bill, how are you? Zach Delvin, great.

Is this a soccer hit? I am I correct in is are we doing soccer or what's People Club Club World Cup? What's up, pal? I do like FC Barcelona because I went to Barcelona and I got a hat and a scarf. That is the only other time, though, I've ever really pretended to like soccer.

But Stu and Samter, you know, I may have to take a page out of your playbook. These producers, I may have to ask you for advice. I got to reel them in a little bit. They're so distracted. There's a new soccer game on every day that they're watching.

It's insufferable. It's all the time. Look, I'm shocked they show up for work with how much soccer there is going on. I mean, I'm just, it's like, it's nonstop. I will say, Stu told me to bring up soccer.

He told me you'd love it. Yeah, I absolutely love it. I'm thrilled. All righty. Tonight, Tyrese Halliburton.

I think he's going to give it a go. I think this could be an OG Ananobi situation from two postseasons ago where he plays and then you realize that he's going to just give you nothing on the course. Court, is that what you kind of expected out of Halliburton or do you have higher hopes than I do? No, I think we're on the same page. Look, I think I'm the only guy in America who took the Pacers to win this series.

And so there was a stretch here where I felt unreasonably smart, right? I know that wasn't a reasonable perspective. And all of my hope and all of my arrogance, and all I think the idea, and I think there was one, Zach, that the Pacers could win this series dissipated with this injury. This isn't a Kirk Gibson situation, obviously. He can't limp out there for one shot.

And I'm worried about him. I understand why he's got to play. I understand that there's an NBA championship on the line, but these sort of calf strain injuries, we saw this with Kevin Durant most recently, several years ago. They lead to injury. And so I've got very, very small hopes for what it means tonight in a good way.

And I have lingering worries that if he pushes himself too much, that the guy could hurt himself in a way that impacts him next season. Does Carlisle, the way that it happened last game, where McConnell was going off, then the game got a little bit closer, he went back to Halliburton? I know the season's on the line tonight, so someone could sit there and say, all right, you run Halliburton into the ground, but then, like we talked about, you saw what happened with Durant. Does he maybe get a little rabbit ears there, Carlisle, with the backlash that he got for going back to Halliburton and maybe he has a quick hook on him tonight? Yeah, it's a good question.

It's really interesting. By the way, I don't know where you came down on this. I actually wasn't mad at Carlisle for the last game. He has made a pattern this postseason out of going with guys who have had bad halves or bad first 40 minutes of games. Obi Toppin had a terrible performance for a majority of a game against the Knicks.

And then Obi had an amazing fourth quarter.

So I feel like Carlisle's kind of earned the benefit of the doubt. Yeah, I'm with you, though. And here's the other thing I'll add to your question. And you're right. I do think you have to sort of be leery if you're Carlisle.

You also can't beat the this isn't game seven, as we know. You're not beating the thunder in Oklahoma City if Halliburton can't be, I think, somewhat effective. And so. I don't know if this is, this is a lot easier for me to say from my studio talking to you on your national radio show than if I were in Indiana, Indiana trying to win this game. But if I'm Carlisle, I think you almost have to try to win the game without Halliburton to give him the extra rest time.

And if you get lucky and the Pacers shoot 45% from the three-point line and someone, whatever, Siakim or someone else is great, then maybe you worry about pushing Halliburton into game seven. Because if you push him here, Zach, even if somehow he's heroic and he gets the W for you, the odds he's going to be able to go out and play on Monday if there's a Monday game, game seven, I think, are really small. What do you think his percentage of health is right now? All right, it's a great question. No one's 100%, but like, let's say, you know, most guys are trying to be 85 to 95.

Based on the way that he played in that last game. Based on his injury history and based on this kind of injury being really problematic. I mean, it feels like a 7 to 11% range. I think it's really, really low. Wow, that low.

I think it is. Oh my God. I thought you were at least to say like 30%. You know, 40%? I think it's.

So he had a great conversation. Great. But he talked to the media, and one of the, somebody asked him, was a good question: you know, if it were the regular season, would you be playing? Like, and I went and I found him. Like, the look on his face is one of these, like, hey, man, don't ask me this because it's influenced here.

Right. Yeah. I think he's in rough, rough shape. Gotcha. Bill Ryder here with us.

By the way, Uh like a green screen behind you, or those actual books behind you? No, we got Leo, you're the godfather. Look. It's a book that Stu's never read in the movie that he's never seen.

Well, let me tell you. I think you have more books there than I've read in my entire life. That's a lot of books there. You have like 400 books sitting right behind you, it looks like. I like books, man.

You gotta, you gotta read. Dude, you're a smart guy. Read those books. I'll send you some books. I'll read like socks.

I got soccer books. I got soccer books over here. Stop. Whatever you need. Enough with the socks.

You know what? I may have to talk to our bosses to outlaw soccer for at least a month. Like soccer-free from this network for a month.

Okay. Bill Ryder. No soccer. If the Thunder, whenever, if they win tonight or if they win on Sunday, I think they're going to win tonight. And I think they're probably going to do so by double digits.

And it'd be fitting because it'd be their 64th double-digit victory of the season for that just to be the way that their season does end in a championship and do it by double digits. What's the take on the Thunder if they win at all? I feel like a lot of people are going to go and jump right to: is this the beginning of the next San Antonio Spurs? Yeah. I think Bill muted himself.

So that is the question I was asked on every hit. It's a reasonable question. And I think it's a really hard it's a hard one to answer because the CBA and the NBA is now calibrated the way Silver wants it to not have dynasties and to allow multitudes of teams Did you mute yourself here, Bill? I don't know. Can Bill not even hear me?

He's still talking. Yeah. It might be a earbud. 'Cause he's wearing those Air AirPods. That might be an AirPod Bill is still talking.

He is still talking. And and I can't hear him.

So this is this is fascinating to me. Bill looks like a mime right now. Do we have Bill back? How about now? Bill?

I don't know. I've gotten the sound of my own voice. I was mesmerized by just talking to myself. I don't know where you lost me, but I do think that they can be a dynasty. I think they're set up for that with the way that Presty is.

Basically, he has a million picks. He's got next man up too deep. I mean, Lou Dort's not going to be there forever. It'll just be Caruso. Then Caruso will go away.

It'll be Kayson Wallace. The problem becomes there's a lot of other teams waiting in the wings. The NBA, they don't want dynasties. That's not what they want. Wembin Yama is going to be amazing.

Sort of go through the whole Western Conference.

So, yeah, Zach, I think they can be dynastic. I think they're good enough for that. Their core is young. Chet Holmgren hasn't gotten to the level that I think he will and he can. But the landscape's a lot different the next 10 years and maybe the last 30 years where that was more common.

Bill Ryder here with us. All right, let's get to some of the off-season stuff. Who do you think is going to be the next Knicks coach right now? Who would be your guest right now? Michael Malone is the guest that I would go.

Well, you'll know better than me. You're like friends with Leon Rose. Like, that's your guy. You guys golf together or something. That's not true.

You need to tell me. I need you to tell me what Leon's doing. I mean, look, this guy, so you know as well as I do. Leon's a great guy, but he's basically JD Salinger. He's a recluse now with the media and with all kinds of people.

So there's not a lot of great information out there. And I think you take most of it with a grain of salt. Leon did come from CIA. That is an important relationship. It's part of the reason Cat, as you know, is a Nick.

Michael Malone, CAA client, has a history there, not just with CAA, but with him. Championship, championship sort of mojo. And I think Malone, as I understand it, has been. Whatever they were humbled enough in his power struggle that got him and the GM fired in Denver that you wouldn't have a repeat of the Tibbs thing, but I've heard some heat on Taylor Jenkins. I mean, the honest answer is I don't know.

I would hire Malone. If I were, I wouldn't have fired Tibbs, right?

So it's such a weird thing to be answering. But Taylor Jenkins is getting some heat now, too. Not a CAA guy, which is kind of interesting. And I've heard Bogle thrown out there the last 36 hours as they get rejected, the Knicks again and again. And we know Mike Brown has interviewed as well.

They're still getting that lingering thought of maybe they end up going with Johnny Bryant. But is that you saying you think they should hire him or you think they will hire him? Because I've heard nothing about the Knicks of Michael Malone. Like fans have said it, but there's no real hires. I don't know who they will hire.

Everybody I have to. People have told me that they think Michael Malone can get the job. People around the NBA have told me that. But here's the thing. And who made this point to me?

Jared Greenberg made this point, and I thought it was a really good one. A lot of the discourse and conversation has been around: why would you fire? Tom Thibodeau, if you don't have a backup plan. And the point that Greenberg made is clearly they didn't have a backup plan and they didn't want one. This was more about they just didn't want to work with Tibbs.

Leon, for whatever reason, there's some reporting out the last 24 hours, sort of why this happened, didn't want Tibbs. And that's that's step number one. And so If you do have these coaches out there who either are assistants that you know will take the job or are former coaches like Malone, like Jenkins, like Mike Brown, who are just in on the sidelines, why not take every swing on the face of the earth? I actually sort of rethought this, and I don't know who's going to take it to answer your question. The name changes every time I talk to other GMs around the NBA who they're speculating on.

But I think Leon's just taking his time and understanding he's got several backup options, and I think he's going to be pretty methodical about the whole process. Bill Ryder, when we get to Kevin Durant, right, you've heard about the Knicks, that the Knicks aren't interested, but he's interested in them. Miami is a team that comes up. It seems like I read the Matt Moore article that he doesn't want to go to Minnesota. Houston and the Spurs are still lurking.

It's a giant game of who's going to blink first and give a package to the Suns that they're content to. If it was up to KD and he could decide where he's playing tomorrow, what is that team for Durant where you think he wants to go to? I think it's really interesting he doesn't want to go to Minnesota. And I understand that it's cold there. I'm from nearby in Iowa.

I get the winners are awful KD, but I think that's a really interesting team. And I think that, look, I'm not sure how self-aware Kevin Durant is. He has teamed up with a multitude of superstars and hasn't worked out. And there has been a little bit of tension on the court, at least, right? Because he needs the ball.

Anthony Hamwards worships the guy, looks up to him. That is his role model in basketball.

So I'm surprised he's not more tempted by that.

So putting that aside, for me, it's the Houston Rockets. It depends what he wants. If he wants an NBA championship, I think the Rockets are good enough to make that leap. They are ahead of schedule. They were the two seed this year when they probably should not have been.

That's how good of a coach Jime Adoka is and how remarkable they are as a young squad. You plug in KD's instant offense, and not just that, the depth they have.

So he doesn't have to play a million minutes. I think if you get lucky, you can preserve him through the regular season. He can actually be durable in the playoffs, and he provides exactly what they need.

Now, I find this Spurs deck really interesting, right? If I'm KD's consigliore, because if Wemby is out there, You have DeAaron Fox, you have this big three. I actually think, with a guy like Durant, and I wouldn't trade a lot for Kevin Durant if I'm most teams, but I think if you put Durant on the Spurs from Durant's perspective, there's a world where I think they can be an actual contender. I'm not sure people realize. How remarkable Wembanyama is and how much he's going to make a leap year to year.

So I'm looking at one of the two Texas teams. If I'm KD, it's first choice Houston if I get to point him in a direction. But I think the Spurs are really interesting too.

Alrighty, I talked to two people today about Ace Bailey because he's supposed to have finally a workout and then he canceled on the Sixers. And I said, what's going on here? And everyone's getting the same line because I've seen this all over the place. They said he's getting really bad advice and he's also really immature. The first player I think of.

Is Ben Simmons. I'm not saying in terms of style and all that stuff, but Ben Simmons had a terrible attitude and it's derailed his career. Is this something that Ace Bailey could change, or is he just going to be another Ben Simmons? I mean, he can change it, but I'm with you that I I would pass on him. I will tell you that.

And I talked to a guy before all this went down who scouted him, right? A guy that's a top-level talent evaluator for an NBA team who loved him and said he's amazing. I was going back through my notes because this conversation was months ago. And also, the same person in a different part of the conversation told me: never, ever, ever, ever, ever the top pick draft somebody who has major question marks on any level, right? If their knee is a little shaky, if their character is a little shaky, if there's just, if there's something that feels off, it's too big of a decision.

And I think there's just too many red flags here and there's too much, too much smoke. I mean, he's talented, right? He's a massively talented dude, obviously, but if. Immaturity, okay, fine. These are young people sometimes.

Getting bad advice. Happens, not maybe dealing with fame and the second that are around you when you're a young person, got it. But when it impacts your ability to show up for workouts and to interact properly with NBA teams, that tells you a pattern that could follow.

So, yeah, I think he falls, and I think you would be foolish if you're any of these teams in a very, very deep draft. It's not like there's only two guys to take your risk with someone who is showcasing, at least at this point. I am not mature enough to be an NBA player. But clearly, Flag is going one. You're going to Harper go two.

Why? The Sixers are then three. Why would Bailey cancel here? That's the part that I don't get why he would cancel here. I don't get.

I mean, maybe he doesn't want to be a sixer. I don't know. I'll say this about Daryl Murray that I find really interesting. I was trying to recall his name when I was giving you my last answer, and I should know this. Maybe Stu will know, maybe you'll know.

It was the guy who was at Iowa State 15 years ago who wouldn't get on airplanes. And now he's a Republican wannabe congressman, I think. This was a massively talented guy, Royce. I can't remember his name. He didn't make it.

And Daryl Murray reached for this guy because he was so talented, but he was a total mess.

So Bailey's actually the perfect kind of pick. For the Sixers, because what diarrhoea? Royce White. God, I couldn't get, and I knew that guy. Good job, Stu.

Good job, Stu. Did Stu pull it? Yeah. Yeah, Stu, stop watching soccer and do my job for me while I'm on Zach's show, bro. Stu looked up.

He goes, Oh, that team scored the goal. Oh, wait, Zach needs something? And then he typed away all the Maradona stuff was up there. All the messy stuff was up there. And he goes, Oh, I'll pull Royce White out of his ass.

That's what he ended up doing. I don't know why you wouldn't want to go to Philly, especially the way that sort of these things are slotted. Because they're going to be a young team. I think eventually, maybe not this year, but Paul George is not going to be there for forever if they can help it. And even Embiid, if they can get a.

Anyway, I don't know. This young man is getting bad advice, and the decisions he's making are incredibly, incredibly foolish. And this is one of these drafts, it almost is more like an NFL draft where you actually can fall. That doesn't usually happen in the NBA because there's tiers of talent, and normally you get to five or six or seven if you're lucky, and there's a huge drop. As I understand it from people across the nobody agrees on who the guys are, but there are seven or eight people that people think minimum this draft is that deep.

Or if you draft a guy 9, 10, 11, you can get a star if you develop properly.

So this is the wrong draft to be pulling these kind of moves. Last thing I'll ask you, what do you think the immediate impact is? Cooper flag with the Mavericks. What's the immediate impact on him in the NBA? Other than saving Nico Harrison's job, other than I was in that draft room, by the way.

And when that, usually I'm in that room and all, when the, when the, they pull out the lottery balls, usually, whatever team wins and gets lucky, everyone's happy for. Nobody was happy for the Mavericks. Just so you know, everybody in that room was really put out. I think it makes him a contending franchise for a very, very long time. Maybe not this next year, but that doesn't really matter with Kyrie coming back from the injury, and we'll see what AD is about.

And they got to kind of figure out how you thread that needle with AD's timeline and flags' timeline. But by all accounts, Zach, the guy is going to make the leap. He's amazing. He's mature. He's a winner.

What it does is it's a reset for the Mavs. And I don't think they'll be great this next year, but I think that they're probably going to be a very talented team with the right cornerstone. They don't deserve this, but that's what they got for a very long time. Hey, by the way, I got a $10 billion question here. The sale of the Lakers yesterday.

Oh, boy. What do you think the impact is here? On how the Lakers are going to be run. And then also, some people have had this take that now Palinka is on the hot seat. Do you think Palinka's seat now is on fire?

Yeah, well, so okay, so I so I have not confirmed this. I have seen the reporting that Jeannie has in writing, Genie Buss has in writing the right to be the governor, which is basically the person who makes the decisions at NBA ownership meetings, and to be in charge of whoever's in charge of Basco operations. If that's Ropolinka's seat is on fire, and he is gone whenever that contract expires, would be not just my presumption, but what people in the Lakers organization told me when the news broke. If part of this deal from the group that owns the Dodgers is that Jeannie gets to be in charge for three years or five years, Jeannie is, and I think to a great fault, incredibly, incredibly loyal. And there's a reason I think she gave Polinka this extension because she knew she was negotiating this sale.

And so she took care of her guy in case she didn't get what she wanted to there in changes.

So if she is really locked in, Zach, to control for a long time or for a certain amount of time, I think Polinka's there. But after that, I think he's absolutely gone. And to answer the first part of your question, last, I think it's incredible for the Lakers. The Dodgers are remarkably well run. And this, I know that there's a cap and the CBA has sort of flattened things, but there's not a cap on how much you pay your coach, how much you pay your general manager.

I mean, look at what the Dodgers do. And I know that, like, in baseball, you can spend all the money you want, but something that gets missed on the Dodgers side is that they went out and they bought, they hired the most impressive young GM in baseball and Andrew Friedman when he was in Tampa Bay. They elevated him to president. And if you go and you look, and Farhanzati was just the GM in San Francisco, is back now after being a Dodger for a while, then they spent ungodly amounts of money. Hiring three, five, six, seven, at one point, I think it was nine former GMs to work throughout the front office.

The Dodgers have the best science. They spend the most money on the sort of science of sports. They dominate Latin American scouting because there's an edge there, because it's a different draft situation. They pour money into every avenue they can. The Lakers are going to spend all the money in the world.

They're not going to worry about the aprons. They're going to turn into a brand that prints money. And I think they're probably going to pour money into places where the CBA doesn't limit you.

So I think in the medium and long term, this is great news for the Dodgers. And you're going to, unfortunately, the rest of the NBA be up against the best brand along with the Celtics in the game. And now, because I love Jeannie, but I don't think she ran the team particularly well, a well-oiled machine, sports machine. I think in five or six years, the Lakers are as well run and as successful as the Dodgers are. He's Bill Ryder.

Great job. CBS Sports Insider. Also, you listen to him right here on the Infinity Sports Network, right? Of the new Monday through Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon Eastern Time.

Bill, thank you. Enjoy the game tonight. Thanks, buddy. All righty, there you go. Bill Ryder, good stuff from him.

We'll take a break when we come on back. A little list was thrown out there on the most interesting people in the NFL entering this season. We'll go around the room. We'll give you an interesting coach and an interesting player when the Zach Gelp show continues after these short messages.

Sometimes I tease something right before a break. And then I see something during the break, and it changes the conversation.

So Yahoo Sports just put out a list. And Entering the 2025 season, four verts gives you his top 10 QBs. That's the. The Twitter handle here. Whoever four verts is.

I just I genuinely do not know who this is. Um but the person does have fifty two thousand followers on on social media.

So whoever 4 Verts is, do you know who 4 Verts is, Stu? Not a clue. Let's see. Four verts, Yahoo. Let's see if anything comes up.

Charles McDonald.

So Charles McDonald, who's a staff writer. For For Yahoo Sports. That's whose list this is. Oh, it says underneath that Charles McDonald's top 10 QBs. It's a very small font, his name, Charles McDonald.

You know, if this was my list, I want my name a lot bigger, if I'm just being honest, so people could actually see who the heck's listed is. You wanna know what the top ten QBs are? Have you looked at the list? I have not seen this now.

Okay. Take a guess. If you have to guess 10 QBs, give me some QBs, you and Nico. Just give me some QBs. I'll type down the list.

Let's go, Patrick Mahomes. Good guess, right? He's number one. All right, Josh Allen. He's number three.

Okay, Joe Burrow. He's number four. Lamar Jackson. He's number two.

Okay. All right. Sure. Those are the four best quarterbacks in the NFL.

However, you want to rank them, I think Mahomes needs to be one. And then you could rank Allen, Jackson, Burrow, however you want. Personally, I go Allen two, Jackson three, Joe Burrow, four. Find lists to start with. Right?

Finalists. Of course. Give me the next name that's on your mind. I would say Jalen Hurts would be the next game, the next name I would think of.

Now that's a top 10 list, correct? Yes. I told you this. Top 10 list. Uh Jalen Hurts is in five.

Jalen Hurts is in six. Jalen Hurts isn't seven. Jalen Hurts is in eight. Jalen Hurts is at nine. Oh, maybe it's Chris Simsless, right?

And maybe it'll be 10. Nope. He's not even 10. This is just let's use Jalen Hurts's name. And let's have it be the omission.

We'll rile up the Eagles fans. And we'll get a bunch of clicks on this. That's the playbook here. I know it, you know it, and let's be real: Charles McDonald, who authored this list, he knows it as well. All right, but let's Let's continue this list.

Because there's a few other names that are missing. Go ahead. Give me the next name that you want to go. Jaden Daniels. Oh boy.

Uh oh. You know what? I didn't even realize this at first. Th this is it. Was this ChatGPT that did this list?

Charles McDonald's top ten quarterbacks entering the 2025 season.

Now, let me just make sure well, even if it is for fantasy football. You would think Jaden Daniels would would b be in there. Uh yeah, Jaden Daniels is not And this is also written too. He is not. is not In the top 10.

Oh my god, let me just double-check that. Boop boop boop boop boop boop boop Yep, he's not. Not in the top 10.

So you know what? Let's keep track of these. Names that should be in here. Hurts? And Daniels.

Continue. All right, how about CJ Stroud? CJ Stroud is in the list. Wow. Want to take a guess what number he is?

Five. He's ten.

Okay. All right. Keep going. Give me some more names here. Matthew Stafford.

Matthew Stafford's on the list. I want to give a guess here the number? Nine. He's six.

Okay, he's six.

So that's fair. Stafford Six, good with that. Who the hell is five? I mean Justin Herbert. Justin Herbert is fine.

Oh, goodness.

Now I like Justin Herbert. You can't put him as the fifth best quarterback in football right now. Win a playoff game first, all right? Ah, it continues through, though. Because you got seven names.

Yeah, you got seven names so far.

So there's three spots left: spots seven, eight, and nine. Seven, eight, nine still remaining. This is. Charles McDonald.

His list. Mahomes one, Jackson two, Allen three, Joe Burrow, four. You got Justin Herbert five. Matthew Stafford was six and C.J. Stroud was ten.

So we're looking for spots seven, eight, and nine. There was no Jalen Hurts, and there's no Jaden Daniels on this dopey list. All right, let's go with Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is not on the list. Oh my God.

This is one of the worst lists I've ever seen. Are we going to go into Aaron Rodgers despite his age territory here? Aaron Rodgers is not on the list.

Okay. We got three quarterbacks to guess. Wow. Three quarterbacks together. Seven, eight, nine.

Are we putting Dak Prescott on this list? Winner, winner, chicken dinner. He's in your seventh spot. Dak Prescott, the seventh best quarterback in football. Oh my god, dopey list.

What about I don't think I've said Jared Goff yet. Have I? Said Goff? Jared Goff's a good guess. Yeah.

He's not in the top ten. Of course not. Not in the top ten. What about A tour. To a tongue vi lower.

Non-list. Trevor Lawrence. Trevor Lawrence. Nonetheless.

Okay, um Are we going to put Caleb Williams on this list already? Caleb Williams is not on the list.

Now, do me a favor, Stu. Gather yourself.

Okay, regroup. Do think hard. Too doo-doo doo-doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo do Do do do do do do do do Bump bum dump bump bump bump bump bump bump. Got a guess? Jordan Love.

Jordan Love. Look at that. Just needed a second. Student, just do a little ayahuasca. You just need to calm down.

Now he's good. And there you go. Jordan Love is nine.

Now Who is number eight? Stu will never guess this one. If you guessed this one. I'll be shocked. Shocked.

Geno Smith. Yes. Is it? Of course it's Geno Smith. Yeah.

Geno Smith. Barron Jalen Hurts. Wow, I got pretty lucky this offseason, didn't I? Geno. Smith We're sitting here talking about Geno Smith.

We're talking about the top 10 quarterbacks in the league, and you put Geno Smith at 8? No Jalen Hurts, Super Bowl MVP. No Baker Mayfield! He's been wonderful with Tampa Bay. No Jared Goff.

I don't know. No Jaden Daniels? Call the Raiders up tomorrow. Ask the Raiders, would you rather have Jalen Hurts or Geno Smith? And I'm not even trashing Geno Smith here, he's a fine quarterback.

But he's like 13th or 14th in the NFL, 15th. But go call the Raiders Geno Smith or Jalen Hurts. I say Jalen Hurts. Go call the Raiders Jared Goff or Geno Smith. They're going to say Jared Goff.

Jaden Daniels or Geno Smith. Gonna say Jaden Daniels. Baker Mayfield. Or Geno Smith. You're gonna say Baker Mayfield.

They they are a list. And there are then lists to get a reaction. This, my friends, is a list to get a reaction.

So you got a reaction. Wonderful. Congratulations. I don't want to hear people say, well, what does Yahoo Sports have to say? They don't give a crap about Zach Elm's opinion.

Why do they care about your opinion?

Well, they just like quoted me a week ago for something that we had that went viral.

So you can't tell they don't care about my opinion. All right. Top 10 lists, geez. Louise, Mahomes, Jackson, Alan Burrow. Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine.

Herbert, five, too early. Stafford, six, fine. Prescott, seven. What is it? Smith.

Eight. Yuck. Jordan loved nine. At least he's in the conversation. CJ Stroud, 10.

He should be in that conversation. My top ten quarterbacks? Mahomes one? Josh Allen too. Lamar Jackson, three.

Joe Burrow, four. Jalen Hurts, five. Jaden Daniels 6, Matthew Stafford 7, CJ Stroud 8, Baker Mayfield 9, Jarrett Goff 10.

Okay? That simple. Not say my list is the indulgent. But when you have a list Of Gino Smith as the eighth-best quarterback in the league, and Dak Press got seven, and Justin Herbert in a five-like, what are we doing here? No Jaden Daniels.

No Jalen Hurts. I need an aspirin. That's what I need. And this portion of the show is brought to you by Wesley Financial. Stuck in a timeshare and one out.

Contact Wesley Financial Group now and get a free timeshare exit information kit at WesleyFinancial Group.com. Calm. Um let's go around the room here. Stu sent me this list before the show. And it was the most interesting person in the NFL entering this season.

So instead of just giving us our most interesting person in the NFL, let's throw the most interesting player. And let's go to the most interesting coach.

Now, when you guys give me your responses, tell me why you think this person's interesting. But let's go around the room first. And I've already taken two of them, and then I'll get to them.

So, don't have the same ones as me, but go who's more interesting out of the two that you ended up picking first.

So, like, if for example, Nico goes coach, Stu could then go player. It doesn't matter, just who's the most interesting. Player or coach, give me the first one that came to your mind outside of the two that have been taken off the board since I've gone.

So I'll start first because I had the first picks here. I'm actually going Coach, and I think this guy's the most interesting person in the NFL entering this season. It's Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson is talking a big game. Ben Johnson is basically telling you, Matt LaFleur, like, we're coming to kick your ass, right?

Making jokes at the Packers' expense. He is not afraid to already call out Caleb Williams. Call out also DJ Moore. He's coming in here. And he's talking a big game, even talking negatively about the tush push, which I was not happy about, because he's only interested in explosive plays.

Well, Brainiac, let me tell you something. The tush push leads to touchdowns. That's a pretty good play. The tush push leads to first downs. That's a pretty good play.

And they could set up explosive plays.

So if you want to say you're all about explosive plays, that's fine. But Ben Johnson. For the last two years has been looked at as the coordinator in the NFL. Right? He's the whiz kid.

He's the new kid on the block. And last year, for whatever the reasons were, he wanted to go back to Detroit and he refused to take the commander's job when everyone thought he was going to take the commander's job. And Adam Peters then had to pivot to Dan Quinn and look at the year the commanders just had. The the Commanders went to the NST Championship game. And now you get Jaden Daniels, who, oh, by the way, outplayed Caleb Williams a year ago, and now Caleb Williams, your quarterback.

Doesn't mean Caleb Williams can't turn around. But Ben Johnson to me Is the most interesting person in the NFL because how many times do you get the hot shot coordinator, always going to be the future of the NFL, becomes a head coach, and is a disaster? Not everyone can be Sean McVay. Right? For every Sean McVay, there's an Adam Gase.

Right for every Sean McVay There are these other coaches, Robert Sala, right? Offensive, defensive-minded guys that were supposed to be all that, and they ended up being disasters as head coaches. It's uh Nathaniel Hackett. Or if Aaron Rodgers is listening, your buddy Nate Hackett. You know, 'cause he calls him Nate Hackett.

There's all these these instances. Where these guys are supposed to be all that. And then they end up getting the job and they projectile vomit all over themselves. You know, look at, I know Matt Nagy actually went to Coach of the Year, but he wasn't Mr. Brainiac in Chicago either.

So I'm going to go with Ben Johnson right out of the gate. Nico, who's yours? I'm going to go with the the player for mine.

Okay. And for me, it's Trevor Lawrence. Hmm. This is a guy making $55 million. He was the number one overall pick, all these expectations, and he's gotten the benefit of the doubt so far with doesn't have a lot of weapons, the constant coaching changes.

Well, now this new GM comes in and trades up to get Travis Hunter for you.

So now you got Brian Thomas on one side, Travis Hunter on the other side. There's no more excuses for Trevor Lawrence. I'm very curious to see how he does with a legit receiving core now.

Okay, Stu, who's your first? Mine is a player as well, and I am going with Sam Darnold. I think we saw what he did in Minnesota the first half. Three-fourths of the season, it was very good. It would look like a top 10 to 15 quarterback.

But then we saw what he did towards the end of the season and into the playoffs where he didn't look very good. He goes to Seattle, gets that big contract. I'm very intrigued to see what he is without that Minnesota coaching staff and players around him. I think it's going to be. Kind of an uphill battle for Darnold, but we'll see what he gives.

All right, so most interesting people enter in the NFL this year. I go Ben Johnson, Nico ends up going Trevor Lawrence, and then Stu. Uh, who did you just take Stu?

Sorry. Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold. Sorry. I thought I was seeing ghosts there, or I thought I had Mono right there.

All right, my next one. J.J. McCarthy. There's a lot of talent around JJ McCarthy. J.J.

McCarthy's got Justin Jefferson. J.J. McCarthy's got Jordan Addison. JJ McCarthy's got Kevin O'Connell. JJ McCarthy's got Aaron Jones.

And JJ McCarthy just saw Sam Darnold walk in there and throw for thirty something passing touchdowns, and you had the Vikings double digit wins. And then towards the end of the season, the old Sam Darnold did pop up. J.J. McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in that draft. There are a lot of expectations on J.J.

McCarthy. And he's coming up the knee injury, but At Michigan. They did not have elite wide receivers. They had an elite offensive line. Two really good running backs.

And a coach that loves to run the football and beat you up in the trenches.

Now, were there moments where J.J. McCarthy threw the ball? Yeah, sure. You know, second half up against TCU played well. Against Ohio State made some throws in the horseshoe.

Also, um, In Ann Arbor as well. where he had some really good throws. Like they're um uh against Alabama. There are some moments But now more is going to be asked out of J.J. McCarthy than ever before in his life.

And he's in a good situation. I just can't wait to see what J.J. McCarthy does because we know J.J. McCarthy is clutch. We know J.J.

McCarthy has a winning gene. But will he have that in the NFL when he's asked to throw the football more? All right, Nico, next player. Or, well, I guess it would be co-chair for you. This one's for Stu.

I'm going to go with Pete Carroll over in Las Vegas. It's really interesting to me because this is a guy that turned 74 in September. He's won pretty much everywhere he's gone. A lot of 425 games that could impact his dinner schedule, if I'm being honest with you. Our dirt schedule.

Lot of dinners that are going to be interrupted.

Now, Pete doesn't look like he's 74, but continues.

Well, we don't know how good this Raiders team is in terms of the roster on paper, so I'm curious to see if he's. Oh, we do. It's a roster that leaves a lot left to desire. Like, Ashton Genti is wonderful. Brock Bowers is wonderful.

Max Crosby is wonderful. Christian Wilkins, if he's healthy, is a good player. Stu, anyone else that we're really missing from this roster after I gave you those four names? Um, not really. Yeah, I mean, there's some okay players like Geno Smith, top 10 quarterback.

Geno Smith is a very good player. He also at Yahoo Sports, sure. Eighth best quarterback in the league. Man, you could ask someone that That's about 15 beers deep. Is Geno Smith the eighth best quarterback in the league?

They probably would have thought you meant 18th. They probably thought you were drunk, not them just being drunk.

So you're going with. With Pete Carroll. With Pete Carroll. I just think that they're in a situation where I know their roster is not good, but like we said, they do have good pieces. There's a chance where he turns them around, and I don't think he went there looking to deal with a full rebuild at age 74.

So I'm curious to see if he comes in and gives them the push that they need. Man, I'm really worked up over that list. Stu, I don't listen to everything Stu says. Stu gives his his uh his person, and I'm like, Who'd you just say Sam Donald? Nico's, we're just talking about Pete Carroll.

I even make the joke, and I'm like, Who the heck was Nico's person? That list is really you mentioned that list today. That just sets me off. All right, Stu, land the plane. Who's your final person?

All right, my coach is Mike Tomlin. Obviously, they land Aaron Rodgers, they don't have their quarterback of the future still. They pass up on multiple guys in the draft. They decide to go with Rodgers, they bring in DK Metcalf, they trade pickings. Obviously, we know it's been almost a decade since the Steelers and Tomlin have made the playoffs.

So, I think, you know, he has one year with Rogers to do this and If it's a really bad year, maybe he's gone and not a Seal-Sight coach next year.

Alright, so let's do this. AFC East, we none of us said anybody. Right? Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, Bills. We didn't say anybody.

If I said the most interesting person in the AFC East entering this season is Mike McDaniel, do you agree or disagree? That was my first thought, McDaniel. Nico? My first thought was Tua, so along the same lines, yeah. ASC North.

So Stu said Tomlin. If I had to think of a more interesting person than Tomlin entering this season. Who? I got a few. Yeah.

You could say Trey Hendrickson. You could say Lamar Jackson. You could also say Shadore Sanders? Right? Yeah.

Anyone else? Maybe Zach Taylor, if they're not going to be cheap and they have a disappointing year.

So you said Tom, and is Tom the most interesting person in this division? I think it has the potential to be an interesting conversation. Yes. But the Steelers, I think a lot of people are there that it's time for. to move on and just try something else and get a new voice.

But I I still don't think That the Steelers are there. I still think it's Shador. They're going to stink, but when that guy plays, that has a T-bow-like following right now. Nico, who's the most interesting person in ASC North? Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with Zach Taylor or Mike Tomlin.

Those are those are the two names that stick out to me. Shador Sanders is a great answer too, though.

Okay. AFC South.

So Nico ended up going Trevor Lawrence. Is there anyone more interesting in the ASC South than Trevor Lawrence? You could say Travis Hunter. You could say James Gladstone. You could say Liam Cohen.

Pretty much the Jaguars are interesting. You want to give me a little Cam Ward? That's a possibility. Anthony Richardson, I guess, is also pop. Daniel Jones.

But I I I'm good I I think Trevor Lawrence is a good one there. I'm good on that. AFC West.

So Nico ended up going with Pete Carroll. Huh. I don't even. Who's interesting the AFC West to use Stu Entering this year? Who's the first name that you think of?

Justin Herbert, I think. Meow. You're probably right. The Chief story is the Chief story. The Broncos, all right.

What does Bo Nick's do in year two? He had an awesome year one. There's a lot of intrigue for me for Genti. Just 'cause he was picked six overall in the draft? But I would say probably Herbert.

Herbert to me is is is the answer here, I would say. All right, NSC East, most interesting person. You got Dayball. Jackson Dart when he plays. You got George Pickens with the Cowboys, Dak Prescott.

I think the commanders have the The benefit of the doubt. I think the Eagles obviously have the benefit of the doubt. Who's the most interesting person in the NFC East though? I think it's Dak Prescott.

Okay. Oh, Shadi. I would go Shadi. Yeah. It actually might be shoddy because at least Dak, you know, he's locked into the contract and Schottenheimer's in his first year.

NFC North, go ahead quickly. Who do you think it is? Lions, Vikings, Packers, Bears. Whew. Except go McCarthy.

I think it's J.J. McCarthy. Yeah. I would say Caleb Williams. Ben Johnson.

Ben Johnson. Oh, no, sorry. I go Ben Johnson. Yeah, Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson, McCarthy, Caleb Williams.

I even think there's some intrigue on Dan Campbell this year after losing both of his coordinators.

So you want to go McCarthy? That's fine. I'm going to go with Ben Johnson though. NFC South most interesting person. I think it's a two-person race.

Michael Pennix and Bryce Young. Those are the two I was thinking as well. And I don't think there's a wrong choice there.

Well, there could be a wrong choice in terms. One of them doesn't play well, but in terms of intrigue, both are very interesting. Would you throw in Tyler Shuck into that conversation? Meh. I think you're going to be saying oh shocks when you see that guy play, if I'm going to be honest.

NFC West, most interesting person. You got Sam Darnold, which is Stu's choice. Um Purdy's pretty intriguing coming off of that big deal. Tyler Murray. I'm gonna uh and then the Rams Devontae Adams think there's some intrigue.

I'm going to say it's purdy. And I think it's because of the contract.

Now You need to, you lost some pieces this offseason.

Now you gotta go earn that money. And if you don't play well, whoo, everyone's gonna look at that deal and say, oi, yay, yoi. It is Zach Gelpshow right here on the Infinity Sports Network.

Well, come on back. We'll go through this ESPN list. They had their quarter century team. And there were three names in particular. that I just could not believe that they were left off.

It was just stunning to me when I read this list, they were not on the list.

So we'll go position by position and react. To what ESPN did is they did their quarter century list, as we are in the year of 2025 right now. It is a Zach Gelb show right here on the Infinity Sports Network. We got one more hour to play, NBA Finals, game six tonight. Bill Ryder saying Tyrese Albert he thinks he's like 7 to 11%.

I don't know if that was a sponsorship deal by Bill. I don't know if he's sponsored by 7-Eleven. We'll still get a news brief into the next hour. We got 60 more minutes to play, and we'll get it started five minutes from now.

Okay.