West Virginia Head Coaching Search (Hour 2)

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You won't want to take your bird dogs off. We promise you. We continue this exact Yelp show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio gearing up for the NBA draft tomorrow night. Let's go out to the guest line right now and welcome in the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast also does a great job as an insider for CBS Sports.

That of course is our guy in Jon Rothstein. Jon, appreciate the time as always. How are you? Great to be with you Zach.

Always good to chat. Well you and I both know that we have an admiration and a love for wings and you turned me on to Bar Coastal which is no longer but following your social media the Kerryways wing which is the top five wing that I've ever had is now back at Plug Uglies. Did I get that right?

You got it right. That is Plug Uglies. My wife and I went there last Saturday. A very underrated part of Plug Uglies is the Snatch Burger which is you know as good of a burger I would say as I've had at a bar type setting. So while the wings are going to drive people in in droves in the same location as Bar Coastal the burger is not to be plucked on. Is it the same wings as the one that were at Bar Coastal like you can't tell the difference?

Same one you won't be able to tell the difference. It's definitely worth with the uh the trip up count to the upper east side 78th and 1st. Well that's good to know I'm gonna have to definitely try that out and go there this summer. Jon Rothstein here with us. In the last 20 years Jon the two most hyped prospects have been LeBron James and Zion Williamson. Does the hype for Victor Wambunyama exceed both LeBron and Zion when you remember them as prospects? Well I think the difference with Victor Wambunyama versus those two players is we had you know sampled regularly in America and I know there's been a couple times where Victor Wambunyama played in the state but you know LeBron James' high school games were on ESPN when he was at St. Vincent St. Mary and you knew that this guy was going to be a generational talent and as far as Zion Williamson he had the platform of playing at Duke for a season where Duke earned a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. So you knew that Zion Williamson was going to be obviously somebody who was going to be the top pick in the NBA draft.

That was the sweet stick for that lottery. Victor Wambunyama is different. He's different because his game is different. He's different because the NBA's game has changed as well and he is somebody again that ironically enough is going to go to a franchise due 26 years ago drafted Jim Duncan so you really can't really be too mad if you're at first man right? Everyone sees the height and the size of Victor Wambunyama and they're enamored. I'm just wondering for people that have been able to see him play what can you tell us about him? I think just the way that his body is structured with his wingspan with his ability because everybody is so focused on what he does offensively with his size length skill feel for the game he has a chance because of how big he is to be an incredible defender not just on the ball Zach but in terms of his health side ability because he is so unique and he's so long so it's a testament really I think that basketball has changed that Victor Wambunyama has been crafted in molded like a piece of clay like we're going to see here for the next couple of decades in the NBA with San Antonio.

I was five feet away from him earlier this morning at his press conference and he walks in the room the guy looks like a seven foot four alien do you think he needs to add on more weight because I know he's resisted a little bit at least publicly to doing that. The NBA game has changed so much now I don't think we have the bruisers that we had in the 90s in terms of the durability of somebody like Victor Wambunyama I think you know you want to see him avoid something that somebody like Kristof was in gets out with in his career which was obviously being injury prone but I don't know necessarily if it's the weight Zach as much as it's improving his body composition so he can obviously absorb the wear and tear of an 82 game NBA season. John Rothstein here with us everything being said about Victor Wambunyama right now is extremely positive we know when LeBron got in the league it only took four years for him to take that dreadful Cleveland team to the NBA Finals.

Can you see Victor having early on in his first four or five years of his career LeBron James type of impact? I don't want to put that type of pressure on him and again you know I cover college basketball so this is something that through the NBA type forecast you know he's clearly the top prospect in this NBA draft he's a generational type talent and I think you know when you think about what should be forecasted as this is somebody who is a multi-time NBA All-Star people that are 15 years are going to be disappointed down the road it's something to keep in mind for somebody who would get to play a game in the NBA. When you look at Brandon Miller John Rothstein who's your comparison for Brandon Miller? Paul George and you know Brandon Miller is one of the best shooters in this draft he's also an exceptionally good rebounder to me this is the guy that I think should be the number two pick in the NBA draft he was the first Team All-American. I know Alabama did not have the type of ending to their season you know and hopefully would have lost to San Diego State in the 3-16 but Brandon Miller to me clearly the second best prospect in this draft somebody again that can shoot the basketball with great size that's a real real coveted commodity in the NBA he's the guy you got to take a number two. Why are you a Brandon Miller guy over Scoot Henderson? I just think when you have a scenario where you have somebody who has proven something at the highest levels of college basketball he was a freshman and he was the best player on the team that earned a number one seed in the NCAA tournament remember Alabama had never been the number one seed in the NCAA tournament until Brandon Miller arrived on campus and knowing that you have that commodity with somebody who stands 6-9 is just me much more impressive than somebody who has major questions about his shooting ability at the lead guard position frankly in a situation in the G-League that isn't near the platform that college basketball is. When you look at the tape from Scoot Henderson from G-League you ignite what do you kind of see and who's your player comp for? You know I think you can look at people like Derek Rose you can look at people like Russell Westbrook there's a combination there the explosiveness is not to be obviously denied he's an exceptional exceptional athlete but you know in order to stick in the NBA especially now with the spacing and the concepts that so many offensive teams are using you have to be able to consistently make shots from the outside and that's the million dollar question for Scoot Henderson which is an alarming one if you're looking on this guy being the lead guard that you're going to bank on with your NBA franchise.

Gotcha and then when you look at Eamon Thompson what stands out to you about him? Well I mean I think the thing you love about you know both of the Thompson guys from everybody you talk to around overtime the lead and you know close to them it's just you know their incredible desire for the game but you know these guys are again coming into a scenario where for all intents and purposes you know it's a risk reward type thing because these are guys again who have not played at the highest levels of competition in my opinion compared to people who have been proven commodities in college basketball I think that's a big thing for me that I take into account. When you look at some of the other highly rated prospects in this draft everyone's talking about the big four names that we just discussed John Rothstein who else jumps off the page and do you really like? Well I mean I think there's been a lot of lot of discussion recently about Cam Whitmore he's somebody who I think you know never really got off to a strong start at Villanova because he had a you know an injury at the off day but you know this is somebody again who I saw at a preseason practice who I felt like would have been far and away the best offensive freshman that Villanova had since they had Ken Thomas under Steve Lapis in the late 90s but when you miss the majority of preseason practice and then you miss the start of the season Zach and you're not playing with Justin Moore who's obviously a veteran playmaker until later in the season it affects things I think though and I've talked to some NBA people about this that you know there's a lot of people who think Cam Whitmore is a top three to five prospect in this draft he's somebody I would look at closely there's other guys here in this draft Zach that I think are pieces to an NBA puzzle I think there's some good with Anthony Black I think there's some good with Jaris Walker he can stretch the defense six eight and be that kind of a stretch for like a Jake Crowder but I also think you know we don't have in my opinion cornerstone pieces after Brandon Miller and Victor Wimbunyama.

I know each and every year talking to you Jon Rothstein you always give me a name or two that could be a really good value pick in the second round who's the name or two that you're buzzing this year that could fold around to? Well there's a couple of guys that I have you know my antennas up on because I think that we put so much in for the potential for the NBA draft there's not enough about the productivity the guys that I'm looking at and I've obviously looked at in college closely that I think could fall or go somewhere between 20 and beyond or 17 18 and beyond who I think would be able to be NBA rotation players and long-term NBA pros are the following guys Jaime Hopkins from UCLA I'm a major major fan I'm a huge fan as well of Colby Jones out of Xavier really skilled player reminds me a lot he's not identical but could have a Josh Hart type role in the NBA I also think that if you know you're looking at production okay and productivity how are more people not looking at finding a place for Adama Sanogo this is somebody who's the most outstanding player in the NCAA tournament and again he's not getting a smith in the top 35 40 picks from everybody I'm talking to I think those are three guys that really really stand out I was bright sensible shooting ability makes the mechanics stick out of Ohio State and then Marcus Sasser from Houston to me has the opportunity to be I think somebody who can stick in the league as you know has a really good rotation player on the way out with John Rothstein clearly a lot has transpired with Bob Huggins the last month now he's out as he resigned as the head coach of West Virginia we know the homophobic comments he made in the radio interview and that everyone did see the DUI that did happen last week how do you kind of react to the end of what we would think is the Hall of Fame career of Bob Huggins really disappointing Zach really sad you know because you know he Bob Huggins is a Hall of Famer he loves his alma mater and he loves obviously coaching but he's somebody again who is going to you know unfortunately be remembered as part of his bio as somebody who lost the Cincinnati job and he lost the West Virginia job because of alcohol and this is somebody who even though you know they had to make a change to West Virginia irreplaceable in West Virginia's fabric and I think it's going to be exceptionally critical critical for West Virginia's next that goes to embrace Bob Huggins and all that he brought to the table because it's Bob Huggins who really allowed the people of West Virginia to rally around that basketball program it's Bob Huggins who got West Virginia to fund all the money for a major state-of-the-art practice facility he raised that money not the school so this is somebody again West Virginia you know sad to say goodbye to but the next head coach is going to have to keep him around if obviously he wants to have success and get off to the right foot in Morganton do you think the best course of action with how late in the game it is right now and the typical hiring cycle being over to just go with an interim this year and then look for the full-time coach a year from now I thought that would have been the best course of action but you know from everything I'm gathering out of Morgantown this is a full-fledged search and of one that's just getting going but you know this is June every minute every day that goes by it gets harder and harder to keep things stable and together because you know these are kids here that are starting summer school and getting ready to learn their teammates and their offensive and defensive concepts so it's a really really you know less than advantageous time to be going through a coaching change are there a few names that are on your radar that you think could make sense for West Virginia I think it's just a unique job Zach and it's such a unique place that it would take a special person to flourish there I don't think there's one clear cut plans on candidates well a name that's going to get thrown out there I know he just signed an extension and his whole team's coming back so maybe it's going to be a year from now but do you think Dusty May will be in play there no I do not Dusty May I believe will be coaching at Florida Atlantic next year gotcha John Rothstein appreciate the time as always thanks so much always buddy great talking you Zach there you go John Rothstein joining us on CBS Sports Radio we'll take a break right here when we come on back I want to touch on the tail end of that conversation about the future of the West Virginia job because I'm really curious what West Virginia is looking for and if they're going to find that in the next few months or if it's going to be a year from now but something that John said just makes me pause a little bit and I wonder if they're going to get the best candidate I'll explain why on the other side this is the Zach Gilb show on CBS Sports Radio you could always give us a call 855-212-4CBS 855-212-4227 and you could always find us on social media twitter and instagram at Zach Gilb Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B also at CBS Sports Radio and if you miss any of our segments you can check us out on the Odyssey app and use the rewind function to make sure you don't miss any second of the Zach Gilb show He's back here's Zach Gilb you can think of O'Reilly Auto Parts for your car care needs get guaranteed prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts O-O-O-O'Reilly Auto Parts so yesterday we were talking about maybe some names that West Virginia could look at Pat Kelsey, Andy Kennedy, Matt Langel, Jeff Bowles, Richie McKay. One name that we didn't bring up Hickey and I just brought it up to John Rothstein and he said no and he dismissed it is Dusty May and I know Dusty May just signed a long-term extension with FAU and he has his entire team for the most part that did go to the final four returning and I would not expect Dusty May to leave right now but if this job is still over but if this job is still open a year from now I wonder is West Virginia a job that Dusty May who probably has the pick of almost any job that's going to become available that if he wants it he could probably get it when you take FAU to the final four. I really do wonder if that would be a job Hickey that he would say I have to go have because we've seen coaches before go on these great runs in the NCAA tournament like Shaka Smart stayed for a while, Porter Moser before leaving to go to Oklahoma he stayed a while wanted to get back in the big dance. You know Paul Mills just didn't get up and leave Oral Roberts right away so I'm curious where sometimes we see coaches you get a big job you've had success you bolt right away I don't blame you but other times we've seen coaches stay and West Virginia is a good job right now.

I don't know if it's a great job I'm just asking the question I wonder if Dusty May would view it as a great job hot take Hickey. And I wonder from the other side would WVU be interested now obviously I think he has to have success with FAU again next year can't just be a one-hit wonder but it is a mixed bag mixed bag in terms of coaches making let's say the unprecedented or coming out of nowhere run to the Elite Eight or the Final Four. You have Jim Ileronegas that have been great coaches going forward you also have the NDN fields of the world that are doing okay at USC. Shaka Smart's doing a better job now Markeff but he was kind of running out of town at Texas. I wonder if you're WVU and that is a job where we had John Fantone yesterday talking about it's a top 25 job in the country one that a lot of people are going to be interested in.

If Dusty May is even on the list if you're West Virginia let's say come March or April if you have a full-blown search. Well you may be onto something because it's kind of what was being discussed a little bit there or alluded to by John Rothstein are they going to look to get a guy that has ties to the university or ties to Bob Huggins and this is the bizarre part of it. When Jim Boeheim leaves and he retires one of his own gets promoted. When Mike Krzyzewski walks away one of his own gets promoted. When Roy Williams walks away one of his own gets promoted.

When Jay Wright walks away I know he was at Fordham but Villanova guy Kyle Neptune gets promoted. In this case yes Bob Huggins is a hall of fame coach. Bob Huggins did wonders for West Virginia.

It ended extremely ugly with the homophobic comments on the radio station and then with another DUI and I wonder if West Virginia is going to feel compelled even though it ended really ugly where they look at it and they go well Bob Huggins had a lot of success here. So even though we're not happy with Bob Huggins right now we're still going to hire someone that knows him and knows the university really well one or the other maybe both because we want to not have this ship sink. We don't want this to be a disaster and even though you would think you would run away from the Bob Huggins tree you know it and I know it in college athletics people like familiarity and a lot of times when these legendary hall of fame coaches depart a guy that knows the hall of fame coach gets brought in to try to hold on to that magic and continue that magic moving on into the future and it doesn't always work. You know I'm not ready to say that Kyle Neptune won't work at Villanova did not have Villanova did not have a good year this year. I know Hubert Davis first year got to the NCAA championship game second year didn't have as much success as you would like.

John Shire did well in year one then had a hiccup in the NCAA tournament where a lot of people thought they were going to go to the final four and they were gelling at the right time and we'll see what happens this year with Syracuse. But it's just something to monitor where we've seen a lot of big-time coaches recently depart their schools and off the top of my head out of the ones that we just named they not that Bob is going to be able to pick the hire here but those coaches were pretty much able to pick the hire and it was one of those guys that had ties to their coaching tree and ties to the program that ended up getting promoted Hickey. And I can't pretend to know the West Virginia staff so I'm not sure how many former players are there and if he was at that point kind of grooming anyone to maybe take over I think it was John Fanta right when he joined us kind of saying that he was kind of almost preparing to retire and maybe I've seen reports that this upcoming year was going to be his final year so maybe he already was in the process of grooming someone and maybe West Virginia just tapped that person to make it easy but I think if you're the Mountaineers look Bob Huggins got into this mess himself I don't think you owe it to him even for how great he was and and where he put the basketball program to hire the person he wants to be hired or hire the person that you are he was grooming like if you go through the season and open it up you should be looking for the best candidate if that ends up being from the Bob Huggins tree or someone that you know was in the program okay fine but if not I think you owe it to yourself going forward here to make sure that West Virginia is back in the national prominence in terms of college basketball to hire the right guy not maybe someone that the fans or Bob Huggins would would love would love to see. And two names that I've really seen thrown out there Andy Kennedy who worked with Bob Huggins at Cincinnati and then Gerard Calhoun who has worked with Bob Huggins and has strong ties to West Virginia so Calhoun was there in Cincinnati then also West Virginia as well so that's those been two names that I've seen thrown out there but the other part of this too is when do you make this decision and if you get your guy and you can get him right now okay fine I just don't know this late in the game the best candidate is going to be available and that to me is something where right now I lean on okay you hire an interim and then a year from now you really delve into this this coaching search.

And if you want to use it as a tryout for one of the coaches in the staff okay fine as here's your audition but I think you're at this point we're sitting here middle of June almost late June I don't think the guy that you truly want deep down is number one in your list is available right now to make that move at this point. Now if that's a guy that has ties to Bob Huggins I think you can find the way to hire him right now whether it was someone that was on the staff or someone that is somewhere else that has tied to ties to Bob Huggins because clearly they wouldn't say no to this job and I'm not saying that you have to hire someone just that has ties to Bob Huggins to kind of honor him and whatnot because he doesn't deserve to be honored right now with what he's done even though we had a great hall of fame career it just wouldn't surprise me the people hire and go yeah we acknowledge what Bob Huggins did the last two months was extremely wrong but we still want to try to replicate what he did on a basketball court and get someone that understands the university and understand what he did and then you just hope that that person doesn't have all the problems off the court that Bob Huggins did at the end. Now I look at Texas who would have ever thought that Rodney Terry and I know it was in season so it's different but when Chris Beard got fired suspended and eventually fired who would have ever thought that Rodney Terry would have ended up getting the job in a full-time basis I think everyone when that was that move was made was like oh he's an interim then he ended up having a lot of success had the support of the locker room had success in the NCAA tournament and then the next thing you know at a very big job in Texas that guy ends up getting the full-time head coaching gig so I don't think anything goes wrong and I know you have a transfer portal and and I know NIL and and it's totally different game right now but I don't think it really is the wrong move to just make someone the interim see where it goes and he doesn't have to get the job but it's pretty much a tryout we'll see what this group does go and then a year from now when the candidate pool is more robust and who knows who breaks out since then and who has sustained success we then look at West Virginia and go okay the timing is now right where I don't look like a bad guy and a year from now I go out there and secure the West Virginia job. I just don't see timing wise right now why it would make sense for West Virginia to try to get someone from the outside just because it's like what are they like honestly going to do they can't bring any players in for the most part this that the rushes are set and either you're going to have a coach coaching his system with players that most likely don't fit it or a coach trying to coach a system he doesn't know trying to fit to what the players know this late and it's just like for year one it just feels almost pointless to bring someone in from the outside go into room like I said have it be an audition if you will and maybe get Rodney Terre 2.0 okay works out otherwise open it up and truly get the best guy come April.

It is that Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio we'll take a break I was reading on Pro Football Talk we've had updated odds on the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes we'll delve into that and there is about one team on this list yeah just one team because three or four that we've talked about but one team that is pretty high up there on the list that we've not discussed and after seeing that team I don't know if DeAndre Hopkins would go there but if he would consider going there that team should pounce and they should be all in because it's going to be a big year and they're going to be a team that we're going to be talking about a lot that usually we don't spend much time talking about because they've been losers for a long time so we'll get to that team when we return most of us have clothes that we've loved for years maybe even decades but it's harder than ever to find clothes that will stand the test of time so before you update your closet this summer take a look at American Giant from hoodies and t-shirts to denim and more they've got everything you need to build a wardrobe that you'll be proud of for summers to come American Giant is made in the USA that ensures that they can deliver items of exceptional quality but it also creates jobs across the country you're not just buying clothes that last you're helping create a lasting change in the communities where they're made and a connection to the seamsters cutters and factory workers who make them discover the American Giant difference today shop wardrobe essentials that last a lifetime at american-giant.com and get 20% off your order when you use code LT23 at checkout that's 20% off at american-giant.com promo code LT23 he's back here's Zach Gelb how we doing Zach Gelb show CBS Sports Radio appreciate you listening to us coming up at the top of the hour who were the top five QBs in the NFL one former Super Bowl champion gave his top five QBs and I'll give my top five QBs as well and also maybe even give you the top 10 quarterbacks in the National Football League right now I think eight names are non-debatable and non-negotiable and they have to be in the top eight and then nine and ten get very compelling but first I was reading a pro football talk earlier today that the odds have updated on DeAndre Hopkins next team via draft kings the Patriots right now are plus 100 the Bills are at plus 350 Tennessee is at plus 400 and then the Detroit Lions are in at plus 500 so let's break down all these destinations the Patriots you've already visited going back to last week on Thursday I've said this on this show I really do believe DeAndre Hopkins gonna wind up with the New England Patriots I think they'll pay him I do believe regardless of what he says money is the number one priority I don't know this late in the game if he's gonna get the Odell Beckham Jr contract of one year 15 million dollars guaranteed is DeAndre Hopkins a much better player at this stage of his career than Odell Beckham Jr absolutely should be paid more than Odell Beckham Jr but just because you're better than someone doesn't mean you're going to get more money circumstances matter and it's this late in this game I think they'll get close to a number that DeAndre Hopkins wants but not fully the number also the Patriots create an opportunity where he could be the number one wide receiver Kendrick Bourne not a number one wide receiver Devante Parker not a number one wide receiver Taequann Thornton at a Baylor not a number one wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster good player but more of a two than a one we used to have that debate is Juju Smith-Schuster a number one wide receiver because at times when he was in Pittsburgh he looked like a number one wide receiver but then he would also look like a number two wide receiver and I think at Juju Smith-Schuster's best he's a one and a half but I think he's shown more times than not that he's a two in this league and then it's the winning factor because DeAndre Hopkins publicly will talk about how much he wants to win and how that's the number one priority you know that's not always the case everyone wants to win but when you say that do you actually want to win or can being a number one wide receiver and also getting the most money talk you into making a team a winning team and I think when you look at the Patriots no one expects the Patriots to go to the Super Bowl this year no one expects them to win their division no one is really sitting there and telling you the Super Bowl and telling you that they're even going to definitely make the playoffs but when you look at what they've accomplished under Bill Belichick I know Brady's no longer there and you know the way that that organization is perceived around the league I do think Hickey there is a way that DeAndre Hopkins could look at them and say all right they're gonna give me the number one wide receiving tag oh they're gonna give me a contract that I would like on a one-year deal oh they got Belichick always has a chance so then the Patriots could be a quote-unquote winning team or a winning situation in the eyes of DeAndre Hopkins that's why I do think he's going to the Patriots I mean we know they Bill especially has an affinity for DeAndre Hopkins the two have a mutual respect that we've seen on multiple occasions you know hanging out showing some respect before the game and Bill despite especially last year not going to plan whatsoever still obviously deserves the benefit of that out so if you're DeAndre Hopkins you can easily convince yourself even in a loaded AFC I got Bill Belichick we should be one of the seven playoff teams no doubt about it. And it seems like this Bill O'Brien issue which we thought was going to be issue is now being talked about as a non-issue which makes me think that DeAndre Hopkins are enough people in DeAndre Hopkins camp and maybe time heals all wounds or when you're a free agent and a team presents a situation where you can be a number one wide receiver and this late in the game they'll pay you the most amount of money that you'll probably get compared to anywhere else or they have the ability to do that I'm pretty damn close to it I think you find a way to not let your former head coach you did have success with and some good memories but then a lot of bad memories with as well I don't think you let the offensive coordinator who in this case essentially the head coach of the offense side of the ball for the Patriots it doesn't at least appear like they're going to let that be a problem and it at least seems like for now whatever issues there were I'm not saying that Bill O'Brien and DeAndre Hopkins have to do lunch every Friday and they're going to be hanging out but you could put those differences aside for the best interest of the football team and also the best interest maybe for what DeAndre Hopkins is looking for. Especially with Bill Belichick that is the lead dog again if he wants Hopkins he'll make sure O'Brien falls in line so even if right now maybe the fences aren't totally mended I bet you if he does sign that O'Brien will be talking to him and Bill make sure both O'Brien and DeHop are on the same page. Hey uh Billy uh the real Bill here Bill Belichick just uh go get DeAndre Hopkins a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee each and every morning and drive into practice and you make sure that you guys end up being best friends okay because we're looking for a player that's going to help the team that's T-E-A-M team so okay Bill O'Brien you're going to listen to everything I say.

And really what is out what else is Bill O'Brien going to do? He shouldn't be the offensive coordinator if if you're going to have someone like DeAndre Hopkins that's saying oh I don't want to go there just because Bill O'Brien is there. I am interested to see because the one thing you hear about DeAndre Hopkins in a negative light is his practice habits and as we know Bill Belichick is Mr.

Practice. I wonder how now if he signs him again he knows I would assume what he's signing up for that is Bill Belichick and bringing in DeAndre Hopkins but I do wonder week four it's a Wednesday Hopkins all my leg hurts or I'm not practicing today I wonder how that would go over. I think Randy Moss is the perfect example where I know it ended not in the best of ways but you hear about how Randy Moss talks about Bill Belichick. I think when you could significantly impact the team I'm not saying that there are glaring exceptions but I think Bill finds a way to just make it all work and I think now Bill Belichick realizes that he's in a situation where people are starting to doubt him and he's in a spot where last year you messed it up because you let those two bozos in Patricia and Matt Judge, Joe Judge run that team and run that offensive side of the ball and you didn't put Mac in a position to succeed from a coaching standpoint and also from a receiving standpoint and maybe this is what it takes and last year is a learning lesson for Bill. We'll never admit this publicly where life after Brady what he needs to do is go improve the wide receiving room because when Brady was there you could cut corners. When Brady was there you could say all right I don't need to go pay Wes Walker or I don't need to go out there and get the creme de la creme player. I'll just find a way to convert Julian Edelman from a quarterback to a special teamer to a wide receiver and make him great or find anyone pretty much out there because I have Brady. Now with Mac Jones you look at what other teams are doing Buffalo, Philadelphia where those quarterbacks didn't take off until they got great players and great wide receivers around them and maybe Bill is finally starting to realize that.

He got Bill O'Brien in there. That was the first thing I asked for this offseason. The next thing I asked for was to go get a number one wide receiver. I thought it was going to come through the draft.

They didn't do that. I've also been advocating for DeAndre Hopkins for a while and I do feel like they're going to go out there and get DeAndre Hopkins. Now we look at the other teams.

The Bills at plus 350. I'm really curious to see what Buffalo does but Buffalo feels like they're the team that outside of Von Miller we keep on talking about them going out there and getting the big fish and they're kind of like the Packers where they'll say they entertained it but they don't end up getting the job done. And I don't know because Stefan Diggs has said before that he would want a guy like an Odell Beckham or DeAndre Hopkins but the timing of this latest outburst from Stefan Diggs I think you're kind of playing with fire where maybe he'll go back on that word if he's so concerned about the targets. Yeah it's one thing to say I want DeAndre Hopkins or I'd be open to get an Odell Beckham Jr. even though Odell's down with the Baltimore Ravens and with Lamar Jackson but if you go get DeAndre Hopkins your targets are going to be cut and I just wonder he really is still number one option there. Stefan Diggs I think what he's doing right now is he wants to win but he also wants to win and be the man and if you get DeAndre Hopkins it's not a guarantee that you're always going to be the man because you have two number one wide receivers then on your football team. I'd be very surprised at this stage of the game with everything that's happened if Stefan Diggs is playing next to DeAndre Hopkins next year. I don't think Hopkins is in Buffalo.

You are lighting your money on fire if you're taking the bills at plus 350. I'm with you I don't think there's a chance it happens and again we've talked with Diggs. And the salary cap space too.

And Diggs salary cap space and also the fact that Buffalo's ruined for everyone they don't do it until they do it I won't believe it. Now Tennessee's at plus 400. I feel like he had his visit in Tennessee and you heard nothing about the visit in Tennessee and then it was up he's going to New England and then there's been a lot of positive things being said about New England. I would be surprised if he's a Tennessee titan but if New England can't find a way to make it work the only team he's visited so far has been Tennessee so maybe that could be a good value play at plus 400 where they've had some success in the last year they got out to that good start and they were disaster down the stretch and they have Derrick Henry. I don't look at Tennessee as a winning team this year and I don't think they're going to be all that good but in desperate times could DeAndre Hopkins maybe talk about Tennessee being a playoff team this year and talk himself into that if they're going to pay him whatever they whatever he wants. Yeah I wouldn't surprise me like Calleas Campbell is talking about the Falcons this year. Now don't be surprised at Atlanta like if you tell me Atlanta wins the division okay the division stinks but they're not going to be a serious contender this year the Atlanta Falcons but when you get what you want you sometimes make a a situation that isn't that desirable you try to put lipstick on the pig and make it a whole lot better looking but in reality it's still a pig you know down deep. Feels like he will go like the Titans I think are a good bet in the sense that he talks about winning but he I think will take a big paycheck and then convince himself oh the Titans were one game away last year from winning the division over the Jaguars and I'm the difference I'll go in there we'll win that game now instead of losing it with oh who I forget their name of their Josh Dobbs Joshua Dobbs oh yeah and we will go to the playoffs and plus I get my 15 mil and be the number one wide receiver. His priorities and I don't care which way you have your priorities it's your life live the way that you want to do but his priorities are clearly money one targets two and then winning three because if I was DeAndre Hopkins for one year take a discount and go sign with Kansas City you have Travis Kelsey and yourself with Patrick Mahomes throwing you the football I think that would set you up for a monster deal I really do think it would and then finally Detroit Lions they come in at plus 500 I have not thought about the Detroit Lions yet Hickey because even though I feel like everyone's rooting for the Detroit Lions we still don't view them as a sexy destination because they've been so bad for so long and I hope that that team it not only meets the expectations this year but exceeds them because that fan base deserves it but I take a glance at the Detroit Lions where there is a need for another wide receiver you could use a veteran voice in there no question and that's a team that is a winning situation this year now I got to look at their salary cap space and see if they can make it work from that standpoint but you look at being a number one wide receiver and you look at a team that is now considered a winning destination where it's not crazy to say that the Lions win the division this year and maybe the third best team in the NFC we know Philadelphia is one and then the 49ers are two out of a lot of those destinations that we just went through I think the Lions are realistic and I think the Lions it's kind of weird to say are a landing spot that is attractive right now absolutely especially with Jamison Williams now missing the first six games so sure his target share may go down when he returns for the last two-thirds of the season but he's still the alpha DeAndre Hopkins you go in there you have you know he's by far the best veteran they have again you have Amunrah St. Brown and when Jamison Williams goes back to young rising receivers oh yeah that's sure Amunrah St. Brown is the number one option there 100% he's a great wide receiver you have DeAndre Hopkins by far the most established and the guy who's done the most so again that credibility you think would carry the locker room especially with a guy in Jared Goff throwing the football so he would get less he would get less targets than at least the other two in terms of New England and Tennessee Buffalo would probably get a good amount but maybe you know equal the same as Detroit but it'd be a fun destination you'd be winning that's for sure seven most cap space available by the way in the NFL right now they got 22.9 million dollars they check all the boxes Detroit and you're right you know I'll throw this out there real quickly Amunrah St. Brown what he's done the first two years is he now the Keenan Alley NFL where everyone starts to say he's the most underrated wide receiver in the league this year feels like that could be the trajectory for him Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio coming on back top five quarterbacks next