Mahomes, Cousins and...Mariota? (Hour 4)

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I'm not a bad guy, man, but I loved being that dirty motherf***er. All righty. Final hour of the show on a Friday. Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio. Eric Eger from Sumer Sports is going to be stopping by in about 40 minutes from now.

Fun show so far. Kenny Clark just joined us about 40 minutes ago from the Packers. He says absolutely the Packers are getting disrespected this year, but he absolutely loves it. And it's the first time in his career that he really feels like the Packers have ever been disrespected.

And he keeps on saying that Jordan Love is working his ass off for the Packers. And we were also joined earlier in the program by BYU quarterback Keaton Slovis, who has played at USC and also Pitt. Now final year of college eligibility with the Cougars of BYU.

And that was a fun conversation with him. And you have BYU, one of those teams that are now going into the Big 12 and you're trying to see a team, a program that's been really solid under Kalani Satake. Just where, what they can do and what they can accomplish year one in a new conference with a good schedule and they play an SEC opponent as well in Arkansas.

By the way, you can think of O'Reilly Auto Parts while your car care needs get guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Brian Jack McKeon, we do the segment every Monday and Friday right here on CBS Sports Radio on the Zach Gelb show it's onsides offside. Let's get to it.

Hit it. Zach's taking on the most polarizing issues in sports. Which side of the line of scrimmage will he end up on? Offside defense number 69.

It's onsides offsides with Zach Gelb on CBS Sports Radio. Alright McKeon, what do you got? Alright Zach, lots of news in the sports world.

Let's get to the first thing. Damian Lillard, this saga continues and continues and continues. It seems like the only place that he's going to realistically wind up is Miami at this point. Who would I get? I think you'd call this the big three, right? Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Damon Lillard? No?

See, here's the thing. Jimmy Butler is a star but it took people for years to realize that he could be a top 10 player in the league. Bam is good but he's too inconsistent from looking great and then slowing down a little bit. And then Damian Lillard, we know how great it is. I would think this would be looked at more so as a dynamic duo with Jimmy Butler and Dame. And then you have a really strong number three in Bam Adebayo. But if you look at a championship team, if you tell me, Dame probably is the best player on that team but Jimmy will be referred as the one because he's been there longer. If you have a duo of your first two best players being Jimmy Butler and Damian Lillard and Bam Adebayo is your third best player, in a league of dynamic duos that's a really strong third piece.

I would say it's like a two and a half of a big three. Well, they're one of the better teams in the east I'd say. So onside offside Zach, if this trade goes through Miami becomes the best team to beat in the east.

Yeah, I think this trade will eventually happen but it's going to take some time. Right now I'm going to say the Boston Celtics are the best team in the eastern conference but if the Miami Heat ends up getting Damian Lillard, this is a team that was in the playing tournament. They've been to the finals now twice with Jimmy Butler there. If you give me a team of Damian Lillard and you have Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, I think that's a stronger trio compared to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Middleton, Andrew Holliday compared to even Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown and now Kristaps Porzingis which I like that move by the Celtics.

So yeah, I would say onsides here that if the Miami Heat ends up getting Damian Lillard and they still have Jimmy Butler and also Bam Adebayo, that yeah they would be the team to beat in the east onsides. So I was very invested this past week and I'm sure you were invested but not as invested as I as me maybe in the MLB All-Star Weekend. Well, Monday was the home run derby. The derby was good.

The derby was solid. The actual All-Star Game, it's fine. I watched. It's not as if I didn't care but it's not as if it was the same when I was a youngster, let's just say. I feel more invested. I'd be sitting there living by every pitch and saying mom please let me stay up and watch the All-Star Game like when I was seven years old.

That was me. I was begging to watch the All-Star Game. Back then, yeah, it was fun. All-Star Games are kind of boring. Well, the All-Star Break ended a few hours ago and an impressive set of performances were from the guys in the home run derby.

I thought it was great. One change I'd like to see though, I want them to go back to the 10 out format. I don't like the timer mainly because these guys are hitting monster, monster home runs. I want to sit and admire those home runs.

You see Luis Robert was hitting pole 500 feet and we can't even run the poles landing because he's already got another swing. That's one change that I would make. Onside or offside, would you change that or and if you could add a little bit. Are there any other changes that you would make to the format? So I understand what you're saying.

I don't think it's a horrible point. I also think it's the person presenting the game to you. I said this two years ago. I called him Robot Ravage and Carl Ravage who I think is a very good studio host but when he has to do play by play, I don't like it and when you have the home run derby and Ravage even admit to it, it's the toughest thing to call because you have to be on the fly. I need someone with an entertaining kind of broadcasting style and that can keep up with the high pace. Like if you put Chris Berman back there. Perfect.

All right go on the next one. Gone. Like Berman was great. Now if you tell me Berman's too old and he can't do it anymore and if it'd be too many back and he would miss a bunch of pitches fine but there's got to be someone at ESPN with how many people I know they got rid of a lot of people it stinks but how many people that they have hired there has to be someone whether they're on the roster or not that will even take a pay cut to do the home run derby with that platform. Ravage is just not the right guy and I think it impacts the viewer.

I really do. Can I go at you for one thing you said though toughest thing to call? No that's what Ravage said. I mean come on. Like that's what he said.

I get it but come on Zach I mean let's come back to me. Toughest thing to call in sports hockey's got to be way tougher to call than the home run derby. He said it's difficult to call.

I wouldn't think so honestly. I would think the player comes up you bring up some stats about the player how many home runs he's got this year which is long this home run and then you watch him hit. Well McKeon once again these aren't my words they're his words that's the most difficult thing to call. Especially the home run derby where these guys are hitting 400 foot home runs. Well here's the thing if you have the play-by-play broadcaster saying it's difficult to call he shouldn't be calling the home run derby.

Yeah if he's admitting it publicly and again that's one of those things where you know how you say with play-by-play I mean we don't neither me or you do it but you're supposed to let the picture tell the story that's the definition of it you've got 400 foot home runs. I do play-by-play and then I say I can't do play-by-play because then I'll get sued so I don't do play-by-play when we have live events going on. Well you do but you're not allowed to. Just make no I don't do play-by-play. No you don't. I say I'm not doing play-by-play so if I say I don't do play-by-play I'm not doing play-by-play.

No you would never do something like that. The shot goes up it's good I'm not doing play-by-play folks just gotta remind you. The question is that I would what go back to 10 outs? Yeah. Offside I would get a better play-by-play guy that's what I would do.

Okay interesting. See what Doc Emmerich is up to seriously. Wow now imagine him calling the home run derby. Remember he did the pirates for a little bit a few years ago. Yeah that would be fascinating I bring him back. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't no he's done.

You want to know why? I love Doc. I actually remember we had Doc on the weekend overnights.

Doc has been very very kind to me. One of my proudest moments as a young producer. Yes you put out because it was recorded because Doc wasn't coming on at 3 30 in the morning and McKeehan put on Instagram that he's about to press the clip of the Doc Emmerich interview. I remember this. As a hockey fan that was so exciting. Oh my god that was amazing.

No I've talked to Doc a bunch. The peanut butter sandwich story. Yeah wow good memory.

Yeah. Where it was the the Rangers Capitals three overtime game years and years ago and that's when he had a little peanut butter and that's what he does anytime it's a a long game get a little energy with some peanut butter. It's kind of like Hickey. You know Mr peanut butter review himself. That's the only time Ryan Hickey will get compared to Doc Emmerich. But you haven't heard from Doc.

Like I've texted him here and there but you have not really heard much of him. Listen he told you he was going to retire and go away and he did it. And I respect that because there's a lot of people in this industry who have not even come close to accomplishing anything that Doc Emmerich has that they can't quit the industry when they want to. They miss the attention. Yeah they miss the attention. So I would just get a different play-by-play guy for the home run derby.

I would not go back to the 10. Yeah not when a guy admits he can't do it he probably can't do it. Who?

When a guy admits he can't do it he probably can't do it. I thought you said Ian. I'm like Ian Eagle could definitely do the home run derby. Interesting I don't know if I'd love Ian Eagle doing that. That's an entertainer. Kevin Harlan's a good one. Very good guy.

He'd be very good for the home run derby. Yeah. And there's a strinker on the field. Wow that's a homer.

Yeah. Okay I remember he was like put a bra. Take your bra. What was he saying? What was the line?

About bras? The guy ran on the field and he had a bra and he's like take the bra off and be a man. That's what he was saying. Fascinating. Yeah. Fascinating stuff. I don't know if you saw this new series on Netflix that came out called Quarterback. It's a series that Netflix does with a bunch of different TV sports basically documentary shows they do.

Well they came out with a new one called Quarterback where they follow three quarterbacks around the league. Now I don't know if you've heard about this one. Have you heard of it yet? Everyone's heard about it.

Everyone's talked about this. All right great. Were you being sarcastic there? No I more want to make a point at the quarterbacks that they decided to put on this show. Okay go ahead. Because Pat Mahomes is a good one. It's a great one. It's the best quarterback in the league.

Excellent. Kirk Cousins is pretty woman. He's saying that song in high school. He's an interesting guy so I'll give you that. But Marcus Mariota? Who I mean who cares?

One intriguing reason for Mariota but ask the question. On side or off side do you have any interest in this TV series other than Mahomes? So I get home last night and I go I want to go on Netflix to watch this and you know how everyone has shared Netflix accounts and they have now cut down on that. So I did not have my own Netflix account.

And this is how you discovered it. And I go to log on and I heard the rumors about this but I don't watch Netflix a lot to begin with and it was so-and-so's Netflix is being used somewhere else. So this weekend I could have just paid for it. It was a buddy of mine's Netflix. But this weekend I'm going to my parents house and they have Netflix.

So I think I'm just I don't know how many episodes there are but I'm going to try to watch as many as possible and then if I still have to watch more episodes I will pay and get my own Netflix. I'll tell you why Marcus Mariota could be eventually be interesting because I'm with you like at first why the heck are they taking Marcus Mariota? He stinks. Kirk Cousins by name.

I'm good with Kirk Cousins. Mariota quit on that team. Remember they followed him last season.

How much will they show with this exclusive access of him quitting on the team because I still want to know how that went down. So do I but I mean Marcus Mariota is not a name anymore. He's not. He used to be. He used to be but he's not now and having him in the series now to me that doesn't work. And I don't know if Kirk Cousins is the most interesting guy to have on the series either. Again Mahomes terrific. No but they had a really good season last year.

I like Kirk Cousins. You couldn't have got Joe Burrow but there's more interesting guys to get on. Maybe they didn't want to do it. Lamar Jackson in the middle of the country dispute. I don't think Lamar would have would have done it. I really don't.

I don't know. To me the two other names besides Mahomes are take it or leave it. Oh you could say that but yeah they're NFL quarterbacks and that's awesome but I am intrigued though to see their their daily lives how they go through their routines and stuff like that that does interest me but seeing how Kirk Cousins goes through his game day prep is. Marcus Mariota was a really big deal at one point. I remember that sign that they had it when he was at Oregon when I think he won the Heisman actually. He did yeah. When it was Jesus Mariota national title. That was a great sign.

I remember seeing that there in a game. I have interest in it because it's the NFL. We're interested about all things NFL so on sides. Honestly you could put you could put the three worst quarterbacks in the league and we would watch it because it's NFL content exclusive NFL content. I agree with you the NFL is king.

I think it could have done better. Yeah I'm fine with it. Mariota is debatable. Mariota is the one that I'll give you because I had the same reaction. Cousins is a big enough name good job. Mahomes excellent that's the number one.

Mariota they got lucky because he'll probably be as boring as boring could be and I've not seen it yet until you have that whole blow up at the end. You got to give me something. It can't be like when Antonio Brown was on hard knocks with the Raiders and he was threatening to punch the GM in the face and he gets thrown off the team and they didn't show us anything. Oh they showed us his feet.

Oh yeah a lot of it. Rex Ryan loved that episode I'll tell you that. Next question go ahead. I feel bad for Rex every time his name gets brought up on the show now.

He loves feet. Next question. The trade deadline in baseball is about to hit Zach with a ton of attention circling around whether or not Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto will get moved. I got a question for you. It's going to take a significant amount from either team's hearts and that trade for either these guys.

Is it worth it though? Absolutely on sides here. You come off to me as someone that's a prospect nerd. That's oh I got the second prospect in MLB. I got the third uh you know he's the third best team the top 10. I got a sixth guy a seventh guy and have you ever seen them play?

Nope and you're upset. I'll give you all the prospects of people. Lasting's millage. Fernando Tatis. I remember the Phillies. Kyle Drabeck. Who's that guy?

Sixto Sanchez or something. You can't trade him. All these guys that you tell me you can't trade. I know Jared Kalenick has turned around but when the Mets traded him it was as if they traded the next great hitter of all time. He was horrible last year so if you want something you got to give up a lot.

I'm good with trading. Even for two months of Shohei Ohtani? Well I have to be pretty confident that I'm gonna get him and I'm gonna be able to retain him. No I'm just saying if you're gonna get him for the last the rest of the year. Is it worth depleting your forms? Because I think you only make that trade if you think you could re-sign him. So yes if that gives you a leg up to getting Ohtani permanently absolutely on size. Interesting.

I like I like I like your thought. The NFL Hall of Fame eligible eligible list came out for the 2024 and some of the names highlighting the list Zach Julius Peppers, Eric Berry, Jamal Charles, Sebastian Janikowski. First round pick is a kicker. And Brandon Marshall and uh this list for one makes me feel really old because this is like the first Hall of Fame list I can remember where I remember watching literally every single player.

Yeah. And remember what teams they're on and everything but onside or offside these guys are all Hall of Famers. All Hall of Famers? Julius Peppers absolutely. Brandon Marshall has a case. Jamal Charles will not be a Hall of Famer but he was electric. Um Eric Berry was a fascinating story and he was really I think there's a case I don't think he'll get in. Sebastian Janikowski no very memorable but he's not a Hall of Famer. So you ask me all of these guys are easily Hall of Famers.

Some of them are but then some of them aren't so the the answer is offside. It is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio coming on back. He's back here's Zach Gelb.

Alrighty this is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Hey real quickly McKeon I have to ask you this because I haven't uh checked in with you on this in a long time. The reason I call you Brian Jack McKeon is at first I heard your last name was McKeon and all I've ever thought of was Jack McKeon and then I remember when we were working together years ago you said to me that you're related to the former Marlins manager Jack McKeon.

Have you seen Jack McKeon lately just once? Not since a family reunion uh years ago years ago. He's 92. Uh I'll ask my grandpa. How are you guys related? He's a great uncle of mine. Oh how about that? Yeah I'll ask my grandpa how he's doing.

He lives out in Arizona. Let me ask you this like when you were growing up as a kid did you know that? No no idea not until I was like 12.

Really? Yeah my grandpa told me he's like you know we're related to him and I'm like no and he's like yeah yeah we talk all the time me and him are like cousins and I was like oh thanks for letting me know I'm a big baseball fan you know I'm I like to consider myself a historian of the game I definitely know who that is. Uh do you think if you would have known that? Would I be a pro baseball player absolutely.

That's not what I was gonna say but you are a jackass that is funny. Would you have been a Marlins fan? No no chance.

Not at all? No I mean the Yankee blood was too strong on my family like that I had uncles that made sure when I was born that I would become a Yankee fan I don't think they were gonna allow that to happen and plus who wants to be a Marlins fan give me a break. Well that also must have been tough then for for your family. It was the other side my mom's side is the Yankee fans my grandfather on my dad's side is the one related to him.

So was there some cross-family contentious relationships there? I don't know um I I don't remember it I don't know. How old were you in 2003? Six. You're only six in 2003? I was born 97.

Oh wow yeah you've been making me feel old yeah I have a lot of gray hairs now I really feel old. I have to ask that actually because it's fascinating because my mom's side of the family is all my uncles who are big Yankee fans and my dad's side of the family is the relative of Jack McKeon so I'd love to know if they ever like if there was any animosity because the Yankees were playing the Marlins in the World Series. Now does your mom's side and dad's side outside of like a wedding ever come first? No they never talked never see each other other than like a holiday or something like that so I don't know if they'd ever like became and again he wasn't he wasn't around our family like like where he's coming over for Easter and stuff. Well yeah he was away for most of the year. Well because he was busy being a MLB manager. I say that all the time there's one job in America I would never do and if I could be a baseball player obviously I would do it. I could be a manager I would obviously do it the money's ridiculous. I would never want to be a baseball beat writer. I think baseball beat writing has to I know it sounds fun it's got to be one of the more miserable jobs in America. Oh that's that's a little strong in the sports world. I mean cleaning septic tanks sounds a lot worse than doing the Rockies beat. But it is a miserable job because you have to like now at least you have the pitch clock so the game speeds up a little bit but there's a lot of times like we have a lot of athletes on the show that want to talk to us and then there's athletes that come on like you found out this week Deebo Samuel who doesn't want to talk to us. I think I love it. So what I'm saying is you have to there's pre-game availability post-game there's too much availability in major league baseball.

I think I would have loved it though um just being a being a beat writer. 162 games. Yeah but I can't get enough of that I watch 162 games a year. You need a life you need a hobby. What are your hobbies? I've got a girlfriend wait who's your girlfriend? I just you know.

Trust me there's been times I've had a girlfriend and you've been uh nowhere to be found and you've been a free agent. It's just you know I love the sport and again the thing that intrigues me too is seeing all the ballparks per year and the travel. Travel's all taken care of you going to all these interesting cities around the country.

I love that aspect of it. What do you do for fun? I play guitar I play instruments. Oh do you? I love music yeah like I have plenty of hobbies I just I love baseball I'm addicted to it maybe it's in my blood some would say like it's you know.

Literally. Yeah so like maybe I could have became a MLB manager I don't know I should have probably had a better relationship with him. I don't think you would have been a major league manager.

You never know. I'm just gonna say I don't think I think you would lose you would be the first one to lose a locker room you know why you don't be your biggest fault as a manager. You want to know why your biggest fault as a manager would be?

What is that? Because a manager needs to say it's on me a manager needs to say it was my fault and just from some observations never with me of course no of course not but just some observations around here no if McKeon makes a mistake it's oh this isn't working or oh it's that person's fault or oh someone didn't tell me this. Here's what would happen McKeon would be the manager that a lot of fans want in the year of 2023 when the manager gets up there and goes you know the guy's tried hard um it's eventually gonna happen we'll be fine McKeon would get up there and be like guys I put the pitcher in but this pitcher should have pitched a whole lot better.

Isn't that what people want? He stunk up the joint and he was horrible. Hold on that's what every every MLB fan base wants that guy managing their team right now so you tell me I'd be I'd be a talent manager so they'd love me I'd be a turret manager I would I would go on local sports radio all the time be like you know great I thought I thought pitching him on Thursday was the right move and turns out he sucked and I don't know why he's on the team still and you know what and guess what the fans would love me every yeah okay and that's why if you if if the fans are your biggest supporter and you don't have the respect of the locker room and you're losing either way you'll end up sitting with I'd win I'd win it's in my blood to win if you listen too much to the fans you end up becoming a fan no I'd win I'm telling you I'd be I'd be a winning manager I have the mind horrible no I wouldn't I I think I you know what you'd be the first manager to go oh and 162 oh who would I manage like what any team around baseball who do I seem to be the team the Marlins it's in your blood no I can't be a Marlins man nepotism right at its finest I can't manage the Marlins like that's that's terrible I'd manage the Brewers I think they're like a relevant no they're irrelevant enough to like keep me hidden but not but also like they're also always a good team like I would take that I would like to be the Brewers manager like I'm not good enough to be the Cardinals manager I can't like work with a franchise that's that mainstream no you know you Yankees I can't the movie I think is a little big league where the little kid ends up uh what owning the the twins and the managers the twins yeah I wouldn't want on the twins no you would be like the twins no I can't because then I'm guaranteed to lose the Yankees every year you're not gonna be a winning manager anyway so it doesn't matter oh you know what I know which team you manage oh god you would fit right in with the Astros I can't do it no absolutely you're very disingenuous see with what happened with the Astros I wouldn't take the job they could offer it to me tomorrow to replace dusty yes you would I'd say I'm good you're such no I'd say I'm good take a lot fraud take you're an idiot you're a moron I wouldn't want I would no say the Astros could be listening to this combat Lu now could be listening to this conversation right now and be like who you know what you know what this kid does sound like he's a great baseball mind did you say Lu now he hasn't been there for years Jeff Lu now yeah yeah he was the guy that didn't he get fired Jeff Lu now but he could be listening to this calm he's still a baseball guy and regardless he was the GM of them of the Astros he could be listen he could listen to this conversation knowing this guy's a great baseball mind yeah this guy's got a baseball on his blood this guy should be managing my team he should be taking over for the next manager and after knowing about the cheating scandal I would I was working in soccer now Jeff Lu now doing for what team I don't know but I remember this a few years ago where he resurfaced in soccer Jeff Lu now I had him on before the scandal they do bang trash cans in soccer in the vuvuzela they do make a lot of noise so I mean it would work you're such a liar though because I would not take the job no if any team in major league baseball offered you a job you would take it in a second I'm good okay I'm good you could have this fake tough guy I would tell them to take a lap okay who are you morass now you just steal lines got that line from me I've been I've been saying that since high school okay before I even knew morass it was like a grown adult when you were in high school that doesn't mean he was saying that line he got he started saying that after I told him to I told him you know what I I like Sean a lot I like you a lot but let's just be real let's just be real here Sean's a great guy but who can you shut up for a second in the station shut up for a second he's going down the hall who's barely here you it's like the same thing you guys will be up there the same amount of time but you know what I'm going to say that you were you're latching onto the coattails a little bit morass morass definitely said that first I'll give him the benefit of that over you okay there we go this is that kelp show on CBS sports radio um I'm very happy this uh week is over we're getting very close to the spin off for you it's weird thank you for your service I'm actually very thankful that hickey's coming back on Monday wow I never thought I would be saying that but trying to do a show with someone down bad it's just like geez Louise yeah you open up that microphone once again you give a mouse a cookie he wants a glass of milk that's a lesson from today boys and girls children of all ages all righty this is that gilb show on CBS sports radio we have to take a break because when we come on back man we met this guy at the Super Bowl with Thomas Dimitrov they have founded Sumer sports and it is fantastic and you have real intelligent people talking football they got all these numbers they got good opinions as well and I always love when Eric Eager joins us because I never know what's he going to say and what kind of information that he has so join us on the other side but first up standing by for later CBS sports radio update here he is Pete Mcarthur now back to the Zach Gelb show all righty final segment on a Friday this is that Gelb show coast to coast on CBS sports radio will continue the football chatter right now with one of the brightest minds covering the NFL he is the VP of Sumer sports and that of course is our pal and Eric Eager Eric appreciate the time as always how you been Zach I'm doing well uh I'm I'm now ready for the season man I feel like the off seasons uh is a little too long yeah so there's been so much conversation already and I'm with you I love summer but I'm ready to get to September and have the season underway so I'll start you off with this who's a team that really no one's been talking about or you haven't heard a lot about that you're like I like that team a lot more than what people are not saying good question um you know it's funny it relative to market prices I actually like Houston better than what everybody's saying I think if you look up and down the roster other than wide receiver where there are some real question marks it's actually hard to find like a real weakness of that team um and if you get some high level play out of Will Anderson and CJ Stroud in year one that division's bad enough where I think that you know 10 wins is not outside the question which is crazy crazy to say after the the last few seasons right yeah as long as Trevor Lawrence is healthy and they never allow Urban Meyer back in in that locker room I would pick the Jaguars uh this season but you know if they could propel themselves into second place or even third place this year I think that's a win for the Texans yeah and D'Amico Ryans is somebody you know who you know there's question marks because Robert Tala in New York it's like he's gotten that team off the ground a little bit but you know he's the guy that preceded D'Amico Ryans in San Francisco so there's always going to be a comparison of how much of it is the talent in San Fran versus how many how much of it is the coaching on the defensive side but if it's even a little bit of the coaching I think he'll really help there you have Singley and Anderson two-third overall picks at really premium position to that defense and you know on offense you have a pretty good offensive line and CJ Stroud going in for my former colleague at PFF Bobby Kloet the offensive coordinator like I think that there's a chance there um and you know one of the few kind of AFC is pretty stacked the south is the one where you'll you'll have some uncertainty I think yeah a team that I look at right now is the Steelers I like the Steelers but it's so tough to say that the Steelers are going to go make the playoffs just because the AFC like you just said is absolutely loaded yeah the north has an easier schedule than you know some of the other like the south has an easiest schedule in the AFC but the north you have the Ravens Cleveland uh Pittsburgh and Cincinnati all have per game easier easier schedules than the average team on a neutral field so at least they have that going for them I make I give Pittsburgh about an eight and a half point win total which is right about where the market is but yeah they could surprise pick it was actually fairly good last year if you look at the underlying numbers down the stretch and you know obviously a lot of come from behind wins which uh it was fun to see at the end for them Eric Eager I want to discuss the Rams too as one of those teams I'm not buying in because it seems like a lot of guys have one foot in one foot out and then Bobby Wagner wanted to get on out of there because he doesn't think that they're going to be all that competitive and be a championship contending team is a cause for concern where are you at on the buyers market with the Rams this year it's so on one hand the Cardinals are in that division and so there's it's hard for me to think of the Rams as a tanking team because there's always going to be a team below them in that division um but it is the NFC uh and so there's always a chance I think they they ride it as long as they have Donald Cup and Stafford healthy I think if any one of those three gets hurt they're going to be playing uh you know for next season so that that's my take I'm not betting on them either um because it to me I don't know the motivation of that team and when you look at you know year-to-year predictions it's just always hard to infer last year I thought Seattle was tanking and they end up making the playoffs so uh you know that that's kind of where I see the Rams it's a very big unknown who knows when Kyler Murray since you brought up the Cardinals Eric Eager is going to come back I know he said he was targeting week one you could target it I'd be very surprised if he's on the field but they're going to have two pretty high up picks you know assuming that your Texans prediction doesn't come to fruition um that could throw throw it a little bit out of uh out of proportion but they do have their own pick and the Cardinals aren't supposed to be good like you were saying will this be the final year for Kyler Murray out there in the desert even though they just extend extended him and gave him that crazy contract yeah it's weird because it landed so poorly for the Cardinals because this is the one of the years where Murray is somewhat inexpensive and it's the following year where it gets you know pretty pretty deep for them you know with cap hits over 50 million um you know the the trading team that gets Murray will actually not have it be that bad because of you know trades you end up with uh the the salaries and stuff but not the pro-rated bonuses so they they should be able to trade him if they get picks one and two I just don't see a situation where they don't go Caleb Williams as trade out of the second pick for Drake May uh and then trade Murray and kind of build this thing with draft picks over the next few years now that that always that doesn't always work the process doesn't always work as we've seen in Neil uh in other sports as well as this one but to me it would be too big of a bounty to um you know to give up to get Williams on a rookie contract be able to upload Murray as well as that number you know let's say they get the number two pick as expected with Houston uh then it would to me I think this would be Murray's last year in Arizona and as such I don't even know if he plays it down Eric Eager here with us I like the commander's roster Eric but I have no clue what to expect at the quarterback position what is Sam Howell going to be this year it's weird because Sam Howell at one point uh before the 2021 season favorite to be the first overall pick yeah which is crazy um he has the movement skills a little shorter um but he has the movement skills I think to be somewhat of a player offensive line's okay for them they're an injury or two away from it being bad and then the skill positions as you said the rest of the roster is really good they bring in Forbes uh from Mississippi State to add to Kendall Fuller who was wonderful last year at the corner I agree with you that to me the only issue is last season the whole NFC East had you know better than 500 records um but their schedules were all easy this year Washington is the fifth hardest schedule in the NFL about two-thirds of a point per game harder than the average team on a neutral field that's the only one that makes me a little bit concerned but that entire division has tough schedules so I think from that offense you see Sam Howell get it on the green Eric the enemy was very good in Kansas City uh and if they don't if Howell's bad it's not like they invested so much in them they wouldn't just turn to Jacoby Brissett who has been low-key pretty good at getting teams at least to like a median offensive production in his time in the NFL. Eric Eager from Sumer Sports their vice president when we moved to the NFC South I kind of feel as if you have to pick the Saints but I kind of don't want to because I'm tired of the roller coaster ride of emotions with Derek Carr do you go with the Saints in the South or somebody else? As a Kansas City Chiefs fan I'm going to tell you this right I'll never I'll never predict Derek Carr to host a playoff game in my life like it's just like I'll do I'll do anything for love but I won't do that and I and I to me I think it's got to be Atlanta.

Atlanta's got the easiest schedule in the NFL it's a point easier per game obviously Ritter has a lot of question marks but you know there are a lot of really smart football minds that think he's you know okay at least you defensively they got really good up the middle with Kaleis Campbell, David Onyemada, Jesse Bates they did it pretty good there and then on offense you know my boss Thomas Dimitrov you know he's drafted at all those linemen and they're all got pretty good and you put Bushawn Robinson, Tyler Algier behind there and then you know they throw two good guys in Drake London and Kyle Pitts like it's just the quarterback and when I think about an easy schedule they're going to be ahead a lot they're going to be able to run the football stay ahead of the chains and they're not going to really stretch out Desmond Ritter too much so that's that's a good pick I think Carolina is another sneaky one too where um with Frank Reich and Bryce Young and and no you know draft picks to speak of next year they're going to be competing to win this year as well so motivation won't be a factor I just think you got to fade New Orleans in a situation where everybody's getting old and they're they're counting on Derek Carr who when he started a game last year in New Orleans against the Saints didn't cross the 50-yard line. Are you from Kansas City? I went to grad school near there so that's when I became a Chiefs fan yeah. What's your barbecue joint of choice? I went out there for the draft I love Jack Stacks. Jack Stacks good. Joe's is the one that uh sponsors my podcast the Red Gold and Bold show which I I love a lot. Gates I you know is good as well like you really can't go wrong um but Joe's is kind of near and dear to my heart.

Yeah the lines there are always ridiculous but excellent excellent barbecue indeed. Wrap it up with Derek Eager VP of Sumer Sports. All right let's get to the guy that everyone's been talking about for three years Aaron Rodgers you're one with the Jets what do you expect? I I don't think they win that division but I do think that the the ceiling is sort of a Tampa Bay 2020 like run.

Rodgers numbers last year were very similar to Brady's in his final year in New England. The Jets have a great defense uh much like Tampa did in 2020 uh it was hidden a little bit that Tampa 2019 defense was hidden by the fact that Jamis threw 30 interceptions so their points for a game weren't great but their underlying metrics are good you know inserted Brady everything came together I think that that could happen with the Jets and and also similar to the Bucks in 2020 the Saints are a lot like uh you know the a lot like the Bills are right where they're they're very good but they haven't gotten over the hump and you know uh Tampa Bay got blown out by the Saints twice in the regular season and ended up beating them in playoffs I think that that's the ceiling. Rodgers his only Super Bowl win as a as a as a quarterback has come from the sixth seed and I think that that would be the path for them if they were to end up winning would be to kind of figure it out over the course of the year win 10 or 11 games get a wild card and then Aaron Rodgers turn it on in January and February.

So from out with the old in with the new Jordan Love in Green Bay you're number one as a starter I know he's been there for the last few years your expectations are? That's the team in the NFC North that if you look at market prices that's the one to bet because you know Matt LaFleur doesn't get in my opinion enough credit from taking a guy in Rodgers who had struggled to the point where they drafted Jordan Love in the first place to two MVPs three consecutive 13 win seasons I think you know Jordan Love just draws between the lines colors between the lines I think that it will be an effective offense with Christian Watts and Aaron Jones uh you know and the tight ends they drafted as well as a decent offensive line I think the Packers are going to surprise people and compete in a weak NFC. When you look at that NFC North with all that you just said are you picking the Vikings or Lions or do you go with the Packers?

I'm not picking the Vikings I think the Vikings are like the easiest fade this year the 13 wins with the minus one point differential or minus point differential to me that's a team that's in transition and I wouldn't be surprised to see them win you know five or six games this year the Bears I think are a year away so to me it's only Detroit and Green Bay and even though I think mathematically Detroit should be the favorite I think Green Bay will surprise people. Okay Eric Eager Saquon and Josh Jacobs the deadline is approaching coming up on Monday at 1 p.m eastern I think Saquon gets a long-term deal I don't think Josh Jacobs will what say you on the official prediction? I don't hate the prediction for Jacobs that you know the Las Vegas Raiders who knows what they're doing they're kind of in between land between rebuilding and trying to compete they're not going to be competitive so I don't see a point for them to go after Jacobs I think that they play it out I agree with the Barkley thing even running back to the top of their game if they take a year off the market doesn't you know handle that very well we saw that with Ladyon Bell at Pittsburgh and then eventually he went to New York and two years later he's out of the league entirely so I think Barkley is going to sign a deal I don't know if it's going to be in that Camara or McCaffrey range but I think he will sign a deal and he will be the cornerstone of that offense. Which 49er talk quarterback do you think we're talking about the most at the end of the year with the quarterback Roulet that they've been playing the last few seasons?

I do think odds are it's Purdy but I'd like to see Lance I just like would like to see the upside there I think Purdy is a solved problem he's very good it's funny he trained with former Iowa State quarterback Sage Rosenfeld who also played for Shanahan he kind of knew the answers to the test before he even got drafted and it showed I just don't think there's a lot of upside there and Lance to me has the upside I'd like to see him play and be successful. Would you rank it right now Eagles 1 49ers 2 in the NFC? I would but if I were betting I'd bet and seem like Detroit or Dallas to get the one seed as opposed to those two I just think they're there there's too much riding on the Eagles who have lost both coordinators and the Niners who we don't know who their quarterback is. A team I also like and I don't think they're going to win the division but I think they could be a really strong wild card team is Seattle they have so many weapons on the offensive side of the ball my question just Eric Eager is how much regression occurs this year with Geno Smith?

Yeah it's a good one eight and a half wins wins over to me is one of the better bets in the win total market which is pretty beaten up right now and efficient so I agree with you wholeheartedly the thing about Geno is he regressed in the second half last year so I think if Seattle's a smart coaching staff which I think they are I think Pete Carroll proved a lot of us wrong over the last couple years they'll address the things that went poorly he faded down the stretch last year so I hope that bringing in Smith to Jigba you know get it to you know the two rookie tackles last year get better in year two I think they'll be better offensively especially because it wasn't like you know Geno was good the whole year and you know he tricked us into it he faded at the end last year and I think that they'll do things to address it and and deal you know give them a good second season as a starter in Seattle. Last thing I'll ask you Eric Eager VP of Sumer Sports Antonio Brown's name is back in the news but this time surprisingly he didn't do anything just DK Metcalf said he's the greatest wide receiver of all time we could push aside that comment but it brings up the Hall of Fame. I've said it for years Antonio Brown is a royal pain in the ass but he was a great football player and if I was voting for the Hall of Fame I would put him in how do you kind of look at the eventual Hall of Fame candidacy for one Antonio Brown? Yeah I think look if we got if we're gonna play you know the Hall of Fame is full of people who have been similar to Antonio Brown so unless we're going to go back and take them out I think you have to put Brown in.

Brown has been one of the best players at his position ever he's not first that's ridiculous but he's one of the best ever and I think he probably deserves to be in Camden. He's the VP of Sumer Sports we always love talking with him one of the brightest minds covering the NFL right now he's Eric Eager. Eric appreciate the time have a good weekend. Hey Zach thanks for having me on take care. There he is Eric Eager the VP once again of Sumer Sports and that's actually all the time that we do have for you today on a Friday edition of the Zach Gelb show. Big thanks to Brian Jack McKeon for producing this extravaganza also like to thank BYU quarterback Keaton Slovis for stopping by and Green Bay Packers great defensive tackle in Kenny Clark. We'll be back on Monday hope you have a great weekend it will be the return of Hot Take Hickey and also coming up on Monday Chargers running back and fantasy football star for a lot of you Austin Eckler always love when he joins us he's going to stop by so we can't wait to get going for another week of the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio have a fun but safe weekend and we'll talk to you Monday at 6 p.m eastern 3 pacific. Alrighty we out bye-bye peace. We all have tasks we'd like to avoid like mailing and shipping it takes time lugging all those letters and packages to the post office that's why you should try stamps.com for 25 years stamps.com has made mailing and shipping easy you get all the services of the post office right on your computer anytime no traffic no waiting no hassle plus you save money with discounts up to 84% on USPS and UPS with stamps.com all you need is a computer and printer print stamps print shipping labels and if you sell products online stamps.com connects with every major marketplace and shopping cart so you can spend less time on shipping and more time on your business get started with stamps.com today sign up with promo code program for a special offer that includes a four-week trial plus postage and a digital scale just go to stamps.com and enter code program.