NFL Teams Missing Out On Jimmy G? (Hour 2)

It is the Zach Gelb Show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio and we're coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage studios. Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance yours, Rocket Mortgage can help you get there for home loan solutions that fit your life well.

Rocket can. Coming up, 20 minutes from now, from the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, plays on their defensive line. Byron Young is going to swing by the Zach Gelb Show.

Christian Hackenberg at the top of the hour, in the final hour of the Zach Gelb Show extravaganza at 9.20pm Eastern, 6.20pm Pacific. We will be talking to Vernon Davis. But first up, let's talk about some teams that Hickey has identified as fringe playoff teams potentially this year. And I'll give you my official predictions if they will make or miss the playoffs this upcoming year. A lot of changes in Miami, new head coach, same quarterback, new wide receiver. Miami Dolphins, playoff team or no?

I'm going to say the Dolphins miss the playoffs. They have a lot of talent. New head coach Mike McDaniel, media darling Mike. I don't know what's so great about him besides everyone in Miami just loving him because he speaks to the media and we know how much the media can control the narrative.

And then Tua Tunga-Viloa, I got a C to actually have success in the NFL before I start to be a believer again in Tua. There's a good team though. I like Jalen Waddle.

Tyreek Kilby knows the stud. You have a good defense. How much will they miss Brian Flores though? But an excellent secondary when you look at the Miami Dolphins. And an improved offensive line, you know they're going to commit to running the football.

But I have questions with the coach and then also the quarterback. They're not going to be a bad team. This is a Dolphins team where when you look at them I can see them being 9-8. But 9-8 is not going to cut it this year to make the postseason in the AFC. So I am out on the Dolphins making the playoffs.

A very good roster. A lot of controversy surrounding the Browns this year. Deshaun Watson as we know will miss the first 11 games. Can they still overcome that and make the playoffs?

No. They'll miss the playoffs this year. They'll be a threat next year as long as Deshaun Watson can be fine off the field and that doesn't carry over into more situations this year. You know and next year with things that could go on and we'll see what Deshaun Watson could do in a short sample size in Cleveland as he gets back onto the field in week 13. But I don't think that the Browns led by Jacoby Versette for the first 11 games are going to put themselves in a position for Watson to take the baton and then run with it and take that team to the playoffs. So I'm out on the Brownies making the playoffs this year. Not trying to be a mush but it's almost impossible for the Ravens to be as injured this year as they were last year. Oh they can't be. Right?

It's impossible. If they are more injured this year then that franchise is just cursed. And we know that's a very good franchise.

Absolutely. Can they bounce back after an injury plagued 2021 to make the playoffs in 2022? I think people forget for half the season how good the Ravens were. At one point they were the number one overall seed in the AFC.

And then it just all unraveled down the stretch because everyone was hurt including the quarterback. Lamar Jackson is a former MVP in this league. Lamar Jackson is a stud. And you also get JK Dobbins back who I think is a very good player as well. You got a good defense and you have an excellent head coach. I would be shocked if we're sitting here in January getting ready for the playoffs and the Ravens are in the playoffs. Another team that has reloaded this offseason, the Chargers and a very tough AFC West, Justin Herbert on the rise. Defense got some much needed help this offseason.

LA, will they be in the playoffs? Justin Herbert's a stud. I'm not going to go the Ryan Harris level as he did on the DA show and say he's the greatest quarterback he's ever seen.

When he did play with Peyton Manning and he did see Tom Brady dominate the NFL in front of his eyes for many years. But this got to be the year that Justin Herbert makes the postseason. Last year they should have. And it wasn't Justin Herbert's fault in that final game of the season. We know he stepped up to the occasion up against the Raiders. Their biggest problem a year ago was the defense. And that defense got better this offseason even though they're going to start the year with J.C. Jackson a little bit banged up. But I love Khalil Mack. You now have Khalil Mack on that defense.

Joey Bosa is an absolute stud. You got Derwin James now paid. This is going to be a Chargers team they're going to be forced to be reckoned with.

There is no ceiling on this Chargers team this year. And I'll even give you another prediction. I'm going to fool you a little bit or tip off my coach of the year prediction right now and just tell you. I'm placing a wager on Brandon Staley to win coach of the year because when I look for coach of the year I look about narratives. Like Andy Reid's not going to win coach of the year this year. He's he's too established. Bill Belichick's not going to win coach of the year.

He's too established. Brandon Staley. He is someone that has a lot of criticism because of what happened in the second half of the season.

But in the first half of the season everyone was throwing flowers at this guy's you know at this guy. I think that Chargers team is going to win the AFC West and if they win the AFC West that means Brandon Staley either toned down the aggressiveness a little bit or his aggressive play calls and decision making actually worked. If the Chargers win the AFC West that means to me Brandon Staley is going to be coach of the year.

I'm taking Brandon Staley to win coach of the year in the AFC. I mean all NFL excuse me. Speaking of the AFC West new quarterback Russell Wilson new head coach Nathaniel Hackett and new life frankly in Denver.

Is it enough to get the Broncos in the playoffs this year? We don't have Brock Osweiler. We don't have Drew Locke. We don't have Case Keenum.

We don't have Joe Flacco. Heck you could put an above average quarterback in Denver and those guys would be jumping up and down because that's how bad it's been ever since the sheriff walked out the door. Now you have a solid quarterback. You have a great quarterback.

You have a top 10 top 7 quarterback in the National Football League. Broncos are going to be close one more year close but no cigar. There's got to be an odd team out in the AFC West and I think it's going to be the Denver Broncos. So that puts a cap on the AFC. You're out on the Dolphins Browns making the pleasure in on the Ravens in on the Chargers out on the Broncos.

Let's go to the NFC the commanders with Big Bad Carson Wentz. Will this be a playoff team? That's a team that I wish they went and got the services of Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason because if they had Jimmy G I'd be looking even though I don't think Jimmy G is great. I'd be thinking about them as a playoff team because I like that roster.

I do. And you look at Terry McClure and he's an absolute stud. I think Johan Dotson is going to have a big impact as a rookie in year number one. I know Chase Chase Young not going to be there to start the first week of the season but that is a dominant football player in the defense that struggled last year. I think they're going to bounce back season but that quarterback is going to kill him. That quarterback is going to be the reason why they're on the outside looking in come postseason time because that quarterback chokes in the big moment. That quarterback turns over the football the big moment and it doesn't even need to be up against a good team because we saw it last year right in front of our eyes up against the clown show. That was the Jacksonville Jaguars where the fans were literally dressed up as clowns entering that stadium in Jacksonville.

And Duvall and Carson Wentz couldn't even make it a game commanders out if you can't tell for the postseason this year. Speaking of quarterback questions there are some in Minnesota about Kirk Cousins. Now he is a head coach reportedly that likes him and Kevin O'Connell that love between the two going to have to get them the playoffs.

We didn't play this but someone sent it to me. He was on K fan in Minnesota and they asked him about the Ben Lieber quote that was on this show. And he said people forget I had a lot of success with Mike Zimmer.

I think that narrative is blown out of proportion. That was the gist of what Kirk Cousins said. And then I'm sure when the microphones were turned off Kirk Cousins said yeah I hated that mother bleeper and Mike Zimmer. Those guys didn't have a good relationship at the end.

There's no doubt about it they had some good moments in the beginning but then towards the end it got really really really ugly. I think having a head coach now that is offensive minded a new voice is going to help out Kirk Cousins immensely. I love Dalvin Cook I love Justin Jefferson Adam Thielen is an absolute stud and a tremendous player in this league defensively there's concerns. And that defense didn't get enough of a lambasting nationally last year because everyone was focused in on the quarterback. That defense needs to just be serviceable. If they could be middle of the road they'll be a playoff team I think they go 9-8. I think the Minnesota Vikings make the playoffs this year.

Last year the Saints were 9-8 and that just was the playoffs but had a winning record with four quarterbacks playing. Yeah Philly got in over them. Yes. Now Ian Book who played in one of those games got cut today. That's right.

Sad. Former Notre Dame quarterback. Got him to the playoffs last time no big deal.

But now you have Jamis Winston back healthy. Was that the year they got beat up by Alabama or Clemson? Both actually. He was quarterback for both of those losses. Which big game was Ian Book in where Notre Dame once again didn't meet expectations in that big game? Trick question.

Both. But Jamis is back. Big game Jamis. Dennis Allen taking over Sean Payton.

Is those changes enough to get them into the playoffs this year? I still don't know what Jamis Winston is and he was off to a good start last year and then he had an unfortunate injury. I don't know what to expect out of Michael Thomas. Alvin Kamara surprisingly is going to be available for all the games this year after what happened in Las Vegas at the Pro Bowl. Chris Olave I think could win Rookie of the Year this year. I'm a big fan of Chris Olave and you have Jarvis Jus Landry there and defensively they're a solid team. I just once again quarterback coach so big I can't trust Jamis Winston and I can't trust Dennis Allen.

Now it was a long time ago a very long time ago where that man was a head coach in this league with the Raiders and it was a disaster. Am I expecting to have big time success and make the playoffs this year with the Saints? It's possible. It's plausible. But I'm going to say they're on the outside looking in where it's them and the Panthers battling it out for the two seed in the NFC South race.

But I don't think the Saints make the playoffs. And finally maybe the most hotly contested quarterback battle we had this training camp Baker Mayfield. Geno Smith and Drew Locke? Yes.

Yes. That's the one. Mitch Hrabowski and Kenny Pickett? Baker Mayfield, Sam Johnold. The one everyone was clamoring about. That wasn't a quarterback competition.

Number one versus number three in the 2018 draft. That was a farce by the way. That was let's have a quarterback competition because Baker has to earn the job and we have to get that chip on his shoulder. Just get it really start to roll and get him all mad and PO'd and then you see what Baker Mayfield does.

I know Sam Johnold just got hurt and I wish him nothing but the best but he had no shot. Unless if Baker Mayfield they reverse rolls got mono or something like that. There was no way that Baker Mayfield wasn't going to be starting week one for the Carolina Panthers.

It worked the quote unquote competition if you want to call it that. Baker earned the job. He is their week one starter taking on the Browns. Will Baker lead the Panthers to the postseason?

I hope so. I want I'm rooting for the Panthers this year with Rule, with Baker, with Christian McCaffrey. I love DJ Moore. He's now he's not like the Keenan Allen. But for so many years everyone said Keenan Allen is the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL. Now I think DJ Moore has entered that conversation because if everyone calls you the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL for Keenan Allen. I can't call you the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL anymore.

I think that could be DJ Moore. He said nothing but success in this league. He's all the makings to already could be a top 10 wide receiver. But in that conversation they improved that offensive line in a big way. Icky Iquanu starting at left tackle. Good defense.

But man. I'm going to say they're on the outside looking in. I'm going to say they missed the playoffs. I look at teams like Dallas, Philadelphia. I think both are going to get in. One will win the division. One will be a wild card team. I like the Vikings to get in.

And then that last spot. You're looking at teams like the Cardinals, the 49ers. I think those teams are just better than the Panthers. I'm rooting for Baker.

I'm rooting for Run CMC to be the comeback player of the year. But I think they're going to miss the playoffs this year. Now real quickly Icky. Dolphins. Yes or no.

They in the postseason this year. No. Browns. Yes or no. No.

Ravens. Yes or no. Yes. Chargers. Yes. Broncos. Yes.

Commanders. No. Vikings. No. Saints. No. And then the Carolina Panthers.

Unfortunately no. Wow you really soured. When they traded for Baker Mayfield you said he was a top five quarterback in the NFC which I just thought was a little bit of a crazy premature hot take statement. And then you said the Panthers were going to be the seventh seed.

What changed? I still think Baker is the fifth best quarterback in the NFC. I can't trust Christopher McCaffrey's health. And I look at the schedule.

It's tough. The Eagles and the Cowboys have a much favorable schedule. I think both will get in. I was I was only saying one team from the NFC was going to get in.

And the Eagles and Cowboys are just better teams. I was trying to find a way where they're like eight and nine. I'm like I can't do it. I realistically can't do it. You just get a wrong prediction. You just throw it into the trash can of all those wrong predictions. Eagles get swept by the Giants. There it is. They're eight and nine.

Take a break. When we come on back we will check in with the Alabama Crimson Tide. They kick off their season this upcoming Saturday. And we'll be joined by a member of their defensive line getting ready for his senior season Byron Young on the other side. We miss college football.

Wait for the 2022 season. And we're counting down the days to kick off. Here is your college football fix only on the Zach Gelb show.

Well we had some games last weekend for week zero but now week one is upon us. And coming up on Saturday night Alabama kicks off their season as they welcome in Utah State. We'll head out to the guest line right now on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio and welcome in a senior defensive lineman from the Crimson Tide.

And that of course is Byron Young. Byron appreciate the time. How are you? I'm doing well. How about you?

I'm doing fantastic. So each and every year we just get accustomed and we expect Alabama to win the entire thing. You guys got close last year when you lost to the national title game to Georgia. What was this offseason like after having to overcome some adversity? I mean I would I would say it's similar to every other offseason. You know every other offseason we're preparing to be the best that we can be no matter the result that we got at the end of last year. But I mean we obviously had a really bitter taste in our mouth as of the way that the season ended with us losing to Georgia. You know they were a great football team but you know we feel like we made some mistakes and we might have we might have had some things that we could have done differently that could have changed the outcome in that game.

But the offseason it was a great offseason a lot of people came together a lot of people worked so it was just a great offseason overall. Does that fire just keep on burning in your tummy all offseason long or do you have to distance yourself from that national title game? I think it's a little bit of both. I think it's a little bit of both. I would say it's something that you can use to motivate you. But I think it's something that you just can't continue to look at over and over because if you continue to just look at one game and you just continue to stay set on one game then you might lose sight of you know the stuff that you have in front of you.

You might lose sight of the first game or the next game. So I think it's a little bit of both. Byron Young senior defensive lineman from Alabama here with us on the Zach Gelb show. I saw your coach the legendary Nick Saban. He said this offseason that last year felt like a rebuilding year. Do you agree with that?

That last year was a rebuilding year for Alabama? I mean I think that that really wouldn't be my place to say something like that. I'm not in the meeting rooms. I'm not in the other position meeting rooms.

So I'm not seeing everything that they're doing. I think we had a lot of great players last year. I think we had a lot of young guys last year too. But I think we had a great team last year and I think we'll have an even better team this year.

What makes this team better this upcoming year Byron Young? I mean I think we have a lot more I think we have a lot more experience. I think we have a lot of guys who have been here and who know what it takes to win. I think we also have some guys here that know what it's like to lose.

So I think that just knowing both sides of the spectrum you know now we know what it takes to win. And we know what it looks like when we might not be preparing the correct way and we're about to go into a really difficult game. One of those special players that now has even more experience is Will Anderson. Take me inside the locker room. You play with him. You're a teammate of his. What is Will Anderson like behind the scenes? Will's a great guy man. Will's a great guy.

He's one of my really good friends. Love him on and off the field. He's a great leader. He's a great player. But he's an even better person. He's always joking around with us.

He's not one of those people who has a big head. He's never been one of those guys. He's just like everybody else. So he's a great teammate. How do you describe him on the field? Because what we saw him do last year was really special.

But you got to play side by side you know with him. So how do you describe his play on the field? I would say he's just relentless and just a nation.

You know everything he does he does going 100. You know he doesn't make many mistakes and even if he makes a mistake he's good enough to make it to where you don't even realize it. He's just so fast. He's so explosive. I mean he's a great football player.

One of the best I've played with for sure. Is he the best player in college football in your opinion? I mean that would be tough because I think we got a lot of great players all throughout college football. I think we have two of the best players on our team in Will and Bryce. You know I think we have a lot of guys on this team that I could say could probably be the best player in the country.

So I think that would be a tough one to answer. Well that's the thing about your team. When we look at the defense it starts with Will Anderson and then offensively you have the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in Bryce Young. I don't think it gets much better than that when you look at the star player on offense and the star player on defense.

Yeah it doesn't. Both of those are great great great players but even better people. You talked about it earlier Byron Young senior defensive lineman from Alabama how you could have other guys play at other programs and be some of the better players in the country. Who are some of those other guys on your team that you want to give a little shine to that you've been impressed with this summer? I've really been impressed with everybody man.

I think we've all come together this year. I think we've all put in a lot of work. You know we've seen some guys step up. We've seen some young guys like Jaheim Otis come in lose a lot of weight and step up. You know we've seen guys like Jameer Gibbs come from Georgia Tech come in and look like he's going to have an impact right away. So we've had a lot of guys really step up and I think it's just everybody on this team deserves credit for stepping up and getting ready for this upcoming season. Byron Young how did you step up this summer?

What did you really work on? I feel like this all season I kind of had to work on my leadership and being more vocal. You know I'm not a guy who likes to say too much.

I'm not a guy who just likes to get in people's face. But you know I was tasked with being a leader this all season. You know I was asked by some of the coaches, some of the other players said that that's what they expected. I mean so that's really the biggest thing I think this all season I had to work on. How do you work on that in terms of leadership? I mean the biggest thing for me was just making sure I was doing everything the correct way. Because if you're a leader and you try to get other guys to do stuff the correct way. You know if they see you doing something wrong then you know they really won't want to listen to you.

Because also you're telling me to do one thing but you were doing something else. So really just trying to be on top of everything even more than I have been in the past. Trying to be just vocal and you know not going out and just yelling at people. Trying to pull people aside and tell them you know this is how we do things.

Letting people know that I actually care and not just trying to reel people consistently. Byron Young here with Senior Defense Alignment from Alabama. Can you already believe that it's your senior year and you're about to enter year four at Alabama?

It's hard to believe. I feel like I just got here a few months ago. What advice would you give to a freshman as someone that was in your position three, four years ago? My advice would just be just put your head down and work. Don't come in wanting to just be the man right away.

Put your head down and work and whenever it's your turn to play you know you'll be ready. What led you to Alabama? Clearly it's Alabama.

It's a permanent program for college football in the country. But what made you want to go become a member of the Crimson Tide? I feel like I could get a great education here. I feel like when I was being recruited, the players here weren't just teammates. It was like a family.

They were all brothers. I can speak on that from being here now that that's how it is. All these guys here, these are guys that I'll talk to many years after I graduate. No matter where it is I might be doing after football. It's a place that I feel like could be a second home for me. I feel like they would take care of me over here on and off of the field. I feel like they have my best interest in mind at all times.

That's really one thing that I was looking for when I was choosing a school coming out of high school. When did it click for you that you were playing for Nick Saban? The thought just disappeared of, Holy crap, I'm playing for the best coach maybe to ever participate in college football. I think it has clicked multiple times because being here we're so busy.

We're always looking at how we can improve and our next challenge. I think at many times I've just sat back and had to think about, I'm actually doing what I wanted to do when I was a little kid. I'm actually playing on TV. I'm playing in front of 100,000 people every Saturday.

It's something that happens maybe once a month, once a week. It happens pretty often and it's something I'm just really, really thankful for. What's your favorite memory so far with Nick Saban and Byron Young? Favorite memories?

There's a lot of them. Some of my favorite memories actually just come from practice. Just the small things he'll do in practice. Sometimes he might make a joke. He might mumble something under his breath at you at practice.

It'll just be something like that, just something small. Before we let you run, I want to ask you about a few of your former teammates. Just give me some quick thoughts on what this player meant to you or what you think they're going to do at the next level.

I'll start you off with Tunga Vailoa. A lot of attention around him in a big year for the Dolphins. I was here with Tua my freshman year.

I talked to Tua a lot when I was here. He was one of those guys who, when I came in, he was really a superstar on the team. When you come out of high school, you kind of get starstruck by these guys. One of the biggest quarterbacks in college football when I came out. He was just a really good guy, really down to earth.

Never shied away from talking to me, never acted like he was too good to talk to me, always led by examples. He was a really good guy, and I think he'll do great things at the next level. Mac Jones. Mac Jones was another really good guy. I came in, and Matt was behind Tua, and I got to play with him someday. I know he played in the Auburn game with us, and then he played in the bowl game when we played Michigan State.

Not Michigan, sorry, Michigan. And he was a guy who was also a leader. He was a guy who was also a leader. He was a guy who would talk a little bit of trash at practice of the defense.

He was a really smart guy, but he, once again, met a great person. Was it surprising to you how seamless that transition was? Because you talk how Tua was bigger than life, and then we saw what Mac Jones was able to do. It wasn't really surprising to me because I got to see Mac every day in practice for two years before he even got the opportunity to really show off to the rest of the country what we already in the building knew what he could do.

So it wasn't really a surprise to me. How about Evan Neal? Evan Neal, man, he's one of the best players I've played against. We had a lot of battles for the three years that we were here together. He made me a lot better. I hope I made him a lot better.

He was a really good guy, too, a really good friend of mine. I talk to him all the time, so I think he's really going to excel at the next level just because he's a work ethic. A few more for Byron Young, senior defense alignment from Alabama. Let's go to Najee Harris. Najee Harris was another really special guy, man. Najee Harris was another guy who, when I came in, he was kind of a superstar all over the country, so I was a little bit starstruck again.

Once again, man, another guy who never shied away from giving me advice or shied away from pushing me just because I know he wanted to keep the standard of Alabama what it was. He's a really great player. My oldest brother, Kendrick, is a really big fan of the Steelers. On draft night, my brother was really hoping that they would draft Najee, and they did. I think he cried a little bit.

That's absolutely awesome. He's supposed to have another big season for the terrible Towels with the Pittsburgh Steelers. What about Devontae Smith?

It's amazing. A guy could go catch a game-winning touchdown in the national championship game, and it's not even the biggest moment from his career at Alabama because then we all saw what he was able to do his Heisman Trophy-winning season. Yeah, I think Devontae was just like the other guys, a really hard worker, a guy who was a little bit more quiet.

I guess I would say in the public eye, he didn't seem like he spoke much, but when he was around us, he was a guy who would talk. He was a guy who would talk trash just at the beginning of every practice when we were warming up, going out there yelling, trying to just bring the energy every single day at practice. He was a special player. I'm really glad I got to play with a guy like him and know a guy like him. And then I'll ask you, I'll group these two together, Jalen Waddle and Jamison Williams. We'll end you on the wide receivers.

And those are two really, really great players, man. I was with Waddle for two years. He was another guy who never really shied away from talking to me.

He's a guy who I feel like if I needed to talk to him now or if I just wanted to holler at him, he'd answer the phone. J-Mo was another guy like that. He came in from Ohio State, and he kind of embraced everything right away. It was obvious when he got here that he came in with a goal. And his goal was to be the best wide receiver in the country. His goal was to help lead us to where we wanted to get in. He came in and he worked right away, and he fit in right away with everybody.

So he was a great guy and a great player. Last thing I'll ask you, Byron Young, how do you envision the senior season going for you? I just envision a lot of success, not just for myself, but as a team. We're working. We worked all offseason. We've been working since January preparing for this first game that comes up Saturday. So I envision a lot of success.

I envision just a lot of guys out there having fun together. Well, good luck coming up on Saturday night up against Utah State and throughout the entire season. We'll be watching. Thanks so much, Byron Young. Yes, sir.

Thank you. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. This is Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. Hey, I'll take Kiki. You produced Ken Karman once on the weekends, right?

Oh, yeah. We love Ken. He does a great job, morning drive in Cleveland with Anthony Lima.

Ken Karman just tweeted this out, and I don't think it's you, but I got to see if it's you. Ken Karman tweeted, I had a producer on CBS Sports Radio whose future father-in-law owned a pharmacy in Brooklyn. I used to say his future father-in-law was a drug dealer on the corner in Brooklyn. Good times.

Good times. Now, I think Lolly is going to end up being your wife. So it could be you, even though you guys aren't engaged yet. Is this you? Were you the former producer for Ken Karman, whose future father-in-law owned a pharmacy in Brooklyn, New York? No. No. Do you know who that is?

I don't. I'm trying to think. Maybe Anthony Pierano. Is he engaged?

No, you're right. Yeah. D-Ben, maybe? Probably D-Ben. I guess, because D-Ben, is D-Ben engaged? I know he has a long-time girlfriend. I believe he is.

Oh, actually, I don't want to be speaking out of turn here. I don't know. I don't know. I thought, no, no, no, I think so.

Didn't they go to Italy and get engaged? No, yes. I think so, yes. Definitely. D-Ben used to be my producer for... Yes.

Or my board op for about like six months before then he went to Bill Ryder and then he went to Jim Rome. I don't think anyone's stock really went more exponentially than Tom DiBenedetto. So could that be D-Ben?

I don't know. Could you see the DiBenedetto family running a pharmacy? Well, it's father-in-law, right? So it would be Gigi's dad? Yeah, it's family at this point. I could see, I mean, not knowing D-Ben's fiance at all.

I could definitely see her dad owning a pharmacy. Who was the guy that used to work here that was a big Arizona sports fan? Chris Venezia. My guess is either Venezia or who was the other dude that worked here? Mike Zimmerman?

Mike Zimmerman. Not him. It's not him? No.

Neither KV. They're both not engaged. No. Have any significant others.

Do they ever have a longtime girlfriend here? No. So you may be right on D-Ben. And I could see D-Ben being the butt of the joke there for Ken Karman and be fine with taking the joke because D-Ben loved Ken Karman. Loved him. Loved him. Loved him. I texted Ken. I said, who was the producer? Ken's probably on TV now, though, anyway.

So probably doesn't have time for us little people here. It is the Zach Yelp show on CBS Sports Radio. I got two things on Jimmy G. First off, isn't it crazy how the stock of Jimmy G has kind of changed when Jimmy Garoppolo has not played a game since January? This announcement comes the other day that renegotiated his contract. They restructured his deal. And now it's, oh, my gosh, everyone looks at Trey Lance. This is an indictment on Trey Lance. And the moment Trey Lance struggle, quick hook, boom, they're going to put Jimmy G on the field. Wasn't the whole point of drafting Trey Lance was because Kyle Shannon and John Lynch didn't think Jimmy G could win a Super Bowl and they wanted to go to a quarterback that has a bigger upside? And we don't know what Trey Lance is going to be, but it's tough for me to think in two off seasons of Trey Lance being a part of the 49ers and only playing in two regular season games and the second regular season haven't even started yet, that they have soured on him that much when they basically risked their jobs trading all that draft capital to move up to the third overall pick. So that's what I don't get in this whole situation, Ryan, when if you put Jimmy G in, what is it really going to do other than you'll make the playoffs, you would think. But he's either going to get hurt or in a big moment is not going to be able to deliver the throw.

I'm with you. Like there was a narrative out there yesterday, oh, my God, I can't believe they're keeping Jimmy G because as soon as Trey Lance was a pick, Kyle Shannon is going to be begging to go back to Jimmy G. Kyle Shannon is the same coach who made the decision. I'd rather go and trust an unknown and whatever quarter you end up drafting, which obviously now we know to be Trey Lance rather than continue on with Jimmy G because he's limiting the offense and is not really taking this team to the level that they should be at. So he was ready to go, you know, jump ship as soon as possible to move off of Jimmy G. Why would anyone think after one bad game or one bad month, Kyle Shannon is going to be sitting there desperate to go back to the quarterback that he couldn't wait to get rid of? Also, if I'm Trey Lance and this evoked a bad reaction yesterday, then it just shows you that this guy is not a franchise quarterback because you should not be intimidated by Jimmy Garoppolo. Guy's an okay quarterback. He's an above average kind of quarterback in this league. Not a franchise quarterback, not a great quarterback. If you're Trey Lance, yet naturally from a human emotion standpoint, you may be looking over your shoulder, especially if you're not playing that great and fans start chanting, putting Jimmy and all that stuff, but I would not be intimidated by Jimmy Garoppolo for one second because by drafting me and trading up all that draft capital that it did so to go get me to this team, they're basically saying that I'm the future and the future is now. And I saw that Kyle Shanahan said the other day that when I told Trey that Jimmy was going to come back, he said, awesome. That dude was awesome for me last year when you have a QB room like that, like each other, it makes it more enjoyable to come to work. So that's what Kyle Shanahan said.

And they can have a good relationship. I also remember Jimmy Garoppolo getting on Adam Schein's show and saying that he didn't wish the dynamic on anyone else in the league because it was a tough dynamic last year with this storyline just hovering over his head. And I'm sure for Jimmy Garoppolo, understandably so, he's dealt with this before.

And when he was in New England, he was supposed to be the guy to replace Tom Brady and Brady basically got him out of Foxborough when Bill wanted to go to him. But the bottom line is if you're Trey Lance, you shouldn't even blink an eye at this news and bat an eye at this news. So what? He's the backup. You're the starter. And you shouldn't play poor enough where they're thinking about pulling you for any extended stretch of time because you had the entire year last year to get accustomed to the system.

And this is the point I think everyone is missing too. Is Trey Lance really going to even be put in a position where they're going to basically say let's throw the football 50 times and we're going to open you up to make some mistakes. I got to think Shanahan behind that line, that run game, Deebo, Kittle 2, they're going to basically ask him in year number one to be a game manager and they're going to ease him in to maybe putting more on his plate throughout the season. I have a tough time thinking, unless an injury occurs, that Jimmy Garoppolo is going to replace Trey Lance this year.

But that's just me. I'm with you because also this is a really good team. So just to your point, you don't have to ask Trey Lance to do a lot in order for this team to win. Again, people want to crap on Jimmy G and say he's just an okay quarterback. Well, an okay quarterback then got your team to a Super Bowl and an NSC title game.

I'm with you, you're right, if Trey Lance can't do that, Trey Lance can have similar success with a team that's really good around him, I think he will. Now with that being said, since we just dumped on Jimmy G for about five minutes, which teams maybe are going to be regretting not making the move for Jimmy Garoppolo? And I circle them on two teams, the Cleveland Browns.

This would have cost you nothing. Baker Mayfield just went for a conditional five. Maybe the 49ers just say, okay, rather keep on the roster, having the insurance policy in case, and you'd hope it'd be only if Trey Lance gets hurt and then when you get a compensatory third round pick, once he walks in for agency. But if you're Cleveland, you have a good roster. I thought the Browns owed it to the other 52 players on that team, not named Deshaun Watson, to try to allow them to weather the storm. And I know everyone talks about the money, he just reduced his price tag. So you're telling me Jimmy G wouldn't have been willing to reduce his price tag to go to Cleveland, where they have Nick Chubb, they have Kareem Hunt, you have Amari Cooper, you have a good offensive line, you got a good defense.

And in a small sample size, and some people might think that's a big sample size, but it's not a full season of 11 games. The image I don't think is in this awful spot, but you either are thought it to be a franchise quarterback or not, and people don't view Jimmy G as a franchise quarterback. He would have done a much better job in weathering the storm and keeping the ship from sinking and keeping the Browns in the playoff mix.

And it's a one year rental anyway, a half season rental, a little bit more half season rental anyway. I still don't get why the Browns didn't make this move. That to me is the first one right away, where you go to the Browns, you know Watson's out for 11 games, the market already spun around, this was the lone guy remaining that could help your team and put you in a better spot, and it would have basically cost you next to nothing. We did an exercise, what about two weeks ago, where we were going win loss to Jacoby Brissette at quarterback. Three, four wins.

Right, I think I was at four and seven, you might even have been at three and eight. I think it's fair to say Jimmy G gives you two wins. So you're talking about either going from two additional wins, you're going from possibly a four and seven team with Brissette to a six and five team with Jimmy G, that's a massive difference. And then you get Watson back. Right, by the time Deshaun Watson comes back, you are right in the middle of a playoff line in six and five, at four and seven your season's over. So just to your point, keep the ship afloat, stay, have the season mean something, by the time Watson comes back, Jimmy G would have given you that, that Brissette can't. And the next team, I know he's not, he wasn't healthy until August, but how you go with Carson Wentz, who failed in Philadelphia, failed in Indianapolis, and you swap twos, you get the lesser of the two back, and then you gave up two third round picks.

One of them is a conditional third that could turn into a second if Wentz plays 70 percent of the snaps. You could have, what, maybe have gotten Garoppolo for a fourth or a fifth round pick, or even if it was a conditional fourth that could turn into a third round pick. I would much rather, if I was the commanders, have Jimmy G for one season than this Fakakta idea and this Kakamemi idea that Carson Wentz is going to turn his career around with the commanders. Because even if Carson Wentz plays good this year, why should I believe that he's going to consistently be good, and why should I believe that now in the third time, even though it's a saying, third time's a charm, the third time's actually going to be a charm, because I don't. I mean, look, he had, last year I think he won, right? He had the head coach he wanted in Frank Reich, he had one of the best offensive lines, he had a really good running game, a great running game led by Jonathan Taylor, he had a defense that was solid. Carson Wentz did everything he could have possibly wanted and needed to succeed and couldn't.

Why would you think now going to Washington it's going to be even better? Doesn't make sense. Yeah, and it's amazing how the commanders are familiar with him because he once was the quarterback of the Eagles, and it's almost as if there was that one Houdini type of play that Wentz made, I think it was in Philadelphia, it was up against the commanders when he was the quarterback of the Eagles where he spun out and he hit a wide receiver, maybe a running back in the back right of the end zone, it was just one of those ridiculous plays that Wentz made. And it's almost as if they just only saw that play and remember that play and go, okay, that guy could be the guy, and we have been in the outhouse for years with quarterbacks, so this guy is damaged goods, but he's better damaged goods than the damaged goods that we had. And that's what they're banking on. That is faulty logic.

Terrible logic if you're the commanders. Anyone else that maybe should have been in the market here for Jimmy J? What about the Eagles? They're all in. You gotta be all in on Jalen Hurts.

Well, they're all in on this season. If Jalen Hurts struggles and or gets hurt. Yeah, but Hurts got you to the playoffs last year, I have no problem with them running back. Morris has a backup, no?

Like a break glass in case of emergency, not to start, but just sit back there in case something goes wrong. Yeah, with how they brought in Hurts with Wentz there, I think that could be a little bit messy, but Hurts could definitely handle it. The guy's the consummate professional. Also throughout the Seahawks, but then if you're the Seahawks, I think you're just all in on tanking. And how about the Saints? I have Jimmy G, then Jamis Winston. And this is Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Radio. Christian Hackenberg joins us next.