Raiders Resiliency (Hour 1)

Live from the police show, yet not overly ostentatious, studios of CBS Sports Radio here in beautiful New York City, sitting on top of the 10th floor of 345 Hudson Street. Welcome on in to a Tuesday edition of the Zach Gelb show across all of our great local CBS Sports Radio affiliates, Sirius XM, Channel 158, and that free Odyssey app. 855-2124 CBS. I'm going to jump on in. 855-212-4227.

Please get at me on the good old cesspool of Twitter or on Instagram. I'm always straight flexing at Zach Gelb. That's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. We are 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-owned solutions that fit your life, yes, your life.

Well, Rocket can. Three awesome guests for you today. Coming up in an hour 20 on the defensive line from Alabama is going to be a starter, a senior, Byron Young is going to stop by at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific. Christian Hackenberg will join us as we will preview this upcoming college football season and then the final hour of the show at 9.20 p.m. Eastern, 6.20 p.m. Pacific. Former NFL tight end made a few Pro Bowls.

Vernon Davis will swing by as well. But first up, producing the extravaganza for the next four hours is no other than Hot Take Hickey. This dumb producer, Hot Take Hickey. I got to start you off today with a tweet that I saw based off Alex Leatherwood getting released today by the Las Vegas Raiders, which is kind of crazy that someone's stock could sour that quickly. Now, at the time, it was not a popular draft pick. When he was drafted 17th overall and you're thinking he's probably a guard, that was not a popular draft pick. I remember doing the draft show live here on CBS Sports Radio with J.R. from the J.R. Sport Brief extravaganza, and we were both critical of the pick. And we also look at Mike Mayock and the way that I remember describing Mike Mayock that night is for so many years, Mike Mayock was great on television and he would try to predict the guys that would go early or guys that you're not thinking about that would get picked earlier than what you thought.

And he kind of took that strategy from television and then played it in real life GM mode. And you look back, this is from Ari Mira from my sports update, which is tremendous. Follow the Raiders first round picks from 2019 to 2021. Jonathan Abram, fifth year option, declined. Josh Jacobs, fifth year option, declined. Cleland Ferrell, who's been a bust, fifth year option, declined. 2020, we know Damon Arnett, cut.

Henry Ruggs, 2020, we all know what happened with him off the field, cut. And now Alex Leatherwood is the latest to add to this just terrible list where he has now been cut by the Las Vegas Raiders. And it's crazy to me. When you have a team that swings and misses that many time in the first round, you would think that organization would be what? A five or six win team this year at best.

When you welcome in a new head coach, you welcome in a new general manager. And I know Mayock did some good when you talk about guys like Max Crosby and you look at a guy like a Hunter Renfro. It's kind of, though, nuts when you see how many struggles they had in the first round and how these aren't just guys that were OK. Like these are busts. These are guys that don't have future for the most part, maybe other than Jonathan Abram and Josh Jacobs in this league. And let's be real, you know, Josh Jacobs is not going to be on this team next year with how much they used him in the preseason in that first game, if you recall. And also with this fifth year option not even being picked up. And they had three first round draft picks in twenty nineteen three. Who's going to be on that team long term between Cleland Farrell, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Abram?

Probably none of them. And after that, Damon Arnett was one of those picks. I remember Jeff Acuda speaking to the media saying, oh, you should know who Damon Arnett is.

He's going to be unbelievable player. And when he got drafted in the first round, I'll never forget, I was doing the show, the draft show the first year I did on CBS Sports Radio. Each and every year, CBS tells us they give us like a list of prospects and they go, OK, these are the guys that have a chance to go in the first round. When Damon Arnett's name was announced, I was looking where he was on that draft board and he wasn't even on the draft board that they gave us.

And they give you like the top 50, 55 player, 60 players. And he was projected to go like third or fourth round. And the guy ended up going in the first round. So these were some surprising picks.

And I would get it if you have one surprising pick in, let's just say, a three year run. But Cleland Ferrell was a stunner. Damon Arnett was a stunner as well. And in the order of the way the wide receivers did go, Henry Ruggs. No one thought he was going to be the first wide receiver off the board in that 2020 draft class. And he ended up being so. As everyone was talking about Jerry Jeudy, Ruggs was definitely part of the conversation.

But people talk about CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy more so than Henry Ruggs and he drafted Henry Ruggs. So I look back at this Mayock Gruden era. Is the team set up nicely now?

Yes. But it's kind of impressive how this team is set up in a good spot when they were just abysmal picking in the first round. And it's not just one off the first round picks.

You had three in 2019 in the first round and then two in 2020 in the first round. And your most recent first round draft class that Mayock was picking in 2021 now is an offensive lineman that was a big time reach who's no longer a part of the organization. You would think this would be a Raiders team with just a tweet that I read there of first round picks that are now all no longer on the team or just had their fifth year option decline.

You would think this team would be set up in a miserable spot. But instead, you look at the Raiders. Derek Carr has been a good, not great quarterback in this league. You have Darren Waller, who's an absolute stud, and you've got to figure out that contract. Hunter Renfro is a Pro Bowl wide receiver. You just added arguably the best wide receiver in football in Devante Adams. And you have two very good pass rushers in Chandler Jones and Max Crosby.

And I get it. There's questions with the linebackers. There's questions on the back end in the secondary. This is a Raiders team, though, that going into this year who made the playoffs a year ago. I think they got better this offseason. I think John Gruden in 2021 compared to Josh McDaniel's in 2022 is an upgrade. I don't know what David Zeigler is going to be, but it can't be worse in the first round than what Mike Mayock was drafted. You bring in Devante Adams.

Carr has more experience coming off a good year, whereas more than just football with all the crap that was thrown on his plate and the way that he was a leader on that team. And yes, the rest of the AFC West. It's brutal.

It's a tough road to travel. You take a look at a team like the Chiefs. People are down on Kansas City. They're still absolutely going to make the playoffs. They have a top three quarterback in the sport and Patrick Mahomes. You still have Kelsey. You still have Andy Reid, the Chargers.

They're not going anywhere. I think they're going to start to go on a pretty dominant run when you have Justin Herbert, Austin Eckler. You beefed up that offensive line the last two years with Zion Johnson and also bringing in Rashawn Slater via the draft. You have Keenan Allen. You were able to bring back Mike Williams defensively. I know J.C. Jackson's hurt right now, but he's a really good, solid player in this league. You have Bosa.

You have Derwin James now locked up. You just traded for Khalil Mack. And then you look at the Denver Broncos. Yes, a new head coach. But what we've been talking about with Denver the last few years, how they don't have a stinking quarterback. Now you have a top 10 quarterback easily in this league in Russell Wilson. So this division and this is no hot take.

This is no earth shattering analysis. This division, it's going to be absolutely brutal, but it's going to be beautiful to watch. Because, yes, if you play in that division, you could be nine and eight.

You could be 10 and seven. And you may not even make the playoffs this year, especially with also not only how loaded the division is, but the entire conferences. And I'm looking around this AFC West. I do feel good about the Raiders this year. And I do like the Raiders this year.

And let me be clear on that. I'm not saying the Raiders are going to win a Super Bowl. But I do think the Raiders should be back in the postseason this year because when that team gets in the red zone, how are you going to stop them? When you have Hunter Renfro as a third or fourth option behind Davante Adams and behind Darren Waller, and if they run the ball, you got Josh Jacobs.

Hunter Renfro is going to have a lot of touchdowns this year. They're going to be tough to cover from goal line to goal line, but specifically inside the 20s in the red zone. And ultimately, that defense needs to be serviceable. And if you have a serviceable defense this year, they are going to be a good team.

It's kind of crazy, Ryan, when we look back at this. You had Jon Gruden get fired early in the season last year. You had Mike Mayock just swing and miss on first round picks, and he did some nice moves later on in the draft and trades and all that. So let's not pretend like his entire tenure was a disaster. There was some good that came out of it. But you had the problems with Gruden, you had the problems with Mayock, things that are bigger than football, the awful things that Henry Ruggs committed.

And then you had Damon Arnett, who was a first round pick, getting cut in season two. And you see all those things that you added up last year, the Raiders were one of the more impressive teams in the league last year. Not that they were ever a threat to go to the Super Bowl, but how they were able as a team with an interim coach and Rich Passaccia, find a way to get in the playoffs when there was every opportunity for that team to say, up, too many distractions, up, too many adversity, let's just tap out, and let's just bail out in the season. They didn't do that.

They didn't quit. And for the guys remaining on that team, that's massive. And now you're expected to take an even bigger step because you just got Devante Adams. So I think everyone today is going to laugh at the Raiders and everyone's going to say, huh, look at that 2019 first round. Look at the 2020 first round.

Look at the 2021 first round. Ryan, to me, you're not wrong to bash the Raiders for those picks, but it's crazy how the Raiders, regardless if you think they're going to make the playoffs or not, have legitimate playoff expectations this year where you could tell me they finished first in the AFC West or last in the AFC West and nothing would surprise me. So as we enter the NFL season, yes, people are going to be locked in on Rodgers. People are going to be locked in on Brady. But we know that there's other huge storylines around the league, but there is no better storyline that you could then translate onto the field that you'll see week in and week out than this AFC West race. And I can't wait to buckle up for this season to start and buckle on in and watch all these AFC West games. Because just the quarterbacks alone from Herbert to Mahomes to Wilson to Carr, their Carr is the worst quarterback in this division.

He's borderline a top 10 quarterback in this league. This AFC West, I can't wait to see how it unfolds and nothing would surprise me and I'll be like a fat kid in a candy store just jumping up and down as we watch this AFC West play on out this year. These cuts, like you said, just highlight what we already knew was a very impressive playoff run last year for the Raiders. But coming to this year, it's part of the reason why I'm down on them. I know you're very optimistic and you have them as a playoff team.

But you know me, I'm consistent. I think they're going to finish in fourth place and miss the playoffs. In large part, I think missing on those first round picks is going to catch up to you eventually. This is a very talented division.

The best division maybe we've ever seen. And when you have so many premium picks bust out, get cut, get traded, not have their fifth year option picked up. After a while when you're going in so much more talented teams, you need that talent to hit and right now for the Raiders it has not. But let me just ask you this. What makes Kansas City the Chargers or the Broncos in your mind significantly better than the Las Vegas Raiders?

Now, I'm not thinking, let me be clear here. You're not saying the Raiders are going to stink this year. What are you saying, nine and eight? And they miss out on the playoffs? We're in that range. Maybe eight wins. It's a tough division. And whoever is in fourth place is probably going to be a nine win team here. And you could probably place that team in a lot of other divisions.

And they may win the division or at least be in second place contending for a wildcard spot. So what is the big separation to you to be all in on the Chiefs, all in on the Chargers, all in on the Broncos? And then it's the Raiders.

That's why you put them in the fourth spot. Because before you answer your question, like for me, Broncos have a good defense. I just think the changes, new head coach, new quarterback, even though the quarterback is a significant upgrade, there's going to be a few moments in the season where it gets sloppy, you have to overcome adversity. And that's why, just by process of elimination, I have the Broncos as my fourth team on the outside looking in. Because I think there will be a three or four week stretch where they're going to show you the training wheels are still on in Denver. We're still a full year away from this really taking off. But go back to the Raiders.

What's the big difference here? What separates them so much from the other three teams in the division? Why they are your fourth team without hesitation? Well, I have significant concerns with the Raiders with their offensive line, with their backs having the linebackers stink, the secondaries awful, even their interior of the defensive line. They have great edge rushers, nothing really much to stop the run.

That concerns the hell out of me. When you look at the Chiefs, I mean look, it's Patrick Holmes and Andy Reid. That's simple. That's to me a huge advantage they have over the Raiders. But sure, Patrick Holmes is one of the best if not the best quarterback in the NFL.

You can erase that. You have the best tight end or top two tight end in the NFL. Travis Kelso, you can erase that. For the Broncos, I like their teaming. The Broncos and Chargers are very well rounded. The Chargers address their defensive woes in the offseason. They have two great quarterbacks. I'm very high in Russell Wilson, as you know. Kind of going all-in-one Denver this year.

So, I like that they are very well balanced. I don't see many holes in either roster that really have me concerned. So, for the most part, the rosters in Denver and in LA are very secure. The Chiefs have the best quarterback in the NFL, one of the best head coaches in the NFL, one of the top two tight ends in the NFL.

Think to me they'll take a step back in terms of not winning the division, but still be a playoff team. And the Raiders, I don't know what Joshua Daniels is. Derek Carr, you said it, worst quarterback in the division. Still a good quarterback.

Bought a fourth out of four. But you could get some playoffs with Derek Carr. They just did it a year ago.

Yeah, they did. But in that division this year, I don't think they can. They improved their offense. Sure, the offense line stinks. If they can't protect them, what good is Devonta Adams going to be? You know, like Colton Miller?

And if you can't stop anyone, what good is it going to be? You know, you have to score 40 points a game. I don't know if the offense line stinks. There's some questions in the offense line. I wouldn't go as far to say that it stinks, but with all the weapons that you have, you get that ball out quickly. Go get that ball out quickly.

You're going to have to. Waller, Renfro, eventually you're going to get Devonta Adams in a favorable matchup. You can put these teams any way you want, one through four. The way that I do it, Chargers one, Chiefs two, Raiders three, Broncos four.

Your four is what, in order? Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders. This is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. How do you order these four teams in the AFC West this year?

855-212-4CBS, 855-212-4227. We know Trey Lance for now is the guy in San Francisco. Jimmy G isn't on the move. The QB carousel has come to a close. Let's take a look at the new starting quarterbacks in the NFL when the Zach Gelb show continues in five minutes.

Yo yo, it is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. So we know Trey Lance is QB one in San Francisco. Jimmy Garoppolo is not going to be QB one anywhere else unless there's an injury in season. And then he accepts a trade to that new team as he now has a new, no trade clause in his restructured deal with the San Francisco 49ers.

Hickey, let's just throw out the quarterbacks here. New starting quarterbacks in the NFL in 2022. And we will look at the expectations for those quarterbacks that are in new homes for this upcoming year. For now, Deshaun Watson is going to have to wait. Deshaun Watson is going to be out the first 11 games of the season.

He'll make his return in week 13 when he goes up against his old team in the Houston Texans. Expectations for Jacoby Bressett who's the new starting quarterback in Cleveland. And then eventually Deshaun Watson. I believe this is a very good team, but I think Deshaun Watson being out, big bowl take coming. The first 11 games is going to cost this team because that schedule, the first 11 games with Jacoby Bressett is not to my liking. I think they're only going to win three or four games with Jacoby Bressett under center for the first 11 games of the year. Yeah, I expect both to struggle this year. Bressett's not very good. And even Watson, this is going to be, what, a year and a half since he's played a long time?

I think it's a lot of rust in only six games, not a lot of time to kind of knock it off in enough time to get them to the playoffs. And also in a weird way, since he's been out of football. I know he was on the Texans last year, but he wasn't playing. So he's going to be out of football for basically two years, a year and a half, however you want to chop it up. You're going to have to deal with him internally of the excitement of getting back on the field and then thinking you're still the same guy. I know he's not an old guy, but that excitement just internally in that first or second game, there's going to be some jitters that you're going to have to get out of your system. And whenever he's on the road, especially with that first game being in Houston, the crowd, and deservedly so, is going to go after him.

So there's a mental side of it, too, how he's going to handle everything. And look, it's preseason. It's one drive. We saw it in Jacksonville the only time he played this preseason. He was awful. He was terrible.

So it's like you wonder, right, how much is physical, how much is mental? But it's both have to overcome that this season in a six-game, you know, sample size in order to get better. And I don't see that going well this year. Mike Tomlin still is refusing to name his QB 1. Some people believe it's going to be Mitch Trubusky. I think it should be Kenny Pickett. Eventually, you'll see Kenny Pickett get on the field.

If it's not Week 1, I'm thinking it's going to be as early as Week 4 up against the Jets. I think the Steelers have some underrated weapons. There's a lot of optimism with Pickens. I love Najee Harris. Deontay Johnson is a good player in this league.

Chase Claypool, I think, is more of a number two wide receiver, but he is solid defensively. As long as everyone's healthy, you got T.J. Watt, you got Minka Fitzpatrick, you got Cam Hayward. The Steelers have some good pieces, a very questionable offensive line.

You're in a brutal division. Ravens better, Bengals better. Browns, I think, are the fourth team in this division just because they're starting Jacoby Brissett, even though you could probably make the case that the Browns have a better roster than the Pittsburgh Steelers. I look at the Steelers this year with their new starting quarterbacks and that's what, I guess, the way that will make it plural because you'll probably end up seeing both at some point throughout the season. I'm going to say no playoffs for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I agree. I think you're going to see a lot of frustration this year from Steelers fans because this defense is good enough. They're going to be in every game.

I just want to see the offense really doing enough on a consistent basis to win more than not. Now, yesterday, you were under the belief that Sam Ellinger was going to get cut by the Colts. Correct. Today, he made the roster, correct? He did.

53-man roster. Which, by the way, I am not going after your podcast. I think your podcast is very good and I'm going to have to start listening to it even more. I am hyping up the Hot Take Hickey podcast, but I've noticed something. What's the name of the podcast again? This great podcast that I love?

That you love so much. It's called The Blue Horseshoe. And who's your co-host that follows me now on Twitter? I followed him back? George Bremer. Actually, I saw a good clip from that podcast. I'm an avid listener.

He was in his car. That's right. Can I give one criticism of the podcast? Let's hear it. You guys both do the bobblehead when you're talking. I don't know if you realize that, but I saw that clip. It looks like he's agreeing with everything you say and then he speaks and then you do the bobblehead as well. Now, it's early. It's still preseason. That two guys talking and agreeing on the same thing?

George knows. Watch out the bobblehead though. I don't need a Hot Take Hickey bobblehead. It'd actually be pretty fun.

I'd get a baseball bat. We could smash the Hot Take Hickey bobblehead. It'd be fun. It'd be great.

No smashing. But my serious part of your podcast, I've noticed a new Hot Take Hickey. Where ever since you've now been doing this Colts podcast, you feel the obligation to constantly tweet about the Colts. And I'm starting to hear your Colts takes and your Hot Takes that you would usually just tell me now being broadcasted to the masses.

I think it's a little bit of an overreaction. You're saying it's roster malpractice that the Indianapolis Colts are keeping a third quarterback this year. They're keeping a guy who's going to play as much as me and you the next two years combined. So who's the guy that you thought got cut today that was a complete screw job that needs the roster spot over Sam Ellinger?

Phillip Lindsay. Third running back. You may laugh, but this Colts team, if they want to win the division, they have to win within the margins. And special teams is an area where if you're going to keep a third quarterback on a 53-man roster that's not going to play and you literally take up space for two years. That's a guy you could have brought in and contributed. Even if it's only five snaps a game, he's giving you more than a quarterback that's not going to see the field for two years. I don't want to get too much in the weeds here of the Indianapolis Colts' depth chart.

This is why I think they kept him. Nick Foles is just not that good. And if Matt Ryan gets hurt, Nick Foles has shown you, yeah in Philadelphia, what a masterful run. I was going to say, his best football is a backup.

But other than that, he hasn't had success in this league. And Nick Foles is only older. I don't think he's probably showed a lot of great things in Indianapolis and there's some concern about Nick Foles. That's why I think you keep a third quarterback. But Sam Ellinger's on a two-year throwing plan. This is year one. They're not even saying he's in development. I've seen plans expedited.

I've seen plans pushed up a little bit. If Matt Ryan gets hurt, the season's over. But if he's playing this year, the season is extra over. So if Matt Ryan, let's just say, gets hurt in week four or five and is out for the year, which would be horrible. No one wants to see that. Definitely not rooting for that, I'm sorry. Do you think Nick Foles is lasting the entire season if Matt Ryan's out in week four or five? No shot.

They'll eventually go to the kid in Ellinger. No. Alright. You could say that. You could disagree. Yeah, that's fine. You could say he stinks and all that.

There would be no upside to be playing Nick Foles the entire season if we even got to that point. So what are you doing, by the way? A little itch in my shirt. I was seeing if it was a hair. I was seeing if it was a hair. You flashing me? I don't need to see that as I'm trying to host a radio show here. Come on.

Sorry, I keep my shirt on. So yeah, now you're having these big takes. Last week it was, oh, the Colts preseason game is the biggest preseason game of my lifetime. And now the Colts are committing roster malpractice by keeping Sam Ellinger.

Give me a break. Recording after the show tonight. Make sure to tune in tomorrow morning. Alright, so let's get to your new quarterback, Matt Ryan. Begrudgingly, I think the Colts are going to win their division this year. Because Carson Wentz stunk. Matt Ryan will be better than Carson Wentz. I like your roster with Jonathan Taylor. Receivers questionable.

It's time for Michael Pittman to be the number one wide receiver. I have a good offensive line, a good defense. I'll rock and roll with Matty Ice to win the AFC South.

Same. AFC South division expectations. Let's get to Russell Wilson. For the Broncos this year, you should be thinking big picture. You should be thinking, OK, now we have a feeling like we could win a Super Bowl.

I'm going to be someone that says the hype is not going to be met and then they're still a year away. Tony Dungy said that when he was in studio a few weeks ago. I believe that Russell Wilson is going to improve the Broncos, but they're still a year away from seeing that big investment really pay off, in my opinion. 2020, a lot of people, including myself, thought the Buccaneers needed a year with Tom Brady to get everything organized. They won the Super Bowl. Last year, I was on this bandwagon. I said the Rams won the Super Bowl.

Matthew Savage does not need a lot of time to fit in. They won the Super Bowl. This year, Trenton continues. Russell Wilson, year one, Super Bowl.

Yeah, but here's why your logic is faulty. The Buccaneers, remember they lost to the Chiefs. They were either 7-5 or 7-6. They went through a bad stretch. No one thought they were going to win the Super Bowl that year. Then the Rams, they had some tough moments heading into the playoffs. Remember, they were playing a wild card weekend on that Monday night game up against the Cardinals.

They were not a hot team entering the postseason. Yes, it did come together quickly for the Bucs and the Rams, but there was adversity. There was adversity, and there were some down stretches in that season. You have a 3-4 game losing streak in the AFC West, you're going to be screwed. You're going to be the team that's on the outside looking in. So I think when they go through those down periods, that's what's going to ultimately prevent them. I would say they're going to be a bad football team. I think they're going to be a 9-8 football team, 10-7 football team. But I think that stretch of where you have a 3-game losing streak because Russ isn't on the page with the wide receivers, or Nathaniel Hackett has somewhat of a miscue as a new head coach in this league.

I think that's what's going to end up costing them. That's what I think the difference is from the Bucs, from the Rams, where the Bucs, I know they didn't win the division that year, but the NFC wasn't that strong. The Rams, they were a team last year.

That division wasn't as great as we thought it was going to be. The 49ers were struggling. They ended up making the playoffs. The Cardinals, they started out strong.

They were sloppy down the stretch. That AFC West could be the best division we've ever seen, and that's what I think is ultimately going to cost the Broncos for making the playoffs this year. So they can't overcome adversity? I just think that's what's going to cost them, and the division will change. I think that 3- or 4-week stretch where you have 3-4 losses in a row is what's going to be the difference maker in a very tough division. That's just the way I look at it.

What's so tough to comprehend? No, I guess I just don't understand how one month is going to just ruin their season. Well, because of how great that division is. Even that month is going to happen. You have a bad month in that division, that could cost you.

There's no guarantee that a bad month could even come. No, but usually teams that bring in a new head coach and a new quarterback, you look at those teams, there's a miscommunication. It takes a while to build that synergy, and it just doesn't happen in training camp, necessarily in the preseason, right away. Alright, let's get to Carson Wentz.

I think we're both in agreement here. The Commanders have a good roster, they have a crappy quarterback. Commanders are going to be outside looking in. They'll be a tough team to play, but in a big spot, the quarterbacks are going to choke. I expect the Commanders to be looking for a new quarterback after the season. That's how Carson Wentz's season is going to go.

Swapping 2s and giving up 2 3s, one that could turn into a 2. Damn, they didn't learn from the Colts. They did not learn.

Thank you. They did something similar, except with a first-round pick. They just did not learn from a year ago. Baker Mayfield and Carolina. I think if Christian McCaffrey is healthy, behind the vastly improved offensive line, you have a good defense.

The apex for the Panthers is 9 wins. Ultimately, I do believe the Panthers will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. But I am intrigued by Baker, and I'm rooting for Baker to have a big bounce-back season with the Carolina Panthers. I expect Baker to get his stock back up and have significant interest in the offseason from teams wanting to make in their franchise quarterback. And they would slap the franchise tag on him.

They shouldn't. If that's the case in Carolina. Well, you never know. If you bring in a new head coach, then you don't know if that coach would want Baker Mayfield. We've got to see what happens with Matt Rule in your number 3 with the Panthers if he gets a fourth year. Marcus Mariota. When is Desmond Ritter going to play?

Because you eventually have to make an evaluation if you're going to take Bryce Young or CJ Stroud. The Falcons this year are going to be terrible. Expected via backup next year.

Trey Lance. Year one expectations. I think he will have some good moments, some bad moments.

Very similar to the Broncos. I think they are a year away. Even though you've just seen the 49ers have a lot of success, I think Trey Lance is a full year away from potentially, potentially.

We've got to see if we can do it being a star in this league. I think you'll see some roller coasters. I think you're right. I think there will be more good than bad. I expect playoffs.

And then we'll save the best for last. The Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith. As long as he doesn't get punched in the jaw, from now until the start of the season, he will be the starting quarterback up against Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. Geno Smith. How long will it take for Drew Locke to get in?

That's my exact thoughts. The Seattle Seahawks are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. I expect Geno Smith to be needing the starter two different times this season. He's done it once already.

He's going to get replaced and he's going to be the starter yet again in like week 13 or 14. If I could have, I have a few wishes this football season. One is to see, even though I don't like the guy, Carson Wentz beating your Colts because I'd just love to see the way that you handle it. I really do hope the Patriots just destroy the Dolphins in week one because I want to run my mouth to our good friends and our affiliate 790. Another wish I have, and this one I think is getting greedy, really greedy.

The other two you could say maybe a little bit greedy. I want to see Geno Smith beat Russell Wilson. Sunday Night Football. New broadcast team. Big game on NBC.

Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. Or is that actually a Monday Night game? I think it's a Monday Night game. I think that's a Monday Night game.

Right? It is, yep. So scratch that.

Because Sunday Night is what? Cowboys and Bucks? Yes.

Okay. So Monday Night Football. Even a better broadcast booth. I'm assuming, is that Troy Aikman and Joe Buck? Be their debut. So Monday Night Football. There's no double header that week, right? They do the double header in week two I think on Monday Night Football? The game's at 815 so no double header.

Okay. Give me a Seahawks win on that Monday Night Football game and that would be great. Imagine Geno Smith takes down Russell Wilson. He may run off the field with the number one up like Joe Namath after beating the Colts in the Super Bowl. It would never, never happen.

I can't see that happening but it would be fun to at least have that be wishful thinking. Alright, this is Zach Gelb showing CBS Sports Radio. Where could Odell Beckham be playing? We have a few destinations.

We'll dissect them next. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show. The career of Odell Beckham Jr. to me is just fascinating. Because the first three years there was a ton of sizzle and we saw that sizzle on the football field. And we know what he did his first three years in the league. 1,300 yards, 1,400 yards, another 1,300 yard season, 12 touchdowns, 13 touchdowns, 10 touchdowns, then the injury in 2017.

Then 2018 he was a 1,000 yard wide receiver. He had the ugly divorce in New York and in Cleveland there were injuries, there was disappointment, there was bad coaching, there was a dislike for the quarterback. And when he left Cleveland I didn't really think there was going to be a good ending here. And he goes to LA and in eight games you had the Robert Woods injury as well. There was actually more expected from Odell and the Rams were relying on Odell more than I thought they would be. Because when they got him I go, okay, smart move, team's all in, it's an added luxury for the Rams.

And the next thing you know, I think on that Friday, if memory serves me right, you had the Robert Woods injury in practice. And then boom, Odell turns into a pretty big part of that team. And it just stunk that Odell Beckham Jr. tore his ACL in the Super Bowl because Odell was having a nice rebirth of his career in LA. And now Odell Beckham Jr. will see when he's going to be healthy and will see when he signs on with the team. I'm just wondering where Odell is going to play football next. And I know he said he'd welcome a return to New York. I don't think that's going to happen with the Giants. Von Miller has been actively posting multiple times throughout this offseason about Odell going to Buffalo.

Which I would love to see, Ryan. Odell Beckham Jr. in Buffalo, a team that's all in. You have two really good wide receivers in Stefan Diggs, you have Gabe Davis. More weapons the merrier, I would say, if you're the Bills and go all in and kind of do what the Rams did last year.

You don't leave any stone unturned. I was just going to say, that'd be the closest thing to an identical move Odell made last year, right? The Rams are all in last year, you bring OBJ and the Bills are all in this year.

Bring them in. Now, he could go to the Rams. He could stay with the Rams.

Remember McVeigh's wedding? He just showed up and then McVeigh walked over to Adell and said, I guess now you got to come back and be with the Rams again next year. Knows the playbook would fit in seamlessly as the number three wide receiver.

Be easy. Imagine that receiving core. Cooper Cup, Allen Robinson, who is such an underrated wide receiver with all the garbage he's played with that quarterback. And then your third option would be Odell Beckham Jr. Not bad. Not bad at all.

I'll give you a few more destinations. What about Tampa? Not that they need him. Godwin coming back off the injury. You have Mike Evans. You just brought in Russell Gage. No Gronk for now.

I would look at a team like the Bucks. He has that connection with Brady. Remember when Brady was still in New England and Odell was at the Browns. He gifted in those goat shoes for Tom Brady. It would not surprise me if Odell Beckham winds up in Tampa Bay. I was just going to say, I only hope he's in Tampa if that means Brady has to wear the goat shoes for a game.

Then I'm in. Well, I think it's pretty clear what Tom Brady gets. Tom Brady wants in Tampa Bay.

Oh, oh yeah. He may or may not have wanted Bruce Arians out. He may or may not have wanted this 11 day vacation. He wanted Antonio Brown last year and got him. Yeah, he got AB two years ago.

You're right on that. Remember, BA was on CBS Sports Radio, Bruce Arians. And he said, yeah, that's just not going to happen.

The next thing you know, Tommy is like a spoiled kid. I want AB. Give me Antonio Brown. And then boom.

Antonio Brown is on the Buccaneers before he ran off the field like a jackass and then just said, OK, peace. I'm out. That's it.

Goodbye. What about New England? They made a run. They made a run at Odell last year.

They didn't win the Odell Beckham sweepstakes when it became available. Bill Belichick loves Odell Beckham Jr. from what everyone says to from what everyone hears. You have a young quarterback at Mac Jones. You got solid wide receivers, but no one that is a clear number one wide receiver in this league.

When you look at a Jacoby Myers, you look at a Devante Parker. I would look at New England as maybe a destination if he wants to be the guy. I was just going to say he would fit right in and easily be the number one wide receiver on that team. Chiefs.

No Tyree kill. If their offense has a few struggles, if Sky Moore, if McColl-Hardman don't end up being all that. Here comes Odell riding on the horse, knight in shining armor to save the day for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. And, you know, Kansas City, they'll bring in anyone. And OBJ would love that role. Like you said, to be kind of the saving grace to a wide receiving core that's struggling.

He'd embrace it. He considered the Packers last year. Rogers struggles first four or five weeks of the season, gets annoyed or he probably is already annoyed with these young wide receivers. Says the Randall Cobb. It's a go walk hand in hand into the office with Gudekunz and Lafleur and go get Odell Beckham here. That one wouldn't surprise me. I would agree.

My question to you is what? Extra incentive with the Packers have to do if they didn't do it last year, just because Devontae is not there. Well, they tried. Did they try last year?

I don't know how aggressive they were. They were a team that was always talked about. Well, now Devontae Adams isn't there. So answer your question on that one and then I'll throw out two more as we basically just went through the entire league.

I'll throw out two more. Baltimore Ravens. I don't know what's going up with Lamar. He was not happy this offseason when Marquis Hollywood-Brown was traded. Doesn't have a contract.

We'll see it for shot. Bateman can be that number one wide receiver. Odell now liking a photo of, not Odell, Lamar now liking a photo of him in a Dolphins jersey. Lamar, go to the Ravens and say you better go get me Odell Beckham Jr. Is that a possible landing spot? I say no, because I don't think Odell would like to go to the Ravens. He hated the Browns and it's a similar system where it's run heavy, run first.

He wanted the ball more. I don't see him jiving in Baltimore, especially with I feel like Julio Jones when he was available. We talked about him. Michael Thomas. When we thought he was available, we talked about him going to Baltimore.

Antonio Brown with his, obviously the relationship with Marquis Hollywood-Brown and then training with Lamar Jackson. He's tried to make his way to the Baltimore Ravens a few times. I would agree with you that I don't think Odell would like it there. But I do think Odell likes Lamar Jackson and if Lamar goes and advocates for him, I wonder then if Odell would accept the Baltimore Ravens.

And finally, I think this would be a talk show host street. Odell in Jerry's World. No more Amari Cooper, C.D.

Lamb, the number one guy. You got Gallup coming off an injury. I wonder if Odell loved playing in Dallas for Jerry Jones. Bringing Earl Thomas too.

Just bringing everyone who wants to be a cowboy. All the drama possible. Man, whatever happened to Earl Thomas? Him and his brother were sleeping around. We haven't seen him since. Yeah, in the same bed and then the wife walked in. And that was the last we saw of Earl Thomas.

And she was tracking him through Snapchat, I think, off the Airbnb, if I remember that story correctly. That and he punched a teammate, right, in practice last year? Oh, yeah. Chuck Clark, right? That was actually the true nail in the coffin.

I take that back. It was not the sleeping around with his brother. Yeah, he got into a fight. I forget who it was. Yeah, Chuck Clark. He broke his jaw.

Yeah, that was a rough story. We've not seen him since. He definitely wants to go play for the Cowboys.

That is true. When he was at the Seahawks, didn't he walk into Jerry Jones' locker room? Yeah, he walked into the locker room. Come get me.

Oh, geez. It is the Zach Yelp Show on CBS Sports Radio. When we come on back, a few teams that were on the fence about for this upcoming season. Fringe playoff teams. Will these teams make the playoffs in 2022? I will give you the answer when the Zach Gelb Show returns across all the great local CBS Sports Radio affiliates. Sirius XM Channel 158 and the Odyssey app in five minutes.