Lamar Leaving? (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 into a Thursday 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 number to jump on in 855-212-4227.

You can always get at me on Instagram where I'm straight flexing or via the good old cesspool of Twitter 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 loan solutions that fit your life well Rocket can and producing this extravaganza for the next four hours is no other than hot take kicky. I don't know about that hot take kicky. I look at the Baltimore Ravens right now and they're starting to feel very similar to the Baltimore Ravens of a year ago they're eight and four right now you would think this team should get into the postseason just like last year you looked at the Ravens you thought they should get into the postseason but then down the stretch they crumbled and you also had a big injury last year to Lamar Jackson now Lamar Jackson is not likely to play this weekend and could be out anywhere from one to three weeks you look at the schedule it's not a daunting schedule you play Pittsburgh this weekend then you're in Cleveland you have the Falcons you have Pittsburgh again and then you wrap the season out with the Cincinnati Bengals who are the toughest team that you're going to face out of the five that I just mentioned so since you're already spotted eight wins you would think worst case scenario they're able to find a way to get two wins here get to 10 and just hope the tiebreakers go your way but for the Baltimore Ravens with the way that we view that organization you know what the standard is in that organization you know how well respected that organization is if they're just a team that goes 10 and 7 they get 11 wins maybe at most and then they get in the playoffs and their apex is only winning one playoff game and then really not expecting much more after that that's a failure of a season that's a disappointing season and that's not the Raven way because right now it would not surprise me if the Ravens just walk into the playoffs wild card weekend and go home and I look at this team and I wonder where Lamar Jackson is at because if I'm Lamar Jackson who you don't have a long-term deal done and that whole process was just bizarre this offseason and you still don't know who to blame because at first it was he didn't want to get the deal done and then when he wanted to get the deal done the deal still didn't get done so he can't be happy with the organization no matter what he says what he tweeted out on social media during the draft over Marquise Hollywood Brown shows you that he's frustrated with the organization and you kind of fast forward all these months later if it's going to be a disappointing feel in the playoffs where you know what the national narrative is going to be and I think it's ridiculous all the more can't win a Super Bowl Lamar is not the guy to win a Super Bowl and all the blame is going to go back on him I don't think that's fair but if I'm Lamar Jackson I start to think a little bit about leaving the Baltimore Ravens because you're going to get franchise to win the Super Bowl franchise tag this summer we know that but that doesn't mean just because you get franchise tag that a long-term deal can't get done and even though they could franchise tag him again after that I really do believe that if Lamar Jackson doesn't get a deal done a long-term deal done with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason I think that is the beginning to the end of Lamar Jackson's time with the Baltimore Ravens because if I'm Lamar and I get from from the outsider's view you could say oh you have Harbaugh you have Eric DaCosta you have a great organization they tell the entire offense around you all that stuff's great but what does that really matter to Lamar Jackson Lamar Jackson you know when you watch him he wants to win and I wonder if he starts to question if he's being put in the best position to win in Baltimore because you see what the Dolphins did they got to a tongue of Iloa Tyreek Hill and Jayla Model you see what the Eagles did they got Jalen Hurts AJ Brown and Devante Smith who is Lamar Jackson throwing the football to I love Mark Andrews but what receiver is Lamar Jackson throwing the football to because Rashad Bateman they tried unfortunately injuries is getting him off to a slow start in his career every offseason we say who are the Ravens going to go get at a number one wide receiver spot and they do nothing and it would not surprise me whatsoever if Lamar's patience is wearing thin with an organization that we all perceive is a great organization and I'm starting to think and I've been saying this for a little bit of a year that Lamar's frustrated with the team and he's unhappy with the team I'm starting to think that Lamar's not going to play his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens and then you start to pivot into well Zach where is he going to go and it's a very fair question and they can get a deal done this offseason like that's a possibility maybe with the back-to-back injuries he says I just want to get a deal done I want the security right now and then you get a deal done and you figure out the problems down the road but there's going to always be teams that are going to be in need of a quarterback and I've known those two teams have gone at it throughout the years in Tennessee and the Ravens and if you're trading Lamar Jackson you probably don't want to trade him inside the AFC but look at Tennessee tell me that wouldn't be a great fit if the Titans could go out there with Derek Henry you go add a wide receiver you have Mike Vrabel he's going to be getting more and more control now with John Robinson out I would love to see Lamar Jackson with the Tennessee Titans if it has to be in the NFC Ron Rivera that's a good team you got two good running backs Antonio Gibson you got Brian Robinson Jr you got Terry Mcclaurin you got Curtis Samuel you got Jahan Dotson you got a bunch of defensive players they're quarterback away look at the Giants anyone thinking Daniel Jones going to be there long term no you tell me Brian Deball and Lamar Jackson couldn't create some magic absolutely they could I threw this team out there in the summer a lot of Ravens fans got mad at me a lot of Minnesota Vikings fans were jumping for joy Minnesota Vikings I don't think that would happen this off season remember Kirk Cousins is under contract for another year but if this is Lamar plays another season and then after that one franchise tag when you go to franchise tag number two that's when the Ravens say we don't trust or we don't think this guy's going to sign a long-term extension with us we got to pivot we got to trade him then maybe the Vikings become in play a year from now when Kirk Cousins in the final year of his contract next season what about Seattle they have all the draft capital that they need after the Russell Wilson trade Pete Carroll we know he still wants to coach for a few more years I know Geno Smith's playing good football but if you're Lamar Jackson you go team up with a coach like Pete Carroll not only that you have DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett hello that would be an attractive destination and then it's inevitable if Lamar Jackson became available any team in the NFC South would be interested Falcons are now going to Desmond Ritter you know they'd be interested the Saints would be interested they don't have a quarterback if Brady leaves the Bucks will be interested Carolina they could be interested I don't know what draft capital though they have left but you look around and you see that NFC South or any of those destinations really attractive all right the Saints have Chris Olave Alvin Kamara can't rely much on Michael Thomas it's not like the weapons are bare there Atlanta you got Kyle Pitts you got Drake London does that really move the needle for you a lot you then look around and you you just evaluate that entire division maybe Tampa Brady leaves but that Tampa Bay team seems like it's being held together right now because the one man and one man only and that's Tom Brady so I think this conversation is a compelling one and it's all predicated off one question does Lamar Jackson want to be with the Ravens long term and I can't sit here and emphatically state on the eighth day of December in the year of 2022 that he does because the impression we got this offseason was that it was up to Lamar Jackson to get a deal done and Lamar Jackson they were waiting on him to say he wants to get a deal done then when he did though a deal still didn't get done and last year I understood two off seasons ago why he didn't get a deal done it made sense to wait to see what Josh Allen was gonna get it made sense to see if Baker Mayfield was gonna get a contract extension this offseason I guess he wanted to wait to see what Colin Murray was gonna get now maybe you may be waiting to see what Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow get I just wonder when Lamar Jackson was gonna want to cash in with the Ravens but the longer you wait the more and more you will speculate that there is a legit shot that maybe he's okay with taking the franchise tag this year and taking another franchise tag after that and then walking away after that but if you're the Ravens you can't allow them to walk for nothing so I really do believe this is the offseason what we'll determine because I don't think the Ravens are going on some magical run I think their ceiling is they'll make the playoffs that I really have no expectations the rest of the way but this offseason if they don't get a deal done I think then you need to start thinking even if you're still optimistic a deal may get done after that about moving on from Lamar because you can't let Lamar who's been a unanimous MVP of this league walk for nothing so if he's back in the franchise tag this deal and you guys can't get a deal done that next offseason you got to look to trade him at a certain point if a deal doesn't get done because you can't allow Lamar Jackson to just walk into free agency and get a compensatory pick back it is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio Hickey where do you think the relationship is at right now with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens because even if they say everything's good and they want Lamar there for his entire career he doesn't have that long-term contract and the more and more this lingers out the more and more likely it is that Lamar's not going to play his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens.

I wouldn't go with the word contentious right now I would probably use the word confused or not on the same page. It's a little passive aggressive because if you go back to last year whether you know it was their GM Eric Dacosta or their owner Steve Basciotti basically saying oh you know we're here Lamar's want to talk and then Lamar basically contradicting that a few months later at OTAs. Well how about just in the draft? Remember draft night when he was tweeting about all that stuff and then it came out that he knew about this Marquis Hollywood Brown trade was brewing so he keeps on saying he's happy in Baltimore and the Ravens keep on saying they want to get a deal done but as this continues to go on they don't get a deal done and even if you say you're happy with the Baltimore Ravens you're not really showing that on your social media. And from the Ravens perspective the long view wait I mean if they're I don't know if they're apprehensive but for whatever reason the deal has not gotten done right and the longer way with a guy like Lamar Jackson he's only going to get older more wear and tear in his body and if you weren't let's say all in on Lamar at 23 I don't think you'll be all in on Lamar 26 you know so it's like the longer they wait the price is only going up and if you were already hesitant before I don't see how they're going to be all of a sudden now gung-ho and giving him a big deal when he's going to be older with more wear you know tread on his tires in a year or two and the price is going to be only higher. I'll give you credit because this offseason you said I wonder if they're low balling him and if that's the case that the Ravens are low balling him on an offer and it's not just your traditional negotiation tactics like there's no progress in this what gives you the reason if you're Lamar to just say hey guys I just want to get a deal done and we'll get a deal done because you know if the Ravens don't pay him regardless of the last two years have been filled with injuries someone else will because we've seen quarterbacks a lot worse than Lamar Jackson get big deals and second opportunities and you look at Lamar when he's on the field the guy plays really well that's good quarterback we know that so if you don't want to give him the deal someone else will gladly trade for him with what he's done in this league before and then we'll extend him to the lucrative price tag because you know it and I know it in this league you either have a quarterback or you don't there's a lot of teams that don't have that quarterback and they'll do a lot of desperate things for a guy that they think could be the guy when you know Lamar Jackson is one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL and a point discussed a lot when it comes to Lamar's contract is his lack of an age right his mom is in a is his agent I don't think it impacts him in terms of getting the money I think where it impacts him in the relationship with the Ravens is those negotiations how ugly they get yeah I mean the agents there basically to just kind of you know be the peacemaker between the two but you hear some bad things on both sides because the Ravens trying to justify why Lamar's not worth I don't know 300 million dollars or 250 guaranteed and if you don't have that buffer and instead it's your mom or maybe even you in those negotiations hearing them saying that you know it's not supposed to be emotional but it's also tough to kind of forget those words that are said in the heat of a negotiation when you're trying to find a price that works for both sides I don't want this to come off as tone deaf and in no way am I comparing myself to Lamar Jackson but one of the greatest things I've ever done in terms of for my professional and personal life is hiring an agent because there's so many conversations just in radio that goes on with management and the agent contractually related that it's so tough to put yourself in there when you don't have representation and sometimes you may feel like oh I'm just giving money away to an agent and all that and and all that but those conversations and having someone take care of all those conversations and then it allows me when I'm talking to like spike and everyone any money because I'm not you don't talk to me about that you talk to me you talk to my agent about that it is so beneficial I think to have an agent because of what you just said to deal with all those little things and if you don't have someone to deal with all the little things then who's dealing with them it's on you and your mother and that's why this process could be drawn out a little bit and could be taken forever but here's the ultimate thing that we don't know we don't know if Lamar wants to be a Raven and I don't know what the Ravens offer is to Lamar Jackson would you agree with this that if a deal doesn't get done this off season that the end is near for Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and then next year will be his final year with the Ravens I agree with that yeah because from both sides if you're Lamar and this is now two years and you don't get a deal done it's like bleep them and then on the other side if you're the Ravens you have an asset in Lamar Jackson you can't run the risk of just franchise tagging him the second year and then letting him walk and getting nothing back other than a third round pick a compensatory pick especially when if you Lamar's young too you see some of these older quarterbacks that get traded easily you could get two first round picks just for starters for Lamar Jackson when you get into those potential teams that I threw out there who's the team that stands out to you and jumps off the page the most I threw out Tennessee the commanders the Giants Minnesota I would think would be a really good fit but you never know because they have Kirk Cousins right there the Seahawks or I guess any of those teams in the NRC South will be lining up to go get Lamar to go get Lamar I like the Buccaneers a lot they have a really good infrastructure and again assuming Tom Brady leaves they are a quarterback away still from being in contention in a bad division in a weaker conference because that roster has taken a little bit of a hit that defense has lost some players it looks like that defense isn't playing as great they're all banged up on the offensive line if Brady leaves who knows who stays for whatever reasons Brady and Evans aren't on the same page anymore Chris Godman we know is still a really good wide receiver is that roster still really that as good as what we think it is I think so yeah what fun game though do you have nothing now enhances that and obviously you need your offensive line you don't think you'd assume it'd be healthier next year than is this year which has been decimated I just think that's an okay roster I don't think that's a great roster anymore but the two teams that the three teams that I just look at right away that I think would be wonderful Tennessee you get for able big-time quarterback if I take the Vikings out of it just because they have Kirk right now because I think that would be the most Madden like type of offense but Seattle and the commanders also just jump out to me I love these if it has to be the NFC the Seattle the commanders would be really fun it is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio is the end near for Lamar Jackson in Baltimore 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS 8 5 5 2 1 2 42 27 when we come on back I think Hickey is about to say something positive about the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of their matchup tonight against the LA Rams it is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio you're listening to the Zach Gelb show Gelb show Zach Gelb show CBS Sports Radio slick Reynolds on Twitter who loves me but hates Hickey he chimes in and he says and this isn't an anti-hickey tweet one of the few tweets he sends out that is not anti-hickey how come you haven't mentioned my team the Las Vegas Raiders Lamar Jackson would look awesome in the silver and black can you see Lamar Jackson with the Las Vegas Raiders him and Davante Adams would be fun maybe you have a bounce back here from Hunter Renfro you know I'll make one prediction about the Raiders even though they just inked Darren Waller to a long-term contract extension that dead cap next year is only 8.9 million dollars but in and out of the lineup this year with injuries you heard some things this past off season then he kind of debunked them when he joined us on the show live from the draft I kind of get a sense this is no sources this is just a gut feeling I kind of get a sense that Darren Waller is gonna get traded this offseason Hickey I think that they will get a draft pick back for him there will be a team that is on the cusp of maybe contending for a title that needs a tight end that will give up I don't know like a second round pick for maybe with some conditions on it could turn into a first round pick who knows that whole Darren Waller situation this year something just seems a little bit off it's interesting I think I would still select the talent I think he fits well into that offense he's 31 by the way yeah but the thing I guess I'll say that that is much like when Jimmy Graham got traded he's not like a true football age though 31 that's because he got late to the game that has not played a lot so it's like all that he overcame right so it's not like he's a normal 31 year old football player with 10 years of wear and tear in his body okay no you're not wrong I just I don't know why something seems bizarre with the Raiders in that do you think the Raiders though Hickey would be a fit for Lamar Jackson oh yeah I mean I think it's hard to say you know I think it's easier to say what teams wouldn't be a fit for Lamar I mean you have a very talented quarterback a guy who again maybe other than eight to ten teams you know would take their quarterback you know take him over their current quarterback yeah I think you have two really solid weapons on the outside in terms of Devonta Adams and Hunter Renfro is a great slot you know weapon you have if Darren Waller is there you know you see Mark Andrews's you know volume of targets from Lamar Jackson the ball to offense he would fit well in the Vegas offense if you keep Josh Jacobs it's a good it's a good offense it fits really well Lamar and the offensive line concerns could be easy a little bit when you have a guy who's so mobile and you know so hard to bring down on Lamar. 8-5-5 2-1-2 for CBS if Lamar Jackson could be getting traded this offseason or the offseason after that if they don't get a deal done with the Ravens we just don't know how happy is with the organization we don't know why a deal isn't getting done right now we're starting to brainstorm some potential destinations for Lamar Jackson let's go to the phones 8-5-5 2-1-2 for CBS we start things off with Ross in Alabama first up on the Zach Gelb show Ross how's it going man doing great what do you got hey okay so um here's my only thing about if Lamar stays at the Ravens which as a Pittsburgh fan I hope that he doesn't um but I'm also a Vikings fan and so I loved your comment about him possibly going there because uh the dealing with Kirk Cousins being great until he needs to be great is really overwhelming over the past few years but I go back to when Joe Flacco and the Ravens won the Super Bowl and Joe Flacco had to get that 100 million dollar contract and when he did it basically crippled their team because it didn't allow them to re-sign other people and that's the only thing that I worry about as a football fan if Lamar signs with the Ravens you made the comment saying basically he doesn't have weapons around him right now well if they ink him to a big deal I don't believe that they'd have the money to be able to go out and sign or get players that can go around him to compliment him in a way so yes and no Ross like you're not wrong in terms of your theory and your thought but how many times each and every year do we hear about the salary cap of the NFL how is this team going to get under the cap then they go out there they make a big move and they always find a way to move around the numbers yeah well I mean that's that's true that's true realistically as far as him going to other teams you can rule out the AFC North there's no way in now well yeah obviously they would never trade them inside the division and also you look at the division who would only be who would be the team interested the Browns just got Watson the Bengals have Joe Burrow and you know they're not trading to the Steelers and I know they just tried to Kenny Pickett ding ding ding I love Kenny Pickett but I'd take Lamar Jackson but if the Ravens are trading and there's no way they're trading in the division maybe in the conference but no way in the division yeah and see that's where I was going to where if I said in the conference that they were going to do it in the conference Tennessee makes sense it does the Raiders make sense because of what you said and you got to think for a caliber of his style player you have to have them in the right fit and he has to have people that can compliment him around him because he's a runner he likes the pass but if he gets to the point where he doesn't get his touches he's going to start getting mad well that's the thing and thanks for the phone call you have to tell the offense around Lamar Jackson that's what a lot of great quarterbacks demand you to do and for Lamar he's such a unique skill set and we've seen the Ravens tell the entire offense around him but they've just ignored the wide receiving position and remember I think it was Eric DeCosta who came out and said it we're not going to go get your traditional wide receiver your number one wide receiver and if you're a diva and all you care about is your targets it's not the place for us well that's one thing when your general manager says that two years ago it's different with what your star quarterback wants because I think Lamar wants to throw the football a little bit more and don't get me wrong running is such a big part of his game but every year when all these wide receivers are made available and you don't have a legit number one target outside of Mark Andrews at a tight end it would be just natural for the quarterback to be looking around and say oh look what this guy has look what that guy has and I don't have those pieces let's go to Ron in Michigan next up on the Zach Gelb show Ron what'd he say hey man appreciate you taking my call I'm a big fan thank you appreciate it what do you got well I mean I'm thinking I'm looking at you know I may be drinking the Honolulu blue juice right now but the Lions they've uh got an excellent offensive line uh golf's had a good year I mean we've got two high draft picks potentially this fall uh that we could go defense and build around um you know and not have to take that young quarterback uh I do like the idea of getting somebody like a young quarterback on the cheap though for five years it's just hit or miss on them uh when you got Lamar out there who golf could get us by in the next two years just like Lamar and then uh have to back up the bridge truck I don't like the idea of paying anybody half a billion dollars but that's the nature of the sport you got to go give a quarterback if you have a franchise guy bare minimum 40 something million dollars a year if you would have called me this off season and suggested the Lions I would have laughed you off the show but you look at this Lions roster I'm not saying that they're going to be great for the foreseeable future but they do have some young pieces there now I don't know if Lamar would want to go to the Detroit Lions and that's a conversation that he would have to entertain well not with his agent because he doesn't have one but he have to entertain with his mom and the people making that decision and then talk to the Ravens because you're not going to trade for Lamar unless you know he's going to sign with you long term and you look at that that Lions team we'll see what happens with Jamison Williams now getting back into the fold they have him on Ross St. Brown DeAndre Swift's a good young running back in this league Jamal Williams a good player he had some good piece on the offense line that you had to Pinay Sewell two years ago we'll see what that defense turns out to be Avayden Hutchinson you got some young pieces there and you're in a division I don't know what the long-term future is of the Bears I don't know what the long-term future is of the Packers Vikings having a good year this year how sustainable it is maybe Detroit is starting to get their act together and yeah Jared Goff had a good season but in a second I would upgrade and move on from Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson I just don't know if Lamar wants to go there let's go to Anthony in Arizona next up in the Zach Gelb show Ant what's happening? I would say first of all a big fan listening to you every day thank you appreciate it well I think Tennessee would be the spot especially since they're about to have a new general manager if he could get something like that done I think that's a good way for him to make a splash I don't know if they've named a new general manager or not yet but I think that team's pretty much built for him imagine like double or triple option with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson I mean crazy stuff it would be wild if you team up Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry you'd have to go get another wide receiver in there maybe Traylon Burks could be that guy but I think a lot of people who want to go join that team especially with the way Vrabel coaches and you have two just explosive playmakers with Henry and Jackson that would be something definitely and then the other option I would say that I don't think it's talked about enough is possibly the Jets I know that they're kind of having their own little controversy you know that would pretty much settle the controversy in my opinion but I don't know how many draft picks or anything like that the Jets actually have to like try to get Lamar Jackson oh they have the capital they could go get him I'll tell you that Anthony but the Jets heck yeah I didn't even think about that one bright lights of New York you'll see what Breece Hall is coming back for the injury but he was in line to be offensive rookie of the year you have Garrett Wilson you got Elijah Moore you're building that offensive line I know Elijah Barrett Tucker's out for the year and he got a really good defense yeah if I'm the Jets I'd be all in but once again does Lamar want to go to the Jets because even though the Jets look like they sort of turn things around and we say the same thing about the Lions they still have that stench around them and I wonder if a guy like Lamar is ready to look past that and just look at what the current state of the franchise is I mean if you're Lamar and you're not maybe let's say feeling the love that you want to from the Ravens you go to the Jets you will be now you I think you will be Lamar praised and heralded as a savior but if I'm him and it's about winning I'd rather go to the NFC because like just look inside that AFC East you got to deal with Josh Allen you got to deal with Tuatunga Vailoa right now with the Dolphins you look at the rest of that AFC you got Mahomes you got Herbert you have inside that AFC North right now as he knows Burrow and Watson if I'm him I'm seeing a lot of young solidified quarterbacks in the AFC I look at the NFC oh you got Jalen Hurts Dak Prescott Jalen Hurts playing great Dak Prescott's been good but there's no one that's like in your way right now in the NFC with Brady getting older Rogers not playing well this year that really makes you say okay I can't go dominate that conference for the next five to seven years on the NFC right if you Super Bowl absolutely the NFC is a path the face of the NFC conference but you look around the NFL like again probably 20 teams at least that Lamar would be interested in I think would be a good fit in let's go to Brian we'll take one more before the break Brian and Michigan next up on the Zach Gelb show Brian I'm still on the Lions man I mean you think about it you're just talking about showing the love well Brian your phone call uh your phone connection sucks so we're gonna have to let you go it's all right but he said the Lions you already here right away we open up that topic right away to Lamar Jackson to the Lions calls you know what that's showing me Lions fans and I respect it they're feeling themselves right now they're getting a little confident and they're starting to dream big and that's what you should do you shouldn't be like Hickey when he's a football fan where you're just fine with being okay fine with being good you want to reach for the stars and Lions fans we've been down and out for a long time they got a little win streak going and right away they're reaching for the stars Zach Gelb show CBS Sports rating we come on back we will talk about the Las Vegas Raiders game tonight against the LA Rams what's the future of Josh McDaniels and one Derek Carr with the Raiders we get into that on the other side you're listening to the Zach Gelb show yo yo it is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports radio the man that hot take Hickey claimed was going to be a top five quarterback this year in the NFC could actually be starting tonight for the Los Angeles Rams now he's not a top five quarterback in the NFC that's been proven this year and it was another great hot take by the hot take artist himself one hot take Hickey but Gary Klein who covers the Rams for the LA Times he is saying that Baker Mayfield is taking all the snaps during early warm-ups as we get set set for Rams and Raiders coming your way in the 8 p.m eastern time hour Hickey Baker mania it's back how's he gonna know any of the plays that's it like again if you are you know what I think maybe there was an agreement I don't want to say an agreement I think maybe Sean McVay got on the phone and was like Baker your career's in shambles right now you're the third string quarterback behind Sam Darnold and PJ Walker I don't have a quarterback right now because Stafford's out for the season I gotta play one week Bryce Perkins the next week John Wolford Baker I'm just gonna send you our playbook just gonna send you the playbook get a custom and then maybe we'll devise up a plan to orchestrate a release and he went to the Panthers I want out okay we'll give you your release we'll put you on waivers we'll jump in we'll claim you and maybe just maybe Hickey Baker Mayfield got a little bit of a head start maybe Sean McVay was playing a little bit dirty the last week or so thoughts on that zero shot why what do you mean zero chance you know how secretive these coaches are you know how dude what does it matter Baker Mayfield has your playbook because they give it what if it gets out and all of a sudden everyone has the Sean McVay playbook you know how crazy and paranoid these coaches are where they think everyone's spying on them he knew he was going to get him he was fourth in the waiver order what if what if you don't get what if you're but it's a risk stop I don't think there's any way you would actually play the playbook you don't know how to play dirty with a guy that won't even be on your roster he knew he was going to get him he knew it fourth in the waiver order and what else someone else claimed him oh come on you can't control who's going to claim him who's not he's a free asset why would any of those other teams want to claim Baker May you guys a million dollars on his contract maybe say now what the hell four games or see give it a whirl see what happens he sent them some plays I'm telling you there's no way this guy and I'm not saying he's starting tonight but if he's taking all the snaps and warm-ups there's no way he didn't have some prior knowledge of the playbook he got claimed what 48 hours ago even if you're right and let's say he's got a weak head start we're still talking about a guy at best case if he got something I got the playbook before while he was selling the panthers you're talking about a guy who again best case scenario is going to have a week to learn learn the playbook I said you're in trouble I said this the other day and I'll say it again I thought he would play like 10 plays or something tonight where you would script a drive for him or you'd be like inside the the red zone then you would just throw him in off the off the bench and have a few plays for him that's what I thought and maybe this is I don't know who are you fooling tonight like what's the purpose of giving him all the snaps and pre-game warm-ups if you don't plan on playing him like what are you trying to do put him out there so the Raiders who are a five and seven team have to shake in their boots and maybe have to be concerned about Baker Mayfield getting onto the field like the last time this guy's been on the field he's been a bad quarterback so is there any thing to gain here for the Rams and giving them all the snaps and pre-game warm-ups because like that kind of suggests that maybe he's not starting but he's gonna play a significant amount tonight or play pretty damn early you would think maybe he is starting I don't know I mean I don't know either but again it goes back to the stupid games that some of these coaches play where it's like oh maybe now we'll trick the Raiders and I think he's gonna start but really they know all along John Wilfred's gonna play well that's the case Sean McVay's pathetic now and we doesn't you can't doesn't matter you can't be the coach of a three and nine team and be playing these games like when coaches play those games in college it's always a big program then when you have the coach of whatever university that no one really cares about playing those games it's like dude get real like I love my alma mater temple when Jeff Collins created that above the line chart nonsense where anyone had a chance to start in the game would be above the line and that was your depth chart I killed it because it's stupid you can't come up with something that is that stupid and be the head coach at temple like you got to be the head coach of I don't know USC or Michigan or Ohio State to be playing those types of games now I know McVay just won a Super Bowl but in the present day he is three and nine as a head football coach this year you can't be playing these mind games before the game over Baker Mayfield what else do you know the coaches don't coach to the record they coach to win every single game so you know they're three and nine I don't think Sean McVay right now but it's pathetic like basically mail and get in the rest of the year he understands the image this looks when you do something like that who's starting tonight first snap for the rams running out to the field it's who who is it who's running out to the field tonight rams and raiders if you had to make a bet on it right now hot take hickey silence isn't good on the radio this is really tough I will I guess I'll go Baker Mayfield and I don't think John Woolford's gonna be healthy enough do you think Sean McVay does the old all right Baker Mayfield runs out and then it's up psych and then you send in uh Perkins or whatever it is Woolford I don't think so you think it's I think they're trying to get him the actual work because also he needs the work yeah there'll be a lot of running in this game tonight then that would be my my thought hammer the under at least for the rams no raiders could score a lot of points at least for the rams by the way a few people approached me today in the office and they said hickey hates McDaniel's I go yeah I know that and they go no no that's not why we're talking to you there's been some talks in the office that you're starting to feel a little bit optimistic about this Raiders team a team that you can't stand they're sitting at five and seven and people are starting to worry that you're getting a little bit concerned about this Raiders team that they actually may be starting to get their act together those days I just heard rumors that's what people bring to me side optimism with the Raiders yeah no no way I don't know no way a lot of people in the office come up to me today and they're saying hickey hickey's talking about the Raiders crushing the rams tonight then beating the Patriots the week after that and then getting in at seven and seven for the final uh three games of the season they have a chance yeah they have a chance to get seven seven they should get to seven and seven frankly should I don't know if they should do anything this year they should beat the rams I'm not ready to say that it's a lot that they beat the Patriots remember who still coaches the uh the Patriots that Belichick fell where if you listen to Shep here on CBS Sports Radio Belichick is nothing did you hear about that oh well we talked about a little bit last night right with Marco Baletti because Marco is the one who kind of tried to shoot him down Marco is annoyed at Shep so for people that don't know what we're talking about I guess Shep was filling in for the for JR and the JR sport brief and he led the show basically saying Belichick is nothing without Brady nothing you know gave him no credit for the early years of Tom Brady gave him no credit for the job he did as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants Shep just get on the radio big boisterous takes trying to take down Bill Belichick and our guy Marco Baletti the captain El Capitan of CBS Sports Radio stood up to Shep and basically just put him in a body bag verbally he put him in a body bag and he put him in a body bag with the arguments that he threw back at Shep I went back and listened to that segment very compelling radio Marco won Shep zero Hickey that's it you only get him one point figure to give him three four five no I got the scoreboard like that's what I'm saying he wins one game like if you win 45 to nothing in a game it's still just one win that's what it was fine one win by knockout in the first 30 seconds is that good in the first round that works that works is that fine by your not even a real fight just boom boom boom Shep couldn't even throw a punch aside what do you think the Raiders will finish at their final five games Rams Patriots Steelers 49ers and Chiefs right now they're five and seven I'll say seven and ten I think two more wins probably win tonight I could see them I could see them beating the Patriots like I'll see them losing to the Steelers so I don't think you know if you want to mix and match I think out of those stretch definitely two two should get to it I know this was a 10 and 7 team last year and I know they got better on paper this offseason defense there's a lot of problems the offensive line stinks if they could go find a way to salvage this year and win three out of these last five games and get to eight and nine I think this goes from Raiders disaster where it was a few weeks ago where it's Fire McDaniel's to okay you bring the intrigue back where next year we all know Josh McDaniel's A is going to be back and B his seat's going to be on fire but I feel like the temperature just gets dropped down a little bit on the hot seat and maybe maybe there starts to become some buy-in that there's a redemption story here for Josh McDaniel's now I still got to see him put those wins on the table I still got to see him going out there and execute but if you could find the way to win three out of the final five games this year and you go into this offseason and you patch up that line you bring in some defensive pieces I get a little bit intrigued I circle back in the Raiders and go hmm maybe they're not as far off as the way that people were talking about them four or five weeks ago Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio will break when we come on back Heisman Trophy finalists are in New York City Hickey and I are going to one of the media events tomorrow all four of the Heisman Trophy finalists are quarterbacks who's the best non-quarterback in college football from this past season we discuss next