Free Agency Preview: AFC and NFC North Team Needs

0:10 Hey everybody, it's Thursday, February 26th, 2026.

0:14 Welcome to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast where we believe in vitamin C.

0:17 It's me, your man MJ Marcus Gr joined by Michael F.

0:20 Floral Quan Jones.

0:21 Uh DNP illness.

0:25 Uh rest up, man.

0:28 Players, right?

0:28 Exactly.

0:29 Uh yeah, he uh you know sent us a little

0:31 text this morning said he is uh not feeling great.

0:34 So we told him to ice up son uh get

0:36 better and uh hopefully he'll be back for next week.

0:38 That Florio is the um the other side of having kids because they are germ

0:44 incubators and they hang out in spaces

0:48 like schools or daycarees with other germ incubators.

0:52 Um, so like I I remember when we first sent our son to to daycare, uh,

0:59 it was it was almost every 2 weeks he was coming home with some

1:02 new sniffle or virus or cold which would inevitably cycle through the house.

1:08 Um, so, you know, if you decide to walk that path,

1:11 just just know that that's what's coming for you.

1:14 I I will say every time I go hang out

1:16 with my niece and nephews back home and stuff, I usually get sick.

1:20 And then me and Kyrie were talking before the show,

1:23 Laquan did like a quick New Orleans trip.

1:25 I do a bunch of very quick trips

1:27 because like fly back home for weddings or whatever.

1:30 I get sick every time I do it.

1:31 So like it he it was coming for him whether he liked it or not.

1:35 It was just a matter of when, not if.

1:37 Between kids and airplanes.

1:39 Yeah, it was bound to bound to take him down.

1:41 So uh yeah, rest up, man.

1:43 drink plenty of fluids, get some vitamin C, and you, you know,

1:46 rest up and uh I will talk to you next week.

1:48 Uh in the meantime, for us, the two of us still here,

1:51 we're still going through our team needs as free

1:53 agency hits in about a week and a half.

1:57 There's definitely some news, some of the non-free agent variety.

2:01 Also, the combine is coming up this week.

2:02 I actually didn't put any combine stuff in the uh in the rundown.

2:05 I don't know if you want to Okay, good.

2:07 because I don't know if you want to chat about it,

2:08 but uh you know we we I could make it a you know an exception,

2:11 but uh the combine's happening this week in Indianapolis.

2:16 Um yeah,

2:18 I like that more and more stuff is being like like certain teams

2:22 aren't even going to to the like it it's more now kind of like

2:26 for the media and and you know the front offices and stuff to kind

2:32 of all it's kind of like the winter meetings is how I view the combine now.

2:35 And like it's the winter meetings just occasionally someone who hopes

2:38 to get drafted shows us that they're very fast or something like that.

2:43 I mean I think some of it is now

2:45 we have guys who train specifically for the combine.

2:50 And the more you do that the more you start to realize

2:54 that the drills that they do

2:56 there don't necessarily translate to onfield performance.

3:00 you know, I mean, if you have guys who are spending their time training,

3:04 for instance, for the 40, um, you know,

3:07 those sorts of things, uh, it just, you know,

3:10 it's kind of become overblown, I think, in a lot of regards.

3:13 We always have the the combine hype bunnies who move up

3:17 the board and don't necessarily perform once they get to the NFL.

3:20 Um, I think even the interview portion of it, uh,

3:24 has become a little bit much with teams trying to find the weirdest,

3:28 most esoteric questions to ask.

3:32 Yeah.

3:31 Um, you know, what side?

3:33 What's the weirdest thing you've ever been asked in a job interview?

3:36 Can you think of that?

3:39 Um, weirdest.

3:42 Yeah.

3:41 I The first thing that comes to mind, it it's a terrible story in my mind.

3:46 I uh they usually are.

3:48 I

3:48 I went Yeah.

3:49 Like Right.

3:49 Like I I had a first interview.

3:52 It was for um a to run the sports

3:54 department of like a local newspaper where I'm from.

3:58 And uh they were like, you know, I had a really long beard.

4:01 Like the long I I randomly post college was like,

4:04 I'm going to grow my beard out.

4:05 And it was like 8 months of just not shaving.

4:08 Oh wow.

4:09 And they were like, we don't really love the beard.

4:12 So for the second interview,

4:13 I shaved and I went in like clean like kind of how it is now.

4:16 And then uh they were like, "You got the gig, but instead of it being full-time,

4:20 we're going to make it freelance per store." And I was like,

4:24 "I shaved for the same position I already have.

4:26 Like, what are you doing?" H wow.

4:29 Yeah, that's terrible.

4:30 Um I I once had a job.

4:32 I interviewed I was going to be the sports editor

4:34 for kind of a lo similar to what you're doing,

4:36 like kind of a local news and information website, right?

4:39 It was a kind of a startup website.

4:41 Uh, and the the guy who was my boss or my my big boss,

4:45 he was above my boss actually interviewed me

4:47 and was kind of just a strange dude.

4:50 And I'll never forget he asked me, "If you were a tree,

4:54 what kind of tree would you be?" And I

4:59 Yeah, I mean that the look on your face right now was sort

5:01 of I think the look I don't I hope I didn't show it,

5:03 but that's definitely the look I had inside.

5:05 And I think I made up something like I was like I think

5:09 I said like a palm tree or something cuz okay like I can

5:12 be strong but also can be flexible and move with the wind

5:16 or I don't know but it just the whole thing caught me off guard.

5:19 I'm like what does this have to do with the That is a fantastic answer though.

5:22 My first thought was pine cuz I like Christmas like it you

5:25 know like it like that's a really good answer you you had.

5:28 I think I think oak came into the into my head at some point.

5:31 I was just but I really was just like taken aback by the whole thing.

5:35 Like I have no idea what that like you're printing on trees.

5:39 That's the only thing a tree kind of comes into this equation.

5:43 And we were an internet company so we weren't even doing that like you know.

5:46 So I I have no idea.

5:49 Um I have no idea where that man is nowadays.

5:51 I don't know that I particularly care.

5:53 Uh anyway, we're talking AFC North teams today as we talk some free agent fits.

5:57 So, we'll get through the AFC and the NFC North uh as we

6:00 do this, but let's start with a couple of news headlines because in Denver,

6:05 Shawn Payeyton says he is handing over play

6:07 calling duties to new offensive coordinator Davis Webb.

6:13 My first thought is there hope for RJ Harvey, but like Flor,

6:15 we don't really know what this means because we have no idea what

6:19 first time OC Davis Webb is going to be like as a play caller.

6:22 So, I mean, what any immediate takeaways when you hear or read this?

6:28 My immediate takeaway besides what you just said of like we don't

6:32 really know what this and I spoke about this not with Davis Webb,

6:35 but just like the to me the harder hardest

6:38 situations to figure out in this is first time play

6:40 callers because we especially when like there's no college

6:44 or anything like that to kind of fall back on.

6:48 Um the my first thinking though was like I don't really expect this to look all

6:52 that much different because Davis Webb has been

6:55 a part of Shawn Payeyton's staff the last couple years.

6:58 He quickly gained a lot of notoriety this coaching cycle and and was

7:03 getting head coaching interviews even though he wasn't even the OC last year.

7:07 Then they they fired Lombardi and gave him

7:10 play calling uh duties to keep him in Denver.

7:14 To me, I I think it just shows how much confidence Shawn Payeyton has in him.

7:20 I still expect a heavy Shawn Payeyton influence,

7:23 which means a lot of screen passes, a lot of slant, stuff like that.

7:28 Um, so I don't expect it to look all that different,

7:31 but maybe Davis Webb puts his own little twist on it.

7:33 Maybe we get a little bit more aggressive throwing down field or whatever.

7:37 Uh, I I think with when it comes to RJ Harvey though,

7:41 he more than anything, more than play calling,

7:43 I think needs to survive the draft in free agency cuz if

7:46 they bring in someone like last year where they brought in JK Dobbins,

7:50 that could be a wet blanket.

7:51 Like I think Harvey's clearly going to have a role, Marcus,

7:54 like I I I don't expect him to completely get us serfed or something like

7:58 that, but it's just a matter of how much

8:01 percentage of the volume can we expect for him.

8:03 and if he's the clear one,

8:04 obviously you feel a lot better than if they use a high

8:07 pick or uh a good amount of money on a running back.

8:10 So with Harvey that the personnel around him to me

8:13 matters a whole lot more than this change of play caller.

8:16 I I I mean I do think even if he survives free agency

8:21 in the draft and they don't really

8:23 bring in another real candidate to challenge him,

8:25 I think what we saw from him late in the season and in the playoffs

8:29 especially is that I don't know that he's built to be a workhorse.

8:36 Um you know we saw we saw Julio Mclofflin get carries

8:40 and look nobody was effective running the ball against the Patriots.

8:43 No, you know, the Broncos could not run the ball.

8:45 I think some of it was because look,

8:47 the the Patriots didn't respect Jared Stumm for good reason.

8:51 But, you know, Harvey was not the guy when

8:54 they were trying to just run him between the tackles.

8:56 He could not get anything going.

8:58 Couldn't gain any traction.

8:59 We saw them using Jal Mclofflin a few times.

9:01 I mean, that didn't really work out.

9:02 I think in a perfect world,

9:04 it would have been JK Dobbins maybe taking a few more of those carries.

9:07 And so I I wonder whether or not the physical

9:10 limitations uh you know unless he gets bigger and stronger,

9:13 spends a lot of time in the weight

9:14 room this off season to become a stronger between

9:17 the tackles runner if that sort of limits

9:20 what they can do with him play calling wise.

9:22 But I, you know, part of me wants to see if Davis Web wants to, you know,

9:26 kick the tires on that, see what they got in a guy who can be explosive,

9:30 can be a big play guy.

9:31 Uh, I mean, I was definitely hoping, you know, LQ was going to be here because,

9:34 you know, I wanted to hear his thoughts knowing how much he loves R.J.

9:37 Harvey.

9:38 Uh, but I'm just, you know, I don't know.

9:39 I I'd like to see more.

9:41 I'd like to see, you know, maybe we get Marvin Mims more involved or, you know,

9:45 Troy Franklin or, you know, Pat Bryant, somebody.

9:48 Um, but I guess, but I think you're right.

9:51 I think being under Shawn Payeyton's wing for so long, uh,

9:56 means that he's going to kind of be the same as it ever was.

9:59 I also like R.J.

10:01 Harvey might have to survive this summer too, right?

10:03 Because he survived the draft in free agency last year and then

10:06 it was like a random day in June where JK Doy signed.

10:11 And I I remember vividly like I I was at uh I I

10:15 was playing basketball and I looked at my phone and I was like

10:18 this isn't great for RJ Harvey.

10:20 And then all of the takes from Fantasy Twitter were like if JK Dobbins

10:24 was good he would have signed way and then look how it played out.

10:27 So, like maybe uh maybe we got to wait all

10:31 the way until July or something like that for R.J.

10:34 Yeah.

10:34 I I here's I think that's that's an interesting point, too.

10:36 As we hit free agency, I think when you talk about running backs,

10:41 I don't know that the whole he didn't

10:43 sign right away thing necessarily is impactful anymore.

10:47 I think once upon a time, yeah, if you didn't sign in the first few days,

10:50 chances are people didn't really have a plan for you.

10:52 But I think with the way teams sort of view the running back position now,

10:57 I think you can have a guy who signs later in the off

11:00 season and still come in depending on the situation and have a role.

11:03 And I think that's what happened uh with JK Dobbins this past year.

11:07 Uh over to Indianapolis, speaking of the combine,

11:10 that is where that's going to be held, but this is not combine news.

11:13 Um, yesterday when I was putting this rundown together,

11:17 saw a story that said Chris Ballard can still

11:19 see a future with Anthony Richardson on the Colts.

11:22 And then, plot twist, this morning before we started doing the show,

11:26 Anthony Richardson has requested a trade and appears that the Colts

11:29 are going to honor that request and uh, let him move on.

11:35 Uh, oh, also something I saw just a few minutes ago as we were talking,

11:38 uh, a report that Richardson has regained full vision in his right eye.

11:43 So after that sort of freak fluke uh injury last year

11:47 with the resistance band where he was hit in the face,

11:50 it appears that he has made a full recovery.

11:52 So that is certainly positive news.

11:55 But I mean at this point, you know, he's been three years in the NFL.

11:59 Uh has played has he even played a full season's worth of games?

12:03 I don't believe so.

12:05 Um what is the ceiling for him now?

12:09 My thought in my head is like he's sort of Tre Lance all over again, right?

12:14 But Trey Lance has even played more games.

12:15 Well, maybe I I shouldn't say that.

12:17 I don't know.

12:17 Yeah, but it feels like they're sort of on a similar similar track right now.

12:21 I I I don't disagree.

12:24 Um but you know, I'm in a champion for my boy here.

12:27 I I I am a Anthony Richardson stand because twofold.

12:32 one, when he was drafted,

12:35 the knock on him was he did not have a lot of experience in college, right?

12:39 He just had that one year where he was the starter.

12:41 I think he threw less than 400 passes in college.

12:45 I I could actually pull that up and tell you exactly how many he threw,

12:48 but it it's not that far off from where he's at at the NFL 3 years in.

12:52 So, in college, he threw 393 pass attempts.

12:56 In the NFL, he has thrown 350.

12:59 Right?

12:59 like this is just a guy who needs more seasoning.

13:02 Always has.

13:03 Um the thing for me though is he's still just 23 years old.

13:08 He will be 24 next year.

13:11 That's younger than Michael Pennic Jr.

13:13 and Bo Nicks and and these guys, right?

13:16 Like he he's still I know he was drafted the year before those guys.

13:18 He's still younger.

13:20 And I go back to some of the things we

13:23 have seen him do on the the football field, right?

13:26 like some of his running plays where it's just like oh my god

13:29 he's like Cam Newton but faster or that I still I forget

13:34 I think it was against the Titans but that one throw he

13:36 made where he had a defender in his face and he just like

13:39 airmails it like 60 yards one of the best throws I've ever

13:42 seen and all the physical tools are there I understand that he's very

13:47 raw when it comes to breaking down defenses and stuff like that you

13:50 know who else was Malik Willis the number one rated quarterback back.

13:55 Number one rated free agent by Greg Rosenthal right now.

13:59 So I I think Anthony Richardson, yes,

14:02 he needs he needs to go to a place where uh

14:06 he has a a coach that could kind of coach him up.

14:08 Maybe I don't I want him to get reps, but I don't know.

14:12 Maybe they view a Malik Willis path,

14:14 but Malik Willis and Kyler Murray, I will admit,

14:18 you could make an argument that they have higher

14:20 upside or or maybe a combination of floor and upside.

14:23 After that, there is not a quarterback available

14:25 in my opinion that sniffs the upside of an Anthony Richardson.

14:29 Maybe there's safer options.

14:30 There definitely are.

14:32 But if you're like like I don't wish this on him.

14:34 I hope he goes somewhere better.

14:36 But if you're like the Jets, right?

14:38 That's the that's the one name that keeps popping up, right?

14:41 Why not?

14:41 Right?

14:41 Like you're already hoping to have a high pick next year.

14:45 Anthony Richardson could either be terrible and help you get

14:48 that number one pick or he can hit and you

14:52 suddenly don't have to draft a quarterback because you have

14:54 a very young one now with with a clear-cut future.

14:57 So if you're them or the Dolphins or any

15:00 of these QB needy teams that miss out on Willis,

15:03 I I think Anthony Richardson is a fantastic pivot.

15:07 I mean, that's see to me that's sort of the issue

15:10 is where can he go knowing he needs reps,

15:14 knowing he's got to get on the field and play.

15:16 Where can he go where he can get those opportunities?

15:18 And yeah, the options are sort of bleak.

15:21 It's the Jets.

15:23 Um maybe it's the Dolphins if they feel if they feel,

15:27 you know, adventurous like that.

15:30 They're obviously moving on from Tua and I don't think

15:33 they're anything they're they're nowhere close to really being competitive.

15:36 Like that seven wins last year was sort of a mirage.

15:40 Um I said last I said last show I think they can be the worst team in the NFL.

15:44 So maybe you you try it with Anthony Richardson and see what happens.

15:47 You know the Cardinals maybe are another option depending on what

15:52 they want to do at quarterback unless they decide they're

15:54 just going to you know hand it over to Jacobe Brassette

15:56 for a full year but I don't really see that happening.

15:59 But like all the other places where he could go and get reps

16:03 or the other bad teams I should say they all have options, right?

16:06 I mean the Browns uh well we'll talk about

16:10 the Browns in a little bit but the Browns have

16:12 Richardson Shador can't battle would break the internet at least fantasy Twitter

16:16 but like not in a good way like

16:19 from a from a comedy standpoint I think it probably would.

16:23 Uh but the Browns kind of they're they're

16:25 kind of overloaded with with bodies at least.

16:28 I don't know if they have a guy.

16:30 Um, the Titans have their guy for the time being.

16:34 The Raiders probably going to draft Fernando Mendoza,

16:37 so he's not really going to get a shot there.

16:39 Uh, the Saints, you know,

16:41 they've got their guy that they want to try to develop right now.

16:44 And Tyler Shuck.

16:45 So, really, I feel like the Jets, the Dolphins,

16:48 and maybe the Cardinals kind of the only real

16:52 landing spots if he wants to get on the field.

16:56 I keep operating as if Malik Willis is already a Cardinal.

16:59 I just feel like that's where he's going to end up.

17:01 That's happening.

17:03 The Browns were one though that I thought Richardson because look,

17:05 I know they have a lot of bodies, but no one stands out there.

17:09 Um here's a wacky scenario I I just

17:13 thought of right now as as we're discussing this.

17:15 Uh why don't we get headache for headache pick that didn't first round

17:19 pick that didn't work out for first round pick that didn't work out?

17:22 How about Anthony Richardson for JJ McCarthy, right?

17:25 Psych, you get your chance with JJ now.

17:27 We see if you could if KOC could get the most

17:30 out of Anthony Richardson and we just go from there.

17:33 If I'm a Viking fan, I am burning everything down if that's what happens.

17:38 Like I'd rather Anthony Richardson personally.

17:41 He's got he's got the skill set at least.

17:44 Um he does have the skill set.

17:46 Yeah.

17:46 I man, we're gonna talk about the Vikings,

17:49 too, since we're it just sort of worked out.

17:51 There was there were there were AFC North and NFC North quarterback

17:55 stories that popped up on my radar in the last couple of days.

17:58 I was like, "Oh, so perfect that we're

17:59 talking this division today." So, um yeah,

18:02 we can we can revisit this a little bit later on in the show.

18:05 All right, talking some free agency and looking

18:08 at the AFC North uh in reverse order of finish.

18:11 You got the Browns, Bengals, Ravens, Steelers.

18:14 One thing I noticed so far going through

18:16 these is like kind of looking at team needs.

18:18 A lot of teams need wide receivers,

18:20 which is wild considering the amount of guys who've come out

18:25 of that position who've been successful and the amount of, you know,

18:28 players just floating around the league at that position.

18:31 But it still seems to be a need across the NFL.

18:33 The Browns could use a wide receiver.

18:36 They've I think they could use a quarterback.

18:38 I you sort of looking at places and nobody listed quarterback.

18:41 I think the Browns need a quarterback.

18:43 And to a story uh recently on NFL.com saying Browns general manager Andrew

18:50 Barry leaves the door open for Deshun Watson to compete for a starting job.

18:55 And I'm going to ask you, Michael F.

18:56 Florio, why don't I believe that that is true?

18:59 Uh because you have eyes and you pay close attention

19:02 to the NFL and you've watched Deshun Watson uh ever since he's returned.

19:08 Not me.

19:08 But I will say this though, right?

19:11 Well, the reason why they're not ruling him out is cuz uh his base

19:15 salary this year is $46 million and his cap hit is almost $81 million.

19:20 Like, yeah, they have incentive to not completely write him off.

19:25 But he was kind of vocal in a way that he's allowed to be vocal.

19:32 Like he wasn't saying like, "Oh, it's all Stfansky's fault." But he was

19:34 throwing a lot of breadcrumbs and pointing kind

19:36 of fingers and saying like no one would

19:39 succeed in this offense and stuff like that.

19:41 Like look at and I I think at one point too he

19:43 even referenced Baker Mayfield and so maybe the Browns are like well

19:48 with Todd Mon here he could get the most out of Deshun Watson

19:51 but Todd Monin when he got there was most excited about Jador Sanders.

19:56 So, I I I don't envision a world where we see Deshun Watson playing

20:01 unless like maybe Sanders gets hurt or something

20:05 like that, but week one everyone's healthy.

20:07 I I don't think Watson is the starting quarter.

20:11 And if he is and he looks how he has looked, I'm sorry,

20:14 Browns fans, you're going to be in the exact same position a year from now.

20:17 Deshun Watson has played a total of 19 games since 2020.

20:22 That's it.

20:23 Um O.

20:25 Yeah.

20:25 I I mean just you know he's been obviously hurt

20:28 a lot when he has played he has not looked good.

20:32 I mean that 2020 season when he threw

20:35 for 4,800 yards that is such a distant memory now.

20:40 He was so just fun to watch.

20:43 Not forget like good.

20:46 I never saw that like we never like he

20:49 never moved like he did pre- suspension ever again.

20:53 And now he's coming off of an Achilles.

20:55 Yeah.

20:55 I just, you know, I think you're right.

20:57 I think it's the We've got a lot invested in him financially,

21:01 so we can't just say there's no chance of him playing.

21:06 But I feel like there's really no chance of him playing because what

21:11 do you have to gain by starting him if if you're the Browns?

21:14 I mean, I right cuz he's he's at the age he will be 30 this year.

21:20 In fact, he's 30 right now, I should say, cuz he didn't play all him last year.

21:23 Last time he played his age 29 season.

21:25 He's 30 years old.

21:27 So, he's not a developmental guy.

21:29 Um, after a year off, uh,

21:32 you've got to wait for him to sort of get back into game speed.

21:37 Uh, and who knows how long that's going to take.

21:39 You're not really expected to compete.

21:41 So, there's just there's really no upside

21:44 to playing Deshun Watson unless you absolutely have to.

21:47 So, I guess you're just sort of paying lip service to this if anything.

21:52 Um, and remember how bad Rogers and Cousins

21:55 were first year back from an Achilles like Yeah.

21:59 I don't know.

22:02 Yeah.

22:02 Um, no, I just I don't I don't I just saw it.

22:04 I was just like, yeah, this feels like a GM sort of paying lip service

22:08 to a thing that he has to but with no real uh,

22:13 you know, no real meaning behind it.

22:16 Also, I think it's interesting you, you know,

22:17 him uh Barry leaving breadcrumbs because the person he should be

22:22 leaving breadcrumbs for is the owner who went out and signed

22:26 Deshun Watson to this hideous contract that now has them buried

22:30 under an avalanche right now in terms of the salary cap.

22:34 Um, and the Browns are $6.5 million over the cap at the moment.

22:38 One more year they could get out of it.

22:42 Yeah.

22:42 Um, so I mean, but it sort of again it sort of hampers any sort of development.

22:48 I mean, does that mean they're out in the free agent market?

22:51 Is it just like we're trying to build through the draft for the time being?

22:54 Is that it?

22:56 Uh, I I think they'll maneuver some cap around and I I just

22:59 I don't think we're going to get like a huge splash out of them.

23:04 It it's really hard especially look I know top quarterbacks get

23:09 paid and and you hear stuff like oh it's hard to build

23:12 no when you have a top quarterback and they're worth the money

23:14 you pay them it is the best thing you could have

23:16 in the NFL but when you're paying someone Lamar Jackson Allen

23:21 Patrick Mahomes type money and they're one of the worst maybe

23:25 the worst starter in the NFL and then you're paying Cavs owner

23:29 I didn't realize he was the Cavs owner until the other day.

23:31 Miles Garrett, an all-time record contract.

23:35 Like, yeah, you got so much cap tied up in in a couple

23:38 of spots that it makes it really hard to build out the rest.

23:40 So, I I do think we'll see we'll see

23:43 some like minor moves from the Browns and then I

23:46 think the draft is largely where uh we're going

23:49 to see them bring in their new players for this season.

23:52 But it it I I have a feeling right like for Todd Monkin or whatever,

23:57 they probably were like, "Look, 2026 is going to be what it is.

24:01 we we have to get out from under this Watson contract

24:04 and then we can kind of think about rebuilding for the future.

24:07 So, it's probably more about getting in guys

24:09 that Monin thinks he can develop long term, right?

24:13 I mean, the Browns have been a like the Jim Schwarz thing

24:17 like it's just they they cannot get out of their own way.

24:20 I mean, bad teams stay bad for a reason and the the Browns

24:25 have plenty of reasons why they have stayed bad for a long time.

24:28 Um, but also we should stop giving them

24:30 high draft picks cuz they keep squandering them.

24:33 So that's just me.

24:35 Uh, Bengals mostly need things on the defensive side of the football.

24:39 Uh, you know, they are set offensively.

24:43 Uh, you know, they've got their quarterback, they've got their wide receivers,

24:46 they've got a good running back and Chase Brown.

24:48 Uh, I mean, I guess they could go look for a tight end if they wanted to.

24:52 I mean, it feels like that's at least in terms

24:54 of offensive skill positions is maybe the only thing, but but again,

24:58 I don't know, Florio, what tight end can break through that uh Chase

25:04 Higgins duo to get significant targets at at any point.

25:08 The crazy thing, too, is they paid Mike Casei last season.

25:13 Like, he cap Hitwise is in their top 10.

25:16 Like, it it doesn't make sense to even when they did it, right?

25:19 I was like, you have T and Chase and you're paying Burrow,

25:23 you don't need to invest in a ton, especially Mike Gaseki, you know.

25:27 But yeah, I I think if you're it's O line and defense,

25:32 like if you spend on skill positions or anything

25:34 like that, it's like what are you doing here?

25:37 Because you Yeah, you you you have maybe the best onetwo punch in the NFL.

25:42 If not the best, it's what?

25:43 Well, the Cowboys will probably have surpassed them,

25:46 but one of the best, you know?

25:48 So, like you're loaded on offense just and you got to replace

25:52 like your defense was awful and you had Trey Hendricks in passing.

25:55 Like now you got to replace your best player on defense as well.

25:59 So, yeah, I think that that's got to be the focal point.

26:02 Defense and no line.

26:03 Yeah.

26:04 I mean, you talk about duos, wide receiver duos, you know,

26:06 in no particular order, the Bengals, uh the Cowboys, the Rams.

26:11 I'm saying this because one of us isn't here today.

26:14 Um like those are those are

26:17 I I would still put them up there.

26:19 Yeah, the Bills.

26:21 Um I know there's been a lot of AJ Brown chatter this week.

26:25 He's not leaving Philly, right?

26:27 They're not they're not going to they're not going to trade him.

26:29 They're not going to let him go.

26:31 He's he's staying with the Eagles.

26:33 I I think in an ideal world he would be gone because he wants

26:37 out and I think they're kind of getting a little tired of his shenanigans,

26:42 but uh the dead cap would be 72 million if they traded him this year.

26:46 They have an out after this season.

26:48 So I think we get one more year of AJ and

26:51 yeah, I just you know I feel like that's a thing that it's good to talk about.

26:56 It's it's content filler here in late February,

27:00 but I just don't think it has any real merit to it.

27:03 Um, the Ravens could use some help at wide receiver.

27:09 I feel like the Ravens probably should go big.

27:11 They got they have decent cap space, 22.5 million that they can spend.

27:16 At some point, they really have to commit to helping

27:21 Lamar Jackson with some of his weapons there, right?

27:24 I mean, again, Zay Flowers, nice piece, not necessarily a game changer.

27:29 Whether or not they get him, like it feels like, hey, man,

27:31 maybe maybe we go hard after a Mike Evans or somebody like

27:35 that would be kind of a cool piece to add to that Ravens offense.

27:38 I mean, I don't know, but like at some point they've got to really just

27:41 try to push their chips in on a wide out.

27:44 Yeah, I I agree.

27:45 Like I know they paid Rashad Baitman.

27:48 Uh they still have Zay Flowers on his rookie deal.

27:50 They they tried it with like de hop and stuff like

27:52 that, but my concern is they just brought I I know Monin is gone.

27:59 The offense is going to look different.

28:00 So, they're they're going to address that side of the ball as well.

28:03 But with the the big overhaul coming on the defensive side of the ball,

28:08 that's my fear as not as a like look,

28:10 if I'm a Ravens fan, obvious I'm like I trust Lamar and that offense.

28:14 I want the defense to get better.

28:15 But as a fantasy player, that's my fear is that the bulk of their money

28:21 gets invested in the defensive side of things.

28:23 Yeah.

28:23 I mean, that's probably I mean, yes, again,

28:25 it's probably a smart way to build the roster,

28:27 but that's not what we're here for.

28:28 Um, you know, but especially if you've got folks in the building, you know,

28:35 you got the offensive coordinators saying that there's

28:37 another level that Lamar Jackson can rise to.

28:40 Well, maybe.

28:41 But some of that means the the cast around him

28:46 has to kind of help him rise to that level.

28:48 He can be a willing passer, but at some point like the guys have

28:52 to catch the ball and do something with it afterwards.

28:55 So, uh, you know, again, yeah,

28:57 they're not they're probably not going to go and splurge on a Mike Evans.

28:59 It would be nice, but yeah.

29:01 I don't know why Keenan Allen's name I think he retires but I'm like

29:06 the retirement home path like they'll sign another

29:09 older bigname wide receiver and call it a day.

29:13 Yeah.

29:13 Uh Keenan Allen in Baltimore would I mean it just look weird.

29:18 Like I'm trying to envision it in my head and it just looks weird seeing him.

29:22 Kean Allen bears you.

29:23 We're going to look back and be like what?

29:26 Yeah we really will.

29:28 Um yeah exactly.

29:29 Then we got the Steelers.

29:31 who have uh again they got a lot of money to spend.

29:33 $44.7 million.

29:35 They're another team that absolutely needs some wide receiver help.

29:39 Uh even if uh GMFBs,

29:41 Isaac Rashelle has DK Medaf as a top five wide out in the NFL.

29:45 Um feel like that's probably not enough.

29:50 I think they also need quarterback help.

29:52 Um is Aaron Rogers coming back?

29:55 Are we gonna have another year of this again?

29:57 My thinking is yes.

30:00 um they they've already said, right,

30:02 like we're not going to allow him to do it like

30:04 last year because it was in like June that he signed.

30:06 Like they need to know sooner than later.

30:09 And and I do believe that part of it, right?

30:11 Like I think they're telling Rogers,

30:13 we will have you back if you want to be back, but if you don't,

30:17 we need to know so that we can move forward

30:20 with free agency in the draft knowing what we need.

30:23 I also think it could be like last year

30:25 in the sense of he didn't sign till June,

30:27 but every move that happened indicate like they didn't sign anyone.

30:31 They didn't draft a quarterback till Will Howard in like

30:34 the sixth round I think it was or seventh round.

30:36 Um so yeah, it was like all right,

30:39 we could read the tea leaves here that Aaron Rogers is going to be the guy.

30:42 But the way they've just been talking about it,

30:45 like McCarthy being open to having him back,

30:47 the Steelers publicly putting out that like we

30:50 would welcome Rogers back if he wanted to.

30:52 And the way that Rogers spoke this year at the end of the year,

30:56 like he was the most fun he's had in in a while

30:59 and he felt like one of the guys again

31:01 and rightfully so because the Steelers roster are are like

31:05 old so they they get along with Aaron Rogers quite well.

31:10 Um, but yeah, I do think though if you're Pittsburgh,

31:14 you he cannot be your only plan at quarterback, right?

31:17 I I know you have Will Howard there,

31:19 but whether it's using like a second or third round pick

31:22 on a developmental guy or maybe you bring in a Kyler,

31:27 I think Kyler would play over Rogers,

31:29 you know, like an Anthony Richardson, something like

31:32 Richardson seems like a fit there potentially, right?

31:34 Yeah.

31:34 to like sit behind him like I I think you have to do

31:37 something else but I kind of think we haven't if we had seen Rogers

31:42 to me kind of feels like if we had seen the last of him

31:45 he would have wanted us to know that was the last of him you know.

31:49 Yeah.

31:49 I also think I really do think if his last throw wasn't a pick

31:54 six where on top of that he got trucked by by the ball carrier.

31:59 um if if it was nearly any other way that the season ended,

32:05 maybe he feels better about walking away,

32:08 but there's no way that Aaron Rogers ego will let

32:12 that be the last thing we remember of him in the NFL.

32:15 Like if he if he beats the Ravens and then like that first play against Houston,

32:19 he gets hurt and he's done for.

32:20 Like maybe that's the last we see him

32:22 cuz he walked off the field against Baltimore,

32:24 you know, winning a playoff game kind of.

32:27 Although, speaking of that, did you see

32:29 that the league this week came out and said Isaiah

32:31 Likely's catch that would have been the game-winning catch

32:34 in their first matchup should have been a touchdown.

32:36 And Lamar was like, "Wait,

32:38 so we won that game?" They would have won the division

32:40 and made the playoffs had that call been called, right?

32:43 Like huge mis call.

32:45 But if you're the Steelers, you don't you don't care.

32:48 But

32:49 no.

32:49 Is it better or worse when leagues do that?

32:55 Worse.

32:56 I think it's worse, right?

32:57 I I would almost rather you just shut up about it.

33:01 Like, don't tell me.

33:02 Don't Don't tell me because because you're not going to award me anything.

33:06 You're just going to, you know,

33:07 pat me on the back and be like, "Hey, sorry, champ.

33:09 Screwed up."

33:10 You know, like I know like the NBA does that last two

33:13 minutes report where they talk about all the the calls and, you know,

33:16 what they got right, what they got wrong, whatever.

33:18 But because you're not going to abs actually change anything,

33:24 um like just just keep it to yourself.

33:27 I just it doesn't make sense to me.

33:28 When the Knicks played the Sixers in the playoffs a couple years ago,

33:31 there was a two-minute report that said they got something wrong

33:34 that would have greatly switched one game maybe in the favor

33:37 of the Sixers and then like two days later it

33:39 happened against the Knicks and the fan bases were like,

33:42 "WE BOTH LOST THE GAME TO WHO CARES,

33:45 RIGHT?" Like that doesn't make me feel any better.

33:47 If anything, it makes me feel more angry if my team is

33:51 on the wrong side of a call and the league is like,

33:53 "You guys shouldn't have lost that game." Like, no.

33:57 Like, fight me then.

33:58 Like, we like like give us a chance to win it, you know?

34:02 Yeah.

34:02 I always laugh whenever something something happens

34:05 in baseball and they're like the manager is like,

34:06 "We're playing this game under protest." And it doesn't change anything.

34:09 And I just imagine basically it just means that the man

34:11 is just going to sit on the dugout steps with like

34:13 his arms folded and his bottom lip poked out like

34:15 a you know toddler or something like man don't tell me if

34:19 Bobby Valentine and come back with fake glasses

34:21 the glasses and the fake mustache.

34:24 Best thing a manager has ever done and I don't think it'll be topped.

34:27 Oh man.

34:27 Uh yeah free agency looking at the NFC North

34:32 and uh in reverse order of finish we got the Lions, Vikings, Packers and Bears.

34:37 I I went and look at this.

34:38 I was like, "Wow, the Lions really did finish last technically in the NFC North.

34:44 They were nine and eight just because that division was super

34:47 competitive and all those teams were really bunched together, but you know,

34:51 the the Vikings finishing over 500 is something I will never give credit." Like,

34:56 they were so bad and then they won their final four games

34:59 and maybe they deserve credit for that, but like you were eliminated already.

35:02 Like in my head, the Vikings finished in last place.

35:05 All right.

35:05 Sure.

35:06 But either way, they're nine and eight.

35:07 Um the the Lions, I think most of their issues

35:12 are on the defensive side of the ball.

35:15 Uh again, they've got a they've got a quarterback in Jared Goff.

35:19 Okay.

35:19 Yeah, he's not elite, but he's definitely an above average quarterback.

35:23 I think they're fine there.

35:24 Obviously, they've got a top-notch running back in Jir Gibbs.

35:28 Um sort of curious what the future is going to be for David Montgomery.

35:34 um you know with this ball club uh since

35:38 he was obviously deemphasized in the offense last year.

35:41 They've got quality wide receivers, Aman Ross St.

35:44 Brown, Jameson Williams, even Isaac Tesla.

35:47 Um you know they they are set offensively.

35:51 They just got to fix things on the defensive side of the ball.

35:53 So I don't you know they're also $9 million over the cap.

35:56 So, I feel like, you know,

35:59 spending on skill position guys in free agency probably

36:01 a luxury that uh the one cuz like you said,

36:06 lit their whole line, all their starters on offense are coming back.

36:10 Their defense is filled with free agents,

36:12 but the one offensive question is David Montgomery cuz there

36:16 was some smoke this week from the combine that he

36:19 could be kind of wanting a new home because

36:22 of how they they leaned on Gibbs more and more.

36:26 um down the stretch.

36:28 And also his c he's a he's about $9 million that he's going to cost this year.

36:33 So that could be a way to free up some money.

36:35 Uh I I want it to happen only because I think

36:40 Bejon and Gibbs are going to be tied for their whole career.

36:43 And if we could get a whole summer where Tyler Algier and David Montgomery

36:46 are now removed from the equation and we get to just argue Bejon vers Gibbs,

36:51 that to me is going to be a ton of fun.

36:52 So that's selfishly what I'm rooting for.

36:55 Yeah, I' I'd be okay with that.

36:56 I I like it when we have years where we can

37:00 sort of debate who is the number one pick cuz you

37:04 know it feels like there have been more often than not

37:06 over the last few years there's just been the consensus number one

37:09 and then you know I don't know it's just not fun

37:11 to argue cuz then you get people who are you kind of galaxy

37:15 braining the whole thing about who should be a number one

37:17 pick and that's equally not fun when you're just making up reasons.

37:21 I'm seeing it now.

37:21 Right.

37:22 One of us champion for Bejon, the other for Gibbs,

37:24 and then there's LQ being like, "It should be poker." Right.

37:30 Right.

37:30 So, we already know where he is planted his flag.

37:32 So, now it's just up to you and I to, you know,

37:34 kind of figure out the rest of it.

37:36 So, that's it.

37:37 Uh, that gets us to the Vikings,

37:39 which headline this week, the Vikings will quote,

37:44 "Explore every opportunity at quarterback this off

37:47 season with JJ McCarthy still in the mix."

37:51 I read that and I think they are done done with JJ McCarthy.

37:56 If if they are if they're are here a couple years

37:59 into it and they're saying they're exploring every option at quarterback.

38:04 I don't know, Mike.

38:05 That seems to me that the Vikings are like, "Okay, this is just not working.

38:08 This guy is not who we thought he is he who was.

38:11 He's not working out.

38:12 We got to figure out a contingency plan." And

38:16 and if you read the tea leaves up until this point,

38:18 it very much indicates that they're done, right?

38:20 like KOC, we have found out, did not want to draft JJ McCarthy.

38:25 He did not want to start JJ McCarthy.

38:27 Uh it was the then GM at the time who got fired,

38:31 I would argue, because of JJ McCarthy, which shout out to the 49ers,

38:35 by the way, because anytime someone leaves and they go and they get fired,

38:39 they're the Niners are like, "Welcome back, buddy.

38:41 Come back.

38:41 Come home.

38:42 Come on home." Yeah.

38:43 It's such a It must be such a good feeling knowing like, "Well,

38:46 if I strike out on my own,

38:48 Kyle's going to welcome me back with open arms." But uh yeah,

38:51 and then on top of all of that, right,

38:53 Jay, uh Jefferson's comments of being like,

38:56 "If I had a better quarterback, I would put a better number." Stuff like that.

39:00 Like they they kind of threw him right under the bus and then reversed it back.

39:05 So like I I would be very surprised.

39:08 I wouldn't be shocked if they go into next year with a camp battle for JJ.

39:14 But I think if they could get a Kyler Murray,

39:17 they're gonna strike on that or or someone where they know,

39:20 okay, it's not even a battle.

39:22 Like we're starting this guy over JJ.

39:24 But I'm going to say it again, JJ for Richardson, right?

39:28 Like JJ just feels like more

39:30 of a Daniel Jones backup than Anthony Richardson does.

39:33 And then Richardson gets a chance in a place

39:35 that's helped develop a lot of young quarterbacks.

39:39 LQ is going to be upset that you're pushing his guy

39:41 Riley Leonard out of the uh out of the equation here cuz he loves Riley Leonard.

39:46 He loves Riley Leonard.

39:47 I don't I don't necessarily understand it,

39:50 but yeah, he's a big Riley Leonard guy.

39:53 Uh I'm not seeing it.

39:54 Look, Riley could beat out JJ potentially to be the number two.

39:58 I mean, could be.

39:59 Sure.

40:00 Uh the other part of this for the Vikings, they are $42 million over the cap.

40:04 In fact, every team in the NFC North right

40:06 now is over the cap uh to varying degrees.

40:09 42 million makes it really hard to do things in free agency.

40:13 So, I do think if they're really looking to explore the quarterback situation,

40:17 it is likely a trade.

40:20 Um but it also involves, you know, restructuring, letting guys go.

40:25 So, like I I think they would love to be in on a guy like Kyler Murray,

40:31 seeing what they could do with Kyler.

40:33 Um, you know, the only way I think it works is if he Kyler does a rust,

40:39 right, where he's like, "The Cardinals are already paying me a bunch of money.

40:42 I'll sign for the minimum here." Yeah.

40:45 I mean, that that could possibly work.

40:47 I I think for sure.

40:49 Uh, but otherwise, if he's, you know,

40:51 just looking to still get paid paid, then that probably doesn't work there.

40:55 Um, I don't know if you just saw the text that just came in.

41:01 No, texted us.

41:01 I It's like he's watching.

41:03 He said, "Sucks on missing Florio's excitement

41:06 for Anthony Richardson possibly on the move."

41:10 He Now I'm checking I'm checking the uh the Streamyard.

41:13 No, he's not.

41:13 He's not here unless he's, you know, masquerading as Kyrie.

41:17 Um, that's wild.

41:21 That is wild that he pops in.

41:22 Um, so Lacoan actually is on the show today in his own special way.

41:27 Uh, the other thing the Vikings really need though, they do need a running back.

41:33 That feels like one that, you know,

41:35 they could possibly address that without breaking the bank necessarily.

41:40 Um, you know, like I don't think they I don't think they chase a Travis ETN.

41:45 Uh, I mean, would you try to make it work with like Naji Harris?

41:49 cuz the number that Naji is going to sign for is

41:51 going to be less than what he got last year.

41:54 Um, do you pursue a JK Dobbins uh Kenneth Gainwell maybe?

42:00 But I think I think there are ways to sort

42:02 of address that need and do it in a pretty economical way.

42:07 This is for the Vikings, right?

42:08 Yeah, for the Vikings.

42:09 Yeah, cuz they they I think it's a very good chance

42:12 that they move on from Aaron Jones this off season.

42:15 He is so expensive.

42:18 But you mentioned Kenneth Gainwell.

42:20 That was going to be the name I I threw out there because I think Jordan Mason,

42:24 and look, I'm not going to say I'm the highest

42:26 guy on him here cuz we all know that's we all know.

42:28 We all know who that is, right?

42:29 But Jordan Mason is a very good runner.

42:32 I I don't think he is a great dual threat back,

42:35 but just as a pure like first and second down,

42:39 short yard stuff, I think Jordan Mason could get you covered there.

42:42 And then I think Kenneth Gainwell, who isn't necessarily the best runner,

42:46 is a fantastic weapon in the passing game.

42:49 So you kind of splice it together with those two.

42:52 I I think you could have a very productive

42:55 backfield without having to invest a whole lot of money.

42:57 Like look, it's not my dream backfield, but in this situation, it works.

43:02 Yeah.

43:03 I mean, I think that's that's probably fair cuz I

43:05 don't I don't think they give up fully on Jordan Mason,

43:07 but I do think they learned that he's

43:10 not the guy that's going to carry the offense.

43:12 Um, he can be good in spurts,

43:14 but he also kind of has a limited ceiling uh for them.

43:18 So, I think finding a compliment to him

43:20 is probably the best thing that you can do.

43:22 Honestly, wouldn't be surprised if the Vikings even wait a while.

43:25 You talk about them sign the Broncos signing

43:27 JK Dobbins later in the the off season.

43:31 If I'm the Vikings, I wait, right?

43:35 Maybe I I look and see who's available in free agency.

43:38 I go through the draft.

43:40 I see who maybe we can get there.

43:42 And then if we don't get a guy we like in the draft,

43:45 we go back cuz there probably going to be

43:47 some free agent running backs still hanging around in May

43:50 and June that you can add and have them

43:53 be that complimentary piece uh for for your backfield.

43:56 So, I think that's very much a possibility there.

43:59 Um yeah.

44:01 So, I I think that's that's kind of it for the Vikings.

44:03 I mean, quarterback I think is the biggest thing.

44:05 Oh, one thing like, you know,

44:06 maybe we'll wait till Laquan's back cuz I know he texted

44:08 us that he was in a baseball draft where Justin Jefferson

44:12 went with the eighth pick in the second round and that I

44:16 think is heavily heavily tied to the quarterback situation there.

44:20 And I, you know, I think that's that's

44:21 a conversation that I think we should definitely have,

44:23 but we'll wait till the LQ is back for that one.

44:26 Uh, the Packers, most of their needs are on defense.

44:29 Uh big need is basically for Micah Parsons to get healthy.

44:32 I think that that goes a long long way.

44:35 Uh they're $4 million over the cap.

44:39 Do they need I hate to say this out loud.

44:43 Do they need to add another wide receiver?

44:45 I know Romeo Dobs is probably on the move somewhere else.

44:49 Uh Christian Watson was very good last year.

44:53 Matthew Golden had a big playoff game, but like I don't know,

44:58 Dantavian Wixs doesn't really do much, you know.

45:01 Uh Bo Melton is a part-time wide receiver, part-time cornerback.

45:06 He's he's I don't even call him Teimu Travis Hunter cuz I

45:09 don't think that's that's even got enough love though for what he does.

45:13 Well, it's funny cuz every time they use him

45:16 as a wide receiver and he drops a pass,

45:18 I just see Packers fans grumbling about why would

45:20 you put a corner on the field in this situation.

45:23 Corners are receivers who can't catch.

45:25 I mean, basically is kind of what that is.

45:27 So, I mean, I I know we have spent the last few years bemoning

45:31 the fact that the Packers have too many

45:32 wide receivers and we can't figure it out.

45:34 But now, it feels like I don't know.

45:36 I mean, unless we believe in Matthew Golden to take the leap

45:38 next year that maybe they need

45:40 another wide receiver to compliment Christian Watson.

45:43 I I think they're going to be very

45:44 hopeful that Matthew Golden could take that next step.

45:48 I also still really like Jaden Reed.

45:50 I know he's a little limited and like how you can use him,

45:53 but I I still think he can be

45:55 an effective NFL wide receiver and like him and Watson

45:59 and and Golden on paper with Wix mixed

46:02 in there like that that should be four good ones.

46:04 I I wouldn't be surprised if they invest in another receiver,

46:08 but I would be shocked if it's a lofty investment, you know,

46:11 like I don't think their biggest free agent signing or their first

46:15 or second round pick are probably going to be a receiver.

46:17 But cuz cuz also they have two of their starting

46:20 O linemen uh are free agents this year.

46:23 So I I think if anything on offense that is your biggest uh priority,

46:28 try trying to get your line right.

46:30 They also need a backup quarterback, right?

46:32 I don't know if you feel comfortable with just Desmond Ritter there.

46:35 So, the offensive side of the things

46:37 for the Packers outside of the rebuilding your line

46:40 cuz your left tackle and your right

46:42 guard potentially leaving is hard to replace.

46:44 You can't just like string that together.

46:46 But the rest of it I think are more like minor moves.

46:49 Like, you know, they tweak it a little bit here.

46:51 We bring in this body for depth at receivers, something like that.

46:55 But for the most part,

46:57 I I think they drafted Matthew Golden a year in advance being like,

47:00 you're going to take Romeo Dobs role in our offense

47:03 when Romeo Dobs eventually leaves next year as a free agent.

47:07 Yeah, because it does seem like they've they're

47:09 pretty much set on Dobs not coming back.

47:11 I think they're going to try and and work

47:12 with what they have and sort of build from there.

47:14 Look, they spent the first round pick on Matthew Golden,

47:17 so he's going to get at least another

47:19 couple years to just figure things out there.

47:21 It is so Packers that they finally used a first round pick on a receiver

47:25 and then it's one of the worst production

47:27 that a first round receiver has given in years.

47:31 H yeah, I guess you know see at least you tried.

47:36 I sort of one of those look I I know people

47:40 still aren't giving up on Matthew Golden and that makes sense.

47:42 It's only been one year.

47:43 I will tell you that at least from a fantasy perspective I'm

47:45 out until I see something uh from him on a consistent basis.

47:50 Christian Watson though Christian Watson I'm very much in on.

47:53 He's probably the only Packers receiver I'm really in on

47:57 this year but yeah Golden I'm I'm sort of out there.

48:00 Uh so thanks to the Bears they are also over the cap about 9 a.5 million.

48:05 I saw as I was looking around people saying one of the needs is tight end.

48:09 I'm going to assume that that's a that's a blocking tight end.

48:12 you need maybe more of an inlined inline guy who can contribute

48:16 in the running game because I think I think Coloulston Lovelin is it.

48:22 I think what we saw from him in the back half

48:24 of the season uh forecasts him really taking off next year.

48:29 So I think in terms of a passcatching tight end, I don't think that's it.

48:32 I think it's more of a blocking tight end.

48:34 Still got Cole KT too.

48:35 They do have Cole KT who I think is just going to be a fly in the ointment.

48:40 What I'm worried is that Cole KT is going to do to Coloulston

48:43 Loveland what Jimmy Graham did to Cole KT a couple of years ago where

48:49 where every week on either on the podcast or on Fantasy

48:52 Live or in the sleepers column I was touting Cole KT

48:56 because all of the metrics the you know the targets per

49:00 route run the snaps all this stuff was saying Cole KT

49:04 is a worthwhile play and then Jimmy Graham would catch

49:07 a touchdown when they got in the red zone It's just got

49:10 hard to kind of keep banging on that drum for a while

49:13 and I I don't want this to happen to Coloulston Lovelin.

49:16 So that's my the one thing they do looking at uh his boat track page right

49:20 now they do have an out this year if they want to take it

49:23 and he is I mean $11 million almost $12 million for cap hit

49:28 for a uh a tight end too that feels like he could be a cap casualty.

49:33 Yeah.

49:34 Yeah.

49:34 I could definitely see that happening.

49:35 Also, you know, Durham Smite, for what it's worth, is uh a free agent,

49:39 so they could sort of revamp the tight end room there in Chicago.

49:45 Um, do they need another wide receiver?

49:47 You know, Keenan Allen, I mean, obviously Keenan Allen's gone.

49:52 Uh, not Keenan Allen.

49:53 Who am I?

49:53 Uh, but Luther Bird.

49:56 Well, these are DJ Moore could be gone.

49:58 Uh, I don't know why I'm stuck in 2024 talking about Keenan Allen.

50:01 Um, I mentioned Keenan as a bear earlier.

50:04 You did.

50:05 That's exactly where my brain went at this point.

50:07 DJ Moore could be gone.

50:09 The Luther Burden hype train is several miles down the road already.

50:13 Romo Dunay faded badly in the second half of the season.

50:18 Do they need to add a piece at wide receiver or do we

50:21 believe that they can sort of figure it out with the pieces they have?

50:25 I think they're going to need to add a depth rece like a wide

50:30 receiver three or something like that because I look I loved him as a prospect.

50:35 I am super bullish on Luther Burden.

50:38 I I think just like Cole KT we saw

50:40 the youth takeover last year as they gave Burden more.

50:45 And I know he's one of those players Marcus that I think

50:48 if you just look at the box score you're doing a disservice.

50:51 He had a couple of big games where he popped here or there,

50:53 but watch what he can do.

50:55 And to me, he just seems like a weapon that Ben

50:58 Johnson is going to design 120 plays for this year,

51:02 you know, like like I I just think him and K.

51:06 I wouldn't be surprised if if the offense runs through those two guys next year.

51:10 There there's also Roma Dunay, though.

51:13 It's feeling more and more likely that DJ Moore is

51:15 going to be gone because his cap hit isn't crazy.

51:20 And uh on top of that, they have a lot

51:23 of younger pieces here that that they are excited for.

51:28 And let's not forget, right?

51:30 Like I I was the person that was like, "This camp rumor doesn't matter,

51:34 right?" Like the whole they can't figure out how to get DJ Moore the ball thing.

51:38 I was like, "That's a camp thing.

51:40 Trust me, Ben Johnson's going to know how to get DJ Moore

51:42 the ball." And then there was a large chunk of the season,

51:45 Marcus, where they didn't know how to get DJ Moore the ball.

51:48 He he was playing on the back field.

51:50 They're throwing him screen passes like it.

51:53 So the fact that his cap I mean it

51:56 it's a little bit higher but it's not huge anymore.

52:00 So like I I think there's a good look Bills

52:03 fans are already clamoring like DJ Moore go get him.

52:05 Like I I do think DJ Moore is going to be one of the bigger headline names

52:09 that we see get traded but I don't think

52:11 that means they bring in a another star wide receiver.

52:15 I think they're it means more that they have a lot of confidence

52:18 in those two young pass catchers that we saw break out in their rookie year.

52:22 Yeah.

52:22 I mean, I think that's that's probably more accurate.

52:25 I mean, I'm trying to think of uh some

52:27 guys that would be interesting sort of complimentary pieces there.

52:33 And, you know, uh I mean,

52:37 Alec Pierce is probably going to be more than what they want or need,

52:40 I think, in terms of of what he's gonna come in salary wise.

52:44 He's going to get paid for sure.

52:46 Um I don't know that Rasheed Shahed leaves.

52:49 I don't I don't if I'm Seattle, I don't let Rashid Shahed out of the building.

52:52 Um because he, you know, he's a big play guy.

52:55 He also does a lot for you on special teams.

52:59 Um I don't know, like what is Christian Kirk's future going to be?

53:06 You know, he's not going to get the big He's not going

53:10 to get the big contract that he got, you know, before.

53:13 Like I I just don't know what his future is at this point.

53:15 You talk about the Ravens needing a wide receiver.

53:18 Debo is one that just screams Ravens to me.

53:20 Yeah, Debo could be sort of like the new Anquin Balden for them, you know.

53:27 Um yeah, I Christian Kirk is uh kind of a a mystery to me because, you know,

53:34 he had a couple of really good he had that one really good year in Jacksonville

53:37 when we all laughed like why are the Jags spending that much money on him?

53:40 And then he went balled out.

53:41 we're like, "All right, well, I'll shut up now." Um,

53:43 but he hasn't come close to anything like that since.

53:48 Um, and last year I there were times I

53:50 literally had to look on the roster and be like,

53:52 "Oh yeah, Christian Kirk is still there in Houston,

53:55 but then he like killed the Steelers in the playoffs." So,

53:57 it's like it's weird because I still think he's he's got some game left.

54:01 I look, I know we're we're way past the Ravens,

54:03 but uh Maris Brown also feels like another name they could

54:07 just H uh Miami boys with Lamar obviously already played together.

54:11 Like yeah, I I could see him going back there as well.

54:14 That'd be interesting.

54:15 Yeah.

54:15 Uh he's another one who just it never quite panned

54:20 out the way we hoped it would with his career,

54:23 but maybe maybe you reunite him back in back where he

54:26 started in Baltimore uh and have him play with with Lamar Jackson.

54:29 the great Dorch sweep stakes.

54:34 Laquan.

54:34 Yeah, because he's going to he's going to hype him up wherever he goes.

54:38 I mean, maybe that's not a terrible thing for the Bears.

54:42 Um I don't know.

54:44 Or does he does he sort of crowd out Burden?

54:46 What they want to do with Burden if they bring him?

54:48 I could see Greg Dorch going there because he could play in line,

54:51 he could play out wide.

54:52 He's not someone that obviously needs a ton of touches.

54:54 He's more just like here or there, but when he gets the ball,

54:59 he he tends to do a lot with it.

55:01 I I know Lacoan wants him to go somewhere where he could get a much bigger role,

55:04 but I he might be typ casting it.

55:08 Yeah, I think at this point uh he is who he is.

55:10 What about Jawan Jennings in Chicago?

55:14 I I like the only reason I don't like it is

55:17 because I think it would ding everyone else's fantasy value there.

55:21 Yeah.

55:21 But I think from a real life standpoint, he fits very well there.

55:24 He can move it all around the field.

55:26 He's not someone you have to like throw the ball to 10 times a game,

55:30 but every now and then you do throw him the ball

55:32 10 times a game because it sort of works out.

55:35 Yeah.

55:35 All right.

55:36 Interesting.

55:37 Uh there we go.

55:38 That's uh the North Divisions.

55:39 Remember the North uh AFC and the NFC.

55:43 Uh next week we will uh continue this with the uh accordingly the south and west

55:48 divisions uh on Tuesday and Thursday of next

55:51 week as we get ready for free agency.

55:53 But in the meantime that'll do it

55:55 for this edition of the NFL fantasy football podcast.

55:58 Stay happy, safe, and healthy.

55:59 Do good and live well.

56:00 Enjoy the weekend everybody.

56:01 We will talk to you on Tuesday.

56:08 Heat.

56:13 Heat.