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Nicki Jhabvala joins the show to discuss Washington's plan for the remainder of the offseason as free agency continues.
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00:00I'm very excited to welcome in Mystic Jambala from The Athletic.
00:04Nick, how are you?
00:05What's going on? How are you guys?
00:07Chris didn't play a theme song. I didn't know what was going on.
00:10To be fair, I asked if she had one and no one knew.
00:13Are your mentions a mess with people screaming to burn down the entire Ashburn operation right now?
00:20I'm too scared to look. So it's quite possible they are, but I'm too scared to look.
00:25I mean, what are they expecting?
00:27Tell them to hit me.
00:28Hey, Nicky, I'll take care of all this for y'all. I'll show y'all how to handle these people.
00:33See, when you give them a voice, they just go crazy.
00:37You ignore the hell out of them or you just tell them where to get off, they shut the hell
00:40up.
00:42Where do you think things are right now, Nicky? How do you grade them?
00:46I mean, we're literally just over 24 hours and 7 minutes into free agency.
00:51Yeah, it's been sort of a weird free agency.
00:53I feel like the first wave is already over, sort of, across the league.
00:57Not just with Washington.
00:59Because there was like a flurry of deals, you know, within the first three hours yesterday.
01:04And then I feel like all the teams went on lunch break and came back.
01:07And then there was another flurry of deals.
01:09But as far as Washington, I kind of like what they did yesterday.
01:14I really like Adafi.
01:16I think he's a player on the rise.
01:19And for a team that needs to get younger and build a foundation, I think that's the type of player
01:24you're looking for.
01:25He has all the traits you want in a pass rusher.
01:28He's explosive.
01:29I mean, he's got the perfect physical frame.
01:33And he really came on last season when he was traded.
01:37So, I think there's a lot of potential there.
01:39The guy that really intrigues me, though, is the cornerback they picked up, Emmick Robertson.
01:45He's smaller, but he's versatile.
01:49He can play inside out.
01:51And he's just scrappy.
01:52Like, John and I were joking, John Cameron and I were joking earlier that we're going to hear that he's
01:59a dog a lot.
02:00But that's probably going to come up, like, within the first five pressers about him easily.
02:05Like, I'd set the over under at eight and still take the over.
02:08Well, I can tell you this.
02:09I actually watched the game when Minnesota played Detroit.
02:14And he basically had Jefferson one-on-one.
02:17I left that game impressed.
02:19And then yesterday, you know, just like Joey, who handles the stuff here with Monumental,
02:26Joey said he knew he heard that name from somewhere.
02:29And then I was like, damn, I watched that game.
02:32That kid can play.
02:33The clip Joey sent definitely can't be put on our air, but it was really funny.
02:37But he can actually play because what I saw was a guy who not only understood the position,
02:44he understood the person he was playing against.
02:46And you can see all the little subtleties that Jefferson tried to use.
02:52And he was doing different things as a defensive back to offset that.
02:56Jefferson caught that one pass early on him.
02:58The rest of the game, I think he was, like, shut out.
03:02Right.
03:02And he nearly had that pick in the end zone.
03:04Yeah.
03:05But I think those two go way back, apparently.
03:08I was listening to Amandre C. Brown.
03:10Yeah.
03:11Oh, yeah.
03:12Of course.
03:13All roads lead back to the boot.
03:16Talking with our friend Nikki Javala here on the Rude Guest Hotline.
03:20Rude makes the most reliable heating and air conditioning products in the DMV.
03:25Now, I just thought of something, Nikki.
03:26Did you ever talk to Greg about your floors?
03:28Do I still need to hound you about that?
03:30You do still need to hound me about that.
03:32You may find this hard to believe, but I am a bit of a procrastinator.
03:36I know you well enough.
03:38Now, I'm not going to give you a hard time about it.
03:40But he's worse than you.
03:43All right, so what we've seen so far, nobody wants to give – I don't know that credit
03:49is the right term here, but, like, I think getting the Tunsil deal done on the first day
03:55of the league year was a really big deal.
03:57What do you make of the Tunsil deal?
04:00I like it.
04:01I mean, he's, what, 30 – I want to say he's 32 now or will be 32 at the start
04:06of the season, right?
04:07Yep.
04:08So that takes him into the – up to 28, you know, three more years.
04:14I mean, I like that deal.
04:16I think it's a sound deal.
04:17He was going to be the highest-paid tackle.
04:18He's already the highest-paid in, you know, percent APY.
04:22So, you know, you're not, like – it's not, like, a groundbreaking deal.
04:28He's already one of the top-paid.
04:30But, you know, after the season he had, it was – that's what a premium – that's what
04:34a left tackle costs, a really good one costs.
04:36So I like the trade.
04:38Yeah, they gave up a lot, but I think it was worth it to have a left tackle that you
04:45can
04:45keep in place for, you know, three, four years is totally worth it.
04:49But I don't – I still don't fully understand the Biotish move, but we shall see.
04:57Yeah.
04:57Where next do you think they need to be looking?
05:02Receiver, linebacker.
05:04Those are the – I still think they still need to add to the edge.
05:07I still think they need help in safety.
05:10Yeah.
05:11Try to – should I go on running back?
05:15The quarterback's room and set.
05:16I mean, I don't think the importance of Marcus Mariota can be overstated.
05:22I think he's – I think it's really important for Jaden.
05:25I think it's important for that room, just the continuity there with Blau, Jaden, Mariota.
05:31With all the other changes around him, I think that's significant.
05:34And he has been sort of that perfect backup, you know.
05:39What do you make of the center decision?
05:41Because, listen, I understand people want to add weapons for Jaden, and they haven't done so yet.
05:46That I would just kind of preach some patience on.
05:48Let's see what ends up happening.
05:50I'm cool that you didn't go to almost $30 million a year for Alec Pierce.
05:54I think that was a wise decision.
05:57Yeah, I have trouble – yeah, I would struggle with that sort of deal.
06:00So, I mean, I don't – I struggle with the notion of paying a center $27 million a year.
06:06No disrespect to centers.
06:07I just feel like that's a – that's not a premium position in my mind.
06:12So, and I thought Tyler Biotis, he didn't play as well as he did in 2024, but he wasn't bad.
06:19He was far from, like, a liability to where he would cut him.
06:22So, I think there's probably more going on that they're not – they've yet to let on since, you know,
06:27we haven't really talked to the folks yet since they've made that move.
06:32But, I mean, if somebody was healthy, it just seems like you've got so many other positions to fill.
06:39You know, why create another one?
06:42And with all the center movement leading up to free agency, there's not many guys left.
06:47So, their answer to really have, like, Nick Allegretti and somebody else duke it out for the number one job,
06:55to me, I probably would have stuck with Biotis.
06:57That's what I circle back to is, one, it has been a hell of an offseason for centers.
07:03Two, you created this hole, and you already have a lot of holes, right?
07:08And maybe they really believe Nick can step in and do better in the offense and how it's going to
07:15look.
07:15But, they're going to have to be right on that.
07:18Otherwise, like, to me, there's not a lot of definitive misses so far.
07:23Lattimore, definitive miss.
07:25That's the one, right?
07:26Like, we can talk about the draft picks if guys have developed, but it's still a little too early.
07:43The way they thought.
07:44It was not a great deal considering what they gave up.
07:47That, totally agree on.
07:50Was he better than what they had?
07:54I would still argue yes.
07:56Yeah.
07:58I don't know.
07:59It was.
08:01What they had was off.
08:02I mean, do you remember Benjamin St. Jude and Michael Davis?
08:06Michael Davis, after the first half of week one, they realized they couldn't play him.
08:12Oh my God, yeah.
08:13That was, yeah.
08:14I mean, that's, especially because they were good and trying to go on a run.
08:18Right.
08:19Yeah.
08:19I think it's an interesting discussion, kind of in hindsight.
08:24One thing I wanted to be sure I got a chance to ask you about.
08:28Talking with our friend Nikki Javala of The Athletic.
08:31Read all her work there.
08:32Give her a follow, at Nikki Javala on social.
08:35Where do you think this Brandon Ayuk thing's going?
08:43I mean, it would not shock me if they ended up signing him to, like, you know, one year
08:48highly incentivized deal, like, after he's released, after they get, because they now
08:54have that rule now where you can do a Zoom call with, what, five free agents?
08:58Yeah.
08:59So, if they feel comfortable after an hour, give them a one year that's super incentivized.
09:05You can't bank on him to be, like, your number two.
09:08Like, if you sign him, he's just sort of like the icing on the cake.
09:13He's just, he's extra.
09:14And if he turns out to be reliable and the player he was a few years ago, fantastic.
09:21Then you got a, you know, a ton of receiving weapons, you know, Terry, somebody else they
09:25bring in, and him.
09:28And if he doesn't, you don't lose much.
09:31But it wouldn't shock me, given how close Jade is.
09:34So, I mean, Jaden has publicly pushed for him.
09:37He did a radio role.
09:39He's done it multiple times.
09:40Right.
09:41So, it wouldn't necessarily shock me.
09:43Question I ask, though, how long does the 49ers hold on to him?
09:49And how long do you wait?
09:50How long do you wait?
09:52I mean, I think they're going to release him probably tomorrow, is what John Lynch said.
09:55They better.
09:55Right.
09:56For sale of the year.
09:57And if you make him post-2-1, I mean, that only affects the 49ers.
10:00He could sign with another team anytime.
10:02My thing is, he is publicly postured, anyway, that he really just wants to be here.
10:09And if that's reality, then I think you've got to take the one year, I think you give
10:18him 7-8 mil, and then everything else is incentivized, and see what you've got.
10:23But I also think they still need to add another wideout here.
10:26Oh, they absolutely do.
10:28That's what I'm saying.
10:28He can't be your number two.
10:30Right.
10:31He's the number one talent-wise, but you can't rely on him after everything that's happened.
10:37So, of the guys...
10:38Until he proves to you, he can.
10:40Right.
10:40Right.
10:41Exactly.
10:41Of the guys that are available, you know, you're talking Juwan Jennings.
10:46Yeah.
10:47I mean, Debo's still available.
10:48Romeo Dobbs, Darnell Mooney.
10:50Is there somebody you like, somebody you think could end up here?
10:54I mean, I keep looking at Juwan Jennings, but the number seems awfully high for what people
10:59are saying he could get.
11:02I mean, I feel like there is inflation every year when the cap goes up, and some of the
11:07numbers this year are just bonkers to me.
11:09But, I mean, it wouldn't surprise me there either, just because of the Adam Peters size,
11:1649ers size.
11:16It would not surprise me, and he was the leading receiver last season.
11:21I don't know about Debo.
11:24I think if they were going to re-sign him, they would have re-signed him.
11:29I still wonder about Stephon Diggs, but I kind of view him in the same light as Ayuk, and
11:34like, oh my God, can you imagine if they had Ayuk and Stephon Diggs on the same team?
11:37That'd be something.
11:38I don't know.
11:39I'd be a lot of talent, but, you know, risky.
11:42But, I mean, he is one that I still am kind of monitoring.
11:47Like, would they maybe give him a short-term deal?
11:50So, I don't know him, obviously, but just him being from the area, I would imagine he'd
11:57be somewhat interesting.
11:58What happened in New England where they signed that deal, and then boom, after a year, he's
12:03done?
12:04Right.
12:04It was a one-year deal, I think.
12:06There was certainly not more guaranteed money beyond one year.
12:08Right.
12:09But I think, I also think that's a position, like, I know I've always felt like receiver
12:14is better in the draft because you get so many quality players.
12:30I still think he could get a really good player in even the second, third round.
12:35I mean, shoot, Terry McLaurin, third round.
12:38Right.
12:40What, if anything, have you heard with this Brian Thomas?
12:43I know there was a report out of New York from a friend of mine, Connor Hughes, saying
12:47the Jags are entertaining offers for Brian Thomas, that, to me, is far more appealing
12:53than anything that's an actual option right now.
12:55I kind of wish, like, I had hinted that if Indy was going to sign Alec Pierce to all that
13:00money, they're going to have to move on from Michael Pittman.
13:02Pittsburgh jumped on that immediately.
13:04Even, like, the DJ Moore trade to Buffalo, like, I think some of these receivers that got
13:08traded would have had more value than what you're going to have to pay right now.
13:12I understand their hands are tied with draft picks, but what about Brian Thomas?
13:16Like, that?
13:17I mean, yeah, he's intriguing, but what draft picks?
13:21I mean, how much are you going to give up in draft capital for, I mean, you did a, I
13:30don't know that that's feasible just because of where they're at with the picks.
13:34And all the holes they need to fill are just, they need to get younger.
13:37I feel like you need to get more picks, not give them up.
13:40So, it's, I've been told repeatedly, though, that this draft is not the one that a lot
13:47of talent evaluators are that over the moon about.
13:50And I wonder if that was part of AP's strategy over the last, you know, 18 months.
13:56Like, if, if you could get Brian Thomas for a third, for the 71st pick, I think I'm in.
14:03I don't, maybe I'm crazy.
14:05If you could get him for a third, he's probably better than another, a rookie receiver you could
14:08get with your third pick.
14:09And you have three years of control still, like, maybe, I don't know.
14:14The Brian Thomas thing to me is by far the most intriguing.
14:17I've also only seen that from Connor.
14:20Like, I haven't seen that on a more broad scale.
14:24But, it's, it's, that's an interesting one.
14:27I think Jennings is interesting.
14:29I do think, I was kind of not convinced they were going to spend big at tight end.
14:35I think, you know, through 24 hours they haven't anyway.
14:37Do you think there's a chance they make a run at Chigakakwa?
14:41Or do you think it's going to be a lesser tier tight end?
14:45I mean, it wouldn't surprise me, but the lesser tier, I, I, if it were me, I would spend
14:50more at tight end, just because I feel like tight ends have more of an impact nowadays.
14:53I mean, how many times were the commanders torched by tight ends, you know, like, and
14:59not having one, especially, I mean, Zach Gertz was their entire tight end room in the passing
15:03game, you know.
15:05I mean, I think John Bates is exceptional at what he does, but he's a specialist, really.
15:10And they've talked about getting him involved in the passing game.
15:12Like, I think for like three years straight now.
15:17Yeah, right.
15:18So, and if they thought more of Ben's in it, I feel like we would have seen more of Ben's
15:22in it over the last year or two.
15:25Any chance the change at coordinator gives Senate kind of a new opportunity?
15:31Sure.
15:32Yeah, it could.
15:32Yeah, absolutely.
15:33But, you know, so far we haven't seen it.
15:37And I, I think they do need, they need size and they need more pass catching help, be it
15:43at receiver.
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