- 7 weeks ago
Joe Patrick joins to discuss the shocking retirement of Kaleb McGary and how it alters the Falcons' offseason plans. They analyze trade rumors surrounding Kyle Pitts, the recovery status of Michael Penix Jr., and whether the team should meet Drake London's high contract demands.
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00:00Here we are, Joe. The Falcons offseason takes another gigantic twist and turn with Caleb McGarry announcing his retirement.
00:08Number one, what was your initial reaction? And number two, what did you make of them signing Jawan Taylor?
00:15A guy with a ton of talent, but also a guy that seemingly leads the league in penalties for offensive
00:21linemen every year because he can't get the timing right on his pass blocking.
00:26Well, at least we're used to that at right tackle after last year, right? And I guess Elijah Wilkinson's probably
00:31not on speed dial or clearly wasn't on Cunningham's speed dial for this position after what he said.
00:39Yeah, listen, like with any player, I was surprised when he retired. It's always surprising. I think I know he
00:48can say for sure.
00:49But, you know, Caleb McGarry is maybe one of the few players that might be on any given NFL roster
00:55who you just feel like, you know, has his sights set for life after football and, you know, may or
01:03may not just like kind of be playing for the money, which is what these players are doing.
01:08You know, it's life-changing generational money for these guys like Caleb McGarry who are able to make, you know,
01:15what is that? How many figures is that? Like eight figures, you know, in there.
01:18So, but it's surprising, but it's also like, I'm sorry, not surprising because, you know, any player who's coming off
01:26of an injury like that as well, you just never know how those are going to come back.
01:32Like, I imagine it might be harder for a guy who's like 360 pounds and 6'7 to, you know,
01:39come back from, you know, a significant knee injury at that point in his career.
01:43And maybe he just decided it's more trouble than it's worth to try to do that.
01:47Or, you know, if he had maybe some issue that came up in the recovery, which can happen.
01:52I know we just think of like injuries as being like, all right, well, he's going to be on the
01:56men for this amount of time and then he's back.
01:59But sometimes it is more complicated and maybe something like that came into play here.
02:03I can tell you one thing.
02:04We will never hear from Caleb McGarry ever again.
02:06He has long talked about building a homestead out in the middle of nowhere and kind of being self-sufficient.
02:13And he doesn't even want to use like power from the guy.
02:15He literally wants to just live completely by himself and do his own thing.
02:21And so best of luck to him in that post-playing career.
02:25Do you think now the Falcons need to consider an offensive lineman at 48?
02:30You know, I don't think that this changes the Falcons' draft priorities all that much.
02:36Although, you know, maybe an offensive tackle becomes more likely at 48.
02:44I always thought they were going to draft a developmental tackle anyway.
02:49And the thing is about these NFL offensive tackles, offensive linemen, but especially the tackles, and Arthur Smith talked about
02:55this, Terry Fontenot talked about this a little bit as well, is that these guys are just not as ready
03:00to come in and play to a startable standard in the NFL when they come out of college.
03:06Because the college game has changed so much.
03:09It's become this, you know, this quick game, this RPO.
03:13All these teams are playing out of shotgun all the time.
03:16And you don't get tackles who have really much experience protecting for a quarterback who's under center and taking seven
03:24-step drop.
03:25And so, as well as many other things.
03:28And so, I don't know if the Falcons are going to be able to find a tackle at 48.
03:33They feel like it's startable anyway.
03:34And if that's the case, then maybe you do wait on it, in my opinion.
03:38But, you know, maybe there is a guy who they feel like can do the job.
03:41Because Caleb McGarry was more of just a run blocker.
03:44So, maybe there is that type of player.
03:46When it comes to the upcoming draft, Joe, we're now just a couple of weeks away.
03:50Ian Cunningham triples down, I believe, for the third time this offseason, literally, about how, you know, he wants as
03:57many picks as possible.
03:59I've still been racking my brain, Joe.
04:01So, the only player I keep coming back to, and me and you have talked about it extensively, that would
04:06make maybe some sense to trade would be Kyle Pitts.
04:09But I don't know who else is on this roster, Joe, that would be appealing, unless you're talking about wheeling
04:15and dealing picks in 2027.
04:17What do you think?
04:18Yeah, no, I agree.
04:20I mean, I think it's pretty clear that Kyle Pitts is kind of, I would say he's like on the
04:26market.
04:27I know he's not like, you know, as far as Atlanta is concerned and everything that they've put out so
04:31far, it's that they, you know, want to potentially extend him long-term.
04:35And that this franchise tag is just a temporary means of doing that.
04:37But any player who's on a franchise tag is a distressed asset and is acquirable for a team.
04:44It's not like it's going to, it's kind of like a free agent signing plus having to make draft picks.
04:49But it's workable from a salary cap perspective for other teams around the league when they're on these franchise tags.
04:54So, I think that that's the guy, you know.
04:56And I, it's tough.
04:58I do wonder if Kevin Stefanski, Tommy Reese, in the wake of this Caleb McGarry news, considering he was so
05:06special as a run blocker and they were going to be relying on that, whether, you know, they were kind
05:12of thinking that Kyle Pitts fit in well with that or if it didn't fit in well with that.
05:16I generally do wonder if potentially that, that retirement could impact how they feel, you know, up front.
05:24So, I'm talking about a tight end as being part of kind of this line and overall, obviously, this offense.
05:29So, but I think Kyle Pitts would be the guy who has the most value.
05:33And listen, like, he had, I feel like people are still like, oh, he's got another prove it year.
05:37But like, I don't know.
05:38I kind of thought, did he prove it last year?
05:40Like, I kind of feel like he did.
05:41Like, like, statistically, he definitely did.
05:43But, you know, it did come in some big chunks in sporadically in some games, and especially the ones that
05:48Drake London didn't play.
05:50So, he still just remains kind of an enigma, Kyle Pitts.
05:54Well, he'd certainly proved it in terms of counting stats, Joe.
05:57But I agree with you as somebody who watches every play of every game.
06:02There were still plenty of Kyle Pitts disappearing act moments last season if you look at the entire 17-game
06:09sample.
06:09He was pretty heavily scrutinized in that Colts game for, like, not really making, you know, the effort, you know,
06:15which has kind of been a long thing that Falcon fans have kind of gotten on his case before, is
06:21for making that effort.
06:22There was a potential catch he could have had, touchdown, long touchdown catch, that he could have gotten hands on,
06:28but he kind of didn't get his head turned around.
06:29You know, that's kind of the story with Kyle Pitts.
06:31But, you know, he finished the season really strongly, and so kind of changes the narrative a little bit.
06:35But, yeah, he is, yeah, it's still hard to make sense exactly of who he is as a player, how
06:41he's going to impact the team under a Tommy Reese and Kevin Stefanski-led offense.
06:45And I believe Ian Cunningham when he said he's dead set to generate some picks here for himself.
06:52Talking all things Falcons with our own insider Joe Patrick here on Chris Thomas tonight.
06:56Make sure you check out Joe Patrick on football.
06:58Go check out the 92.9 The Game YouTube page and see Joe in bright and shining Technicolor HD dishing
07:05all of his Falcons hot takes.
07:08All right, Joe, when it comes to this quarterback situation, Kevin Stefanski obviously meeting with the media.
07:13He was on 92.9 The Game again today.
07:16And the messaging could not be more consistent and could not be more clear.
07:20Michael Penix Jr. needs to get healthy before anything else can even be considered.
07:27So, Joe, what is the latest that we know about this timeline?
07:30Is it still just Michael Penix Jr. going on the talk show circuit this offseason and saying the goal is
07:36week one, the goal is week one?
07:38Because from the Falcons side of it, Joe, it has been nothing short of Steel Trap City.
07:43Right, yeah.
07:44I mean, they have been rock solid on their messaging on this.
07:47And in this kind of vein of conversation, Chris, I asked Kevin Stefanski in his public media press conference, like,
07:55you know, he kind of famously said that, you know, he does not name starters in February.
08:00And I said, I'm sure that still applies as we're here sitting here in April.
08:04But when do you start to think about, like, who actually is going to be your starters at certain positions,
08:09the depth chart, et cetera?
08:10And, you know, right tackle, too.
08:12And, you know, he said training camp.
08:14That's the time, which is kind of what I expected.
08:16That's basically traditional.
08:17That's the fairest thing for the players because that's really the time when they all are mandated to be there
08:23in full pads and competing.
08:26But, yeah, it's just going to be very interesting to see.
08:28And he said that, you know, while you're not competing prior to training camp, you are, as a coach, still
08:36evaluating these guys.
08:38And I think that's kind of the really, I think that's the fascinating part of coaching is kind of the
08:43observing you do of your own team and the culture setting that you do within your own walls.
08:50And just, like, these little team dynamics that occur during this period of time before you can actually get padded
08:59up.
09:00So, yeah, like, there's, like, a soccer coach that I love.
09:03And he talks about, like, observing players and going into the cafeteria.
09:07He tells, like, a famous story where he, like, sat outside of the caf and just to see if any
09:12players kind of came up and interacted with him.
09:14And, of course, like, one did.
09:15And that guy turned out to be, like, a superstar in the future.
09:18And it's just kind of funny how coaches do these kinds of evaluations.
09:20But I think they certainly will be kind of paying attention to how quick are they picking up the concepts,
09:26you know, how do we feel about it, especially in that quarterback room where it's so important.
09:30So, and hopefully that it all goes very well for Michael Pennington.
09:33He's able to hit the ground running when he is finally healthy enough to be able to go out there
09:38and compete.
09:38Any whispers of any concern about Drake or his camp and their sort of practicing patience approach here to giving
09:47him his deal?
09:48Yeah, you know, no.
09:50Mum's the word.
09:51You know, we haven't spoken to him.
09:53He didn't have any availability.
09:56And maybe for good reasons.
09:58I'm sure they don't really want to talk about this.
09:59This is obviously going to be the story around Drake London.
10:03And will be even more of a story if he produces a ton because that's obviously going to push the
10:08price up and up.
10:09That kind of makes these contract sagas all the more interesting.
10:12But I got to say, I'm not optimistic about this one just resolving itself soon.
10:18I certainly hope the Falcons are able to get something done.
10:21But just because of the dynamics of the wide receiver position and the inflation that has happened in that market
10:27at that position, because teams really need them.
10:29They're really important for teams.
10:32To me, that just creates a dynamic that is just going to set itself up for Drake London being benefited
10:38by not signing a deal, basically, by just continuing to play it out.
10:41And that's how you really push your leverage in a market.
10:45And I just don't see it really going any other way unless the Falcons kind of knock his socks off
10:52with a deal.
10:52And I don't know if it makes sense for the Falcons to do that either.
10:57Okay.
10:57So one more on the Falcons.
11:01Chris, can I ask you, is there a concern of overpaying Drake London?
11:05I think there is.
11:06Yes, absolutely.
11:07Yeah.
11:08It's funny you mentioned that.
11:09I had a very extensive conversation about that just a couple of days ago.
11:13Because for me, Joe, I slot him in, I don't know if you've taken a look at the wide receiver
11:18pay scale over the last couple of weeks.
11:21I slot him in more like George Pickens, Garrett Wilson money, which is like 33, way more than I do
11:31JSN, Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase, Puka Nakua money, which is 35 plus.
11:38I'm not giving him, if I'm the Falcons, I love you, Drake.
11:41I'm giving you 33.
11:42I'm not giving you 35 plus.
11:44I can't.
11:44There's too many.
11:45You've got to pay Bajon Robinson.
11:47You've got to pay Matt Bergeron.
11:49Now what are you doing at right tackle long term?
11:51There's too many other needs on this team to give this guy six, seven, eight extra million dollars as a
11:57thank you for your service type thing.
11:58That's how I feel about it.
11:59Yeah.
12:00Yeah, yeah, totally.
12:01And I think that that could be a reason that gives some motivation to get a deal done with Bajon
12:07Robinson because you obviously like from a football standpoint, you want to kind of want to set, you know, the
12:11personnel of who's going to be leading you into the future.
12:15But it could also be, you know, like a signal like, hey, get on board now.
12:19You know, like this is like, you know, I won't say like you're with us or against us, but like
12:26it kind of gives the Falcons like a sense of, well, we're going to move forward here in this situation.
12:31And if we can't get a deal done, then, you know, we'll have to figure that out.
12:34But they got to press forward and try to build this team here for the long term.
12:39And it's fortunate for the Falcons that they do have a player in Bajon Robinson who they kind of have
12:45not just as leverage like for Drake or anything, but just give them a real like he's like a beacon
12:50basically for where the team is going in the future just because he's so skilled.
12:54And he's remained, you know, remained remarkable health to Bajon Robinson, which I think is a testament to his athleticism.
13:00I think it's because he's so strong and athletic, he's been able to keep himself really healthy, which is a
13:05good sign for the future.
13:06And he wore a clutch sports sweatshirt to the first day.
13:12Did you notice that?
13:14If that doesn't say show me the money, I don't know what else does.
13:20And he also looked like, I don't know if you saw that picture, Joe, his arms looked like they could
13:26crush watermelons.
13:27I mean, that dude, that dude just looks like he's he's taking it to the next level every single year.
13:34But here's the question, Joe, like not to get soap opera on this, but like if I'm Drake London and
13:40Bajon Robinson gets paid before I do that, that, that, like, do I do I feel some kind of way
13:46about that?
13:48Right. Right. Because it's like, you know, it's not your quote unquote turn, right?
13:52Like in the rotation of how this goes, which is, of course, like, yeah, we're just kind of playing up
13:57the drama here.
13:58But I think it does. I think I think it would send a message that the Falcons are like, you
14:02know, we're moving forward, you know, whole team ahead.
14:06And we'd love to have you with us, Drake, but you're going to have to sign that contract.
14:10And I think that, like, like basically in general, I like I just hear like, oh, Falcons need to sign
14:14him now before he gets more expensive.
14:15It's like, I don't think that's how this dynamic is playing out right now at all.
14:18Well, the question you also need to ask, Joe, is and I'm interested to hear your opinion on this.
14:24Is there a team in the NFL that's desperate enough to give Drake more than thirty three million dollars a
14:29year?
14:30I don't I don't think so.
14:32I can't think of one off the top of my head.
14:34I think the Chiefs are going to draft a receiver in the first round.
14:37You know, I think, you know, it can't be a team that's already got one of those guys on them,
14:41which is, you know, a good chunk.
14:42Right, because you can't afford it.
14:43Bills went out this offseason and got DJ Moore.
14:45He's now their number one receiver.
14:47I mean, when you think about the like the playoff ready team, maybe, I don't know, would Baltimore bite on
14:53something like that?
14:53I mean, maybe there's a team out there.
14:55But to the two, like when you're talking about giving a wide receiver thirty five plus million dollars,
15:00they need to be, Joe, in my opinion, a top three or four receiver in the league.
15:05And I and I just you have to be honest in these situations.
15:08It's what we do.
15:09I just think Drake is a half tick below that.
15:13I think he's a top six or seven guy, which is great to have a top six or seven receiver
15:18on your team.
15:18But he's just not a top three or four.
15:21He's got some health concerns, you know, that that that I would say were you when you're signing that big
15:26of a deal or at least that you want to have at least a little bit of insurance on,
15:30I guess, by not having to pay that that extreme premium like we're seeing if he because he's a rough
15:35and tumble receiver, you know,
15:36like he's a guy who wants to get physical.
15:38And that is, I think, a kind of a style of play that could induce more injuries that just hold
15:47him out of games and keep him from providing that value that he's receiving in the form of salary and
15:52salary cap.
15:52All right. Before I let you go, why did Atlanta United look like that this weekend?
15:57That was a red red flashing lights, red flashing warning lights for Atlanta United.
16:04I talked to you briefly about it last week, and we said that the game that had against DC United
16:09was a bit shocking in a bad way.
16:12But, you know, a blip and you hope that see an improvement and it was actually worse.
16:16It was actually worse.
16:17And both these games at home, they're not creating shots.
16:20They're nearly last in the league in total shots, even though they've played four of their six games at home
16:25already.
16:27It's tough.
16:28It's rough.
16:29I was over there today.
16:31Yeah, it's tough.
16:33They get on the road.
16:34So maybe it'll be good to get out of town and go do something.
16:39Is it a talent thing?
16:43Because I know there was a little bit of concern before the season about mostly running it back.
16:48Did they double down on a roster that's just not particularly great?
16:54It's a talent thing.
16:55Yeah.
16:56They signed players last year for significant money, significant contributors.
17:01players, Anaya Mihai, Juan Baratol, Stephen Alzate, and they're just not performing.
17:07They're not providing value for the team.
17:09Only one of those guys is a regular starter that I just mentioned.
17:11And those are like pretty, they're not designated players like Miguel Almaron, but they're like
17:16right a step under that in terms of how valuable, how much cap space basically they take up.
17:21And that's worrying.
17:24The good news is that they get a very early transfer window this year because of the World Cup break.
17:28So they only play like 10 games before, or no, they'll play like eight more games, I think,
17:33before the transfer window opens and they can hopefully make some big time adjustments.
17:36All right.
17:37Appreciate it, man.
17:38We'll talk next week.
17:39All right.
17:40Thanks, Chris.
17:40All right.
17:40That is Joe Patrick there.
17:42Yeah.
17:42If you didn't see the mat, oh my goodness.
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