- 14 hours ago
John Keim joins the show to go through Washington's options at the wide receiver position and preview the schedule.
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00:26Now, our friend Mr. John Kime has settled in with the new commander schedule.
00:31We were all out there at rookie minicamp.
00:33Johnny, how are you?
00:34What up, guys? How are you?
00:36We're good, dude.
00:38It's so bizarre because the NFL schedule, we already knew who they were playing
00:42and where they were playing them.
00:44Now we just know what order it's in.
00:47What do you think based on the schedule release?
00:53I think we all know how tough the early part of the schedule is.
00:57Doesn't mean you can't win.
00:59It just means that it certainly feels front-loaded.
01:02I mean, I think five of the first eight against teams that made the postseason,
01:05and then one is Dallas and great offense, et cetera.
01:10And then opening up back-to-back on the road like that.
01:13But I also think if you flip it, it's a really good chance to prove yourself right away.
01:19And things do ease up in the second half of the schedule.
01:23So I think their first half of the schedule is one of the toughest in the NFL,
01:29and their second half would be one of the easier ones in the NFL.
01:32So just kind of weird.
01:34But, yeah, it is funny, though, because, I mean, I'm sure for you,
01:37a lot of what I'm going to look at, and for you, like, okay,
01:41what are the road trips and when?
01:44Is there a place where we're going to stay for a week?
01:46Because we know Quinn likes to do that.
01:48How are the holidays impacted?
01:50And then a big thing is, for me, is, like,
01:52which are there any Ohio State games that are going to be in jeopardy
01:55with me watching because of the schedule?
01:58Yeah, I always do that, right?
02:00And we already knew we were going to London,
02:02and frankly, most of us knew what weekend that was going to be.
02:06Right.
02:06I think players, though, for the bond that Quinn's trying to get out of that
02:13players' trip, I don't think players enjoy the overseas trip enough to get
02:19what he wants out of that.
02:20I wonder if week 12 is at Arizona, week 13 is in Tennessee.
02:26I almost wonder if they stick around in Arizona and practice and then travel to
02:32Nashville from there.
02:34Not that the travel's that significant, but just that's the only back-to-back roadie
02:38that really makes sense.
02:40And, I mean, unless, John, and I don't think you'd fight me on this,
02:44unless Quinn decides to head from Minnesota to Florida for the New Year's Eve holiday,
02:50in which case I will gladly cover three practices in Florida on December 28th, 29th, and 30th.
02:56As opposed to up here, yeah, with the nice brown Bermuda grass and Aspern.
03:02The only thing I would wonder with that is that he likes to do that early in the year.
03:06Yeah.
03:07And the benefit a couple years ago was that the Arizona trip, first of all,
03:10it came after two of the joint practices on the road.
03:14Right.
03:14So, like, he felt like they built some stuff up there.
03:16And then the Arizona, Cincinnati to Arizona was early in the year,
03:20so it gave him a chance to bond earlier.
03:21I just wonder if that would be a little bit late in the year for that.
03:24But, yeah, I'm with you.
03:26I don't know that they'd want to be overseas for the entire week again.
03:33So, I don't know.
03:34But I think they're still deciding that one.
03:36Yeah, dude, and I just, it's silly.
03:40I think the players are so regimented, especially with their diets,
03:43and then you get overseas, and it's just very, very, very different.
03:48Yes, yeah.
03:48I totally agree with you there.
03:51As far as the only thing that I think schedule-wise really kind of impacts them
03:58is there is no breathing room for David Blau and Durante Jones early.
04:03It is right into the deep end.
04:05No.
04:06But, you know, it's funny because I was talking to somebody over there, too,
04:09and they can flip it right now.
04:11This may not work out, but there is an element of mystery as to what are they
04:16going to exactly look like.
04:17Now, we can all look, okay, Durante Jones has been in these defensive systems.
04:21He's going to run something like this.
04:23But how is it going to look for him?
04:26And how are you going to use, how are they going to use Sonny Stout?
04:29Are they going to use Leo Chennault?
04:31Are they going to use, you know, O.A.?
04:33Or, you know what I mean?
04:34So, like, there's going to be a little bit of mystery early on.
04:38And then I think, to me, even the bigger mystery is because this offense is going
04:44to look a lot different, I think.
04:47And so what's the impact of Blau running a more of a Ben Johnson type offense?
04:55And that's the thing.
04:56Like, that's the thing I think I'll be most interesting to see early on,
05:00especially because what is the impact on Jaden and how they want to do things?
05:05Like, it's going to be, I don't be dramatically different,
05:08but it'll be definitely different.
05:11And not to put, I mean, I don't think, listen, man,
05:15the offense last year was so much about injuries.
05:17When you lose Jaden and Terry for bulk of the year, you're going to struggle.
05:22So I don't want to pin this on Kingsbury,
05:24but we know that the knock on him was always how his offense is,
05:28do they evolve enough?
05:31And that's one thing I'll be curious to see with Blau is do they do that?
05:34Does that make a difference?
05:35Did he have more answers as the season goes on?
05:38And I don't think it was all about that by any means,
05:40but we know that that was always the knock on Kingsbury's offenses.
05:45And that they were a little bit, you know, I don't want to say simpler,
05:51but maybe those were because you wanted to play at a faster tempo and remoral
05:54huddle, whereas this one is going to be a little bit different.
05:56So does that make a difference?
05:57And if so, how,
05:59and does it make a bigger difference early when maybe they don't have a full
06:02grasp on what you want to do?
06:03So could that help them, you know,
06:06they with one of those first two road games, getting a W like,
06:09that's something to watch for sure.
06:11You know, in the past, or at least the recent past,
06:14we've had a lot of the division games backloaded to the end of the schedule.
06:18And now it's the opposite this year.
06:19Is that just by chance and how the schedule worked out?
06:22Is the NFL kind of going away?
06:23Cause it wasn't just the NFC East.
06:25It felt like it was really around the NFL.
06:27There was a lot of those division games late in the season.
06:29And they're not doing that this year.
06:31No, you're right.
06:32Cause the one year was what five straight division games.
06:35Yeah.
06:36So like that's, which is kind of, you know, which was rare.
06:40I mean, they still want to have that last game be against divisional foe.
06:46But the funny thing is like with these 17 game schedules too,
06:49those last games aren't always great.
06:53So, you know, but yeah, I don't, I mean,
06:55I don't know how much they're going away if it was just coincidence or not,
06:58but, but it certainly is noticeable.
07:00And I do like starting off like that because I think the games matter more now.
07:08Like, I mean, they matter more later,
07:09but you don't know where things are going to be.
07:11You can be four and 10 playing three straight division games.
07:13And like, okay, what are you going to do?
07:15But early in the year, it can get you off to a really good start.
07:19Talking with our friend, John Kime here on the Rude guest hotline.
07:23Rude makes the best HVAC equipment in the DMV.
07:25Check them out at rude.com.
07:27R-U-U-D.
07:28You can check out all of John's work at John underscore Kime, K-E-I-M.
07:34Read his work from ESPN.com on the commanders.
07:37Check out the John Kime report as well.
07:40So, dude, what do you think of kind of the incessant receiver rumors,
07:49the receiver connections to the commanders?
07:52Oh, they're lovely.
07:55I mean, right now we're looking at, what, two guys, right?
08:00And the hard part is the Brandon-Iuk situation is still like, what's the end game?
08:10Or when is the end game?
08:11And, you know, we know, like, they don't want him on the roster to start the season in San Francisco.
08:18So when do they release him?
08:20And because the way the schedule is, like the Niners play these guys in, what, week six,
08:25do you really want to cut him now and give him a better chance to know the commander's playbook
08:32and to know all that, like, does it help them get to a better start, et cetera?
08:37Like, I don't know.
08:38But on the other hand, if Washington offered them a seventh-round pick a few weeks ago,
08:43they probably would have taken it.
08:45So, but I don't know, man.
08:48I think people are getting a little bit, I'm guessing, if you're seeing this too,
08:52that people are getting a little bit like, okay, we've been talking about Brandon-Iuk for three months now.
08:57I think the Diggs stuff seems more realistic than the Iuk.
09:03Well, I would say this.
09:05I don't, I think it makes a lot of sense.
09:08I don't know if it's more realistic or not.
09:10And I say that because he's going to cost more.
09:13And so, and I think there'll be more bidders for his services than you'd have for Iuk.
09:19So I don't know if he's, I certainly think he makes a lot of sense because he's available right now.
09:28And he's been productive and he played last year.
09:31And I know people are always worried about him,
09:34but the feedback I got from people in each of the last couple of cities is that, like,
09:38he was a pretty good teammate.
09:40And I, and especially for one year, I wouldn't worry about him in that regard.
09:46So I don't, I don't know if it's more real or not.
09:49I think there's, there's, I think they're very different.
09:51I think if you say, which would be the better situation?
09:54Like you'd get a guy now or later, you'd want them now.
09:57Um, but then again, I think there's other considerations into that.
10:02Like with I, not that it's just about money, but with I, you, you get them for one year
10:06and it's a cheaper deal, much cheaper than you would get for gigs.
10:09So I, I, I wonder where that factors into the whole situation as well.
10:15Well, the other part, and it's kind of a chicken and egg, but we know that if a veteran is
10:21on a
10:21roster for week one, they're going to get paid out for the year.
10:24But if you can bring a veteran in after week one, you only have to kind of go week by
10:28week.
10:29Like Sam Fran might not want to keep IUK on the roster before week one.
10:34Well, they definitely won't.
10:36You think it's, don't you think they can move him to the reserve injured list again?
10:40And not have to pay him?
10:41They could do that.
10:41Like he's got to show up to work.
10:43Right, right, right.
10:44That's the way they can do it.
10:45So here, if I'm IUK and you really want out, show up.
10:49Right.
10:50Force their hand.
10:50Like, that's the way to do it.
10:52You know, you could, you could be like George Costanza and drag the Super Bowl trophies around
10:56the parking lot and finally get them to cut you.
10:58So, you know, like, that's the way, that's the way he could, he could force their hand.
11:03But you're right.
11:04Like they could, you put them on the did not report list and then you can transfer the
11:07start season.
11:08You're not on the roster.
11:08So like, this could go on for a long time.
11:11So I think he may need to force their hand a little bit.
11:13Right.
11:14It requires him going.
11:16I mean, he's got to show up.
11:17It's the showing up part.
11:19Which is also what gives me pause about bringing him in.
11:22I'm fine with them not.
11:24Like, honestly, at this point, this is just one of these things you even want to like
11:26hitch your wagon to this when it's all done.
11:28Hey, John, what are the chances that somebody like Debo is eventually back here?
11:32It just seems like there's not a lot of market for him.
11:34Is there any chance that they maybe get like a team friendly deal with him?
11:38I haven't heard that.
11:39And I don't, I, from the jump, I'm like, I don't know that I've heard that he, that
11:45that would be the case.
11:46I really haven't heard that.
11:48So I don't, I don't see that.
11:50And, you know, here's the other thing.
11:51What they want under the number of the other receiver is not what Debo Samuel is.
11:56When you look at the guys you're looking at, that's not what he is.
11:59So I don't, I don't think even if he came here that that would be the answer.
12:04So the thing to keep in mind too, and two years ago at this time, we had similar conversations
12:13about like, who's going to be that number two receiver.
12:15And Zaccheaus is coming off like what, a five catch year or something like that in Philly.
12:20And then it was Noah Brown.
12:21Those two became the next two guys.
12:23And Brown doesn't get here until late August.
12:26So not to say like people shouldn't be talking about it or we're concerned about it.
12:29Cause I have the same thoughts everybody else does, especially after last year, if what
12:34happens if something, if something happens in McLaurin again, like, are you, what, what
12:38happens?
12:39And I think that's why you want to get somebody else in here.
12:42But I do think that like, you know, there's still some time to find that solution.
12:48And again, there's two guys out there that, that I'm would think that one of those two
12:52guys would make the most would be here.
12:55Right.
12:55It just makes sense.
12:57So, yeah, but I, you know,
12:59And I'm also curious to see like how, how good is Antonio Williams, you know, but I
13:03don't, I don't think you can look at him and say like, okay, he's the guy opposite
13:06period that you, you're going to go roll with full time.
13:09I think he's going to have a very good role though.
13:12Yeah.
13:13I think there's a big difference in who Antonio Williams is versus going back two years
13:19and like whatever expectations were for Luke McCaffrey.
13:22Like one of these dudes is a real polished wide receiver and the others like kind of a long
13:26term project that was picked almost 30 weeks later.
13:29Um, right.
13:31I, I understand why there's so much angst around the receiver room, but I, but Terry came back
13:40and played the last six games of the year and played at a pretty consistent level.
13:44Like, I don't think that's a lingering situation.
13:47I think the corner room is more concerning and, and has far less depth.
13:54Yeah.
13:55The depth there.
13:56I, I agree.
13:56The depth there is, is a concern.
13:59Now, when you look at like how they use the corners in Minnesota as a guide, there were a
14:04lot of times they just used two corners because they would have, depends on the versatility
14:09of the safeties, but also how often are you with, you know, with your front seven, like
14:14a four linebacker sets, which they use a lot.
14:17Now, sometimes it's pass rushes, like a 34 look, but do you have the versatility of other
14:22spots where maybe you don't have to use three corners as much?
14:25That said, you still need to have more depth because, you know, I know we, we know that
14:31they keep saying that Mikey Sam is still like, they feel like he's a better fit in this, in
14:36this, in the Durante Jones defense.
14:38We'll see, you know, but I agree with you.
14:41I think that's a thin group.
14:42I think I was a little bit surprised that something else wasn't done there, but that's
14:48one where I'll be watching to see what do they add there.
14:50Or, but, you know, even, even though I say like they weren't always using a lot of, for
14:57example, I think the starting corners in Minnesota both played over 90% of snaps.
15:01The next corner who played the most was Fabian Moreau, former Redskin, who wasn't signed
15:07there until November 9th.
15:09And so like that's that, but so I'll be curious to see how they use it.
15:13That again, it's still a thin group.
15:15To me, you still need to add somebody else there that can, that can play.
15:19And again, that's the same thing with the receiver room.
15:22I like the depth there and I get why people last year is going to make people nervous because
15:26McLaurin didn't miss all that time.
15:28And then obviously Noah Brown with his injuries.
15:30So to your top three, we're out and you don't want to repeat that again.
15:33They do have better depth, but at the top of the group, you know, how does it look beyond
15:38Terry?
15:38And again, I can say that they're very high on Antonio Williams.
15:42There's a lot to like about him, but we haven't seen him in an NFL game.
15:45So we really don't know.
15:46Well, dude, to me, it's like last year, the floor of the receiver room was a real
15:53problem, right?
15:54Right.
15:55Chris Moore was your fifth most targeted wide receiver.
15:57The floor of that room was a problem.
15:59And I think adding Deami and Van Jefferson really helps the floor.
16:03Right.
16:03Yeah.
16:04I look at that corner room right now and I view the floor as a real problem.
16:08Yeah, no, I'm, I, you know, and like they signed to meet Robertson and there's a lot
16:15like when you watch him play, there's a lot that I, that to like about the way he plays
16:20like, and he gave like, he gave George Pickens a lot of trouble last year when, when Detroit
16:25played Dallas, but he's still, he's both, he and Mikey are about five, nine, the smaller
16:30corners.
16:31Um, and they were, they were both inconsistent last year for whatever reason, that's, that's
16:36what the film says for whatever the reason it is, that's what it was.
16:39So do you have some, you know, can they either be more consistent or really can you add more
16:46depth?
16:46Cause you have Witherspoon, but it's not like, I mean, there wasn't a lot of clamor for his
16:51services on the market.
16:53So, um, I just, I don't know.
16:56I'm with you, man.
16:57I think that's, that's a thin group.
16:59And if here's the other part, like if anything happens to Robertson or Mikey, what then?
17:05Right.
17:05No, I think that's where, you know, and I just, I, I will, I think when you also look
17:11at like, again, I always go back to Minnesota, just as a guide for how this defense might
17:16look or how they might use guys, they never invested a ton in corner there either.
17:21And, um, because it was all about the front seven and the pressure and then playing zone
17:26behind it.
17:26And you, what you need is you need guys who can play, can, who can disguise well.
17:31Right.
17:31And cause they would disguise even within zone coverages are going to disguise.
17:35But a lot of the key was that front seven pressure and, and really kind of throwing the
17:39quarterback off enough to allow them to get there.
17:42Can they do that?
17:43And that's how you can lessen some of the issues that said, I still agree with you.
17:48I think it's a thin area.
17:49You got anything cool coming on the podcast, John?
17:53No.
17:57This is a tough time of the year, man.
17:59I have Greg Cosell on there right today.
18:01So he's always going to talk to you.
18:03I talked to the Rutgers offensive coordinator about, um, Ethan, uh, Kelly, the new potential
18:09third quarterback.
18:11Um, so, um, had hoped to have a couple others on, but you know how it goes.
18:15Like some guys say yes.
18:16And then you don't hear from them for a week or two.
18:19So we'll see.
18:20We know that world.
18:22Yeah.
18:22And OTAs next week.
18:23That's what, that's what it is.
18:24Like that OTAs, man, that's going to feed us for a few weeks.
18:27Yes, sir.
18:29God.
18:29Appreciate you.
18:30Thanks guys.
18:30All right.
18:31See ya.
18:31So buddy, John Kime, give him a follow on X at John underscore Kime.
18:36K-E-I-M.
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