- 2 hours ago
It's Monday which means Ben Standig joins The Kevin Sheehan Show! Kevin and Ben discuss WR possibilities, rookie minicamp stars, the NBA Conference Finals and more!
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Ben Standings with me as he is every Monday at 12.
00:03I just looked down at my phone and he just texted me.
00:06What are we discussing?
00:08I guess the football team.
00:10Do you want to talk about how bad the Pistons were last night
00:13or how bad the T-Wolves were on Friday night?
00:15I mean, Julius Randle should be ashamed of himself.
00:20That was one of the worst performances I've ever seen by a player
00:22who's supposed to kind of rise to the occasion in that spot.
00:26And then the Pistons just look shot physically to me.
00:29They looked exhausted.
00:31I don't know why.
00:31I guess the win Friday night.
00:35Terrible, you know, games in terms of drama.
00:38I mean, three blowouts over the weekend.
00:40Is that what you would rather talk about?
00:42Would you rather talk about the NBA playoffs?
00:45No, I literally just meant like, you know, we're beyond the rookie camp
00:50we've talked about, so I was literally just trying to prep my brain
00:53for what you were possibly going to ask because, you know,
00:56I have no idea where you're going to go.
00:57Well, Albert Breer suggested four teams for Stefan Diggs.
01:03The Skins were one of them.
01:04Washington and Kansas City were the top two teams.
01:08He thinks one year, $10 million.
01:11I'll ask the question this way because, I mean, we've only had, I don't know,
01:15a dozen or maybe eight dozen conversations about Iuke and Diggs
01:20over the last couple of weeks.
01:22But if I told you that they definitely signed one of the two,
01:26which of the two do you think it would have been?
01:32I mean, you know, if we're to believe that they're in on Iuke for, you know,
01:39for the various reasons that we've discussed, the familiarity,
01:42the hope that he's the guy, you know, who was a Pro Bowl player back in, you know,
01:482023 or whatever, I would assume him.
01:51I mean, with Diggs, you know, my argument would be he's had, you know,
01:55nothing but 1,000-yard season since 2018 when he's, you know, played,
01:59when he's been healthy.
02:02And, you know, you know he's ready to go.
02:05The only question with him would be, and to sum up with Iuke is like, okay,
02:09how does he fit into the locker room here?
02:12I'd be asking New England questions like, hey, he did pretty good for you last year,
02:15but then you went out and got Romeo Dobbs, who has nothing close to Diggs' stats
02:20historically, yet you went for him, and now you're trading for A.J. Brown.
02:24So why are you doing that?
02:26Now, I think there was a deal of like, right, I think Diggs was,
02:30they released him because the salary cap hit and they couldn't negotiate it.
02:33So sometimes when you do release a guy, it's not, you know,
02:37it's not always easy to then go back.
02:39But that would be a question I would have for that.
02:43So, I mean, I would assume that they would pick Iuke just based on the fact,
02:48if everything we've been discussing and hearing for the last five months is
02:51accurate or longer than that, then I would think Iuke.
02:55Yeah, I mean, we've basically ignored anybody else that's out there.
03:00Keenan Allen, Debo Samuel.
03:03I understand, you know, we're going to be in a different offense and, you know,
03:08maybe Antonio Williams is essentially that.
03:12But it seems to come down to one of those two, and we'll see if they add them.
03:16I mean, this will be the conversation.
03:18I mean, every single time you send me a text before one of your appearances on
03:22Monday and Friday for the rest of the spring and into the summer,
03:25until they sign another receiver, I have a feeling that will be top of mind.
03:30Because I said this on Friday, and you and I have had these conversations before.
03:36There's literally, well, other than injuries, trades, or later free agent signings,
03:45between now and the season opener, very little can truly be discerned about your football team
03:53entering the next season.
03:55Nothing we see in a preseason game will tell us anything.
04:00Nothing.
04:00There could be things in intra-squad scrimmages that are, you know, leading in terms of guys
04:08who are going to be on the field more than less.
04:12Those things the coaches say, we can learn from that.
04:17I think sometimes that's actually where we learn the most.
04:19But for the most part, the next piece of learning about our football team won't happen
04:25until they take on Philadelphia at the link on September 13th.
04:30Am I missing anything of what can be learned or deciphered about the team between now and
04:36the opener, other than trades, free agent signings, injury information?
04:43I mean, if you're talking about the scheme, you're completely right.
04:47We're not going to see much.
04:48I mean, obviously watching them, like, you know, I was at the rookie camp with Logan Paulson
04:55and you asked me the other day, I was on, like, what did I glean from that in terms of
05:00what David Blau or Durante Jones might run?
05:02And my layman was like, I don't know, I didn't see a ton.
05:05And yet Logan Paulson was standing there and was like, oh, okay, I kind of noticed a couple
05:10things here and there.
05:11And so we may, you know, when they're doing running plays in training camp, we will see
05:17to some degree, are they in a, you know, 3-4?
05:21Is it often more of a 4-3?
05:22Who's out there the most?
05:24I mean, they will rotate guys.
05:25So some of that kind of stuff.
05:26And while obviously some guys are stepping up and other guys might be falling off.
05:30But from a schematic perspective, yeah, I really don't expect we're going to get much of anything
05:36at this point.
05:37And obviously, you know, to see the rookies and, you know, there's always those kinds
05:40of things and the new guys.
05:41But yeah, by and large, I think you're accurate.
05:44I wanted to ask you on the receiver front, are you surprised that Debo is still out there?
05:51Yeah, I guess a little bit.
05:53But I think also we get to this point every year.
05:56And if they didn't go with like a big, if they weren't signed to, you know, an attractive
06:03deal for them in those first few waves, veteran players tend to kind of want to sign a little
06:10bit later on and not have to show up for mini camps and OTAs and things like that.
06:16They'd rather at this point just show up for training camp.
06:19And so signing with somebody now puts that pressure on them to show up earlier rather
06:24than, you know, to hang out in Cabo for a few weeks or wherever they, you know, want
06:28to spend some spring and summertime.
06:31So I guess at this point with a veteran player, I'm not that surprised.
06:35I think we see a lot of this every year.
06:37And then shortly before camp start, you'll start to see some additions, but I thought
06:43there was a chance he would certainly go in that second kind of wave of free agency.
06:47Yeah.
06:48I thought he played well last year considering, you know, he played with a backup and a third
06:53string quarterback for more than he played with his starter.
06:55And Terry wasn't out there for, you know, seven or eight games.
06:59And it was a bit of an S show on offense.
07:02I thought he actually played well.
07:03And by the way, let's not forget, he was really good as a kickoff returner there until
07:08he got banged up a little bit.
07:10And then Luke McCaffrey took over that spot.
07:15Yeah, no, I'm with you.
07:16I'm not really surprised.
07:18I'm not totally surprised for the reasons you just said at a certain point, it becomes
07:22a, you know, from the player perspective, it's like, well, I'm going to get this deal.
07:27I might as well wait and not have to go through all these practices and workouts.
07:30But I do think it also brings up the point as to why he's not that here.
07:34And that is, and this was the point for me all along with him, is that he's not a true
07:39wide receiver.
07:40He's a guy you have to figure out how he's going to fit.
07:43You have to have a plan for him.
07:44You can't just say, come in and play some traditional position.
07:48Otherwise, you're not maximizing what it is.
07:50And I think for some teams, it's like, well, how much do we really want to do for a guy
07:55who, you know, again, I'm with you, like I said, I thought he was the best player in
08:00training camp.
08:00I think the first five weeks of the season before everything fell apart, he was arguably
08:04the MVP of the team.
08:06And, you know, then once, but then once things fell apart, he just, you know, because he could
08:10not play on the outside, you know, as well as you would like, then it kind of fell off.
08:18So I think a lot of teams are probably just looking at him like, uh, we like him, but
08:22I don't, you know, what, what do we do with them?
08:24And I think, you know, again, it's, it's one thing to change up a lot for a guy you think
08:29is going to be, uh, uh, you know, a true difference maker.
08:32It's another thing to be like, well, we need another receiver.
08:35How much we want to shift things around for him.
08:38I'm sure he'll land somewhere eventually, of course, but.
08:41Yeah, no, I, I, I, he's going to land somewhere.
08:44I'd be very surprised if he's not on a team.
08:47I saw Matt Bowen took 14 remaining free agents this morning on ESPN.com and came up with the
08:53right fit.
08:54Like he's got digs with the Rams.
08:56Like, can you imagine Puka Nakua, Devante Adams, and Stefan Diggs and their tight ends that
09:03they have there?
09:04Um, the, the Rams always just go for it.
09:07You know, every year is a go for it season.
09:10I guess you can do that when you've got the quarterback like they have for Washington,
09:14by the way, they, uh, Matt Bowen wrote that Trayvon Diggs would be a good fit, uh, for
09:20them.
09:21Obviously, um, he played for Quinn when Quinn was the defensive coordinator in Dallas, you
09:27know, as it relates to corner, you know, we don't think they're done at wide receiver.
09:33We, I think everybody would lean in the direction of either a Diggs or an IU will be added before
09:38the season begins.
09:40What about corner?
09:41I mean, could a Trayvon Diggs be somebody that ends up signing here or do you think they feel
09:47like they're good enough there?
09:50Yeah, I mean, I've been mentioning Diggs, Trayvon Diggs for here a lot because not only does,
09:56you know, Dan Quinn, he played with Dan Quinn, had his best years with Dan Quinn, uh, led,
10:01you know, led the league in interceptions one year, uh, you know, pro ball, pro all that
10:06stuff.
10:07Then, you know, these things have gone sideways, uh, but he's also, you know, uh, got good size
10:11six to, and, you know, this is a group in terms of the main, uh, guys are just, you know,
10:16not the biggest room.
10:17So to me, it would make a lot of sense.
10:19The problem is, I mean, one, I don't know, maybe problem is a strong word, but like, you
10:24know, how much, um, you know, what do they think of him on special teams?
10:28Right.
10:28Because if you're going to be like the reserve corner, you're going to have to play on,
10:32on that a bit.
10:33They did just sign Antonio Hamilton, which to me should not preclude you from making another
10:38move.
10:39At the same time, again, depending on what they view of Diggs with the player, maybe it isn't
10:44much of a difference and they already brought in, uh, Hamilton.
10:47And this is a group that, you know, usually when I do like a 53 for corner, I tend to
10:53keep
10:54six, like, you know, in general, I don't know.
10:57I think this year may only be five because of how we think that if they're going to stay
11:01more in, you know, base or, you know, have seven guys up front, then with only four defensive
11:06backs, you don't necessarily need as many corners.
11:09Uh, you know, obviously a lot of guys on practice squad and things like that.
11:12So that'd be my only question, but yeah, to me, Trayvon Diggs makes a lot of sense here,
11:18assuming that they think he has still lost some juice, uh, uh, uh, with him.
11:24Yeah.
11:25Um, and thinking just about him in Dallas, like he and bland, both were big play makers,
11:32a lot of times in zone coverage with sort of eyes on quarterbacks.
11:36So, um, obviously that's gotta be the right scheme fit, uh, for Durante Jones and what
11:42they're planning on doing, uh, with him.
11:45Uh, you wrote about Nick cross, the Colt safety, former Terp safety that Washington signed in
11:52free agency.
11:54You know, I think we've, we've talked about sort of where we see him fitting in, but tell
11:58everybody sort of what you found out about Nick cross and the fit in the Durante Jones defense.
12:06Yeah, I feel like he's just been kind of a bit of an underrated addition.
12:10I mean, that may be underrated a bit strong, but like when we discuss who they added, it's
12:14away, it's obviously styles, Chanel, um, you know, uh, chase on cross gets mentioned, but
12:23you know, it's a little subtle.
12:24I mean, look, I think he's the one safety that you can feel comfortable is going to be
12:28playing all the time and everybody else.
12:29Well, they'll, they'll figure out what to do.
12:31He, you know, he basically never left the field with the Colts, which means that that's
12:35how it's going to go here.
12:36You know, should, if Sonny styles is the green dot guy, but isn't, you know, for some reason
12:43they want him to, he, he goes off the field or whatever, like cross could be the other,
12:47another guy, or maybe even the guy, you know, we're assuming styles.
12:50I assume that's probably accurate, but he could be that kind of guy.
12:53But look, well, he, um, the, the, the status sort of kooky and I don't have it in front
12:59of me.
12:59So paraphrase here, but basically according to like next gen stats, he led all safeties
13:04in tackles that resulted in a negative play or of some sort for, for, uh, for the defense.
13:11And, you know, obviously we know the run defense here, you know, there's not been particularly
13:15sharp.
13:15We, you know, still have nightmares of Saquon Barkley running against this team in 2024.
13:21So I think he's a, a big, a big weapon potentially.
13:25And, you know, I, I, I think also the point, you know, it, with him is he is a local,
13:33you
13:33know, we've, we've, we've played this whole game before about guys who are from here.
13:37And is that how big of a deal is that?
13:39I don't know that I've always heard though, necessarily that they seem to have, you know,
13:43lived and died with the team, the way he described it.
13:46You know, he said he would cry or they would lose games and, and, and that, you know, he
13:50basically wanted to play safety because of Sean Taylor.
13:53Not, you know, not that that's a lot of guys have said that, but, you know, he's local.
13:56This was the guy for his team.
13:58So, you know, I think all these factors are, um, you know, make him a really, really interesting
14:04player.
14:04I was surprised he didn't get maybe a bigger number in the contract, you know, two for 14,
14:10you know, in terms of that thought, maybe he would have a bigger market.
14:13I think it was a good move for Washington.
14:15Maybe, maybe their best value move, frankly, uh, we'll see how it plays out, but, uh, yeah,
14:19no, I, I think he's got a chance to be a legit weapon.
14:22And again, he basically, I mean, I guess they did sign to make Robertson, you know, so I'm
14:27not discounting that, but you know, if we're saying that Sanders still and Trey Amos are
14:31going to start presumably, then Robertson's coming in off the bench, whereas cross, uh, cross
14:37is going to play all the time.
14:39So I think to me, that was like the, usually the number one move they made in the secondary.
14:43And that's a group where I think there's still some questions as we discussed at corner.
14:46So yeah, I, I, you know, I just think he's going to be, I think there's a lot of impact
14:51there, uh, waiting to happen.
14:53Yeah.
14:53I think right now, actually, if you were to say which position has more talent, safety
15:01or corner, it's safety easily, uh, with cross with Harris, with by the way, Jeremy
15:09Reeves, who, when he played safety played, you know, pretty well for them last year has
15:14always been an overachiever.
15:15And I've already, you know, kind of, I think Durante Jones sort of led to, didn't he talk
15:20about Jeremy Reeves at one point, um, and how he liked him on the field.
15:24And they always seem to be intrigued with Quan Martin and believers in Quan Martin.
15:31Um, I don't think I'm forgetting any, anybody else, but they've got some choices at safety.
15:37I mean, to me, it makes what you said about cross makes total sense.
15:40Like I see Nick cross, he didn't, he doesn't miss games.
15:44He doesn't miss snaps.
15:45That was a big free agent signing for them.
15:48I totally agree with it.
15:50And it was one of my favorites.
15:51I see Will Harris being out there with him and then, you know, they'll obviously play
15:58some of the others, but they just thought too much of Will Harris's football IQ and felt
16:03like they really missed something when they lost him, you know, also early in the season.
16:09Uh, those would be my two, the two safeties that would start.
16:13And I think they're somewhat interchangeable.
16:16Do you agree with that or not?
16:19Um, I mean, maybe to a degree, I just, but you think crosses more in the box?
16:24Yes.
16:25I think that's where he would, uh, play primarily just based on what he did at the Colts.
16:30And we mentioned the run defense statistic earlier.
16:33I'd say what I think for like the defense in general, I think the biggest, if I say wild
16:38card, I mean, obviously how funny styles perform, it's not really a wild card per se, but you
16:42know, that's a big deal.
16:43All these kinds of things.
16:43And I think Juan Martin is like the biggest wild card out there because, you know, this
16:48is a guy that was a second round pick.
16:50There's been times in his first three years where we're like, okay, there's like legit,
16:54you know, guy who's ascending.
16:57I know Joe Witt was talking about that.
16:58He could be one of the better safeties in the league, all these things.
17:01And then last year, you know, it really just didn't quite work.
17:03And how much of that was the coaching, you know, putting the players in the right positions,
17:08how much was Quan, you know, I still kind of felt like he, they maybe have played him
17:14out of position a bit playing more center field, but he also is such a really good athlete
17:19that like if we, if they had signed him, let's just say as a free agent and we did the
17:24whole
17:24game of, Oh, younger, faster and look at the traits, he would fit a lot of that.
17:28And I'm really curious to see what does Durante Jones think of him and how does he get him
17:34in the mix?
17:35Because if, if not, you know, you mentioned the, the, the talent in that room, you know,
17:42you've got Cross, Will Harris, Jeremy Reeves, Percy Butler, big time on special teams and
17:49Tyler Owens, who, you know, I'm, I'm not thinking the lock to make the roster, but you know,
17:52he's been around now a couple of years, incredible athlete.
17:56They're also like, how many safeties are you actually keeping?
17:58So I wonder, you know, at some point here, does like, you know, does Quan Martin make
18:03a leap and become a prominent rotation piece or is it the other way?
18:08Because it's just, you know, whatever happened last year continues and they move on.
18:12So I think he's a really interesting wild card.
18:15I think the other interesting wild card in keeping with that theme is Jordan McGee.
18:21Like we've heard so much about him going back to his rookie year in 24, but he was hurt
18:26and didn't get the opportunities, but we were certainly told this guy is going to be the
18:32heir apparent to Bobby Wagner.
18:33He's super athletic.
18:34He's super fast.
18:35We've actually seen it flash, you know, on the field at times, but they went out and added
18:41Leo Chanel in sunny styles and they still have Frankie Louvoo.
18:45So I'm just wondering where Jordan McGee fits in.
18:49Yeah, no, I think that's a great point.
18:52I mean, you know, going into free agency, you know, like Chanel made a ton of sense.
19:02Once I read more up on him and the versatility and the mindset of like, oh, this guy screams
19:07what they're looking for.
19:10But, you know, I mean, it was like, okay, McGee's been sort of training to be the eventual
19:15Bobby Wagner replacement and, you know, so on and so on.
19:18And, you know, very likely he's going to play.
19:22But, you know, again, if, say, styles plays almost every down, if he is truly the green
19:29dot guy and you've got Louvoo and Chanel, like there's not, it doesn't seem like there's
19:33going to be a ton of opportunities.
19:35Again, we understand there's injuries and things change, but yeah, no, I agree.
19:40I mean, look, the, the, the direct, the two draft classes, you know, prior to this, this
19:45rookie class, you know, we, we can't, you know, what are they going to do?
19:50Are they going to step up?
19:51I mean, Louvoo was a free agent after this year, right?
19:53So, you know, McGee, maybe it's 2027 where he gets a bigger role, but yeah, they need
20:01these guys to show more.
20:03I mean, make it be a problem that, you know, that there's too many guys and they got to
20:07figure out how to, how to get them all in the field versus, all right, well, you know,
20:10this guy's still developing, right?
20:12Like at some point they're still developing can't be the answer.
20:16I mean, it's only his third year, but still, you know, and I liked McGee.
20:19I'm not saying he's, he's, he's been poor.
20:22I just, you know, hasn't had the chance of it.
20:24Like you said, it's hard to see exactly how he's going to fit in to get some playing time
20:28here.
20:29Talking to Ben standing, of course, at Ben standing on X, Ben standing's sub stack is called
20:35last man standing as is his podcast.
20:38I would urge you to subscribe to his sub stack and listen to his podcast and you can get links
20:44to both at Ben standing on X.
20:47By the way, I'm just looking at sort of the roster as is, um, and just a couple of the
20:52players that I'm just, just kind of guessing we're going to be talking about, um, more than
20:57maybe people are thinking.
20:58Like, I think we're going to be talking more about Lawrence Cager, the tight end number
21:0389, more of a pass catching tight end than maybe some people think, um, we're going to
21:08be talking about.
21:09And I also have a feeling we're going to be talking about Cain Medrano more, um, than
21:14maybe we're anticipating because Cain Medrano's, um, abilities are, I'm not going to put him
21:21into the Van Ginkle category.
21:22I think Van Ginkle is really unique in the way he plays and the way he makes plays, but it
21:28is kind of the way he got drafted Medrano did because he was a playmaker who, who, you
21:34know, had big misses, but big hits at UCLA and the build is sort of similar.
21:40I don't think he's as tall as Van Ginkle, but, um, uh, yeah, those were the two that I
21:47like, give me somebody that you think most fans don't think we'll be talking about in
21:52three months, you know, in mid to late August, but you think we'll be talking more about
21:57him?
21:59Well, I'll double click on what you said about Medrano.
22:03You know, again, you can't get too, I'll say it again as we get into the practices and
22:07training camp, don't get too worked up over what a guy does, especially when he was playing
22:11on the second or third team because he's playing against guys who won't be here and blah, blah,
22:15blah.
22:16But again, you look at Medrano's, just, um, his athletic profile.
22:20He was the fastest linebacker in the combine in his year coming out.
22:25And I don't know, just watching him last year, I just remember thinking, wow, he's
22:27always around the ball.
22:29He seems to make plays.
22:31And, uh, you know, again, if you had said, if he was the pick in this draft, you'd say,
22:35okay, I totally get it for what I think they want to do with Durante Jones.
22:40How does he fit in?
22:42We'll see.
22:43I mean, again, if we're saying McGee's maybe doesn't have an obvious role, then certainly
22:46Medrano doesn't, but yeah, I'm with you.
22:49I'm really curious to see if they think he's got a shot.
22:52I think tackling for him has been the rub.
22:55So, you know, we'll see how he's improved, but I think, you know, I'm intrigued, uh, by
23:00him, uh, for, for sure.
23:02And, you know, you mentioned Cager, I'm still kind of waiting for a Colson Yankoff, uh, breakout.
23:10I mean, my breakout might be a too strong of a word, but you know, again, when we talk
23:13about the best athletes on the team, he is way up there.
23:16I mean, I'm so impressed with a guy who in college played quarterback, running back receiver,
23:20and then as a tight end in the pros, um, you know, that, that, that takes a lot to be
23:24able to do all those and to make an NFL team in this way.
23:28But, you know, it, and there's been moments like we see his ability to get, to get down
23:32the field, but again, they just haven't used it a ton.
23:35And maybe that was in part because of how Kingsbury viewed the tight ends.
23:39And obviously Zach Ertz by and large until the very end of last year has been healthy,
23:42which was, uh, which was great for Washington.
23:45But, uh, yeah, I, I think he's one where I'm like intrigued.
23:48Like you mentioned Cager.
23:49I mean, it's not realistic that both of those guys are making the team.
23:52Um, and, um, you know, I do want to see, does, does Yankoff show them something?
23:59And also I think that would be an indication of, do they play more 12 and 13 personnel?
24:02Right.
24:03You know, in which case then you're going to have to have that fourth guy play a bit
24:07more.
24:08So, um, you know, rookie minicamp was last weekend, not this past weekend.
24:15And I just think back to last year with Krosky Merritt and there was some early buzz about
24:20him.
24:21Um, you know, there've been early buzz, uh, you know, buzzes about lots of players that
24:27don't really pan out.
24:28Antonio Gandy Golden's one of my favorites and, and, um, Randy Moss's son, what was his
24:33first name again?
24:34Blanking on his first name.
24:35Thaddeus Moss.
24:37Uh, we had fans thinking that he was going to be an all, you know, up for potential all
24:42rookie, but Jimmy Moreland.
24:45I thought that was a great UDFA.
24:47So, I mean, of course you have to ask the question, wait, how did he go undrafted?
24:49But yeah, I was like, Oh, okay.
24:51Sure.
24:51Yeah.
24:52Jimmy Moreland was like, look out.
24:54I mean, this could be the next Daryl Green.
24:56Um, but you know, uh, that doesn't mean that there aren't immediate, you know, reactions
25:01and immediate thoughts like first impressions.
25:05We know that Sonny Stiles made a very good first impression.
25:09They made that very clear.
25:10Did anybody else make a really good first impression?
25:16Um, I probably would take Katron Allen comes to mind.
25:19I mean, you just, you know, seeing him in the uniform, obviously no pads and things like
25:24that, but just seeing him, you can see the size, the build and how he would fit in with,
25:29you know, if bill is sort of the main back, uh, you know, can kind of, you know, sleek
25:35has the home run power can run between the tackles a bit.
25:38You got Rashad white viewed as the more of the pass catcher, but my question was, okay,
25:43it's, you know, third and one is it definitely bill?
25:46Okay.
25:47But like, maybe there's another way to go.
25:49And Alan looks like he could be a guy that could fill, fill in that role.
25:54And look, I, he was picked in the sixth round bill was a seventh rounder a year ago.
25:58It's not like it's inconceivable that he becomes the starter.
26:01Bill was in a much better running back class though, to be fair.
26:05Sure.
26:06Oh yeah.
26:06No, you're much deeper, much deeper running back class last year, perception wise.
26:11It's very good.
26:12You know, no, that's a completely strong point.
26:15He, but the fact that Alan finishes Penn state's all time leading rusher, I mean, obviously they've
26:19had a ton of guys and I understand it doesn't always mean everything, but that's, you know,
26:23it shows he was able to, to produce.
26:25I don't think he's going to make highlight tapes, but he finds ways to produce.
26:30So, you know, again, even if it is just sort of that minor third role, third running back
26:35role, I can see how he fits in with what they have.
26:38And, and, you know, I think you said it for work.
26:40He came from me.
26:42That's about as high of a ceiling of what I'm looking for.
26:45Do I see how you fit?
26:46Yes.
26:47Cool.
26:47Thumbs up.
26:49Uh, Antonio Williams, you know, uh, he's wearing number 14 and because of that, there were
26:55people and I forget who they were, but I know I heard some Amon Ross St. Brown comparisons.
27:00That would be really, really nice if it were true.
27:04Um, but what do you think, you know, David Blau and, and the offensive staff's first impression
27:11of him was.
27:13By the way, when I see, um, 14 in the, in Washington Jersey, Ryan Grant, weird that my
27:19first, no, I was going to say Trey Quinn, Trey Quinn.
27:24Okay.
27:24That receiver.
27:26Yeah.
27:26Well, he did.
27:27He was the guy that did, um, uh, the Michael Scott.
27:32Yeah, he, he, he did.
27:34Right.
27:35He did the Michael Scott, uh, uh, dance in the end zone against Dallas on Thanksgiving
27:39day, I think actually, now that I think about it.
27:42Right.
27:43Yeah.
27:44Uh, it goes, it is such a funny world.
27:46How, you know, you talk about how that like, that's another guy.
27:49Oh, wow.
27:49Look at this guy.
27:50They found his Mr.
27:51The Mr.
27:51Elvin pick anyway.
27:53Um, yeah, look, I think Antonio Williams, you know, I don't think there's much question
27:59that he can fit in as a route runner.
28:01He's got the positional versatility, got good speed, you know, five 11, not necessarily
28:06the biggest guy, but okay.
28:08Uh, the question is, where does he fit in?
28:10If they're going to, you know, if they run two receiver sets, is he the other guy?
28:13Is he, you know, I know they've said he can play on the outside.
28:17We'll have to see.
28:19So is that, you know, he, he's built as a slot guy.
28:22Yeah.
28:23So playing him on the outside may not be the best way to use him, but again, they don't
28:27as of right now, it's hard to say who the other obvious guy on the outside is.
28:32So, uh, you know, and now also, you know, what does it mean for JL Lane and Luke
28:36McCaffrey, so I, I think Williams to me looked totally fine, looks the part, all
28:40those things as well.
28:41And the, you know, the usage is with, is for me, the real question.
28:45Um, and look, it'll be fun to see him catching passes from a number five, because
28:50ultimately, you know, number five, as we saw in 2024 can make guys better.
28:57And if you have a guy that you think has a legit talent and real upside, well, what
29:01is getting, what does making him look better mean?
29:03So, uh, you know, I think that's going to be a lot of fun.
29:06Yeah, for sure.
29:07What, uh, real quickly, before I let you run, what's next up?
29:10What's the rest of the schedule?
29:12OTAs, minicamp, et cetera.
29:13Have they released that?
29:16Yeah.
29:17OTAs are, uh, I can't, I never remember the date of anything.
29:22The OTAs are next week, I want to say.
29:24And then, uh, you know, we, we get to go out there one day for each of the three
29:29OTA sessions followed by, uh, minicamp.
29:32So yeah, I mean, uh, some teams started their OTAs today.
29:36I think theirs is next week.
29:37And, um, yeah, and then, but, you know, everybody, uh, we'll, we'll, we'll, we'll
29:41see, presumably knock on wood everybody there.
29:44Well, I assume Thompson won't be there, but everybody else presumably will be there.
29:49And, uh, yeah, we'll get to, uh, see it all.
29:51And, you know, look, I mean, to see, you know, we, we just said, oh, we just see
29:54Sunday styles in the commander's jersey.
29:56Okay.
29:56Well now we get to see, oh, way, uh, you know, we get to see, uh, a con quote, like,
30:00you know, it's going to be interesting to see all these guys, especially again, the
30:03younger, faster aspect of it all does, does look different out there.
30:06I think we'll be interesting.
30:08All right.
30:09Uh, okay.
30:10See your San Antonio.
30:15I, I think it's just happening now.
30:17I think when Benyama is the best player, I, I, I mean, you know, and he doesn't,
30:24normally I'd be like, well, come on.
30:25He's not, he hasn't played at this stage.
30:27I mean, he was, you know, he's played in international ball, but at the NBA, he hasn't
30:31played at this level yet.
30:32And, you know, first time, you know, is it going to take an adjustment?
30:35I don't think so.
30:36He, he, his mental game seems about as good as his, uh, physical game.
30:43So, you know, and I think the Spurs are, you know, plenty deep castle and, uh, Harper
30:49have looked good and I'm not knocking.
30:51Okay.
30:51See, obviously they're tremendous.
30:52This, whichever team wins this, I would say he's winning the title.
30:55I'm not even really questioning that too much.
30:57So, but I'll, I'll, I'll go Spurs in like six.
31:01Okay.
31:02All right.
31:04Knicks, Cavs.
31:07Knicks in five.
31:08I, I, I, I mean, look, kudos to the Cavs for, for, you know, for winning yesterday,
31:14but you know, they also blew game six at home against a Detroit team that can't score.
31:19And James Harden, I love that.
31:22I love that they won by as much as they did yesterday.
31:24And James Harden was still awful.
31:25Uh, but yeah.
31:26You know what though?
31:27You know what though?
31:28And I talked about this at the beginning of the show.
31:30I can't stand James Harden and his stat line looks terrible.
31:34Uh, nine points, two of 10, oh, of six from behind the arc.
31:37But I watched that game, uh, start to finish and Harden made a lot of really good plays
31:42in the game.
31:42He actually played some good defense and he made a lot of really good decisions offensively.
31:47The game on Friday night, he was an abject disaster.
31:51Um, he had eight turnovers and could have had 12, uh, last night, uh, that the shooting
31:57was not there.
31:58It was not there.
31:59No doubt about it.
31:59The scoring wasn't there, but I actually, and I'm super critical of him.
32:03I actually thought that his overall game was actually not that terrible.
32:09And then somebody pointed out, and I think Max sent me to it.
32:12Um, he had the highest plus minus for whatever it's worth, uh, in the game at plus, um, 31.
32:19But yeah, for the most part, like in, in spots, that's his third straight game seven of not
32:25scoring in double figures in his career, his last three game sevens.
32:29But I didn't think he was anywhere near as bad as I was hoping he would be last night.
32:35Um, sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole tale.
32:39Yeah.
32:39He had one turnover, which is, you know, good for him because he had 14 combined the previous
32:43two games.
32:44Yeah.
32:44He had eight on Friday night.
32:46Yeah.
32:46Yeah.
32:47But I, I just think the Knicks, you know, their, their defense, their, their depth, you know,
32:51Brunson is not going to have a poor game seven, et cetera.
32:55And, you know, I think towns is the big variable there.
32:57He's sort of the hardened for them.
32:59I'm not saying he's had as many lulls, but with him, it is a very, the, the very, the variance
33:03can be pretty significant 30 and 12 or, you know, shooting, you know, two for 10 from
33:08three and not being a factor inside.
33:10But even if towns is not all that, I just think they have too much.
33:15And, um, uh, yes, I got like Nixon five.
33:18Yeah, I do too.
33:19I, the Knicks have too many scoring, uh, uh, you know, um, options in Detroit basically
33:24had one.
33:25Um, and that was, it just made them easy to defend.
33:29Uh, I will say they haven't played, they haven't played in a week.
33:32So game one could be interesting.
33:34Yeah.
33:34It could be interesting.
33:35I know it's, that's, you know, that don't sweep teams.
33:40I guess would be if they end up losing game one would be, uh, the lesson, but I honestly
33:46cannot wait for tonight, like San Antonio, Oklahoma city as a championship series.
33:52And I know that these are small market teams and a lot of casual sports fans have no idea
33:58what I'm talking about, but for NBA fans, this is must watch because we've never seen
34:05anything like Wemby and OKC is the defending champion in as deep as anybody in his, as good
34:11defensively as anybody.
34:13I like, I actually like OKC to win it and then we'll pick San Antonio next year.
34:17Um, but cannot wait to, to watch this series starting tonight.
34:21All right.
34:22I got to go.
34:22Thanks.
34:23Yeah.
34:23Thanks.
34:24Ben standing, everybody.
34:26Uh, when we come back, Eli Manning fessed up to why he didn't want to play for the chargers
34:34when he was drafted by the chargers number one, overall back in 2004, I'll tell you what
34:40he said next.
34:41changed.
34:42Okay.
34:42All right.
Comments