- 3 days ago
The coaching staff has faith in the people on the roster, but should we?
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00:00But Wes Welker has been a part of the commander's staff for two years now.
00:05Wes Welker had kind of this quasi-front office, quasi-coaching staff role last year.
00:12He worked with the defense more last year, didn't he?
00:14And he was on the defense, but they kind of listed him on the scouting side of things.
00:18This year, he's on the offensive coaching staff.
00:21And because he's Wes Welker, everybody's put a request in to talk to him.
00:24And they were like, you know what?
00:25Let's just roll him out for the coaches meeting.
00:27So it was cool to get to talk to Wes last night.
00:30And obviously, he achieved a level of play in the game at the receiver position of real significance, I would
00:39say.
00:39He was one of the best slot guys for probably a decade in the NFL.
00:43So it was cool to get to talk to Wes about the new offense and specifically the receiver position
00:49because there's so much angst surrounding the receiver position, correct?
00:53And I just asked him, you know, what do you think of this receiver room?
00:59I love this wide receiver room.
01:01You know, we've got a lot of talented guys, got different sizes, different skill sets.
01:07You know, I think they all complement each other really well.
01:09They're all working hard and they're really fun to be around.
01:12So he went on, I asked him about Antonio Williams, the rookie, and I thought he gave a really good
01:22answer.
01:22He's like, man, really like him.
01:25There's so much to like with that kid, but he's got a long way to go.
01:28And he said he believes wide receiver is the toughest transition to make from college to the pros.
01:35And he kind of explained it that the level of defense you see on the outside and in coverages in
01:42the college game
01:44is nowhere close to what you see in the pros.
01:47True.
01:48And you could probably argue that at lots of positions.
01:49I asked Bobby Ingram the same thing and Ingram said, well, it's probably quarterback.
01:52But after that, it probably is receiver.
01:55I also think, you know, Wes entered the league, I believe, as an undrafted guy.
01:59So maybe that's a more significant, you know, kind of uphill climb, whereas Williams is coming in as a third
02:06rounder.
02:10But Rich Sandler always said, don't listen to what they say.
02:13Watch what they do.
02:14We know they went after Alec Pierce.
02:17We know they went after Romeo Dobbs.
02:18It looks like they dodged a bullet with Alec Pierce, a dude I never thought should go top of market
02:22for the dollar amount he got.
02:23He just had to have ankle surgery and at least is going to miss parts of training camp.
02:27At least, if not into the season.
02:29Smart man.
02:30Get all your stuff first.
02:31Oh, yeah.
02:33Oh, yeah.
02:35But we know they went after Welker and I'm sorry.
02:38We know they went after Pierce.
02:39We know they went after Dobbs.
02:41And then Cornell Tate.
02:43I don't know where this came from.
02:45So if you guys know, please alert me.
02:48But Cornell Tate did an interview.
02:49I thought he was doing like a podcast.
02:51Okay, Amon Ross, St. Brown's podcast.
02:54Cornell Tate, Ohio State wide receiver, who I think was a very real option for the commanders at seven, gets
02:59drafted way earlier than anybody expected.
03:01Goes to the Titans.
03:02This is Cornell Tate talking about kind of the pre-draft process.
03:06Of other teams, you felt like they were targeting you, that wanted you?
03:09Cleveland.
03:09I thought they were going to pass up on me.
03:11And then also commanders.
03:14So I think I was locked in with the commanders.
03:16And then they were like saying, oh, the chief, you're not going to get past them.
03:20If you're there at nine, they're going to take you.
03:21But I thought I was going to the commanders.
03:24Well, you didn't, young man.
03:25Because you went way earlier.
03:27Be happy where you went.
03:28I think he is.
03:29I don't think he sounded remorseful for getting drafted earlier.
03:33If I am at the Titans, I don't care who's picking me later.
03:39They picked me three spots earlier.
03:42That's what my focus is on.
03:43Smart by the Titans to not tip their hand.
03:46Hell yeah.
03:47Well, I also think the Titans wanted love, and then he went earlier.
03:49He went early.
03:50So you got to adjust.
03:51And they had them playing.
03:53So here's, I guess, the question.
03:58If we listen to what they say, and this is Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, David Blau,
04:04everyone we've talked to really likes this wide receiver room.
04:08And I've talked to some coaches off the record, and I was honest.
04:11I said the same stuff I've said on the radio.
04:14The injuries really killed you last year.
04:16Some of the guys that were getting a lot of work probably weren't good enough
04:19to get that work at this stage of their careers.
04:22And they're like, yeah, man, you know, we lost our top four guys.
04:24And then you've got dudes running routes that wasn't the plan in critical moments.
04:30Right?
04:30And I think bringing in Deami, bringing in Van Jefferson,
04:34it raises the floor of that room significantly.
04:37Now, if you get to your sixth, seventh wideout, you're probably in trouble,
04:41regardless of the team.
04:44But if we listen to what they say, they really like the room.
04:46They really think Deami can show them something.
04:49There's a lot of excitement about Luke and Lane and all these things.
04:53If we watch what they do,
04:55Cardinal Tate says, I thought I was locked in going there,
04:58which he probably was.
04:58He just didn't get there.
05:01They were in on Alec Pierce.
05:03They were in on Romeo Dobbs.
05:04For better or worse, it sure seems like should Brandon Ayew get released,
05:09he's coming here.
05:13Do we believe that they believe they've got enough at the receiver position?
05:18See, but that's the thing.
05:19I don't, I'm not shocked that they're still looking
05:23because one thing I know a team do is always try to improve.
05:27And if there's someone that pops up, you have the ability to go get that,
05:31it's better than someone.
05:32You could be happy with what you have in the room.
05:34Don't mean that you're not trying to improve it.
05:36I don't think there's a team in this league that say,
05:38we can't improve our room.
05:41Your top two guys may be legit, but the next four,
05:43you may want to improve that.
05:46So, I understand what's happening.
05:50I saw it happen a lot.
05:52Sure.
05:52You know, we see people we feel good about,
05:55and then they draft the same position.
05:57You know?
05:58So, yeah, I'm not shocked at that.
06:01I think, yes, they could be happy,
06:03but I think if they can improve it, they will.
06:08That has to be the mission.
06:09Yes.
06:10Right?
06:10Yes.
06:12It's interesting because two things I heard over and over last night,
06:17speaking with a number of different coaches,
06:19was increased competition, increased competition.
06:22They all, I don't know if this was just to support their guy,
06:25or I honestly wonder if there was maybe a directive,
06:29but all the offensive coaches said how excited they are that David Blau got the job
06:35and how excited they are to watch him through this process
06:39and how impressive he has been.
06:43The receiver position to me,
06:45I think they feel comfortable with the depth.
06:48I think they would like somebody to relieve pressure off Terry.
06:52And maybe that could be Chigakonkwo.
06:54Maybe that could be Rashad White.
06:56Like, there's a lot of things to like.
07:00I also think the offense is going to look so much different,
07:02and that's going to help.
07:04One thing that stood out with me,
07:05and I talked to, I don't know,
07:07however many coaches were in the room, seven, six.
07:11They all talked about how much getting the quarterback under center helps, right?
07:17If we all know that,
07:21if everybody knows that,
07:23why didn't you do it?
07:26Well, you know what I'm saying?
07:28Jay, you've been around football.
07:30You've been around reporting a long time.
07:34And you've always seen people who think they know more than everybody else.
07:39And right now, there's a person
07:41who's out of this job here
07:43who's now a consultant somewhere else.
07:46And we know where he's a consultant at,
07:49and we know how that guy
07:51thinks totally opposite of what Cliff thinks.
07:54Yeah.
07:56Did it finally hit him?
07:57I got to learn another way.
07:59Is he going to,
08:00he go to Sean and try and tell him,
08:02Sean, man,
08:03just watch.
08:04We're going to line up in 13 personnel.
08:06Watch what I do.
08:06And run the hell out of the football.
08:07They do both of them.
08:08See,
08:09what I'm saying is,
08:11I go back to Joe.
08:13Joe came from the Don Correale system.
08:15Air Correale, baby.
08:16Where they supposed to throw it through there,
08:18throw it through there,
08:19throw it through there.
08:20But Joe walked in here and found out,
08:23we can run the football very well.
08:25And he ran the snot out the ball.
08:28But guess what he did too?
08:30Play action you to death.
08:32And became damn good at that offense.
08:35But there's some level of it
08:37where even in today's game,
08:40all the numbers that Jackson Smith and Jigba
08:43and my man put up in Seattle last year,
08:46they ran the football.
08:48Totally.
08:49When the Patriots were winning,
08:52Tom Brady, great guy,
08:53they ran the football.
08:55So,
08:56if you don't find out that
08:57that play action pass works
08:59and you gotta learn to run the football
09:00and you gotta run the damn ball
09:02to be able to run play action pass off of it.
09:04If you don't run it,
09:05you're not gonna affect the linebacker.
09:07You're not gonna make a safety,
09:09go flat footed
09:10or start taking steps up.
09:12So,
09:14everybody knows,
09:15but that one person didn't know.
09:17I guess he knows now.
09:20Some of my other notes
09:21from talking with the coaches,
09:25I got to talk to DJ Williams
09:27and I very much made a focused point
09:30of asking him about football
09:32for like five straight questions
09:34and his level of excitement,
09:37what he brings to the room,
09:39what's it like working with Jaden,
09:40all those things.
09:41Because I do think he got that job on his own.
09:45I was told that by several people,
09:47even his daddy.
09:49He didn't know.
09:50There is the emotional element
09:52of what does it mean to come here?
09:54And when I asked him about it,
09:56I don't,
09:57it appeared that it struck an emotional tone
10:00because he stopped for a second
10:02and kind of paused
10:03and collected his thoughts
10:04and he's like,
10:05yeah,
10:05of course,
10:06it means a ton
10:07to be here in Burgundy and Gold
10:09and I walked through
10:10the lobby of the building
10:11and I see a Super Bowl trophy
10:13and I know my father
10:14was a huge part of it.
10:15And it was just a touching moment.
10:17For him to work here,
10:21knowing what his dad did here,
10:25there's no way you can be.
10:27You know,
10:28you have,
10:28I don't know if anybody
10:30could do that
10:30and no emotion come over you.
10:33You have to feel good about that.
10:36Totally.
10:37It was just neat.
10:38And I think,
10:39especially with the offensive guys,
10:42Bobby Ingram says
10:43you're going to see motion
10:44and shifts from everywhere.
10:46So people understand
10:47this isn't Canadian football.
10:48You can't have two guys
10:48in motion at once,
10:49but you can't have one guy in motion
10:52and then another guy
10:52shift to the backfield.
10:54You can have multiple guys shift
10:55and they all come still
10:56for one second
10:58and the other one
10:59can go in motion.
11:00He can go in.
11:01If you start it early enough,
11:02he can go in motion,
11:02stop it,
11:03and then somebody else
11:03can come across the other way.
11:05Right.
11:05It's all kind of stuff you can do.
11:06I think we're going to see
11:07all of that stuff.
11:08And I think you do that
11:10because the defense
11:12will have to tell you
11:13what they're doing.
11:15When you just line up
11:16and do nothing,
11:16you don't know
11:17what the hell they're doing.
11:20Totally.
11:22I think,
11:22I asked David Rye,
11:24who is,
11:26I asked what the functionality
11:27of the pass game coordinator is,
11:29right?
11:30And he explained it as such
11:33that he is in every meeting room
11:35and making sure
11:36that everybody understands
11:38their role in the pass game.
11:41Because you know who,
11:42we think of the pass game,
11:43we think of the quarterback
11:44and the receivers.
11:45The O-line is incredibly important.
11:48Tight ends are incredibly important.
11:49Totally.
11:50And he described it
11:51as the perimeter
11:51and the interior,
11:52which I thought was
11:53a really interesting way
11:55to describe that.
11:56And I think
11:59to try to coordinate all that,
12:00I said,
12:00well, you know,
12:01you guys are so early
12:02in the installation
12:03of all this.
12:04Like,
12:04are there benchmarks
12:05you're trying to hit
12:06along the way?
12:08Or is the focus
12:10week one in Philadelphia?
12:11Like,
12:11is it a finish line
12:13or are there steps?
12:14And he's like,
12:15both.
12:15Yeah.
12:16He's like,
12:17we gotta be at certain spots.
12:19But you know who says that
12:20all the time?
12:22EQ.
12:23Yeah.
12:23He always talks about
12:24they have benchmarks
12:25and they're reaching
12:26these benchmarks,
12:27but there has to be a final.
12:29Like,
12:30I'm sure they want to be
12:31at a certain point
12:33by the end of
12:34the mandatory minicamp.
12:37Our last OTA thing.
12:39They want to be
12:40to a certain point.
12:41When they hit
12:42their last minicamp,
12:43then they want to be
12:43at a point then.
12:44When they get ready
12:45to take their break,
12:46they want everybody
12:47to be at a point.
12:48So when they come back,
12:49they expect them to be
12:50here to hit the ground
12:51running once training camp starts.
12:53And
12:54the ultimate thing
12:55is hitting it
12:57when
12:57week one comes,
13:00but you also
13:01need to make sure
13:02that thing keeps growing
13:03as you go through the year.
13:05So...
13:06Yeah,
13:06it's like
13:07you have a goal
13:08for what you want
13:09to accomplish in June,
13:10but that just is...
13:12Like,
13:13one thing,
13:14when I was
13:14at the University of Maryland,
13:16I didn't know
13:17there was a math placement test
13:19the morning of orientation.
13:21So the quick story,
13:21college orientation,
13:22you go there
13:23like a Tuesday night
13:24and you stay in a dorm
13:26for a night
13:27and I had no idea
13:28there was a test
13:29the next morning,
13:30a math test.
13:31I didn't stay
13:32in the dorm Tuesday night.
13:33My buddy's older sister
13:34went to Maryland.
13:35She took me to a frat party.
13:37I got bombed.
13:38Wake up.
13:39Oh my God,
13:39math placement test.
13:40Well, Brian,
13:41I didn't do so well
13:42on the math placement test.
13:43I placed it in the math 001.
13:45You sure about that?
13:45Non-credit math.
13:47And then I was like,
13:48my freshman year of college,
13:49I was like,
13:49oh, this is non-credit?
13:50I ain't going to this.
13:51So then I just stopped
13:52going to math for a year.
13:53I failed it twice.
13:54A non-credit math class
13:55failed it twice.
13:57Eventually, though,
13:57I got in a lot of trouble
13:58and they said,
13:59you have to pass math now.
14:00And I realized
14:01it's building blocks.
14:02Like,
14:02if you skip class
14:03for two days,
14:04you're not going to know
14:05what the hell comes on
14:06in the third day.
14:07Yeah.
14:07And if you don't go
14:08to a non-credit math,
14:08you can't go
14:09to the credit math.
14:09Indeed.
14:10Now,
14:10I ended up getting an A
14:11when I finally had to
14:12because I finally went to class.
14:13This is what they're building
14:15right now.
14:16You got to nail the blocks
14:17to get to week one
14:18and go beat Philly.
14:19Totally.
14:20So that's where we're at.
14:21It's B-Mitcher Philly.
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