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00:00Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL, but Josh Allen did not win his division last season.
00:06Drake made the Patriots did that, and then suddenly went to a Super Bowl, a place Josh Allen has never
00:12been.
00:13Can the Bills take back the crown and finally get to the big game this year?
00:18We talk AFC East with Super Bowl champion our guy Jason McCourty.
00:24Shine Time starts right now.
00:36The New England Patriots took back the AFC East last season following a five-year reign for my guy Josh
00:42Allen's Buffalo Bills.
00:44And many people argued, starting with me, that the Patriots of last season were frauds.
00:50Hey, doesn't matter. You can be fraudulent all you want.
00:52They won the division. They won in the playoffs. They went to the Super Bowl.
00:56Obviously, been a very interesting offseason in New England, interesting for their head coach.
01:02The Bills have a new head coach, and I want to start with Buffalo because, honestly, I love the Bills.
01:08I love what the Bills did when they fired Sean McDermott.
01:11I love what they did hiring Joe Brady.
01:14Sean McDermott absolutely had to go.
01:16I think Sean McDermott deserves credit for restoring order after the chaos with Rex Ryan feels like a lifetime ago.
01:23Sean McDermott did a great job winning games in the regular season, but they could not get to the Super
01:29Bowl with Sean McDermott.
01:32Enter Joe Brady.
01:33Joe Brady has been a head coach in waiting for a long time.
01:37He's done a brilliant job running the offense for the Buffalo Bills.
01:40He's Josh Allen's right-hand man.
01:43Josh Allen loves him.
01:44He obviously was the architect of the 2019 LSU incredible offense.
01:50And I think Joe Brady, right guy, right time.
01:54Attention to detail.
01:56I talked to Brandon Bean on my SiriusXM radio show, The Bills GM, about this.
02:00You know, they went through an exhaustive, extensive interview process.
02:03Josh Allen was involved in the interview process.
02:06And Joe Brady, to me, monster upgrade.
02:10First of all, the most important thing for Buffalo, not Sean McDermott.
02:15Sean McDermott could not get it done.
02:17And I think Joe Brady is going to take the Buffalo Bills to new heights.
02:21So let's take a look at the odds board here.
02:23Buffalo is going to win a minimum of 12 games.
02:28So bang the over here on wins for the Buffalo Bills.
02:33Buffalo will win the division.
02:34They're the favorite at minus 125.
02:37I believe today as we speak, as we get ready for training camp, Buffalo at plus 510 to win
02:45the AFC, for Josh Allen to get to his first Super Bowl, that's the play.
02:51It's all there for this to happen.
02:53And yes, I think Buffalo has a real shot to win the Super Bowl.
02:57So Buffalo to win the Super Bowl at plus 1,000, that to me is a terrific pick.
03:03They have the second best odds tied for seconds when you look at it.
03:07I think the two best teams heading into training camp in general are the Rams and the Buffalo
03:12Bills.
03:13I think it's Josh Allen's time to shine.
03:16Josh Allen is superb.
03:17He's the best quarterback in the NFL.
03:19Josh Allen, what he does with his legs and his throwing arm and his fastball and his accuracy
03:24and his toughness and the way he leads and the way he galvanizes and maximizes talent.
03:30New stadium in Buffalo.
03:32I think this is going to be terrific.
03:35I think it's going to be tremendous.
03:36I think that Josh Allen is built for everything.
03:40I still can't believe what happened last year against Denver.
03:44Look, we could talk about a mistake by Josh here.
03:47We could talk about a bad call with Brandon Cooks there.
03:50We could talk about the defense on third and 11 against Bo Nix.
03:53That was absolutely Buffalo's time to shine and they blew it just like the prior seasons,
03:59just like 13 seconds against Kansas City.
04:02This Bills team, it feels like it's built differently with a new head coach and Josh Allen getting
04:08DJ Moore wide receiver is huge.
04:10So now you have James Cook at running back.
04:12You have DJ Moore at the wide receiver position.
04:15He's going to stretch the field.
04:16That was a perfect pickup.
04:18Cook is a terrific dynamic back.
04:20Moore can absolutely fly and think about and remember what DJ Moore did in Chicago where
04:26he made big plays and big spots and he was tough and he was clutch and it makes everyone
04:30in that receiver room even better.
04:33Keon Coleman, listen, he got called out by the owner.
04:36Josh Allen still believes in him.
04:38I really think that the Buffalo Bills' Dalton Kincaid became one of the more reliable tight
04:45ends in the National Football League.
04:47And I think Kincaid's going to have a monster year now that the pressure is off him.
04:51And that defense got better.
04:53Listen, I think Bradley Chubb is a stud and he's going to get to the quarterback at a rapid
04:58rate.
04:59And this team needed improvements when you look at their defense.
05:03So it's all there.
05:05I'm jumping through a table.
05:07This is going to be the year the Buffalo Bills get to the Super Bowl.
05:11This is going to be the year where the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen finally have an opportunity
05:17to deliver that elusive Super Bowl to the long-suffering Bills fans, the amazing Bills Mafia
05:25and everyone in Western New York.
05:27Look, I would be shocked, floored, if Buffalo wasn't a minimum 12-win team, didn't win the
05:34AFC East, and didn't make a true run to winning the Super Bowl.
05:38If not, ultimately, finally win the big game.
05:42As I mentioned earlier, Patriots of last season were frauds.
05:45Schedule is a lot different than the cupcake that was laid out for them last year.
05:50Mike Vrabel had quite the offseason, Drake May, superstar, and now he has more help.
05:56Listen, I wouldn't touch anything on this board.
06:01Seriously.
06:02I would stay away, betting-wise, from the 2026 New England Patriots.
06:10I think they're destined to take a step back.
06:13I think they're a 10-11 win team, and they're not an over-under at 10-and-a-half.
06:20Steer clear.
06:21They also won a lot of close games, which is a credit to Mike Vrabel, credit to Drake May,
06:26and obviously, they got better in the offseason when you look at A.J. Brown and Romeo Dobbs.
06:30They deserve a lot of credit for that.
06:32But, you know, and Vrabel, listen, Mike Vrabel is a fabulous, phenomenal head coach.
06:38I voted for him last year for Coach of the Year.
06:40I have one of the votes, one of the 50 people in the media who vote for all the NFL
06:44awards.
06:44I think that, obviously, after a tumultuous offseason, Vrabel has, and he's done this throughout
06:50his career, no matter the challenge, has always been able to get his players to achieve and
06:56overachieve.
06:57It's part of his genius.
06:59And, listen, what Vrabel and Josh McDaniels did with Drake May last year was fantastic.
07:05And Drake May, I had him on my list for quarterbacks for this season as the seventh-best quarterback
07:10in the NFL.
07:11I think Drake May is going to be even better.
07:13Now, with A.J. Brown, with Romeo Dobbs, but especially with someone like A.J. Brown, I
07:19think it's dynamite.
07:20I think it's fantastic.
07:22I think that at the end of the day, when you have someone like A.J. Brown, who played
07:26for Vrabel in Tennessee, who's won a Super Bowl, and obviously A.J. Brown wanted and needed
07:31that change of scenery, I think Drake May is going to have another monster season.
07:36I truly believe that.
07:37I think it's going to be outstanding.
07:39Now, I don't think this team is a lock for the playoffs.
07:43Right now, we start training camp.
07:46I only have one team from the AFC East making the playoffs.
07:49In fact, I'll tell you, right, barring anything unforeseen, I have not taken New England to
07:55go to the postseason.
07:56I think you can count eight or nine better teams, and I think this is where the tough
08:01schedule matters, last year being fluky matters, and at the end of the day, I just think the
08:08Patriots, personnel-wise, will fall short.
08:11So, I do not believe in a repeat winning the division.
08:14I do not believe in New England with a repeat winning the conference.
08:18I don't believe in that in any way, shape, or form.
08:21So, Aaron Glenn's first season as a Jets head coach, eh, not good.
08:27Justin Fields is quarterback, now he has Geno Smith, and honestly, I thought the Jets absolutely
08:33crushed it in the offseason.
08:35And when you take a look at the Jets' betting odds, I think the over-under for wins is low.
08:44I'd like the Jets to win at least six.
08:47I'll put my money where my mouth is on that.
08:50I thought they had a terrific offseason.
08:52Demario Davis, leader, still a tackling machine on defense.
08:56I thought they crushed it in the draft with the three first-round picks.
09:00They improved the wide receiver position, the tight end position, the pass rush.
09:04The offensive line is supremely strong.
09:07I think that Garrett Wilson's going to have a remarkable season.
09:10Like, I wouldn't be surprised if Garrett Wilson becomes a top-ten wide receiver during
09:16the course of the 2026 campaign.
09:18And Geno Smith coming in is obviously huge and a major upgrade when you look at it at
09:23the quarterback position.
09:24And listen, we said in real time when the Jets traded for Geno, reuniting Geno with Gang
09:30Green, I call that a big-time win.
09:32What happened last year in Vegas was a mess.
09:36Absolute mess.
09:37Go back to Seattle, Geno.
09:39That's the version I think the Jets are going to get, and that's why I feel good about the
09:43Jets winning at least six games.
09:45Which brings me full circle to Aaron Glenn, new coaching staff.
09:49Last year was a disaster.
09:51I mean, I thought that that was a home run hire.
09:54It wasn't a home run.
09:55It was a Rob Deere swing and a miss.
09:57It was about as bad as it gets.
09:59There were literally no signs that were positive last year for Aaron Glenn.
10:05In-game coaching, handling the press, handling the quarterback.
10:08However he wins in losses, however you judge a coach, he was a failure, an F.
10:14And I don't say that with joy or jubilation.
10:16I argued for Aaron Glenn to get a head coaching job long before he did.
10:20I think that he's a great football man.
10:23I talked to Demario Davis about Aaron Glenn, who was with him in New Orleans.
10:27I think Glenn, I think he can have a solid second season.
10:31If he doesn't, the Jets are going to have a new quarterback and a new head coach,
10:35an offensive-minded head coach for 2027.
10:38But I think Jets are going to surprise some people.
10:40I think they're really good in a lot of areas.
10:43They have some good players on defense.
10:45Six wins for the New York Jets, at least.
10:48And they're headed in the right direction.
10:50Now, last but not least, we have the Miami Dolphins,
10:54who I believe will be the worst team in the NFL this season.
10:57And I think that's going to prove to be the best thing that will ever happen
11:00to the Miami Dolphins.
11:02The Dolphins finally have a plan.
11:05New GM, new head coach, new quarterback.
11:07And I like Malik Willis.
11:09I feel bad for him.
11:10He's on a team that has 8-chan and nobody else in terms of skill position players.
11:15Over-under is four and a half wins for the Miami Dolphins.
11:18I absolutely will bang the under.
11:21The Miami Dolphins, when the season ends,
11:25will have the first pick in the draft and be on the clock.
11:27And the Miami Dolphins, because of that, will be in position to get whichever quarterback
11:33is the apple of their eye.
11:35This is exactly what the Dolphins needed.
11:38They needed a plan.
11:39They needed to break it down, to build it back up.
11:42They needed to rebuild, retool.
11:44You know, they were just throwing random money at random people,
11:48two or three interceptions as we were talking.
11:50You know, had to get rid of him.
11:52Had to get rid of Tyreek Hill.
11:53Had to get rid of Mike McDaniel.
11:54These are all first guesses.
11:56The Dolphins are going to be the worst.
12:00And if you're a Dolphins fan, that will prove to be the best.
12:05Joining us right now on Shine Time to give us his view of the AFC East,
12:10my guy, former Patriot, former Dolphin, ESPN superstar,
12:15Rockland County native, makes him perfect for this topic,
12:19the great Jason McCourty.
12:21J-Mac, how are you?
12:23I'm doing good.
12:24I love the Rockland County shout-out, as always.
12:26It's good to talk to you, man.
12:27Listen, Jason, you and your brother do such a brilliant job,
12:31you and Devin, giving back to the community.
12:34This weekend, it's the annual McCourty Twins football camp, July the 18th.
12:39Camp is for boys and girls, ages 6 to 14.
12:43It's in Rockland County.
12:44Takes place at Nyack High School.
12:46Tell us why this is so important for you and your family.
12:50Man, I think for my brother and myself and our older brother,
12:53he's the one who got us into football in the first place.
12:55Growing up in Rockland County, we were always playing sports from wall ball,
13:00wiffle ball, kickball, every single thing you could in the backyard,
13:03and always dreamed of becoming a professional athlete.
13:06And I used to look up to Keith Bullock, pointing to him and saying,
13:09I know if Keith made it, we have a chance to be able to do so.
13:12I obviously got a chance to be teammates with him in Tennessee.
13:15So it's been an awesome opportunity for Devin and myself each and every year
13:19to have this camp and allow all the kids to come out
13:23and be able to ask us questions, run around with us on the field,
13:26just so they can see whatever you're dreaming of is possible.
13:29Like we were just two kids growing up in Nyack High School
13:32and was able to figure it out, and we want them to do the same.
13:34So there'll be a ton of people in the community giving back.
13:37Everything is free, pizza, ice cream.
13:40We encourage everybody to come out and just have a good time.
13:42We'll be out there, rain or shine.
13:44I love that.
13:45We just had Keith on with us right in studio to preview the AFC South.
13:49So listen, it's awesome.
13:51And Keith is a childhood friend, so I love that you referenced him.
13:55And Rockland County all the time, I can't get enough.
13:58Let's get into the division, right?
14:00And the Patriots won the division, won the conference last year.
14:04Drake May was sensational.
14:06Burst on the scene, runner-up for MVP.
14:08He's so special.
14:09He's brilliantly coached under Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel.
14:12Jason, in your opinion, what makes him so great?
14:16And how does he get to even another level with a perfect fit at receiver, A.J. Brown, on board?
14:23Yeah, last year he was just elite at getting the ball down the field.
14:26And it's something that's so hard to do to be as accurate as he was.
14:30And it's so successful being able to do so.
14:32And that was without a true number one wide receiver.
14:35I know Stephon Diggs over 1,000 yards last year and moved all around the offense for them.
14:40I think the step that we saw Drake May last year, even talking to him in production meetings,
14:44was his ability to understand why behind each and every play.
14:48And it's just amazing in the league how things change so fast.
14:52Week one, they lose to the Las Vegas Raiders at home.
14:55I remember reading that week.
14:56Everybody was asking Drake May with the addition of Josh McDaniels,
15:00was there too much on his plate, too much to figure out,
15:02and slowing him down and processing of how he was playing.
15:06And from that point on, the second week was down in Miami.
15:09You just saw him just continue to ascend as the season went on along with that offense.
15:14So I think you add the addition of A.J. Brown, what Josh McDaniels was able to do.
15:19I think back to Randy Moss' first year with the New England Patriots.
15:22I think it was over 1,400 yards.
15:24Him and Brady were setting records.
15:26And then you fast forward to McDaniels' first year with the Raiders.
15:29They didn't have a ton of team success,
15:31but you look at the numbers Devontae Adams had that year with targets,
15:35touchdown catches, yards, and receptions.
15:36It was unbelievable.
15:38So I think in year one, we're going to see A.J. Brown move all around that offense.
15:42And Josh McDaniels is going to do a great job of getting him to football in positions to succeed.
15:47I think that's only going to elevate Drake May's game even more.
15:50Without question.
15:51And Mike Vable had A.J. Brown in Tennessee.
15:53So there's that relationship, which I love.
15:56Now, the Patriots, Jason, won a lot of close games last year.
16:00And there are people, like me, who wondered aloud about that fine line between both fortunate and great.
16:08Now, May's unbelievable.
16:10A Mike Vable coached team is buttoned up and disciplined and go back to Tennessee, gets teams to overachieve.
16:16So for those who are perhaps non-believers or skeptics, and I know the coaching's elite, the quarterbacks' elites, A
16:25.J. Brown's elites,
16:26what are the keys for the Patriots?
16:29Let's start with the division to win the division again.
16:32I think a lot of it, their schedule's going to be a lot tougher this year.
16:36They go from being the hunters to being hunted because now you're not sneaking up on anyone.
16:40So it's definitely going to be more challenging.
16:43I think, obviously, defensively, they've got to get Christian Gonzalez under contract and keep him happy on that side of
16:49the ball.
16:49He's an elite cornerback in this league, one of the top five to ten guys when it comes to being
16:54able to take away a side of the field.
16:57I think offensively, it's continuing to get that run game going.
17:00Ramondre Stevenson holding on to the football.
17:03And Travion Henderson, being able to take another step where he wasn't used as much as a lot of people
17:08anticipated.
17:09If he can really take his game to another level, that's an added dimension for them and a breakout type
17:15of player that can score from anywhere on the field.
17:17We saw kind of a roller coaster last year where you saw big plays out of him and then not
17:22as much usage the next week.
17:23It's part of being a rookie, understanding pass protections, understanding all of those different things.
17:28I think he can be a key step for them this year.
17:31And I think on the defensive side of the ball, it's getting that pass rush.
17:34They lost Kalevon Chason, who signed with the Washington Commanders.
17:38They went out and got Draymond Jones.
17:40They drafted second-rounder Gabe Yakes.
17:43He hasn't been there.
17:44He's unsigned still.
17:45So that's something that they have to get figured out because they're going to have to get after the quarterback
17:49a lot next year to be able to continue their dominance they had in the AFC.
17:55And just overall, I can understand people being down.
17:58Now, when you look across the division in the conference, though, there's a lot of question marks behind other teams.
18:04As we get into Buffalo at some point, they have a brand-new head coach.
18:07Miami's hitting reset.
18:09The Jets now have gotten a lot better, I think, in this offseason.
18:12But Patrick Mahomes, is he healthy?
18:14The Denver Broncos, Bo Nix coming off of an injury.
18:17The Ravens also have a new head coach.
18:19So there's a lot of change and a lot of question marks throughout the conference.
18:22Let's get into the Bills.
18:23And you referenced the new head coach.
18:25And, look, Sean McDermott won a lot of games.
18:27You have to give credit.
18:28I think the minute we don't do that, we've kind of lost the sight of everything.
18:32But I also, for the sake of conversation and fairness and accuracy, Jason, I get it.
18:37For a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, look, I can appreciate why it was time for them to make
18:42a change.
18:42So when you analyze everything, how will the change with the head coach, the new voice, impact the 2026 Buffalo
18:52Bills?
18:52You know, it can go two ways.
18:54I think, to your point with McDermott, you take for granted the fact that they were highly successful each and
18:58every year.
18:59They fell short in the playoffs.
19:01A lot of that, you can pass that blame around for a lot of different reasons throughout the course of
19:05their tenure, of his tenure there.
19:07But I think Brady brings in something a little different.
19:10I think for Buffalo Bills fans and the people in the building, your hope is that this newness, to a
19:16certain extent, maybe a different type of energy, a different focus, can help propel and just get them right over
19:22the hump.
19:22The challenge for Joe Brady is understanding what you don't know.
19:25It's hard for rookie head coaches to make it to the Super Bowls.
19:29It only happened five times.
19:30The last time was in 2009 when Jim Caldwell did it with the Indianapolis Colts.
19:35So, for Brady, who's going to be the offensive play caller, it's going to be big to be able to
19:39hit the ground running and understanding now, not only am I running this offense and trying to figure out the
19:44best thing for Josh Allen, but I also need to pay attention and know what the best thing is for
19:48their team.
19:49I think a sneaky big hire for them was Pete Carmichael as the offensive coordinator, who he brought over from
19:55Denver, who was with Sean Payton as an offensive coordinator for so many years while Payton was a play caller.
20:01So, he understands what that role looks like and what's needed from him as that OC spot to kind of
20:07keep things rolling for Joe Brady.
20:10Listen, you study the film.
20:12You have been in the broadcast booth calling games.
20:15You analyze quarterbacks.
20:18You've had to stop quarterbacks.
20:19I just think the world of Josh Allen.
20:22What makes him so special?
20:25I think there's an on-the-field aspect and then there's an off-the-field aspect is the reason why
20:30Josh Allen is such a difference maker on the field.
20:33I think on the field, the obvious part is how strong his arm is, how athletic he is, his ability
20:38to get away from the rush, to make throws down the field.
20:41But I think off the field, when you watch his connection with the guys in that locker room, the amount
20:46of trust that they have in number 17 when the ball is in his hands, there's something special, I think,
20:52just about Buffalo and about being in Western New York that those guys really take heat in and really think
20:58it's special.
20:59I think when you look across their offensive side of the ball from the Titans and Don Kincaid and Dawson
21:05Knox and Jackson and all of those guys that are running back, there's a special bond.
21:10And I think Josh Allen is at the center of all of that.
21:13But when you have a guy that can do as much as he can do and is as physical as
21:17he is at that quarterback position, it is just special when you put together his ability to scramble and his
21:22ability to get the ball deep down the field and quickly out of his hands.
21:26I'm right along with you.
21:27Josh, if I'm drafting a team, he's probably the quarterback between him and Lamar that I'm going first.
21:32And that says a lot, obviously, with Mahomes in this league, too.
21:35Absolutely.
21:36Now, I thought Buffalo had not only a strong offseason, but a smart offseason.
21:42Look, D.J. Moore, to me, is exactly who they needed.
21:45Tough, clutch, can certainly, you know, stretch the field.
21:48I think Josh is going to love him.
21:50Bradley Chubb, I mean, they couldn't stop him, so they signed him.
21:53We can talk about the contract if you want, but the guy gets to the quarterback.
21:56Do you think around Josh they have enough on offense and defense?
22:02Because here's the question.
22:03It's a division preview.
22:04But do they have enough, Jason, to go to the Super Bowl and finally win the Super Bowl?
22:09They do.
22:10They've had enough.
22:12Like, when you look at Buffalo, it hasn't been, well, we were just missing this one guy.
22:17They were right there in these games.
22:19This past year, there was some turnovers from Josh.
22:21It was a catch with Brandon Cooks.
22:22There was a 13 seconds game.
22:24There was a Stephon Diggs drop.
22:26There was a missed field goal.
22:27There was a Duncan Cade.
22:28There's been so many little things for them that have just been somebody stepping up in the moment to make
22:34the play.
22:34It hasn't been because of lack thereof of anything on this roster.
22:38Of course, when you go through, could you say we would love a big play down the field threat on
22:43the offensive side of the ball at receiver?
22:45There's different things you can nitpick and ask for, but absolutely they have enough of a team around Josh to
22:51be able to make it to a Super Bowl.
22:53To me, the biggest additions have been on the defensive side of the ball.
22:56A guy like C.J. Gardner-Johnson coming in there, signing some of the guys that they did to be
23:01able to build around on the defensive side of the ball.
23:04So, so much is an ass of Josh Allen and that offense.
23:07If they can get stops, as Ed Oliver's coming across the screen, if he's healthy, if some of those young
23:12defensive linemen they drafted a year ago can take another step, I think they definitely have enough.
23:17And it's going to come in this division between them and New England, who's going to be able to win
23:22and be on top.
23:23Without question.
23:24I agree with you.
23:25I think Buffalo absolutely has enough.
23:27Jason, I kind of like the direction for the Jets.
23:30Seriously.
23:30I thought they had a really smart, calculated, just a brilliant offseason.
23:36Damero Davis.
23:37I just interviewed him in studio at SiriusXM.
23:39I mean, you know, he's built like an Adonis.
23:42I mean, he's still doing it.
23:43It's unbelievable.
23:44I mean, talking to him about his physique and what he puts into it and what he eats.
23:48I like the Geno Smith move.
23:50I thought that made a lot of sense.
23:51I loved their draft.
23:53Loaded at the skill position.
23:55Solid line.
23:57Can the Jets turn the corner?
24:00They're the sneaky team in the division, to your point.
24:03And you didn't even mention the fact they have three first-round draft picks going into the 27 draft.
24:08This has been, if you're a Jets fan, you sit back and you're like, competency.
24:13Like, you just feel like you're in a great place right now because you're looking at your team.
24:17You're saying, for this year, we obviously want to win games.
24:20We want to stack and build a winning culture.
24:22But you're just trying to make sure, all right, the staff that's been built this year with Aaron Glenn, you
24:26just want to make sure this is the correct staff going into the future.
24:30And I think Aaron Glenn showed last year he was learning on the job as a head coach.
24:35But he has the moxie, I think, to be a head coach and be successful in this league.
24:39Just seeing the way the veterans responded to him a year ago, Harrison Phillips talking about last year, he felt
24:45like they built a foundation of what it means to be a Jets in a positive way and building on
24:51top of that.
24:51But to your point, the additions that they've made, now you have a veteran quarterback in Geno Smith to be
24:57able to help lead the charge.
24:58Somebody that's been through so much adversity throughout the course of his career to end up where he is.
25:03You mentioned Demario Davis. I was teammates with him for an offseason in Cleveland.
25:07I mean, it doesn't get any better when you talk about leadership and a guy serving other people and putting
25:13him in position to succeed.
25:15Minka Fitzpatrick, the veterans that they brought in on the defensive line, Onyamada, Nagbari.
25:21Those guys that can help usher in the young talent that they've been able to develop.
25:26And a guy like Amalakai Moore, Thomas at the cornerback position, Nashawn Wright coming over.
25:31So there's been so many additions that now you look at this team and you don't really know what number
25:37of games they're going to win because there's a lot of variables with the newness of the team going forward.
25:43And then, obviously, Frank Wright as an offensive coordinator.
25:45I think now Aaron Glenn probably feels like he has the right staff around him to implement and to lead
25:51this team the way he wants to and the way he sees fit.
25:54Yeah, I want to get into Glenn with you because I raved about the hire. Loved it.
25:59I thought Aaron Glenn should have been a head coach in this league way before he got the job with
26:03the Jets.
26:03In a lot of ways, Jason, when he got the Jets job, I thought it was the equivalent akin to
26:08when D'Amico Ryans got the Texans job, former player with the organization, knows the highs, knows the lows, knows
26:15how to navigate.
26:16And it didn't work last year. It was a bad year by every measuring stick.
26:20What needs to happen for Aaron Glenn to prove he's the guy?
26:24I think from a head coaching standpoint, I was talking to a veteran last year who was still playing in
26:30the league, and we started just talking about what you want in a head coach.
26:33And the one thing that he harped on is at the end of games and when it comes down to
26:38the nitty gritty, you need a coach that is going to, one or in different ways, either a play caller,
26:44that you're finding ways to dial up the right play to win games, or from a game management standpoint, you're
26:50able to navigate and do things to put your team on top.
26:53I think for Aaron Glenn, he's going to be the play call on the defensive side of the ball, which
26:58is going to change things and how we look at him and evaluate him,
27:01because you've got to be able to come up with turnovers and come up with stops.
27:04And then I think from a game management standpoint, last year, there were different times where you saw them do
27:09things, where you're scratching your head,
27:11a game in London, a game against, where you're like, kind of, why are they doing this? This doesn't really
27:16make sense.
27:17And I think the first time as a head coach, there's so many different things to manage on game day
27:22that you're figuring out.
27:23I think that's the next step for them. I don't think it's going to be measured in just wins and
27:27losses.
27:27It's going to see, when you look out there from the eyeball test, what does this team look like?
27:31How are they competing week in and week out? And are they putting themselves in the right position to win
27:37the games?
27:37If you're losing just because this guy beat us on this given play, but we were in the right call,
27:42we were doing it,
27:43then you're okay with that. But you have to make sure that's the reason and not because we're getting out
27:47-coached.
27:48Such a brilliant way to phrase it. All right, finally, the Dolphins. And I'm fascinated to get your take on
27:53this.
27:54They have a direction. It's been a minute, but I like it. The new GM, the new coach, the new
28:00quarterback.
28:00Everyone's aligned from the same place. I think it's super smart. I dig it.
28:06Give us your opinion on Miami's offseason and the expectations for the season and most especially, Jason, for the future.
28:14Yeah, it's a full reset. And I think it was needed. You think about the last few years,
28:19it's been kind of the thought process of let's go all in. They brought in Mike McDaniel.
28:24Tua was there. Tua was playing at a high level, traded for Tyreek Hill.
28:28And you were trying to go out and win the Super Bowl. They fell tremendously short.
28:32And you look at the last few years and how everything kind of crumbled to the wayside.
28:36It was time. So now it's a brand new GM and John Eric Sullivan, a new head coach and Jeff
28:41Halfley.
28:42And now you're trying to move forward and figure out, for one, you signed Malik Willis, a short-term deal.
28:48You saw what he was able to do in Green Bay and how he was able to be effective.
28:51And the time and the moments that he got a chance to go out there on the field, can he
28:56carry that over as a franchise guy?
28:58The struggle, the question mark that I have for them is you get Malik Willis there now in the building,
29:04but you look at what he's surrounded with. It's a lot to ask of him, of a first-time, full
29:08-time starter.
29:09And you look at the wide receiver position. They have Tutu Atwell over there, Malik Washington as a guy.
29:15Like Tolbert, they brought over from the Dallas Cowboys. There's not a true number one in a sense there.
29:20Greg Dolchus as the tight end. Obviously, they kept A-chan as the running back, which has been huge.
29:25But you're asking a lot for him as the quarterback to go out there and compete and try to win
29:29games
29:29with what he's surrounded with on the offensive side of the ball.
29:32I do think the reset was needed. And it's going to be interesting to see how they compete within this
29:37division.
29:38Obviously, have them last going forward. And I think they know that.
29:41The expectation is to build a culture and to build a foundation to be able to stack on top of
29:47in the coming years
29:48as they figure out exactly who they're going to be identity-wise for a franchise.
29:53Jason, you're the best. We appreciate the time, as always. Continued success. ESPN, unbelievable.
29:59Love watching you on Get Up and First Take and NFL Live. Keep up the great work.
30:04Enjoy the camp this weekend, and we'll talk to you again real soon.
30:07You do the same. Always good to see you.
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