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00:00Early in the offseason around the National Football League, there was a ton of news on a Wednesday, the day after tag deadline day.
00:09I think that thing is hot.
00:11I think that thing is on DRS.
00:14We expected some news ahead of the franchise tap window coming to a close on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m.
00:21Eastern Time, but one week away from the official start of the league year.
00:25That's next Wednesday at 4 p.m.
00:27Eastern around the NFL.
00:29Everybody in action yesterday in the National Football League.
00:33Let's start with a big trade request out of Seattle after six years.
00:38All six years of his NFL career with the Seahawks DK Metcalf wants out requesting a trade from the Hawks yesterday.
00:48Again, a second round pick way back in 2019 is spent all six years of his NFL career with Seattle.
00:56100 plus targets 900 plus receiving yards in all six seasons, but now is looking for greener pastures somewhere else.
01:06DK Metcalf wants to be on the move trying to leave Seattle.
01:10Yeah, and it looks like now the new mo which you know, the salary cap goes up every year.
01:14A lot of people have a lot of money to spend.
01:16So it's very rare that some of these really good players ever just reach true free agency.
01:20So the new free agency now is hey, I'm a great player.
01:22I'm just going to force a trade and yes compensation will be handled.
01:25Well, I'll still get my money on a new team and force my way somewhere else and teams usually will say, you know,
01:30what what's in the best interest of our team right now?
01:33Is it having DK Metcalf at 30 million dollars a year?
01:35Is it having DK Metcalf upset that he's not getting paid or is it let's move on get a first round pick and reestablish and go on
01:41the next run over the next three to four years and rebuild this franchise.
01:44But for me, this is big news around the NFL because as I just said teams have a lot of money to spend their teams like the
01:50New England Patriots picking up the phone on AJ Brown saying we are dying for a number one and other number
01:55ones hear that and say well, maybe a franchise on the come up.
01:59I'll get 15 targets a game.
02:01I'll be paid as one of the highest paid players in the NFL.
02:03You know what?
02:04Maybe the grass is greener on the other side, but for DK Metcalf, this isn't like hey an aging veteran on the move.
02:10This is a guy in his prime that will be a difference maker on a team that needs a wide receiver.
02:14He could strike gold here forcing this trade.
02:17He is in his mid 20s.
02:19He still has a lot of football left to go in Donnie.
02:23We have played front office exec around the NFL this offseason and last offseason and with that escalating salary cap
02:31always DK Metcalf signed a contract extension after his rookie deal was coming to a close with the Seahawks way back
02:38in the 2022 offseason now nearly four years ago for 24 million dollars pretty good payday at the time, but there are
02:46six wide receivers around the National Football League at this current juncture that make at least 30 million dollars
02:52per year.
02:53All six of those guys have signed set extension in the last two off seasons very similar story for the quarterback
03:00market as well.
03:01All nine QB's currently making 50 plus million dollars per year sign those new deals in the last two off seasons.
03:09That is where the inflated value of these positional groups is going.
03:14So DK Metcalf looking around the NFL being like I'm only getting 24 mil.
03:18I'm not all that happy with the direction of this Seattle team.
03:22The Seahawks might be in for a small rebuild in year.
03:25Number two under Mike McDonald DK Metcalf trying to get his way out.
03:30And again, you saw the stats from a season ago 66 grabs nearly a thousand receiving yards coming up eight yard shy
03:37and five touchdowns in all six years with Seattle at least 900 receiving yards and Donnie based on reports.
03:46There is a lot of interest around the NFL for DK Metcalf and of course a team to pay attention to that would be the
03:53Green Bay Packers, but you need to trade for DK Metcalf.
03:57So Seattle has to recoup some draft assets and then more than likely you're going to have to rework a contract extension
04:03with DK Metcalf who is coming up on the final year of his deal in 2025.
04:08That's the tough part about it because you're not just drafting the wide receiver like hey, he's fantastic.
04:13We're going to pay him a certain amount of next three years.
04:15Then probably have to negotiate you're going to pay this guy at the top of the market and give up top-level compensation,
04:20which is why you see Seattle, you know swinging for the fence.
04:23Hey, if this is going to be a trade we want a one in a three back.
04:25They're not going to get a one in a three back when you have to pay a guy 30 million dollars a year.
04:29You should have to all set it which is why we see some of these trades going like wow Debo went for a fifth or sixth round draft
04:34pick, but you have to pay the guy 21 million dollars a year.
04:36That's why if Debo made 1.2 million dollars a year Debo would have went for a first round draft pick at that point.
04:42So those are some of the things you have to have maybe common sense will prevail.
04:45Should he get a number one for DK Metcalf?
04:47Probably but you're not getting like a number one from like a top 10 pick there.
04:50You'd get the number one from a team that like the Green Bay Packers making the playoffs drafting in the 20s.
04:55That's what makes some sense, but I don't think they're getting a one and a three and DK breaking the bank at the same time.
05:00So those teams are gonna have to work some deals out.
05:02But if DK is unhappy, it's the last thing you want for a Seattle franchise.
05:05You're not supposed to be Super Bowl champions, but you want your best players in the building.
05:09But the last thing you want is, hey man, this guy's not even showing up in OTAs because he's so angry at us.
05:13That just never works out.
05:15Gino Smith brought back on an extension now two off seasons ago.
05:20Both of his top targets outside of Jackson Smith and Jigba now looking for a new home.
05:25DK Metcalf seeking a trade.
05:28Tyler Lockett after a decade in the Northwest released yesterday as well by the Seahawks.
05:34Somebody who is not going anywhere at least for the foreseeable future.
05:38That's Max Crosby in Sin City.
05:41A new regime for the Raiders led by Pete Carroll and John Spytek.
05:46Not a lot of talent on the roster.
05:48So your most talented player got to keep them in house.
05:51The Raiders do with a large payday for Max Crosby.
05:55Three-year, $106.5 million deal.
05:58That is $35.5 million annually DRS making Max Crosby now the highest paid non-QB in NFL history.
06:08Max Crosby is great.
06:09Max Crosby was probably due for an extension.
06:11Max Crosby is one of the best defensive pass rushers.
06:13That is a premium position.
06:15Nobody looks at that contract and says that's ridiculous because it's not.
06:19I just think it's ridiculous that the Raiders have paid out that contract when they were so talent depleted.
06:23And again, I just said like they need to spend money.
06:26There is a floor in the salary cap in the NFL.
06:28They have to spend up to but I don't know if the assets go the right direction because I think they should be rebuilding.
06:33So if you pay this money and say, hey, what's our production back?
06:36Let's just say Max gets 17 sacks next year.
06:38Don, that's money well spent and the Raiders still win five games.
06:42Was it money well spent or should you've gotten two first-round picks back for Max Crosby,
06:46which absolutely would be the going rate.
06:49Yeah, no doubt about it DRS.
06:50I do understand the point.
06:51I think you are trying to make him the cornerstone of this rebuild to have that stable floor and a guy that has been there for all six years in Las Vegas being that face of the franchise.
07:02Max Crosby has been that.
07:05He only played in 12 games this year in his first five years with the Raiders played in every single game.
07:11Still at seven and a half sacks this season a hundred and five tackles for loss since he joined the Raiders back in 2019 more on the early line.
07:20Next a busy day early in the NFL offseason.
07:25Now less than a week away from the official start of the league year.
07:29That is 4 p.m.
07:30Eastern Time this upcoming Wednesday DRS.
07:33Just one more point on Max Crosby a hundred and five tackles for loss since he joined the NFL his rookie campaign in 2019.
07:41That is best around the National Football League.
07:44He gets his money as does a another defensive player yesterday Zach Bond in Philadelphia a three-year 51 million dollar deal.
07:55That is 17 mil per season fourth highest paid linebacker in the NFL, which he is very deserving of after his first year.
08:03With the Eagles and AP first team all pro DRS his first true year as a starting defensive player made 16 in the regular season for Philly in 2024 had an interception during Super Bowl 59.
08:19He had only made 14 starts in his first four years in the NFL primarily a special teamer in New Orleans.
08:28So he is rewarded after a career year for the guy you called the bald Eagle is that his nickname?
08:35That's incredible.
08:36That's the bald Eagle.
08:37That is the bald Eagle.
08:38He's back in Philadelphia.
08:39My of times have changed the Eagles paying top dollar for linebackers.
08:44The Eagles paying a running back in the offseason top dollar then giving him the most top dollars that you can get.
08:51I don't know what's going on with Howie Roseman.
08:53How we afford you to gets it done.
08:54But Zach one absolutely needed to be back because understand this there's the thought process.
08:59Oh, they found Zach Paul and he can leave they'll find somebody else again.
09:03But when you find somebody turns out to be the best middle linebacker in football.
09:06Do you just pass it along?
09:07We say no like this guy means a lot to our locker room is a big deal of why we have the best defense in football and Vic Fangio absolutely loves him being the quarterback of the defense.
09:16It made too much sense and also credit this from the Eagles and bonds perspective.
09:20They probably did a lot of work at the combine figuring out what that structure was.
09:23But the last thing you want to do is say, hey kid, go test the free agent market and come back to us because you never know what that price point actually might turn out to be.
09:32I think they were both happy with this deal and Zach one back in Philadelphia is a big deal to that defense moving forward.
09:39You might be asking how can the Eagles do this?
09:42They are paying everybody.
09:44They don't have the cap space.
09:45They don't have the funds to also pay the defensive side of the football.
09:50I'm not sure.
09:50I have an answer but somehow some way it is working out with the financial backing of owner.
09:55Jeffrey Lurie in the financial wizardry of Howie Roseman the Chargers cutting Joey Bosa who has been a part of this Bolts organization for nine seasons third overall pick by the San Diego Chargers back in the 2016 NFL draft has spent nine years with the Bolts was a five-time pro bowler, including this past season.
10:1914 games played this year DRS only 14 the two years prior, but the former AP defensive rookie of the year back in 2016 after nine years with the Chargers looking for a new home.
10:35Yeah, he's going to get a pretty good payday too.
10:36Because as you said, you know banged up with the injuries, but when he is on the field, he is a difference maker at a premium position.
10:42And if he does head up North, look is that new slogan for the 49ers make the 49ers great again could be he could add to that team.
10:49And he could do it.
10:50He could how long you've been waiting on that wave since the since the opening.
10:54I was like, when can I bust that one out where I know Ben will get a kick out of that.
10:57So I thought that was the perfect time.
10:58We don't want to waste it.
10:59And again with no audio.
11:00We waited for audio.
11:01Now, we're back in business.
11:03You would certainly think that Nick and Joey Bosa would be doing that together and having a lot of fun.
11:09The San Francisco 49ers are apparently a frontrunner to add Joey Bosa the brother of Nick.
11:16We talked about Tyler Lockett being released by the Seattle Seahawks after a decade in Seattle AP first team all pro his rookie season.
11:25Now 10 years ago with the Seahawks still very productive.
11:28Although not really the lead guy Jackson Smith and Jigba now looking around the wide receiver room like where are all my friends?
11:37By the way, he wait.
11:38He felt like he was the guy though.
11:39Ben in the second half of the season as the true number one on the team.
11:42That's who they like to go to.
11:43But by the way, if anybody doesn't know and they should know like Tyler Lockett 10 years.
11:47There was a time in the NFL where you couldn't cover that guy when Russell Wilson was the quarterback.
11:52So this guy's put in a lot of work.
11:54He'll be a good veteran on another team, but big shake up on one of the better wide receiving cores in the NFL.
11:59No doubt about it.
12:00The Seahawks clearing house except for JSN and after seven years all in Cincinnati Sam Hubbard retiring from football.
12:09The Cincinnati kid a Cincy native who played his college ball in the state in Columbus at Ohio State calls it a career after seven seasons.
12:18Kid probably played all throughout his life.
12:20That's four years in high school.
12:21That's four years in college and seven in the NFL's like, oh, it's only 29.
12:24That's a lot of football, man.
12:26Come on football.
12:27Lot of football.
12:28The Cowboys converting some of Dak Prescott's base salary to a signing bonus freeing up in the past 48 hours more than $56 million.
12:39The Cowboys big spenders.
12:41We'll see.
12:42We were expecting our first guest of the day being Mark Zinnow.
12:46We believe he is here, but experiencing technical difficulties at this moment.
12:51So we hope we hope he can join us very very shortly.
12:57I believe Mark is here.
12:59I actually have no idea now becomes reality DRS when the bit becomes ice cream on me.
13:07You know, man, that is always professional and very on time.
13:11Thanks for joining us here on this Thursday on the early line.
13:14Always great to be with you guys.
13:15As long as I keep you guessing on your toes and just keep the left good throughout this program.
13:20That's what I'm here for each and every week reliability.
13:23Mark availability the best abilities out there my friend and don't you ever forget it.
13:28We will start with a football focus early in the offseason around the National Football League.
13:34We'll talk some college basketball with Mark Zinnow as well as we are now in the month of March.
13:41I've got an idea.
13:42I've got a good joke.
13:43I'll share with you guys at the break.
13:45Anyway, let's start with the quarterback market Mark in terms of NFL free agency.
13:52Not many quarterbacks that are all that robust in this free aging class.
13:57But of course, we'll start with one that is always very notable after being released by the New York Jets over a week ago.
14:04Aaron Rodgers has his football future ahead at the end of 20 years in the NFL at the age of 41.
14:12Does he still want to play football?
14:14All indications are yes Mark.
14:16So then the question for you is what are some possible landing spots for Rodgers?
14:22Would it be crazy if he did the same thing Brett Favre did and ended up in Minnesota for a year?
14:26I mean in reality AJ McCarthy is still probably not anywhere closer to playing professional football than he was at this point in time.
14:34Last year given the injury that he had so sure you could sit there and watch and learn and everything else.
14:39But he hadn't had a year's full of practice and reps and everything else, but you're also going to a team in Minnesota.
14:44That's got a lot of offensive weapons.
14:46That's got some stability at the coaching position.
14:48And oh, by the way for Brett for Aaron Rodgers rather who may have a little level of pettiness in him.
14:53Wouldn't you love to go back and stick it to the Packers within his own division?
14:57I mean, he's probably only got one more year left in this thing.
14:59There's a world where I could see him ending up in Minnesota because clearly if Minnesota was committed to
15:04Sam Darnold at this point, they would have done a deal with him.
15:08Like I don't think they've closed the door completely, but they've also turned around and said,
15:12look if somebody else wants to pay him top dollar, we're just not going to go there.
15:15They didn't go there with Kirk Cousins again the second time.
15:17There was no reason to go there again with Sam Darnold who has a much less proven track record.
15:21So the Vikings have an open door here.
15:24I think that they would evaluate Rodgers look at him and for the most part again, given everything that Minnesota has
15:30and the scheme that they run Rodgers could be pretty successful there.
15:34When you take a look also with Aaron Rodgers, like the baggage comes with him.
15:38We thought it was going to work out in New York.
15:40It was dramatically bad.
15:41And obviously the first year there in New York wasn't his fault gets injured a couple plays into the season.
15:45Second year actually puts up decent statistics, but the team didn't rally around him.
15:50So moving on.
15:50Let's just say Marquis picks his new team contract expectations.
15:54He's made more money than just about every other NFL player in the history of the sport.
15:57Is this one where he goes?
15:59I want to prove you wrong one year five million or does he go?
16:02Sure.
16:02I'll play for you, but let's roll out the carpet with 40 plus million dollars a year, which is what my expectations are.
16:10I mean, I don't think you have to pay him as low as 5 million, but if you gave him 20, which is very low for any
16:17starting quarterback in this league.
16:19I mean, there are backups making 10 for crying out loud.
16:21So if you went in there at 18 to 20 million for a one-year deal, I don't think Rodgers would turn it down.
16:26I listen for all of Aaron Rodgers flaws.
16:29I don't think he's stupid.
16:30I don't think he's not aware of where he is at this point in his playing career.
16:33I think he understands what he is and where he is and and what he's going to be worth.
16:37So it will be a show a one-year show me deal but at the rate of around, you know, 18 to 20 million.
16:43I don't think he would ever take less than that.
16:45There would be no reason for him to I mean, there's no reason to take backup money unless he's actually going to be a
16:50backup, but I don't think that's going to be a scenario.
16:52Yeah, we'll see exactly what Aaron Rodgers decides.
16:55We'll see his investment into football.
16:57There is still the potential of a retirement.
17:00You never know exactly what Rodgers will do in this offseason some potential suitors out there.
17:05My biggest question does he want to be in a quarterback battle?
17:09Is he going to be able to be named the number one based on the level of play?
17:13We have seen out of Rodgers the last season plus even his final year in Green Bay in 2022.
17:19Let's talk about Minnesota.
17:21You mentioned that as a potential landing spot for Aaron Rodgers.
17:24Sam Darnold was the guy there this past year, but the face of the franchise moving forward is
17:29certainly JJ McCarthy.
17:31Sam Darnold was not placed under the franchise tags, you know by the Vikings earlier this week,
17:36meaning he is fully a free agent.
17:40We can talk about how much in just a moment.
17:42First question is where where do you believe Sam Darnold is playing his NFL football in 2025?
17:49Whoever the last person is without a chair is where Sam Darnold will end up.
17:54I mean, I just think everybody understands that the final two games that we saw the most important
18:01two games that we saw from Sam Darnold was the Jets version of Sam Darnold who showed up
18:06and that should scare the hell out of any GM who's looking to put him on to some sort of deal here.
18:12And again, I don't think if you're signing Sam Darnold, it's for more than two years.
18:15Anyway, like at this point, there's no reason there's no not enough track record to believe
18:20that his investment is going to be worthwhile.
18:23Like that's just the reality.
18:24And again, you can take that as a knock on Sam Darnold, but there's a lot more proof of bad
18:28throughout his career than there is the 16 games of good that he gave you in a Vikings uniform.
18:34So and look the Vikings are kind of wise.
18:37Didn't they live that existence already with Case Keenum for one year
18:40where they had a fantastic year and then all of a sudden they said, you know what?
18:42Hey, we're not going to go in this direction again.
18:45So I would trust the Vikings judgment here on this one.
18:48I don't know where he plays.
18:49I think genuinely whoever is left without a seat at the table when the music stops is
18:54going to turn to Sam Darnold to go.
18:55Here's a two-year deal.
18:56Come play quarterback for us kind of deal.
18:59Here's the interesting thing too about Darnold is it's not as if like with the arguments
19:02were like, well, how can you get Stafford's 37 years old going to be 38 years old?
19:06How's that actually going to play out?
19:07Like he's still in his prime and played good football last year until those final two games
19:12mark as I always said, imagine if he would have beat Detroit or won a playoff game.
19:16There's a real argument that Minnesota is getting rid of JJ McCarthy,
19:19but due to those two games, which were the biggest games, it's not there.
19:22Oakland makes a little bit of sense to me.
19:24But is there a contender?
19:25When I say contender, obviously, I don't mean like the Philadelphia Eagles or the Kansas
19:29City Chiefs.
19:29Who could you see him fitting on that football team giving them a chance to say, okay, we
19:34might not be a playoff team now, but if we get Darnold playing good football, we can
19:37be that playoff team and where he fits in.
19:41I mean,
19:44I don't it's tough to say like New Orleans comes to mind a little bit like if they're
19:48willing to move off off their car.
19:51Could Indianapolis work out if they're not a hundred percent sold on Anthony Richardson?
19:56Like does that feel like a laugh?
19:58If I'm the Raiders, I don't want to go in that direction.
20:00I want some semblance of stability going forward.
20:02I don't think that's exactly what they're looking for, you know, I mean again, it's
20:06like you look around the landscape of teams that are there.
20:10It's really hard.
20:11If I mean could Cleveland go in the same direction if they could afford to make it
20:15work given the amount of you know, money.
20:17They'll have a tied up in Deshaun Watson.
20:19All these questions are out there again.
20:21I think whatever it boils down to he's going to be at the back of the line when it
20:26comes to addressing the quarterback position.
20:28I don't think anybody's rushing to the front to go get him.
20:31So I don't know exactly if I agree with that because I do believe Sam Darnold does
20:35not elevate a ceiling of a franchise, but I do believe there will be teams that go
20:39out there and pay for him.
20:41The Las Vegas Raiders would certainly go ahead.
20:44I was going to say there's one more.
20:45It kind of makes sense, right?
20:46Like here's the thing.
20:48If the Tennessee Titans were going to either draft a quarterback or even forego
20:52it and go take Abdul Carter.
20:54Would it make sense to bring Sam Darnold in and bring some stability?
20:57Yeah, I think that's a situation that could work for a year or two until they
21:01figure out exactly what they want to do because look matter what quarterback
21:04they draft.
21:05It doesn't matter who they draft.
21:06Guess what?
21:06I can tell you Tennessee's not going to playoffs next year.
21:08So whatever they do for this draft and whatever they do this year is not going
21:12to have any net outcome being one step closer to being in the playoffs.
21:15They still are.
21:15They're still two or three years away.
21:18Yeah, there's no doubt about it.
21:19I still think the Titans will look to draft a quarterback with that number
21:22one overall pick if they do not and they trade out then Sam Darnold becomes
21:27a part of it, but we'll know very quickly if Tennessee makes a move on
21:30Darnold what their plans are for the first overall pick is that legal tampering
21:34window does begin on Monday after noon.
21:38Sam Darnold's not going to make a mediocre team a playoff contender a
21:42playoff team into a conference championship frontrunner.
21:45Can he provide a stable footing for a team that needs it like the Raiders?
21:49Perhaps.
21:50Can he be that guy in Indianapolis to challenge Anthony Richardson?
21:54Perhaps that we shall see.