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00:00Live right here on the early line on Sports Grid and all across the Spiz Grizz Network.
00:05He is Donnie, I am Ben. Hand up, my apologies. Sometimes DRS, we all make mistakes. There was
00:12a headline in our 7 in 7 headlines that I was just too infatuated with Will Wade and what he had done
00:19at McNeese that I skipped over. Demarcus Lawrence, spending all 11 of his seasons previously in
00:27Dallas with the Cowboys, a four-time Pro Bowler but only playing four games in 2024, has now
00:34signed in Seattle a three-year deal up to $42 million. Great work by the guys behind the scenes
00:41to make sure that you see that there and the great graphic work is actually appreciated.
00:47Yeah and I guess Demarcus Lawrence was part of that three-team trade that we missed out on so
00:51he goes up to Seattle here and see if they can rebuild that defensive line at that point. Solid
00:56football player and you're saying like what's going on with the Dallas Cowboys but when you
00:59have to pay your other outside linebacker like $75 million a year you really can't sign too
01:03many people and you're going to lose some guys. Yeah you certainly are. Only four games for
01:08Lawrence in 2024. Busy day for the Dallas Cowboys. Not a three-team trade but two team or two trades
01:15with two separate teams. All right well 7 in 7 is a thing of the past now. Let's talk about other
01:22news around the NFL as the official league year began yesterday afternoon at 4 p.m eastern time.
01:29Donnie still in the quarterback carousel. A lot to be figured out. Teams that still need to address
01:34that QB conversation and question this offseason and a couple of very big names at least still by
01:40brand name power available on the open market. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Let's start
01:46with Russell Wilson who is planning on meeting with both the Cleveland Browns and the New York
01:52Giants. Donnie I'll ask you a question like this. Do you believe Russ ends up in either of these two
01:58franchises? Yeah well where else is he going to go to be honest. Like Russell Wilson doesn't appear to
02:02me it's like okay I'm at the stage of my career which he should be. I'm just going to be a backup
02:06quarterback. I can play another six seven years. I'll be a good locker room guy and move forward.
02:09He probably still thinks he can start and most people that have achieved the highest level of
02:13success in their sport are always going to think they can achieve another high level here by being
02:18a starter. If you look at the Cleveland Browns there's probably a starting job up in the air
02:21which would be enticing. If you look at the New York Giants there's probably a starting level job
02:25that would be enticing to him. Why? Because it gives you a chance to start. There's not many
02:28opportunities out there in the NFL for Russell Wilson to actually go into training camp and have
02:33a legitimate chance to start. Now starting is one thing and performing well in the field is another.
02:38The Giants are a mess on offense which includes that offensive line. Not a great look. The
02:42Cleveland Browns playing one of the toughest divisions in football in a cold weather city
02:47where sometimes in Cleveland it's tough to throw the football and oh yeah. You ever see the windy
02:51conditions late October, November, December in the Meadowlands? Not a great look for Russell Wilson
02:56but if there's starting opportunities out there he's going to take it. I don't care if he signs
03:00with the Giants or Cleveland. It doesn't move the radar. It doesn't move anything in my direction for
03:05oh solid move by that franchise. Nothing gets me with Russ anymore. Yeah I agree DRS. The production
03:11for Russell Wilson even if at times the stats look okay this is not the same quarterback of
03:17course that we saw for a decade in the Pacific Northwest and sometimes that happens but I think
03:23it is really fascinating when you look at the quarterback teams out there and a couple of these
03:28teams that we identified early in the offseason that had to address that quarterback conversation.
03:33We highlighted seven really when you think about teams that could address it through the NFL draft
03:38like the Titans and the Browns at the top of the board. One and two maybe even the New York Giants
03:44who select third overall. The Raiders have already made their deal for Geno Smith. The Seahawks were
03:50not a team initially we thought had to make a quarterback change. They do. They bring in Sam
03:56Darnold. The Steelers certainly in that fold. The Giants remain right there. It is really interesting
04:02Donnie to see where these pieces are going to go and I think the Giants are kind of waiting with
04:08bated breath to see what the Cleveland Browns end up doing. If the Browns bring in Russ and the
04:14Browns have already acquired Kenny Pickett to me that is a clear indication they are not in love
04:19with a quarterback at the top of the market. They believe Cam Ward is going first overall. Whoever
04:25ends up making that selection and Shador Sanders could be on a slide. Does that mean the Giants
04:31would be there welcoming Shador to New York with the third overall pick? Would he move past that?
04:37I think that is the really fascinating thing to follow with the quarterback still on the open
04:41market and much to be determined this offseason. And also like are these quarterbacks going to
04:46agree to like a contract that goes all right we'll sign you now but we don't have any guarantees for
04:52you until after the draft because if we decide to get a quarterback there's no need to have Aaron
04:56Rogers on the New York Giants if you draft Shador Sanders. You're just going to put Shador in there
04:59and the same thing for the Cleveland Browns. Why would you get Kenny Pickett and Russell Wilson
05:03have Deshaun Watson on the roster and then get let's just say Shador Sanders. That's what makes
05:07it interesting and I don't think either one of these teams particularly will be in a hurry.
05:10Now as a quarterback of your ilk of Russell Wilson hey I'd like to know what I'm doing and before May
05:15let's just say at this point and the same thing with Aaron Rogers. I don't think the Pittsburgh
05:19Steelers are in a mode of we're going to draft our quarterback this year so the veteran probably
05:23let's just say Aaron Rogers goes to the Steelers makes more sense than Russell Wilson going to let
05:27you say Cleveland or New York because the point of having Russ is that your bridge quarterback where
05:32you draft the guy in the top three and like hey sit behind Russ. I don't agree with that one bit
05:37at all. You might as well let the quarterback go out there and get learned by baptism by fire. So
05:41there's some interesting options for these quarterbacks but I'm not interested these
05:45teams are right now hurrying up and making Russell Wilson a part of the team. And I think you're spot
05:50on DRS. He does not move the needle anymore. If he goes to the Giants he might have a win total
05:56of five and a half. Does that preseason win total jump to six and a half? No. Does he lead them to
06:01seven wins? Still probably not. And the question of course for the G-men are Joe Shane and Brian
06:07Dayball afforded the opportunity to wait it out a year? The answer to that is probably a resounding
06:13no. League year became official yesterday at 4 p.m. Eastern time. So some moves becoming official
06:19as well. As we well knew the release of Aaron Rogers by the New York Jets and the Rams releasing
06:25Cooper Cup because no trade was available. That's the intriguing thing DRS. They couldn't find a
06:32market in a trade even getting a sixth or seventh round pick in return for Cup on his current
06:37contract. But now that he is an open market free agent and you can sign him at a discount I do
06:44believe Cooper Cup still is a desirable option. Let's see too because you know when you take a
06:49look at intriguing options if you tell me I'm getting the real Cooper Cup I mean it is going
06:52to be sensational. But how about a team like Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins that go hey look
06:56I've been around Cooper Cup from that Sean McVay tree. We can slide you right into two dominant
07:00wide receivers get you at a nice discount price. Something they tried with Odell Beckham and
07:03multiple receivers that just haven't worked out in that slot for the Miami Dolphins. There are
07:07options we'll see where he goes. Yeah we will and there are a couple of teams that could use somebody
07:12maybe not as a number one wide out but just to bolster that wide receiver room. The other maneuvers
07:18around the NFL up next. DRS right before the break we were talking about the Rams release of
07:23Cooper Cup. 32 years old has spent the entirety of his NFL career out of eastern Washington
07:29in Los Angeles. Had one of the great wide receiver seasons we have ever seen back in 2021. A triple
07:36crown Cooper Cup season leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, flirting with Calvin
07:42Johnson's record, and receiving touchdowns. He was also Super Bowl MVP in the Rams victory over
07:50the Cincinnati Bengals but the last few years have been marred by injury and a drop in production.
07:56When you look at Cooper Cup as maybe one of the five or ten best wide receivers in the NFL maybe
08:01that narrative has passed him by but I still believe he can be productive. You referenced a
08:07couple of teams where you think Cooper Cup would make some sense. Who are those clubs around the
08:11NFL? Yeah for me Miami probably makes the most sense at that point just because you have that
08:16connect of you know Sean McVay offense, Sean McVay disciple. Let's just see what he can do and
08:21also no pressure added. You have Tyreek Hill on one side, you have Waddle on the other. He can
08:25fill in and be like you know what maybe I'm not the wide receiver that I used to be but I used to
08:29also see double teams repeatedly. I'm getting no double teams at this point right now. Probably
08:32getting your third best corner because you have to worry about some other wide receivers on the
08:36opposite side. Of course the Dallas Cowboys are always going excuse me always going to pop up
08:41into that picture but the question for me is like we watch this and so many times on the pro
08:45football today desk where we would watch those prime time games like I don't get it. Like yes
08:48we understand Pukanukuwa is awesome but there's one thing where I'm getting eight targets a game,
08:54nine targets a game and just can't connect. I'm only catching three or four passes. There were
08:57some times where Cooper Cup wasn't even get targeted during an entire football game in a
09:02closed game. That's what I worry about the most because it is a buyer beware where typically when
09:06a top flight wide receiver like a DK Metcalf hits the market there is a bidding war. There are teams
09:11making phone calls please what's it going to take to get this guy and Cooper Cup's like hey you know
09:16what he's up for trade and nobody came calling and the Rams like ah guess we have to eat some
09:21dead money on the salary cap and just let him be a free agent at this point because other teams talk
09:25general managers talk. There's a reason why Cooper Cup wasn't getting the ball was because Matthew
09:30Stafford didn't like Cooper Cup anymore or he said something about Matthew Stafford's wife.
09:34That wasn't it he just wasn't getting targeted because either a he's lost two full steps or he's
09:39just injured to the point where I'm lucky to be out here playing let's just keep that quiet.
09:44And Donnie it does make sense the Rams had to part ways with Cooper Cup and were unable to
09:49trade him. When you are trying to trade a guy that team that you were trading for has to send
09:54you draft capital something of the sort in exchange for a cup and then take on whatever money is still
10:00outstanding on that current contract. When the Rams have to eat the dead cap hit release him you
10:06can now sign Cooper Cup as a free agent for a discounted veteran minimum whatever that turns out
10:12to be. The favorite to land Cooper Cup thanks to our Canadian friends at the FanDuel Sportsbook
10:17the Denver Broncos at plus 410. The Broncos active yesterday signing Evan Ingram who was released by
10:24the Jags the two-time Pro Bowl tight end a two-year 23 million dollar deal. We'll talk and we have
10:31already about Demarcus Lawrence a three-year up to 42 million dollar deal in the Pacific Northwest
10:37with Seattle. Mike Williams finds his way back to LA after the Chargers released him an offseason ago.
10:45Dalvin Tomlinson makes his way to Arizona. Darius Slay on the Pittsburgh Steelers and then Donnie
10:52maybe that second name worth a conversation as well. Mack Jones yes Mack Jones going to the Kyle
10:59Shanahan School of Reserve quarterback revival and will provide that veteran guidance perhaps
11:05in the quarterback room for Brock Purdy two-year seven million dollar deal. You take a look at some
11:11of the teams of the most talented in the NFL and typically you would think of the San Francisco
11:1549ers and that elk even the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles and you notice like what's
11:19going on in free agency maybe it's not this year but could be next year like talking about the
11:23Philadelphia Eagles re-uptime for you know Quinion Mitchell on the outside or a Cooper Dejean or
11:28Jalen Carter is going to absolutely ring cash registers is why the Eagles say we're talented
11:33we just can't spend money crazy because of the future. The reason I bring that up is look at the
11:3749ers who have had one of the most talented rosters in the NFL over the past two to three seasons.
11:41They are quiet and players are leaving why because they can't figure out what they have to pay their
11:46quarterback here same thing with the Dallas Cowboys Micah Parsons is up on deck usually you
11:50want these things taken care before you get the free agency but now they're in that limbo period
11:54you see them signing Mac Jones they're a veteran quarterback just in case things don't go in their
11:59direction but I'll tell you what's interesting most teams that really want their quarterback
12:03the one is only prolonged one that we probably saw was Lamar Jackson where these two teams
12:07couldn't get on the same page and basically said hurry up somebody signed Jalen Hurts signs they
12:12go good we'll just give a little bit more than Jalen Hurts and we'll figure it out Brock Purdy's
12:15in that anomaly where I think people be like okay you got 30 million that makes sense oh we got 60
12:20million dollars that makes sense which I think the 49ers and that agency that are going back and
12:24forth they can't find that middle ground you know who that hurts the team itself you can't sign
12:28anybody until you know that quarterback's number it's a good point DRS it is very very sound more
12:34on the early line come to weigh up now welcome to our number two of the early line live right here
12:41on this Thursday he is Donny Rightside I am Ben Stevens in this second hour a lot to break down
12:48the NFL league year officially underway as of 4 p.m eastern time yesterday we have already seen
12:55a flurry of moves during the free agency frenzy blockbuster deals trades that have happened in
13:01contract extensions now it's time to make sense of it all in our favorite game NFL buy or sell
13:08we will continue to set the stage for a huge Thursday as conference tournament week rolls on
13:14where at some of the high major leagues and their conference tournaments looking at UACC Big East
13:20and Big 12 the top teams in the tournament bracket get underway in the madness as well now in the
13:27postseason huge second hour DRS huge Thursday here on TEL yeah big Thursday all the way through as
13:34we said again 11 a.m start time here for some college basketball action rolls all the way
13:38through to 11 o'clock at night so you know you're going to be rolling into the early hours if you
13:42want to stay up and watch it all teams fighting for their lives win or go home nothing better
13:48than that what it was like say hey the two best words are game seven well the two best words are
13:52you lose you go home I don't care how many words that actually ends up to be at that point Ben
13:56how about that yes yeah I mean hey come on now DRS let's get things going here with NFL buy or sell
14:02to start off this second hour some intriguing questions for some of the big moves that we have
14:08seen and some that we expect to see sometime shortly around the national football league
14:14of course the quarterback carousel is continuing to spin with two big names still out there on the
14:21open market but big names maybe in only name and brand power alone maybe not so much in terms of
14:29how they continue to play in the national football league that would be Aaron Rodgers
14:34and Russell Wilson since 2022 Rodgers final year in Green Bay Russ his first year in Denver here
14:43is their overall record in the playoff appearances Russell Wilson made one playoff appearance for the
14:48Pittsburgh Steelers this past season but of course things did not work out very well for the Steelers
14:54down the home stretch or in to that playoff run so that's the stats as you can see a lot of
15:00expectation still on both of these quarterbacks Donny but here is the buy or sell question we
15:06won't see Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson start a playoff game ever again let's buy it why name
15:15the teams that these two quarterbacks play for right now y'all wait nobody right now so right
15:19now the advantage is in our corner now having said that where the opportunity is going to come
15:24from for Aaron Rodgers it looks like the best opportunity is probably going to be with the
15:28Pittsburgh Steelers quality organization used to being over 500 maybe just need a quarterback and
15:34a better version of themselves from what they were last year lightning in a bottle Aaron Rodgers can
15:38get them to the playoffs if he's healthy and play in a playoff game but also understand this that's
15:43no easy ride here you saw what Aaron Rodgers was the past two years they'd have a better season
15:48last year than the year before yeah he was injured of course he did but also the same problems still
15:53add up can't get out of the way of the pass rush here a guy that's in the locker room that seemingly
15:57at most times is only out for himself so again we saw Aaron Rodgers walking around on a beach
16:04in like a sherpa costume saying you know what headphones in I don't know what I'm contemplating
16:09is it jeopardy for me is it retirement is it a new football team neither one of these guys are on a
16:13team for reasons Ben right now that we know they're not as good as they once were so if we just
16:19look at Aaron Rodgers he's the best chance to start a playoff game if it's with the Pittsburgh
16:24Steelers but what happens if he winds up with the Giants they're not going to the playoffs what
16:28happens if he winds up let's just say in Minnesota to play what six-rate games and then let J.J.
16:32McCarthy come in behind him I don't think that's going to happen in Russell Wilson if we're talking
16:36about Cleveland and the New York Giants he has zero chance to get a team to the playoffs you
16:41unless you have to be supplanted was like hey you know what we didn't see Russ Wilson starting
16:45quarterback and now week 11 the Eagles are 10 and 1 and oh no the quarterback goes down with
16:50Jalen Hurts we just need somewhat of a veteran guy to steer that ship to get to the playoffs
16:55and that's how he starts you see how we're acting on this year I don't think either one of these
16:59guys is going to start a playoff game in the NFL next year and neither one of these guys Ben again
17:04or even on a football team right now get out of town with them getting into playoffs either one of
17:09them so I would mostly agree with DRS if I could do something like you see like shop to pay where
17:15you can pay in multiple payments I'd probably pay three or four of my five necessary payments and
17:22then maybe just hold off the final one and probably cash that check in just a little bit
17:27the only reason I would hold off slightly from being a 100% buy of this question is if Aaron
17:34Rogers ends up in Pittsburgh again I don't think it's smart for the Steelers by no means do I think
17:40it guarantees the Steelers based on their quarterback addition are going to be a playoff
17:45team but we saw Russ in Justin Fields still play quarterback for a Steelers team that made the
17:51postseason we saw Mason Rudolph start a playoff game for Pittsburgh something about this Steelers
17:58organization under Mike Tomlin with terrible quarterback play the last half decade has still
18:04found their way into the postseason four of the past five years the Steelers have been a playoff
18:11team is Aaron Rogers the guy to lead them there again Donnie I'm not saying that's the case but
18:16basically you could insert x quarterback in the Steelers are going to find their way to nine wins
18:22and somehow some way contending for a wild card spot come December that would be the only reason
18:29I hold off on a full buy of this question by no means do I think either of these quarterbacks
18:35at this stage of their career are the reason a team gets to the playoffs ultimately I do not
18:41believe Aaron Rogers or Russell Wilson will end up with the Steelers although we'll see what
18:46Pittsburgh has to do and the potential teams out there as DRS alluded to in large part either
18:53they're not going to be the starter by the end of the year even if that team is flirting with a
18:58playoff spot or they're just going to be the backup all along or they're going to start all 17 games
19:04for a team that wins five games however you feel about it I'm like a 95% buy on that question
19:11the five percent selling the notion would be if Aaron Rogers goes to the successful franchise that
19:17is the Steelers and they find their way once again into the playoffs yeah the Steelers is the only
19:22shot here and if Aaron Rogers goes there I'm saying it's a pretty good fit for those two but
19:26also understand this like we say okay DK Metcalf comes to town George Pickens on one side Fryer
19:31with the tight end you get Jalen Warren you get Kenny Gainwell in the backfield you have the
19:34semblance of a good offense and we always know that defense is going to come to play
19:38barring disastrous health issues that probably would be a playoff team but understand this too
19:43the Pittsburgh Steelers are run directly through Mike Tomlin and Mike Tomlin only you are not
19:47getting a quarterback in there that's taught to manage the system and the situation Aaron Rogers
19:52is this is my offense like I'm going to audible whenever I want and I'm going to throw the football
19:57all over the place and force it into DK Metcalf and or George Pickens which could be something
20:02good but every time we see an Arthur Smith offense and also you know what Canada before him
20:07Mike Tomlin basically puts that governor and says I'm going to throttle this offense down
20:11because we're built on running the football not turning it over playing good defense and we'll
20:15see what happens in a close game in the fourth quarter that's not what Aaron Rogers does he
20:19wants to win the first quarter and second quarter and third quarter by throwing the football which
20:24is against what the Steelers do so the explanation I'm playing out is we think it's a pretty good fit
20:28on the offense but what's going to actually happen in game because Aaron Rogers is that the type of
20:34like okay I just want to hang on if you need me to throw 15 times I will he thinks he can play and
20:39has weapons to do it and if he's constantly handing the football off when does that override button
20:43come from Aaron Rogers in the middle of the football game that really gets under Mike Tomlin's
20:48skin that's the thing I worry about in Pittsburgh with Rogers and Tomlin and Donnie he played all
20:5317 games last year for the New York Jets the numbers were not awful by any means but when
20:59you compare them to the Aaron Rogers of old they were not the best of his 18 full years as a
21:06starting quarterback in the National Football League by any means and still whatever those
21:12numbers were the results were the same a five-win Jets team that missed the postseason for a 14th
21:19consecutive year or on the early lineup next we continue our NFL Buy Yourself segment early here
21:26in this offseason but as the NFL offseason has officially picked up into the new league year
21:32as of yesterday afternoon Donnie we talked about the San Francisco 49ers in our opening hour
21:38a small move yesterday but notable Mac Jones two-year seven million dollar deal to provide
21:45that veteran guidance if you will in the 49ers quarterback room the last two off seasons though
21:51for Sam Fran things have been a little bit uneasy perhaps even unstable notable 49ers departures
21:58already this offseason Debo Samuel traded to the Washington Commanders Telenoa Hufanga one of the
22:05leaders defensively for Sam Fran the last two to three years leaves as well Drake Greenlaw signs
22:11with the Denver Broncos Jayvon Hargrave makes his way elsewhere as well Aaron Banks one of the top
22:18interior o-linemen in the free agency market signs a big deal in Green Bay they also lost
22:24Charverius Ward Kyle Juszczyk Eliza Mitchell Elijah Mitchell Leonard Floyd as well a lot of notable
22:32names for this San Francisco team that have made this 49ers team the successful one we have seen
22:39the last few years four of the previous five NFC championship games prior to 2024 are now no longer
22:47in Northern California so Donnie the by herself question to you the San Francisco 49ers are not
22:54Super Bowl contenders I'm gonna buy that right now because if you're just asking based on the
22:58moves that were to be made and what you anticipate is going to happen they lost a lot because the one
23:04thing you can always factor in as I said before the 49ers were so talented and they have a great
23:09head coach maybe not in the biggest moments but on a day-to-day basis when you're looking to just get
23:14your team in line and calling the right plays Kyle Shannon is one of the best to do it out there
23:18and he always had talent and particularly on defense if he needed a bailout an unbelievable
23:23defensive line one of the best linebacking cores in football and an athletic and average athletic
23:29secondary that was above average in taking the football away you look at that secondary now and
23:34you scratch your head and be like there's some pieces there you look at the wide the you know
23:38linebacking core and say well Fred Warner's one of the best in the business but no longer the core
23:42itself is elite as a whole and the defensive line who both is a fantastic defensive end but now you
23:48look at the rest of the defensive line you say oh you used to have good defensive tackles other
23:53good defensive ends that's not there now the offense should still be good they lose Debo
23:57Samuel but you're also now saying okay Brandon I let's just snap out of it from a torn ACL and be
24:02the great wide receiver we know he can be and Juwan Jennings who did take a step up is he going to be
24:07that next guy can he continue to excel in a position where he wasn't supposed to excel last
24:12year but now being in the spotlight some people perform a little bit differently in that spot
24:16Ricky Pearsall who had an inauspicious start to the season last year because he got shot did play
24:20well down the stretch but you're still asking a lot out of him and then Brock Purdy not even signed
24:25yet so where does that leave everybody up in the air with some of the team leaders here and the
24:29question comes back to are they Super Bowl contenders usually you start with the division
24:34itself if you are not the best team at least perceived for me to be the best team in your
24:38division are you really a Super Bowl contender now again there are extenuating circumstances
24:43well Donny you know if you take a look at the AFC North does that mean like you know you have two
24:46teams that could be good with the you know let's say the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore
24:50Ravens or you see well yeah there are extenuating circumstances but for me I'm not excited about
24:55this team we're not adding on right now so right now as we sit on the date of March the 13th no
25:02they're not a Super Bowl contender for me Ben and Donny I think the context is important we saw
25:07three NFC North teams get to the postseason a year ago just because you're not a front runner
25:12in your division doesn't mean your postseason outlook will be hampered so I hear that point
25:17completely but we're not talking about the 49ers as a potential wild card team as a sneaky team
25:23that might get the double digit wins certainly not based on the success that San Francisco
25:28has had under Kyle Shanahan again the standard is NFC championship birth at bare minimum four
25:34times in the previous six seasons two Super Bowl bids in that time coming up short against Kansas
25:40City as well we give the Cowboys a lot of flack for not getting back to a Super Bowl let alone an
25:47NFC championship game since their most recent Lombardi in 1995 who was that other superpower
25:53in the NFC 80s and 90s San Francisco they haven't won a Lombardi trophy since their last one in 1994
26:02they have been there three times I believe they have played in eight conference championship
26:08games so the opportunity has been there but at the end of the day they haven't come through and
26:13that is our question about San Francisco right now not going over a win total of eight and a half
26:19a Super Bowl contender they have the sixth best price to win Super Bowl 60 this upcoming season
26:26and Donnie as of this morning conference odds now available on the fan dual sport sports books
26:32excuse me the 49ers third best price to win that conference crown in the NFC at plus 650
26:39behind the short favorites in Philadelphia three to one price in Detroit sandwiched in between
26:44at plus 480 the odds makers are still infatuated with San Francisco as they were last year even for
26:52a struggling six win football team often booked as a favorite as they certainly were in 2022 or
26:592023 rather booked as a favorite in every single game the odds makers still see San Francisco as
27:06a Super Bowl contender but I'm selling that notion now and you should be selling that notion at this
27:11point so I'm just getting a quick look here at the offense that we're expected I was looking at
27:16George Kittle by the way looking for a new renegotiated contract free agent slash is that
27:21what we're looking at there I don't have it in front of me here on my notes because I do think
27:24he's still listed as on the football team itself but I don't know if he was looking for a new deal
27:28or a free agency I don't think he's a free agent at this point but let's just say George Kittle is
27:32back George Kittle yeah yeah yeah Christian Christian McCaffrey we're just expecting he's
27:38just going to come right back from multiple injuries and chronic tendonitis in his Achilles
27:43to be that super dominant running back are we expected that Brock Parady's not going to have
27:47an extended holdout here and it'll be in every OTA to make sure that he's there with his team
27:51growing with them each and every way are we expected that Brandon Iukov that devastating
27:54injury is going to come back the question marks are too high for me Kyle Shanahan is an unbelievable
27:59play caller and should that offense be good next year it's going to be fun to bet their team totals
28:03because the defense isn't as good but when you talk about entering into a season where they stand
28:08right now there's way too many question marks on the 49ers to have them that high at the
28:14sports book lets you say to win a Super Bowl I'm just not buying in right now to the Niners
28:18Kittle by the way signed his five-year 75 million dollar extension at the end of the 2020 season so
28:252025 is the final year of his current deal so yes the tab is coming up and of course Donnie
28:31the question is not if Brock Parady signs that extension it's when and how much more around the
28:38NFL buy or sell in the offseason next it's the offseason around the NFL we continue to play buy
28:44or sell live right here in our second hour of a Thursday morning on the early line so the official
28:51year underway as of yesterday we saw free agency begin on this Monday plenty more moves will happen
28:58contract extensions maybe a few under the radar signings of course still have to figure out the
29:04quarterback market for Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson but a lot of that Donnie will be dictated
29:10by what the plans are for our next big event around the National Football League the NFL draft
29:16the opening round of the NFL draft Thursday April 24th up in Green Bay Wisconsin here is the top
29:24five of the NFL draft order as it is currently listed the Titans Browns Giants Patriots Jaguars
29:33one through five we have not seen any shuffling just yet in fact Donnie in the modern draft era
29:40this year making some history everybody all 32 teams drafting in the opening round every club
29:46around the NFL still has their original selection we don't often see that in terms of the NFL
29:52draft cycle or previous trades that we have seen year over year so of course when you look at the
29:59draft Cam Ward minus money odds on favorite to be the first overall pick we still expect the
30:05Titans right now as a minus 190 favorite on the Canadian FanDuel Sportsbook to be the team making
30:12that first overall selection to do just that but the question then becomes what happens to
30:18Shador Sanders buy or sell to you DRS Shador Sanders will be a top five pick in the 2025 NFL
30:25draft yeah maybe we'll get some movement here where a team makes a trade just a few short years
30:30ago that deal for Bryce Young to head toward Carolina basically where that number one overall
30:34pick was with the Chicago Bears took place as myself Kevin Walsh and former producer Brian
30:39Rutkowski were at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to see Iona play as that information came down
30:46the reason I bring that up because that could shake up a few things but if we're just being
30:50simple at this time it looks like there's two quarterbacks in this draft that lets you say
30:53have a first round grade regardless of some of the smoke that you hear or some nonsense GMs that
30:58are saying I don't think Shador is the first round pick only because they want to pick him at five
31:02because they think somebody will take him sooner than that let's get that under the way look at the
31:05first three teams the Tennessee Titans why are they number one overall their quarterback situation
31:10is putrid therefore they probably without trading out should take a quarterback number two it's the
31:15Cleveland Browns they were a disaster at quarterback with an aging veteran multi-injured
31:21guy with a guaranteed contract that's up in what one or two years at this point with dead cat money
31:26they need a quarterback number three it's the New York Giants what do they need it's a quarterback
31:32so just simple diagnosis here which could have thrown it off a little bit let's just say if the
31:36New England Patriots were in the top three oh they don't need a quarterback will they trade back but
31:40if they trade back that means somebody's coming up for a quarterback I'm just playing the odds
31:44right here top three teams all need quarterbacks two legitimate prospects when quarterbacks as we
31:50know Ben always get overdrafted I'm gonna say that Shador Sanders is a top five NFL pick and
31:57I'm gonna buy that DRS if you would have asked me at the end of the college football season the end
32:03of the NFL season about a month or month and a half ago I would have said absolutely I'll buy
32:08it right now and I don't think you're getting it at a discount I think if the odds came out for
32:12Shador Sanders to be a top five pick that is a draft market we have each and every year minus 500
32:19minus 750 heavily juiced price even if Cam Ward is the guy to go first overall because at the end
32:27of these football campaigns it seemed rather crystal clear that we had multiple teams in the
32:32top five that needed to draft a quarterback in desperate necessity trying to find the answer
32:38at the quarterback spot of the future face of the franchise in really one and two in what seemed to
32:45be a two quarterback draft class in the opening round the titans and the browns Tennessee likes
32:50Cam Ward more fine he goes first Shador Sanders really good as well he goes second and yet there
32:57is this narrative change around Sanders for whatever reason I think a lot of it has to do
33:02with his play in Colorado system is it more pass happy I still think Shador Sanders is worthy of a
33:08top five pick knowing the teams that need to draft a quarterback I'm becoming a little bit
33:14more skeptical though DRS that he will in fact be a top five pick I'm going to buy it right now
33:21but if I thought that price three weeks ago was minus 500 now I think it's probably minus 155
33:28and I'll understand this too the NFL is a business Shador Sanders is very good for business right
33:34off the bat you will be a lightning franchise and also at the same time the thoughts will
33:38continue to come up does his dad follow him become his head coach if things don't work out
33:42in his rookie season you know that's going to happen here he is a talent he should be drafted
33:47as such and I'm looking by the way pro day is coming up nobody's ever had a bad pro day so
33:51people are going to get back on board with Shador when he throws seven yard slants get ready for it
33:56I'm sure that's a great point right built the narrative once again
34:00welcome to our number three live right here on this Thursday morning on the early line on
34:04sports grid he is Donnie right side I am Ben Stevens a couple of NFL questions of course for
34:11those two big name quarterbacks still out in the market and how desirable are they on the open
34:17market we'll hear from the people in just a matter of moments we'll talk some NBA action
34:22in the prop perspective with Tom Vecchio in our next segment coming up in the DRS
34:27final half hour man as good as you will find I know you will continue it on the money line
34:33I will continue it in the final segment solo as well we are going to try to give you a handicap
34:38a thought a pick a preview a breakdown for a good majority of our college basketball slate on this
34:45Thursday certainly the games at the high major level but a few mid-major thoughts as well it
34:51is the most beautiful time of this year now in the month of March this Thursday we have a ton
34:59of conference tournament action next Thursday will be about two hours away from the start of
35:04the round of 64 in the men's NCAA tournament I mean it when I say it does not get better than this
35:12no and I'm getting word now that no more pro football full circle for the next three weeks
35:16I believe it's college basketball during that entire hour look that absolutely exactly like
35:23maybe you throw it in like hey Joe what do you think about the Philadelphia Eagles next year
35:25but let's get down to the Syracuse game that's going to take place or maybe not take place
35:29tonight since they didn't win yesterday that's what we exactly like yeah that's what we need
35:34at this point by the way we're going to get to some of these topics here and fading the public
35:38who's making up these polls because the people are responding in kind at this point I completely
35:43agree you want me to take over this poll for next week and just really set it up and get some
35:46viral edge on this I can do that here because I know this poll that Ben is going to introduce
35:51is getting people angry out here and it should you know that our guy Joe Friso our producer
35:57extraordinaire is the mastermind behind everything that you see come out of our mouths and everything
36:02that we have here on this show the topic the idea the conversation that is Joe Friso that includes
36:10our fade the public poll so to DRS's point how enticing is the poll how enticing are the two
36:16quarterback options of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson still out on the open market
36:21that's for you to tell us it's fade the public
36:30at sports grid on twitter which free agent quarterback is a more enticing option Aaron
36:37Rodgers or Russell Wilson a poll that Donnie is very excited to break down nearly 56 percent of
36:44the vote backing Aaron Rodgers a little bit more than 44 percent backing Russell Wilson DRS are
36:52you fading the public which way did you vote now I went with the public because it's like again
36:57we'll get to some of the responses in a second but it's like which quarterback is more enticing
37:01oh I like can't wait for this well at least from Aaron Rodgers you get sort of a car crash
37:06effect where like hey look there's a wreck on the other side let me slow down and take a look at it
37:10that's like Aaron Rodgers like it would be interesting to see what he does in Pittsburgh
37:13because he could go one direction where they could win double-digit games make a playoff run and it's
37:18fun to talk about him or that could be a five-win football team because he basically gets in there
37:23and submarines the entire franchise but the one thing I think most of us should be able to agree
37:28on is how could Russell Wilson ever be an enticing option for anybody in the NFL like what franchise
37:34goes like got him Ross is in town now we can look forward to an unbelievable season like at least
37:40with Aaron Rodgers you do have somewhat of that little sparkle that little flicker that could
37:45turn into a flame and have a decent season with a lot of intrigue Russ gives us no intrigue
37:49whatsoever so another thing I'm actually shocked at is I can see why only 44 percent of the poll
37:54came in for Russell Wilson because I just think it's a lot of just hate and they just see Aaron
37:59Rodgers name and no matter who would be on that other line they would just click it I get that
38:03but there's nobody enticing of a quarterback option that says you know what Russ is that guy
38:09I'm looking forward to playing football next year nobody's saying that no there's not listen I voted
38:15for Aaron Rodgers as well because I think even at this stage of their career Aaron Rodgers would
38:21move the needle just a tad bit more than that of Russell Wilson Russell Wilson also was not going
38:26to have the opportunity more than likely unless the Steelers bring him back but that probably
38:30would have already happened to be on a competitive or playoff team if he ends up in Cleveland
38:36the Browns are telling you all we need to know about the direction of this franchise hey we still
38:40have all that money for to Sean Watson we just paid Miles Garrett a ton we're not really close
38:45to being a playoff contender if he ends up for the New York Giants a team that currently has the
38:50longest price to win a Super Bowl that's where they will remain I would still say the most likely
38:57option for Aaron Rodgers at this moment remains the Steel City and what does Pittsburgh do even
39:03with bad quarterback play they don't have losing seasons and they make playoff bids that maybe they
39:09should not now does Aaron Rodgers elevate Pittsburgh to be a 10 and 7 playoff wildcard team
39:15and now a true conference contender absolutely not but could he still get Pittsburgh to the
39:20postseason perhaps Donnie based on everybody else really outside of Aaron Rodgers when you
39:27look at the numbers for these guys right now it's not great Russ was okay in his first few starts
39:34for the Pittsburgh Steelers I think you got the true picture of what Russell Wilson is at this
39:39stage of his career in their final five games including the postseason Aaron Rodgers again
39:45the numbers were not ludicrous they were not awful he was not terrible in how he played the
39:51quarterback position but in terms of his fully healthy seasons 20 years in the NFL for Aaron
39:57Rodgers first three on the bench in Green Bay three years where he has not played double-digit
40:03games based on injury including 2023 so that's 14 years fully as a starter in the NFL last year
40:12one of his worst one of five that he has thrown for less than 4100 yards one of three that he has
40:18thrown double-digit interceptions including his rookie campaign or his first year as a full
40:23starter rather in Green Bay and his third season as a starter as well four non-pro ball seasons
40:31for Aaron Rodgers in those 14 fully healthy his first as a starter in Green Bay his third with
40:38the Packers his final year with the Pack and of course the version of Aaron Rodgers we are seeing
40:42right now in 2024 and again the R.S. even if the numbers were fine and it's not all on Aaron Rodgers
40:49what was the result a 5 and 12 Jets team and at the end of the day wins and losses are prescribed
40:56to a quarterback more than any other position neither of these guys is enticing compared to
41:03each other I guess Aaron Rodgers as the public is showing gets the slight edge yeah let's just put
41:10the options on the table for the Pittsburgh Steelers I think two of them from a Pittsburgh
41:14Steelers fan perspective would get you excited which means you're intrigued about the next
41:19upcoming football season Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers even if you're the most ardent
41:23Steeler fan you hate Aaron Rodgers like you know what this is going to be interesting and you hope
41:28it works out but you will watch number two would be you head into the draft and you draft your
41:33franchise guy let's just say you move some things around you get Shador Sanders as a Pittsburgh
41:38Steelers fan whether you wanted Shador Sanders or not you're intrigued by that and you will watch
41:43I'll tell you right now if Russell Wilson is the quarterback that Mike Thomas like you guys are
41:47buffoons out there I told you last year how much I love this guy and respected him how hard his work
41:52ethic is why would you be surprised when we brought him back as our starter Pittsburgh Steelers fans
41:56will look at them like you know what I might not watch next year because I like DK Metcalf and I
42:01want pickets to excel but I already saw Russell Wilson sometimes then we just want the unknown
42:06bring me in Aaron Rodgers it could crash and burn but we'll watch bring me in a young talented
42:11quarterback to sort of learn because the last time they did that in Pittsburgh about 20 years ago it
42:15was Ben Roethlisberger and also ended up in it almost close got to a Super Bowl appearance there
42:20so give me the intrigue don't give me the Russell Wilson stop it we don't need that in Pittsburgh
42:24give us the intrigue I think they've seen what Russell Wilson means in the most significant
42:30games in the Steel City and I think if Russell's going to be back in Pittsburgh
42:34that would have already happened I do believe you are on a very thin edge there with Aaron Rodgers
42:39in terms of attention and intrigue and what all that means but that's a story for another day