But by and large, these are their guys, and they're doubling down, and this is who they're going with.

For sure.

And I do think it's important to, you know, I was at that Ravens game on Friday night.

It's probably one of the five worst assignments of my career.

It just, just, but I get that 41 guys didn't dress.

I do think there's a reason for concern that if you're down the roster, players get your doors blown off by the guys up the road, which, by the way, was for the second straight year that happened in the last preseason game, which I think – and I wrote this in my column this morning – Is that the biggest deal, getting blown out 41-3 and 30-3 against the Ravens in the last preseason game? Of course not.

But it does show you that Baltimore has built a sturdier roster that has more talented players from, say, bots 40 through 53, or as the commanders like to say, 40 through 70, because they consider the practice squad guys better.

I

But by and large, these are their guys, and they're doubling down, and this is who they're going with.

For sure.

And I do think it's important to, you know, I was at that Ravens game on Friday night.

It's probably one of the five worst assignments of my career.

It just, just, but I get that 41 guys didn't dress.

I do think there's a reason for concern that if you're down the roster, players get your doors blown off by the guys up the road, which, by the way, was for the second straight year that happened in the last preseason game, which I think, and I wrote this in my column this morning, like, Is that the biggest deal, getting blown out 41-3 and 30-3 against the Ravens in the last preseason game? Of course not.

But it does show you that Baltimore has built a sturdier roster that has more – talented players from say bots 40 through 53, or as the commanders like to say 40 through 70, because they consider the practice squad guys part of the team, like that's somewhat meaningful.

I

But by and large, these are their guys, and they're doubling down, and this is who they're going with.

For sure.

And I do think it's important to, you know, I was at that Ravens game on Friday night.

It's probably one of the five worst assignments of my career.

It just, just, but I get that 41 guys didn't dress.

I do think there's a reason for concern that if you're down the roster players, get your doors blown off by the guys up the road, which by the way, it was for the second straight year that happened in the last preseason game, which I think, and I wrote this in my column this morning, like, Is that the biggest deal, getting blown out 41-3 and 30-3 against the Ravens in the last preseason game? Of course not.

But it does show you that Baltimore has built a sturdier roster that has more talented players from, say, bots 40 through 53, or as the commanders like to say, 40 through 70, because they consider the practice squad guys talented.

If I gave you truth serum, Barry, do you think deep down that Jaden can get through a full season again? I kind of do.

And what did you see? What a treat that was.

That's an assignment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

You know, I mean, you went there thinking this is going to be meaningless pretty much either way.

And it came out to be kind of meaningful in my mind in a bad way.

Like, I heard you guys talking earlier about is that on the players or the coach, like that they were so flat.

I mean, they were flat.

It was bad.

How concerned are you that this team is not ready to go week one?

And what did you see? What a treat

that was.

That's an assignment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

You know, I mean, you went there thinking this is going to be meaningless pretty much either way.

And it came out to be kind of meaningful in my mind in a bad way.

Like, I heard you guys talking earlier about is that on the players or the coach, like that they were so flat.

I mean, they were flat.

How concerned are you that this team is not ready to go week one?

And what did you see? What a treat that was.

That's an assignment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

You know, I mean, you went there thinking this is going to be meaningless pretty much either way.

And it came out to be kind of meaningful in my mind in a bad way.

Like, I heard you guys talking earlier about is that on the players or the coach, like that they were so flat.

I mean, they were flat.

It was bad.

How concerned are you that this team is not ready to go week one?

[laughs] Yes

... because we all need stuff to talk about.

But Sando's rankings is deeply reported.

I mean, 50 people from across the league, coaches, um, defensive coordinators, GMs, that kind of thing.

So I think it's a very, very respectable list on which Jayden landed 13th, and I just feel like he was sixth the year before.

Um, the drop in rankings was as much about availability, which is the biggest question.

Availability is a tool.

Right

Wow

... he...

And, and that's to...

He's done it for 20 or 30 years because he wants to be exposed to different things.

And I, I said...

We spent three or three and a half hours driving around PG County, where he grew up in, in Maryland, learning, uh, about who he is.

And I said, "Deronte, like, I don't wanna make...

Yes, indeed.

What do you think?

I mean, I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense.

He is a very, like, worldly guy.

He has a philosophy that he wants to leave the country twice a year.

Wow.

And he's done it for 20 or 30 years because he wants to be exposed to different things.

And we spent three or three and a half hours driving around PG County where he grew up in Maryland learning about who he is.

On the baseball side of this, though, what do you think of the returns for Meade Garcia-Griffin? So

What do you think?

I mean, I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense.

He is a very, like, worldly guy.

He has a philosophy that he wants to leave the country twice a year.

Wow.

And he's done it for 20 or 30 years because he wants to be exposed to different things.

And we spent... three or three and a half hours driving around PG County where he grew up in Maryland learning about who he is.

What are your questions?

Yeah

... um, free agency, and so therefore you might be the captain and the greatest player in the history of the franchise, but you owe it to them to get you, get your intentions to them so that they know how to build a team.

What's very, very interesting to me in, in this process was he really wanted to know, "Am I gonna have a competitive roster around me? Like, who would my line mates be? What, what's your plan to get us back to the playoffs?" So it was very important for him to see the Alex Tuch trade, right? Like, for him to see Jordan Kyrou coming in.

Like, the upgrades that they made, he can now see a world where I fit here.

The burden doesn't fall to me.

I can play the role that's more appropriate, you know, minutes-wise for my, my age, and I don't have to be the engine that carries everything like I have been for 20-something years here.

So I, I think, I thought they were doing it backwards.

Mm.

And why do you think they had Garcia batting so low yesterday?

You know, I mean, I was looking at that, and it's just – There has got to be... a computer formula that Ronnie uses that it like spits out a lot of suggested lineup.

And then they, um, they batted around a little bit because they've had, you know, there was a game earlier this year.

It was way early when drew Millis hits second, like that's not, there's no world where that makes any sense.

Unless some machine is telling you that I will say that as good as Louis Garcia has been.

And, um, What a revelation he's been, and he's helped them be essentially the best offense in baseball, which I still, every time I say that, it sounds like it's a fraudulent thing to say.

But again, it's 100 games.

I would be very disappointed if they didn't.

It seems crazy.

My point with him is this is a guy who, you know, was a number one pick, but then had to work his way through the wilderness and go to Japan and take his seven pitches over there and and figure it out just to get a chance to come back and get the shot that he got with a team that was supposed to be terrible this year.

He turned it into an all-star appearance.

He backed that up with his first start out of the all-star game, being brilliant and helping them win a series against the A's.

My point with him is why not go to him now? If you think what you're seeing is real, and now it's more than half a season, why don't you say to him, hey, Foster, Here's three years at $15 million per, or whatever, pick a number, $17 million if you think he's that good.

Is a guy who's been through what he's been through really going to say, you know what, at age 30, I'm going to bet on myself and get the big six-year contract based off one season? I don't see it.

I think that's one where you're... you could be really, really smart in managing your assets by saying we stumbled onto something or not stumbled.

I would be very disappointed if they didn't.

Yeah.

So they're, they're kind of in this, like, "Well, we, we win two of three from the A's." Uh, you know, maybe they win two of three from the Rockies or, or sweep.

Who, who knows? Um, they're just doing it by increments, right? And that makes it, it's just making it hard on the front office to figure out an absolute direction.

I think you're right, Jason, that at this point, unless something goes haywire in the next 10 days, like, they are on the cusp of really playing meaningful baseball in, in August and July.

And while I would not recommend this team do a all in, like give up pieces that they think will impact their future, um, to get- A couple of relievers, like that's probably not the move.

I do think there are ways to be creative about it.

One that I've knocked around, and I haven't written this, but I think it's interesting to think about, is like Jacob Young is a valuable player on a good team.

Where do you stand on this Bryson DeChambeau-Rory McIlroy feud and everything that went down at the British Open?

were going about it backwards or that,

I guess I would say that maybe OB was making them go about it backwards by not telling them what his intentions were before the draft and when they were starting to do these trades and before free agency when they made a couple more moves.

And as it turns out, I actually think they got the order right and they got it right in a way that makes Ovi looked pretty good because Chris Patrick and Brian McClellan could go about and say, here is our checklist.

They definitely wanted to add strength to the top six forwards.

They thought they might be able to get one of Jordan Cairo or Alex Tuck.

They got both of them.

And they kind of put Ovi on the back burner and was like, you know what? we will have a roster that we can fit in the all-time greatest goal score in history if he wants to play.

There were no actions that made you think he actually wasn't, right?

it backwards or that,

I guess I would say that maybe OB was making them go about it backwards by not telling them what his intentions were.

before the draft and when they were starting to do these trades and before free agency when they made a couple more moves.

And as it turns out, I actually think they got the order right and they got it right in a way that makes Ovi look pretty good because Chris Patrick and Brian McClellan could go about and say, here is our checklist.

They definitely wanted to add strength to the top six forwards.

They thought they might be able to get one of Jordan Cairo or Alex took talk.

They, they got both of them and they kind of put Ovi on the back burner and was like, you know what? we will have a roster that we can fit in the all-time greatest goal score in history if he wants to play.

There were no actions that made you think he actually wasn't, right?

Was this a foregone conclusion months ago, or was there some drama along the way to this day?

Yeah, I think people interpreted it as a foregone conclusion because Alex kind of indicated at the end that – He didn't want to be done.

He didn't want it to be his last game in Columbus.

The team missed the playoffs.

That was really important to him.

People made a lot out of, well, he led the team in goals with 32 and points with 64.

Maybe that was going out on a high note.

Which one is the sexier get?

Was this a foregone conclusion months ago, or was there some drama along the way to this day?

Yeah, I think people interpreted it as a foregone conclusion because Alex kind of indicated at the end that – He didn't want to be done.

He didn't want it to be his last game in Columbus.

The team missed the playoffs.

That was really important to him.

People made a lot out of, well, you know, he led the team in goals with 32 and points with 64.

Maybe that was going out on a high note.

Which one is the sexier get?

Was this a foregone conclusion months ago, or was there some drama along the way to this day?

Yeah, I think people interpreted it as a foregone conclusion because Alex kind of indicated at the end that – He didn't want to be done.

He didn't want it to be his last game in Columbus.

The team missed the playoffs.

That was really important to him.

People made a lot out of, well, he led the team in goals with 32 and points with 64.

Maybe that was going out on a high note.

Which one is the sexier get?

Was this a foregone conclusion months ago, or was there some drama along the way to this day?

Yeah, I think people interpreted it as a foregone conclusion because Alex kind of indicated at the end that – He didn't want to be done.

He didn't want it to be his last game in Columbus.

The team missed the playoffs.

That was really important to him.

People made a lot out of, well, you know, he led the team in goals with 32 and points with 64.

Maybe that was going out on a high note.

Which one is the sexier get?

Was this a foregone conclusion months ago, or was there some drama along the way to this day?

Yeah, I think people interpreted it as a foregone conclusion because Alex kind of indicated at the end that – He didn't want to be done.

He didn't want it to be his last game in Columbus.

The team missed the playoffs.

That was really important to him.

People made a lot out of, well, you know, he led the team in goals with 32 and points with 64.

Maybe that was going out on a high note.

Follow and listen to heed the call NFL podcast with Dan Hanses and Mark Sessler, wherever you get your podcasts,

Uh, before we get to your Mike Rizzo piece, how real, how legitimate is the Nats so far in their 2026 regular season overall, having done so much better than anticipated?

anticipated?Well, we're 70-something games in, and I ...

Every time, you know, they got swept by the Marlins at home, and I was like, "Okay, here we go." Like, this is gonna be kind of a reversion, you know, reverting to who they should be.

And then they go out west and they take two or three from the Diamondbacks and two or three from the Giants, and should've swept the Giants, obviously blew a nine-one lead there.

Um, and then they kind of get handled in the opener against the Mariners, and you're like, all right, well, that, that blown lead against the Giants, and then getting throttled by a first-place team in the American League, um, they're, they're gonna revert to who they are.

And then they outscore the Mariners 18 to four on the next two games.

Like, they are resilient, and at this point, I think the offense has to be labeled real, and I'd say that for two reasons.

Uh, should we be encouraged by the Lerner group this past off-season having spent real money on infrastructure, or is the proper way to look at that, hey, spending more on infrastructure is nice, but costs a lot less than spending on players?

What do you make of this series? What I love is that, like, it is truly time to celebrate Jalen Brunson, but you also just – Victor Wimbinyama might be emerging as like a villain, which I wouldn't have expected two, three weeks ago.

I think that's a really interesting storyline, and it'll be interesting how it plays out for him over the course of next season because they'll be, you know, along with OKC, right up there as favorites again in part because they have him.

Is he a dirty player? Does he need to be dirty? All of that stuff.

I think when the playoffs began, he was like – still somewhat of a curiosity, but the kid who hadn't been through the real wars before, he comes out on the other side and people are questioning his style.

And again, is he dirty? I didn't think he could be cast as a villain so quickly.

I do think I'm somebody that kind of prefers or believes that a franchise should go through some scar-making times and get that scar tissue before it breaks through and wins a championship.

Obviously, different iterations of the Spurs have won championships.

How surprised are you? How impressed are you?

What do you make of this series? What I love is that, like, it is truly time to celebrate Jalen Brunson, but you also just – Victor Wimbinyama might be emerging as like a villain, which I wouldn't have expected two, three weeks ago.

I think that's a really interesting storyline, and it'll be interesting how it plays out for him over the course of next season because they'll be, you know, along with OKC, right up there as favorites again in part because they have him.

Is he a dirty player? Does he need to be dirty? All of that stuff.

I think when the playoffs began, he was like – still somewhat of a curiosity, but the kid who hadn't been through the real wars before, he comes out on the other side and people are questioning his style and, again, is he dirty? I didn't think he could be cast as a villain so quickly.

I do think I'm somebody that kind of prefers or believes that a franchise should go through some scar-making times and get that scar tissue before it breaks through and wins a championship.

Obviously, different iterations of the Spurs have won championships.

We're not talking about Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

How surprised are you? How impressed are you?

What do you make of this series? What I love is that, like, it is truly time to celebrate Jalen Brunson, but you also just – Victor Wimbinyama might be emerging as like a villain, which I wouldn't have expected two, three weeks ago.

I think that's a really interesting storyline, and it'll be interesting how it plays out for him over the course of next season because they'll be, you know, along with OKC, right up there as favorites again in part because they have him.

Is he a dirty player? Does he need to be dirty? All of that stuff.

I think when the playoffs began, he was like – still somewhat of a curiosity, but the kid who hadn't been through the real wars before, he comes out on the other side and people are questioning his style and, again, is he dirty? I didn't think he could be cast as a villain so quickly.

I do think I'm somebody that kind of prefers or believes that a franchise should go through some scar-making times and get that scar tissue before it breaks through and wins a championship.

Obviously, different iterations of the Spurs have won championships.

We're not talking about Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

How surprised are you? How impressed are you?