I'm

not there.

But I think, you know, one thing, he's, again, he's, you know, I see the Athletic article.

You see my rankings.

He injected himself last year, one vote away from being the MVP, into a tier of quarterbacks where you go, okay, you better show up every week there, big guy.

I mean, imagine if Josh Allen played like that last night or played like he did in the Super Bowl.

What would we hear if Lamar Jackson played that way? What would we hear? So I do think Drake May has got a little bit of a free pass that way.

right, what are you feeling about the Jets this year? How much improvement can they show? And do you think that Aaron Glenn's seat is hot even before game one?

The tinfoil is out.

That's what's going to happen in the gambling era.

That's why we need the full transparency, the faith.

We need to know what's going on behind the scenes so you don't have to address the world about what happened the night before and go through all that.

Yeah, it's a little weird when they tell you, hey, you know, the clock in the Big Ten command center is not exactly the same clock as the coaches and everybody on TV you're watching.

That doesn't make sense.

And it certainly doesn't make sense if you want people to trust where we are in the current environment of sports, professional or college, with the legalized gambling era.

can force him

I mean, we're

seeing clips where the ball is not touching anybody.

Right.

And there's zeros.

Terry McClure.

Terry McClure has told us already that that's not he doesn't see it.

He's an expert.

Well, that's the one thing with

Okay, help me understand how the Rams had $20 million just kind of hanging around there waiting for Aaron Donald.

yeah well i i you know i think they had a finagle a few things right but they had the they had money left over regardless i think that going into yesterday what was it maybe 15 16 million dollars below the salary cap there so that was the big question all along was was was aaron donald gonna come back and go nope just give me the 30 million dollars that i'm supposed to get and we'll go from there that's where i was always like i'm interested to see how this contract thing goes down But obviously they got it right.

They got some very easy, if you're on the 53-man roster, he gets big bonuses each week that way.

And then added on top of that, the bonuses, right, if they get to the playoffs and the Super Bowl, which is all very realistic, to where he could possibly make $30 million.

It's not the most far-fetched incentive one-year contract I've ever seen, that's for sure.

How would you use him? I would take it slow at first.

One thing I learned in my days working for New England in the short term I was there is that we would have weeks, right? And you remember this, like Gronkowski had like the, I don't know, some metal thing in his wrist or whatever, right? In one of his bionic injury moments.

Why will this, could this, will this be the Buffalo Bills year?

Okay, help me understand how the Rams had $20 million just kind of hanging around there waiting for Aaron Donald.

Yeah, well, I think they had to finagle a few things, right? But they had money left over regardless.

I think that going into yesterday, what was it? Maybe $15, $16 million below the salary cap there? So that was the big question all along.

Was Aaron Donald going to come back and go, nope, just give me the $30 million that I'm supposed to get and we'll go from there? That's where I was always like, I'm interested to see how this contract thing goes down.

But obviously they got it right.

They got some very easy, if you're on the 53-man roster, he gets big bonuses each week that way.

And then added on top of that, the bonuses, right, if they get to the playoffs and the Super Bowl, which is all very realistic, to where he could possibly make $30 million.

Why will this, could this, will this be the Buffalo Bills year?

Chris Sims, your top five Big 10 quarterbacks.

My top five Big Ten quarterbacks you see here, Dante Moore is the guy for me.

I mean, again, I think if he plays well, he has a chance to be the number one pick in the draft.

Jaden Maiava is number two.

I know that might be unpopular.

I know Julian Sands really good.

I believe in Jaden Maiava's talent more.

He'll get the numbers.

From what you hear and what you see, do you think it's gonna be a big jump for them when it comes to wins? Do you think that they could actually contend this year with Harbaugh at the helm?

I, I do.

Yes.

Now, I mean, you know, contend, right? You know, that's, that's a, a big conversation.

I...

What I would say is just to go, I'd be shocked if you and me are doing the show mid-December and the Giants aren't at least in the conversation for the playoffs.

I'd be shocked.

What do you see out of the Jets this year?

Right.

But it, it's just not right right now.

And to your point, they brought Kyler Murray in there to be that guy.

This was the only way.

This was the only way, and it's the only way for J.J. McCarthy.

It is.

Uh, you know, he could've been the starter and they could start out 2-0, but if the offense didn't look good, everybody's gonna go, "Wow, we need to bench.

Right.

Right.

But it, it's just not right right now.

And to your point, they brought Kyler Murray in there to be that guy.

This was the only way.

This is the only way, and it's the only way for J.J. McCarthy.

It is.

You know, he could've been the starter and they could start out 2-0, but if the offense didn't look good, everybody's gonna go, "Wow, we need to bench.

Right.

Yes.

He took over Aaron Rodgers, right, who was mad and all of that.

He made him an MVP.

Then the front office drafted Jordan Love, and I don't know if Matt LaFleur knew exactly that's what was gonna happen, so he had to deal with that issue.

He handled that awesomely.

So they go to the NFC Championship game.

They lose in the divisional round at home to the 49ers.

No.

Yeah.

But he's not necessarily the type of guy that you just go, "Hey, line up over here," and just beat guys all day long man to man.

And, "Hey, you'll run guy, by guys for 50 yard bombs like it's nothing." No, uh, that, that's where A.J.

Brown separates himself from Stefon Diggs.

Stefon Diggs, he's perfect for Josh McDaniels, you know, because he's...

Yes, he can be outside, but he's an unbelievable slot route runner, and they could work that part of the offense for him.

A.J. Brown gives you a guy where you go, "Wait, you line up out there, let's see what they do to defend you.

Mm.

But with Brock, because Mac Jones played well, then somehow that makes Brock worse? I don't-- That doesn't make sense.

No, it doesn't.

And, and I'm not saying that's what I did.

I'm just saying I think that's part of what you see from the, the national media and the public that way.

But I also can say when I look at Mac Jones and do things, I sit there and go, "Damn, you know, it's not Mac Jones, it's not Brock Purdy, it's the damn offense.

Man, Shanahan's got nine zillion ways to come up with seven-yard completions that fit these quarterbacks and do that that way." And so that's where you gotta take that into account too, right? And, and yeah, I know Jake Browning and, and listen, Malik Willis is, is-- could be a superstar, so that's a special case there.

But even with Jake Browning, I mean, that shit fell apart fast.

But if Jordan Love drops back to pass, misses the read, the g- the open read, scrambles around for three seconds, then throws off his back foot for the same nine yards, people are gonna be like, "Oh my God, Jordan Love is so much better than Brock Purdy." And that's where I think Brock sort of loses the fight a little bit.

Yeah.

But he's not necessarily the type of guy that you just go, "Hey, line up over here," and just beat guys all day long man to man, and, "Hey, you'll run guy, by guys for 50 yard bombs like it's nothing." No, uh, that, that's where A.J.

Brown separates himself from Stefon Diggs.

Stefon Diggs, he's perfect for Josh McDaniels, you know, because he's, yes, he can be outside, but he's an unbelievable slot route runner, and they could work that part of the offense for him.

A.J. Brown gives you a guy where you go, "Wait, you line up out there.

Let's see what they do to defend you.

And if they play you man to man, we're just gonna come to you, so be ready," right? "And if they double you and do all that, man, perfect.

Mm.

Mm-hmm.

But yeah, that is definitely the one thing that is worrying me about it.

Because yeah, sitting here in NBC Studios, as you know, I got every game in front of me all the time, so that's easy.

And I, it's stressful, 'cause I write a bunch of notes about the games as I go forward.

But yeah, if I'm sitting at home and I can s- let's say there's eight games on the 1:00 hour.

Now, yeah, I, I don't know how I'm gonna pull off all eight.

I might have to be a little bit, you know, "Okay, this game doesn't matter.

Where do you think he would go in the supplemental draft, and could you see him making an impact next season if somebody was to pick him?

Yeah?

...

I, I think he's made for it, right? He's, he's gonna be able to, like you've seen in press conferences, I think have so many creative, like, easy ways to make a point that are gonna be like, "Oh, wow, I've never heard somebody say it quite like that." Right? He's, he's a master of the English language.

Like, to the point, at times, times you're like, "Do you have a book of, like, innuendos and, and, like, irony and, like, all these kind of whatever the hell it is?" Like, he just like, it's, it's incredible.

But he's one of the greatest communicators I was ever around, and that goes back into be- like I've told you before, when he was the, the secondary coach in Tampa Bay and I was the quarterback there.

But yeah, so I think he is gonna be phenomenal.

And of course, him being fresh out of the league, he's gonna know some nuance about some of these teams that, you know, maybe somebody like me or other people are involved in that, that don't quite know, 'cause he spent, you know, 100 hours a week studying one team, getting ready for it as the NFL head coach.

Yeah.

[laughs]

...

the Rams took Ty Simpson.

I mean, yes.

I mean, because the...

You said it, they're the second-best team in football last year.

By all due accounts, if they go to the Super Bowl they're gonna beat the Patriots.

But who had a better draft, the Giants or the Jets?

[laughs]

...

the Rams took Ty Simpson.

I mean, yes.

I mean, because the... you said it.

Uh, they're the second-best team in football last year.

By all due accounts, if they go to the Super Bowl, they're gonna beat the Patriots.

But who had a better draft, the Giants or the Jets?

Mm

...

Cooper on there, right? I, I, I don't think they're first round picks, really.

They're only first round picks in the modern day NFL.

The modern day NFL, the last five to six years where they, uh, we have gone this way of we're not gonna take chances as much on guys in the first round.

We're gonna go with a guy that we just know can produce and be really good and help us out right away in year one, and then the GM doesn't get dragged for having a bust on the first round pick, right? So that's where I look at it.

I, I don't, like, again, out of the people I know...

Where are you at in the Reese-Bailey debate at two?

Mm-hmm

...

Omar Cooper on there, right? I, I, I don't think they're first round picks really.

They're only first round picks in the modern day NFL.

The modern day NFL, the last five to six years where they, uh, we have gone this way of we're not gonna take chances as much on guys in the first round.

We're gonna go with a guy that we just know can produce and be really good and help us out right away in year one.

And then the GM doesn't get dragged for having a bust on the first round pick, right? So that's where I look at it.

Where are you at in the Reese-Bailey debate at two?

Mm-hmm

...

Cooper on there, right? I, I, I don't think they're first round picks really.

They're only first round picks in the modern day NFL.

The modern day NFL, the last five to six years where they, uh, we have gone this way of we're not gonna take chances as much on guys in the first round.

We're gonna go with a guy that we just know can produce and be really good and help us out right away in year one, and then the GM doesn't get dragged for having a bust on the first round pick, right? So that's where I look at it.

I, I don't...

Where are you at in the Reese-Bailey debate at two?

Yeah, yeah.

It, it is a good fit.

And hey, he's in a dome.

Kevin Stefanski.

You know, he, he just had a Dylan Gabriel, who's, you know, not too dissimilar.

Lefty, shorter quarterback, right? But yeah, I, I like it there, and I, I certainly see, could see him winning that job.

Michael Penix has not done enough, and I don't think he's done enough behind the scenes to make the or- organization feel warm and comfy about where he at.

[laughs]

Do you see the 49ers again, kind of like last year, not making a big splash on the free agency and focusing on getting younger, bringing that youth movement to the roster?

I, I do.

I think that'll still be the, the focus.

And, and I think they have great confidence, and they should, in their, their niche ability to find people that are really good, that work in their system, and they know what they want, where the rest of the league might not value them as high, right? And that's where, again, we get into this year, you're like, "Who's this guy? Who's that guy? Damn, he's good.

Damn, he fits their system." So, uh, yeah, I do expect that.

And, you know, again, like we talked about, you got some high-priced veteran players where you're still balancing their end of their career.

You want them there, but you don't wanna extend it too long and all that.

No worries.

Sims, what led you to say that? And why didn't you call me so I didn't have to watch the game? Well,

I mean, listen, I, you know, one, my first gleam or look at that was when I was at there.

You know, I told you I went up there for interviews, right? That's the first week after the AFC NFC championship game.

And again, not that that holds true, but I've been to some other places.

Like I remember being in Kansas city one year and just going, I went out to like late season game and then playoffs.

And I was like, man, this team's got a vibe and an energy and how they practice.

That's just different than other teams.

And that's a big difference.

Sims, what led you to say that? And why didn't you call me so I didn't have to watch the game? Well,

I mean, listen, I, you know, one, my first gleam or look at that was when I was at there.

You know, I told you I went up there for interviews.

Right.

That's the first week after the AFC NFC championship game.

And again, not that that holds true, but I've been to some other places.

Like I remember being in Kansas city one year and just going, I went out to like late season game and then playoffs.

No, but it seems like what you're saying is there was one team who knew they should have been there, and they were going to kick their opponent's ass regardless of who their opponent was, and another team saying, hey, we have to play a perfect game if we want to beat this team.

I agree.

I, I really do.

Yeah, I mean, listen, I haven't talked to any coach or any player, and when I was at the Super Bowl before that, that even wasted a breath before they said Matthew Stafford.

And it's crazy 'cause we're in an era where everybody looks at stats, and the stats were like, "Well, this isn't close." And then one team plays to the quarterback, and the other team plays to the running game and the defense, and the quarterback was really good.

He's got a chance to win an MVP one day.

But no doubt about it, right? I mean, I think the one thing where I would look, and I was just a little concerned at the end of the season and in the playoffs, and I said this on my podcast a lot when I get in the weeds about technical stuff.

Some of the stuff I didn't like about him at North Carolina, with his throwing motion and mechanics, they started to rear their ugly head again in the playoffs and the last week or two of the regular season and, of course, in the Super Bowl.

-were they a legitimate Super Bowl team?