0:00Good morning, Matt Waldman. Another week, another episode of the Field of Pucker Podcast. I am Bob Harris, he's Matt Waldman. Find us on the X devices
0:08at Matt Waldman, at Football Diehard.
0:10Find my work at Football Guys. Matt's work will be there, too, soon enough, as now that he's decompressing.
0:16Decompressing from what, you ask? Well, a big run of work with the Rookie Scouting Portfolio. I'll tell everyone how it's going and what they need to
0:22get.
0:23>> Yeah, I mean, you can get it at mattwaldman.com. You get the pre-draft and post-draft versions of that, cheat sheets, full scouting reports,
0:32tiered cheat sheets that give you, you know, kind of an X value between how I value a player versus where you
0:40should draft him to maximize the value you can get, depth chart analysis, you know, a lot of good positional information and depth chart analysis
0:51that gives you kind of an idea of the state of these positions as we enter the fantasy season and what to look for with
0:58rookies. In addition to that, sometime in early to mid- June, I will have out the dynasty rankings and projection service for
1:10those of you paid $24.95 for that.
1:13It's going to have projections for every player who I project to be on a roster, broken down by team, and then you get
1:20rankings in a tiered cheat sheet form for long build and short win now type of formats, and then you also get a
1:32you know, rankings that are more in a in a linear format with a little bit of commentary, and I'm working through that
1:38right now. And by by mid-June, I will also have rankings out at footballguys.com, complete with commentary for your reading pleasure or
1:49consternation, whichever one comes first. And let's just wish everybody a happy Memorial Day and wish the best to the families who've um
1:58you know, who have family members who sacrificed, made the ultimate sacrifice for the country, you know, it's um you know, obviously a holiday.
2:07>> Think a lot about that, you know, the generational sacrifices that have been made over the course of time and the
2:11cost over the course of time and the things we lost that we can never get back and things we gained from those
2:16losses and and how it makes you sit in your life today, you should maybe be pondering that a little bit. I know I
2:22will be.
2:23Uh I think it's important to to remember uh what others have done to to make it easy for me and Matt Waldman sit here
2:29and feel [ __ ] stuff. Um so, there you have it. Let's dive into the stuff here.
2:34It's football and uh people like the football, so we're here to give them the football.
2:39Uh Marvin Harrison Jr. A lot of talk that maybe it's time for him to finally have his breakout. Uh Jacoby Brissett uh
2:47apparently the two sides are far apart.
2:49Brissett wants to get starter's money.
2:51He probably will get a nice pay increase, uh but when that comes, we don't know.
2:56In the meantime, Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck are taking the first team reps. Uh could working with that duo stunt Marvin Harrison Jr.'s growth, Matt
3:04Waldman, feeler or [ __ ] it?
3:05>> I'm going to say [ __ ] it. Um mainly because what's going to stunt Marvin Harrison Jr.'s growth, if anything,
3:12is his um inability to work with work on his hands. Heading into last year, this time
3:22last year, all we heard about is how he got bigger and we talked about how that's not a great sign. What we want to
3:29hear about is that he worked on his mitts and how he tracked the football because that was the issue, not his
3:35size. Um and so, we want to see him talk about that this spring and summer and that he's done that work and
3:46that he can get better from that standpoint because getting open hasn't been the problem. In fact, Trey McBride has gone on record to say when Kyle
3:55Kyler Murray was under the helm that McBride got, you know, peppered a lot with targets. And he said, well, I wasn't the first read on most of them.
4:04Um it was just that Kyler checked down to me a lot or worked to me a lot and skipped the first read. And a lot of
4:11those first reads were Marvin Harrison Jr. So, I I think that there has to be a level of trust that a quarterback has in
4:19the in the receiver. And part of that is can the receiver come down with the ball in situations where maybe the
4:26quarterback feels like this is these are the types of targets that he drops. So, for me, Minshew and Beck will get the
4:34ball in the general area. Will his production be stunted working with either those guys compared to Jacoby Brissett? The answer is possibly or a
4:45little bit, but it's it but actual stunted growth as a as a wide receiver, that's all on him at this stage.
4:54>> Right.
4:54>> I think I think that's the the the fair part of the assessment. Uh I a couple interesting things to me, you know, like
4:59Jacoby Brissett, I don't know that he's great. I mean, he had to throw the ball a heck of a lot last year and he had some guys step up.
5:06Trey McBride and Michael Wilson got the job done for him more so than Marvin Harrison Jr. Um am I going into this
5:11year worried about who's the starter at quarterback's going to be? Not that much cuz like Michael Wilson, you're getting him as wide receiver 38 and ADP right
5:19now.
5:20I'm going to pay that all day for a guy who over the final six games last year was wide receiver two, right? So, and
5:27Marvin Harrison going what? Eight seven eight players ahead of him, wide receiver 31. That doesn't make sense to me until I see it, but you know,
5:34everyone mileage may vary on that. We know the lineage here. But But yeah, new offense, quarterback situations, I'm not entirely sure Jacoby Brissett will be
5:42the starter all year long. I don't think if the if if the Cardinals go one and 11 in his first 12 starts this year if
5:48he'll make it all the way to 12.
5:50So, so we'll see what happens. But, yeah, I'm I'm kind of with you. This is more on the Marvin Harrison than it is
5:56on the quarterback situation. He's got to get the job done. The great receivers do that, right? They they they excel regardless of their quarterback or at
6:03least get the job done.
6:05Uh speaking of quarterbacks in Miami, the Dolphins continue to say all right things in my estimation about Malik Willis.
6:13You have Halfley saying we want him to work on performance before his leadership.
6:17John Eric Sullivan talking about, you know, this is a long-term commitment. Is that going to pay off for Miami? Feel it
6:23or [ __ ] it.
6:24>> I think it could cuz I think Malik Willis has shown that he's a worker and that he's come a pretty
6:30good distance between where he was as an over picked Tennessee Titan to being a good ex executor of a Green Bay Packers
6:41offense that was playing towards his strengths. And I think that Miami wants to play towards his strengths. They want to use play action and the run game and
6:51let him use his legs to set up his arm and to be able to and match him with receivers who are athletic after the
6:59catch and that can work across the middle of the field or up the or up the vertical seams or boundaries and that
7:07they can fit that all into with a ground game with the running backs where Willis can thrive just by putting tremendous
7:15pressure doing things that you could say conceptually might be a little simpler than what you see with some NFL quarterbacks, but profoundly difficult
7:26to do if you don't have the athletic ability and arm that Willis possesses.
7:31You could say the same thing about early Steve Young and say this is what a team would have done with an early career
7:39Steve Young. And I think that Willis within a few years could develop to where conceptually he's um a very strong
7:48enough quarterback to be considered um you know, the leader of this offense and also um someone that they might want to
7:58pay long-term. Now, that's going to come down to can Miami's offensive line and receivers play well enough to to support what they're trying to do with Willis.
8:09And right now you look at that receiving core and it doesn't look all that strong on paper.
8:16Um but you can also see how if this if this offense works as planned, I think Malik Washington, maybe a healthy Chris Bell
8:26in a year or two, um McKevin Coleman, those are guys all three of them could constitute a better wide receiver core
8:34than even say the Atlanta Falcons, um who aren't seen as an awful wide receiver core, but I think are not as
8:42good as people make them would make them um lead you to believe. And I think that this is a type of core that could be
8:50comparable to what we've seen in Atlanta. Nobody's really complaining hard about Atlanta right now.
8:56>> Yeah, that makes perfect sense. I'll say the you know, just the the way they've approached this, the Miami brain trust,
9:02who by the way comes from Green Bay.
9:05They've been with him every day. They know what Malik Willis is.
9:09Uh I think they I think all their expectations are based on what they know about this guy. They have high expectations for him. They got a really
9:16good deal on him. I think they're going to be patient, give him time. I know Bobby Slowik taking over as offensive
9:21coordinator had great success with you know, in the first year with C.J.
9:26Stroud. Um couldn't carry that over, but maybe we'll see what he can get out of him. He's talked about you know, not
9:31being afraid to lean into the running aspect of of the game and I think that's probably a wise choice for them right
9:38now given the receiving core. Uh in Carolina, uh we have a new body in the wide receiver mix, and that's fine,
9:45Chris Brazwell. Uh is Is he the favorite to win the wide receiver three spot, feel or [ __ ] it?
9:50>> Oh, I feel it because the other two are Xavier Legette and John Metchie, and I think John Metchie really hasn't
9:56elevated his game as a pro, and certainly he had some difficult obstacles with illness that that might be part of the equation. And
10:04the other one, Xavier Legette, and catching the football has been an adventure for him, and I don't think that he's as
10:14skilled of a route runner as Brazwell will become. And so, Brazwell to me could easily win this job um
10:24by the by training camp. Um and if he doesn't, I think it by the end of the season, it'll be clear that he's the
10:31guy.
10:32>> I I I I I agree with this. Uh I I know Sigmund Bloom compared him yesterday, you know, kind of a as a guy in in the
10:39mold of George Pickens, uh who has some of those same capabilities. So, that's an interesting comp there. But but I agree, this
10:46receiving core is, you know, Xavier Legette. We've seen the Panthers swing and miss with wide receivers before, and they move on. They don't tend to worry
10:54about the sunk cost, said Jonathan Mingo. So, uh we'll find out what goes on there. Uh in New Orleans, uh we've got Oscar Delp
11:03there, the tight end. Is he a worthwhile uh two-year fantasy stash? And there's a lot of talk about him maybe maybe being
11:10a slow rise up for uh the former Georgia tight end. Feel or [ __ ] it?
11:13>> Oh, I'm I'm feeling that. I mean, I also think, you know, Bob, if this doesn't work this analyst this uh this analyst
11:20gig doesn't work out for you, you could retire and become a uh Carolina Panthers wide receiver. They probably could pay day in order for for you or me, you
11:29>> I'm taller than Steve Smith.
11:30>> You're taller than Steve Smith. You're feistier than Steve Smith, I think.
11:34>> Not always.
11:35>> Yeah, that's true. Not always. That's true.
11:37Um but he's definitely into feeling and things, too. Um so, you know, um I would say
11:47with Delp, I I think you look at Noah Fant and he's a 1-year option. I think that's really He's at the 1-year rental
11:56stage of his career. Um decent blocker, can catch and run if you feed him the ball in space, but he's not
12:04anything special compared to what people hoped he would be when drafted by Denver. He just he had hands issues with tracking the ball. He's not a great
12:15route runner. He's a very linear player, but he's a high-end linear athlete, kind of in the realm of David Njoku, but not
12:22as good as Njoku. Um Juwan Johnson's getting a little older, you know? Doesn't mean that he can't sustain what he's able to do, but
12:31blocking is not his specialty. Whereas with Delp, Delp is a high-level blocker and has the potential to become one in
12:39the NFL. Um get him acclimated to reading the field and in a in a NFL offense, help him understand the scheme,
12:49adjust to his quarterback, and he could very well wind up the tight end one in 2 years with the Saints. So, I think he's
12:56a very good He's often going in the fourth round in dynasty drafts. Um and I think that that's a good spot for him,
13:03for sure.
13:04>> Yeah, no more Foster Moreau. The Island of Dr. Moreau is gone, as is Taysom Hill. Probably has seen his last days,
13:09unless there's a hookup with Sean Payton out there with a some kind of bit player role for him, but it seems like his time
13:16in New Orleans is up.
13:17>> Boy, that would help Jona Coleman out a lot with that.
13:19>> Probably his time in Yeah, right.
13:20Probably Probably his time in Yeah. I'm guessing his time in the NFL is up, but you know, some of these guys uh don't go away that
13:26easy. Uh Derrick Henry not going away that easy entering his 30-year 32 age 32 season uh doing things that no other
13:33back has done. We The perception is it was not a great season last year. And it wasn't. Yet here he is running back
13:41seven uh when all is said and done the dust had settled he still put up great numbers. Um could he let's say rebound
13:49move back inside the top five this year feel it or [ __ ] it?
13:52>> I'm going to say feel it mainly because you look at Megaionay um or whatever his name is the guard that they drafted with
14:00the with with the Ravens and that dude's getting rave reviews in camp about how much of a beast he is.
14:09And this is a this is a generational prospect as a guard if you're going to go that route. So he could be one of the
14:17best guards in the league for a long time and I think that could sustain Derrick Henry for another year and Henry's a beast when it comes to working
14:26out.
14:28He wasn't Henry wasn't the problem last year. Your quarterback was hurt. Um and I you know I feel like that you know
14:37if if Joe Burrow or Josh Allen had gotten hurt the way Lamar Jackson was nobody would be talking about trading either of those
14:47guys. Um but here we are. Um so I think that you know a healthy Jackson and Derrick Henry absolutely will see Henry
14:58rebound and end up being one of the top three to four backs in the league and I think he'll be a value.
15:04>> I was watching some of the workout footage it's all over your interwebs people go out on your X and check it
15:09out. I mean he's working the same as he's worked every year that I've you know that I've known him to be playing
15:17and that goes back to his rookie season.
15:19He's phenomenal uh at you know with his process and getting things done. 32 seems like, you know, like are we at the point now where
15:27yes, he could fall off cliff, sure. I think you could say that of a few guys.
15:30Also, is it cost prohibitive to find out? No. It's not, you know, he's not you're not paying top first round draft
15:37capital for a guy that's almost certainly going to wind up giving you running back one numbers if he stays healthy. Any concerns for you? I know
15:44you like the guard, you like the center.
15:45Sounds like they might use a platoon at center with Tyler Linderbaum gone.
15:50>> I think they're I think what they're doing is giving reps to have a competition in the summer and I think
15:55that's all that really is.
15:57Um, that could be a concern for the for the cohesion of the offensive line.
16:02So, yes, it is something to watch out for. Center's one of the most underrated positions on the team and we talk about
16:08that a lot on this show. So, it is something to watch out for, but I think that if your guard play is strong, your
16:15run game's probably going to be pretty good and especially with a guy like Jackson under center.
16:20>> Just when you thought it was safe to leave the substation.
16:23Uh, Brandon Aiyuk we find out might show up at 49ers OTAs which would force the team to take him off the reserve did not
16:31report it list. They took some money away from him. A lot of rumors about him being out of shape and not committed to
16:36playing. A lot of rumors about him being a Washington Commander. Just a lot of rumors in general.
16:43>> Isn't he somewhere in South America now according to one rumor?
16:46>> Uh, yeah, I've heard many.
16:49Like, is he worth a dart throw pick?
16:52>> I would say I would say the simplest answer is probably the the correct one and the simplest answer is
17:02the 49ers are one of the best offenses in the NFL.
17:06If you don't want to play for the 49ers, what is going on with you?
17:11>> He don't like Kyle Shanahan. Kyle Shanahan don't like him. That's what's going on, right? I mean, we saw that his
17:16rookie season. It started then, right?
17:18>> It It did, but we saw what Aiyuk was able to do when he followed Kyle Shanahan's program. You don't have to
17:25like Kyle Shanahan to thrive under Kyle Shanahan.
17:28>> Aiyuk does.
17:29>> And that gives you an answer that is probably the safest one, which is if he can't play nice with his coach, there
17:37are a lot of There are a lot of good players who hated their coaches, but certainly thrived under their coaches.
17:44>> Yes.
17:44>> And so, if Aiyuk can't do that, maybe it may not be a majority thing. It may be he It may It just may turn out to be one
17:53of those oil and water deals where he goes somewhere else and just blows it up. Like you and I, exactly. Can't wait
17:59to get away from your ass, but and then you're going to blow up from that. But no, but like But yeah, Aiyuk, I mean,
18:07that could he could do offer the exception here, but I would just say based on the wide receivers that did not
18:13play nicely with Kyle or Kyle did not like how they were they were working, they didn't actually go on to have strong careers
18:22after him. So, I would say I I Aiyuk is not someone I would make a dart throw to um trade for.
18:30>> Well, while we have the dartboard out and we've got some darts in our hands, let's let's hit a few other guys that
18:35might be dart tosses. One that I've made recently and maybe I'm regretting it.
18:39The latest news is Tyreek Hill has become a DJ.
18:42Um might take him midway through the year before he's ready to play, coming off surgery. I don't know, is he a
18:47worthwhile waiver wire addition mid-year? Feel or [ __ ] it?
18:51>> Um I would say right now the the the the luxury of wait and see is a is a nice thing for us because we know how
19:00good he is when he's at his best, but age, this injury, um not being a part of a team, joining a
19:09team mid-season, all of those are factors that kind of put him in Aiyuk territory for me. Um if you have him and
19:18you have you have the luxury to just hold on to him, fine. That's probably what I'm doing on some teams, but not but I'm not going to
19:26make it a huge priority at this stage.
19:28>> Yeah, I have some I you know, out in the best balls I have some shares. I mean last round shares felt about right, you
19:35know, probably at the moment I have enough of those that I can wait and see now that I see him out there doing his little thing on
19:42the DJ stand. Look at him go. Very impressive with that work, uh so maybe he's found a new calling. Uh maybe his
19:49time as a player was up anyway, the Dolphins seem to believe he was heading in that direction. Keenan Allen, maybe not the case. Uh talked that the door is
19:56not closed on a return to to Los Angeles. Well, I don't know how that'll work out. Is he worth a a late round
20:01flyer? Let's say you're playing in best balls and you're down there you're sorting through the seeds and stems and there's Keenan Allen
20:08staring at you.
20:09>> Yeah, I think he's a worthwhile late round pick based on what he did last year. Um I know it was more of a a good
20:15early start and then a slow finish, but if somebody gets hurt in in that um Los Angeles Chargers um um scheme,
20:26he could have a a bigger role and we know that he has good rapport and and with um Justin Herbert. And by the way,
20:35I'm kind of thinking now that you told me that Tyreek Hill's a DJ, maybe my cousin who is a DJ as her profession,
20:42she can maybe we can have her do a scouting report on Tyreek Hill if we can get some clips.
20:47>> necessary.
20:47>> See if his transitions are good. That's apparently that's the big thing. Um so you know, >> With everything.
20:54>> Yeah, with everything. That's for sure.
20:58That's how you make those transitions.
21:00Especially with wide receivers. I mean Marquise Lee may not have been a very good DJ early on in his his cuz his
21:05transitions weren't good. But, anyway, yeah, I think Keenan Allen's a worthwhile late round pick at this stage in deeper leagues more than shallow
21:13ones, but you know, as we get into training camp, that may change if and when he signs with the Chargers and what
21:22happens with their the health of their receiving core and tight end core.
21:26>> All right, let's talk about some younger players here. Jadarian Price, uh could he be better than Jeremiah Love? Uh this
21:32is what Scott McCloughan, the former Washington Football Team GM said, more famous for other things at the moment.
21:38Uh what what's going on? What what do you what do you think of that take? A feel or a [ __ ] it?
21:42>> This is a guy who discovered Frank Gore, at least discovered him for the 49ers. I mean, not like Frank Gore was a
21:49was um some sort of hidden hidden gem somewhere, but you know, you know, he did have a high value for Gore despite
21:56the injuries and he was right about that. Um he was right about a lot of things as a scout. Um very good scout.
22:03>> Likes Deshaun's dribbling.
22:04>> Yeah, he does like Deshaun's dribbling.
22:06I'm sure he does. You know, so >> Same guy who grabbed Michael Crabtree, might know a little something about it.
22:12>> Might know a little something about that, too. That's right. So, I think Jadarian Price is someone that when you when you look at running backs
22:21and what they have to do to become great NFL players, you know, decision-making and how good they are as decision-makers,
22:31um both in the heat of the moment when things are on um don't go on track, as well as how to
22:38read and a defense and and do and discern things pre-snap is very important. Good footwork and ability to continue to develop footwork at a
22:49certain level and pass protection um are probably all areas that will differentiate a lot of guys who who seem to be within a tier or two of each
23:00other.
23:01Um and I would say that that probably um from this perspective Jaire Alexander Price has a chance to be better than
23:12Jeremiah Love.
23:13But, um, especially from maybe the decision-making and the pass protection.
23:18>> at Notre Dame, too.
23:19>> But, he did have a chance to do that at Notre Dame. But, I think that Love's I think Love's footwork is better and his
23:25vision is better at this stage. So, I'd still go Love, but I think it will be closer than you think.
23:32>> All right, fair enough. Uh, Carnell Tate, glowing reviews from a Friday practice session. I was going to look up some of the quotes here. I mean, it was
23:39pretty much over the top, you know, that he was uh the boss of everything. Um, informative layer of information, Matt, or just a one-off? Feel or [ __ ] it?
23:49>> Carnell Tate for president. Carnell Tate will will end the recession. Carnell Tate, no new taxes.
23:55>> End the recession.
23:55>> Carnell Tate will end wars, you know? I mean, uh you know, that's kind of where I think that's where it's at right now.
24:02No, there's there it's not informative layer of information unless you're a beat writer who didn't know who the [ __ ]
24:08Car- Carnell Tate was other than you heard his name occasionally when you were typing up a story about the Titans and then the and
24:17the Ohio State game was on the in the background, you know, on TV for you while you were typing up your stories.
24:24Um, otherwise I I would say that really Carnell Tate didn't do anything different than what he's done on film and there was a lot more nuanced than
24:33what the film showed than what a practice did in shirts and t-shirts.
24:38>> Looking at some of the quotes, you know, uh three touchdown day was what got everyone going. I can't go any further
24:44without mentioning Tate. This is Jim Wyatt, a long-time observer. Works for the team's website, though. Remember a three touchdown day, got behind defense
24:51on several occasions, all in would be touchdowns when applied back the the zone on one play. And so, you hear these
24:57glowing reviews. Uh this is where I remind everybody that a year ago around this time we started hearing similar things about a guy named Jacory
25:04Croskey-Merritt that we never heard of who, you know, like you're going to hear things in mini camp workouts. Obviously, you get different levels of player here,
25:13but you're going to hear things from practice to practice that are going to change values or change how you're drafting players. And look, Chig is
25:20going to rise. I mean, I think he's already the first by in the best balls I'm playing in, mostly best ball
25:24fantasy, he's going as the 66th player off the board. Right? He's the first Tennessee Titan off the board by a a
25:32fair amount. I think that's probably, you know, not overly optimistic, but but we're getting there. So, so let's see what goes on and maybe he ends up being
25:40a great value there and and outperforming. I think if anyone is, Matt, would you say that?
25:45Of these rookie wide receivers, is he the one most likely to outperform expectations?
25:49>> Yes, and I would take him as the first Titan off the board, too, but I don't think that I I don't want him to reach
25:55Marvin Harrison status as a rookie. Um not because he has issues to not fulfill it the way Marvin Harrison did. Um just
26:03that the Titans aren't a great offense.
26:05He's going to get a lot of opportunities and you're hoping he stays a value.
26:09You'd like to take him as your your wide receiver three, wide receiver four, and hope that he can perform like a wide
26:15receiver two, maybe even a wide receiver one if everything really clicks in this Brian Daboll offense, and it could. But I I I think that you're I think
26:25expecting wide receiver one value from a rookie is always a a hazardous um stance.
26:33>> We are counting on multiple things working in his favor. Number one, Chig Okonkwo to make the step that it looked
26:39like he was making late last season, and it did look good down the stretch his final four games. Uh multiple touchdowns
26:45in each game, the interceptions all eliminated, but a pretty narrow band to hang your hat on, bro. Having a lot of
26:50fun.
26:51>> Chig is a worker, though. That's the thing.
26:53>> See, he showed up slimmer this year. I mean, it's that season where we find out who's fatter and less fat and
26:59and and such like as that. But But he's less fat.
27:03>> The fat-shaming part of I always love the fat-shaming that goes on both online and the public sphere and with the beat
27:10writers a little bit. And the beat writers don't do it very often cuz they they have reason not to be they they
27:17don't want to be hypocritical.
27:18>> As our friend uh Marcus Grant from NFL Network and other places, B S O H C season, best shape of his career season
27:26is where we're at right now. It's that time of year. Uh so, be ready for a lot of that. Uh I don't know if this is an interesting
27:32story or not. I Deion Sanders, who was recently lamenting the fact that the Jaguars coaching staff never took the time to reach out and ask him
27:41how you how you handle that a Hunter Tra- Travis Hunter guy. Uh now he wants to meet with Todd Monken as
27:48a coach, not as a parent. We're hearing reports that Shedeur Sanders has looked okay during recent OTAs. Deshaun Watson seems to be the early favorite. Uh
27:56Deshaun Deshaun Deion Sanders uh and Todd Monken are needing to meet. Feel it or [ __ ] it.
28:02>> Oh, [ __ ] that. This is something This is something I predicted. This is something that I predicted back when when they
28:09they drafted Shedeur that Deion would be making his play to become a uh a parent. What coach talks about wanting publicly wanting to
28:21meet with another player in the media?
28:25Um or call to meet with another coach in the media like this. None. If if there if a coach wants to learn more about the
28:32player, they reach out to that college coach, and they do it privately.
28:37You know, so to me, this is [ __ ] that he wants to do it as a coach. He wants to do it as a parent. He's never
28:45not coached Shedeur until last year, okay?
28:49>> Hold on a second. Let me add Let me add Deion to the Kyler Murray list of players and people Matt Walsh and
28:58>> I I loved him on the field. Loved him on the field. I respect a lot of what he's done as a coach, but I do think that
29:06he's that there's some narcissism with his with his behavior, and I think that it's rubbed off on his son a little bit, even
29:14if his son isn't the narcissist Deion Sanders might be.
29:18Um and it doesn't take away things that Sanders has done to help a lot of young kids, that what he's done as a his
29:25legacy as a football coach, I'm and as definitely as a player, but I do think that there's a little bit of that there
29:32going on that he's making this he's made this more about him, even though he's dressing it up as if it's about his son.
29:40It would be It would probably be better if Deion just let his son handle his career and advise his son quietly, um
29:49from in the background. Only because it rubs it rubs people the wrong way. It's It's just not the professional way to go
29:57about doing it, going through the media to do this, and I think it puts more pressure on the son inadvertently, um and in ways that just isn't good for
30:08for Shaddur, and Shaddur could become a good quarterback, and I just think the the sooner he can cut the umbilical cord
30:15from from Deion, not his mom, but from Deion. Somehow Deion has an umbilical cord attached to to his to I know, isn't
30:23it? Um but narcissism can do that. I I think that the the the sooner he can do that and become his own person and start
30:30to think about how he's perceived in the media and how he's and look at some of the criticism, and some of it may be,
30:39you know, damning and not and also unfair, but some of it may actually have merit.
30:45You know, I mean when you compare him and Cam Ward and they're in a photo shoot together and he wants to do social
30:51media esque stuff and Cam Ward tells him essentially, "Look, I'm here to work out and get better as a quarterback. I This
30:57isn't part of that for me."
30:59You know, I think you can see kind of a difference between how the two approach things. And and so and you just see
31:08Deion ranking his sons in the media, you know, on a talking about how he did that on a daily basis, but the way that he
31:15talked about doing it wasn't funny haha.
31:18It was It was a little creepy. You know, it was a little narcissistic in the way that it came across. Just from my
31:24opinion. Again, great player. There's a lot of people who have this kind of behavior that we may all love and cherish what they've done as and with
31:32their legacies. Yeah, there we go, you know. But, you know, no seriously. But, I I think that this is the kind of thing
31:40that could be a little painful and I and I've kind of said that it wouldn't surprise me if all of Deion makes a play
31:46to try and become the head coach of the Browns so that he could so that again it could be about him and he can coach
31:52Shador and make himself look great. You you know, try and make himself look great and make that next step. And to me
31:58wanting to meet with Todd Monken as a coach, not a parent, well, that's kind of [ __ ] but it's also a little bit
32:04more about him.
32:06>> Fair enough. Uh there's a couple more rookies I want to talk about. Zachary Branch. Yeah, if the reporting on Carnell Tate was over the top, it was
32:13even over the top-ier when it comes to Branch. Daniel Flick from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, uh he said he stood out among the
32:20offensive players. I noticed so there were some more lofty praise. FanSided's Garrett Klaussner wrote, "In the first days of NFL practice field, he made A.J.
32:27Woods' look helpless with a duke and an out route and followed up with a catch and spin that drew immediate B. John
32:32Robinson comparisons."
32:35How excited are you, Matt Waldman?
32:37>> Well, in other news water is wet in the Atlanta area and it's going to rain all week. This is definitely from the water
32:44is wet department.
32:46Zachariah Branch is slippery and has great moves and excellent quickness.
32:52Again, if you didn't know this you weren't watching him before and so this may be just a new thing for people to
32:59see. We got to see whether he actually can run routes not against air or in two-way goes or in in shorts and
33:06t-shirts. Yeah, but when it actually requires some diagnostic skill and you're facing players who are notable where the hitting is happening.
33:17>> All right, in New York yeah and I agree with that.
33:20I mean I I think I think one of the things that's intriguing about Branch is the opportunities that they're right.
33:26Pretty thin depth chart once you get past Drake London and you know the they're we're looking for something to get excited about in the quarterback
33:33situation playing out will be part of that determination too. Thomas Pedone two the Giants tight end picked in round seven. Are we keeping an eye on him Matt
33:43field or [ __ ] it?
33:44>> Yes, just because listening to Jim Harbaugh talk about this tight end room he says it's the best tight end room in
33:49the league. That's what he thinks. Now, Theo Johnson is not the best starting tight end in the league. Um you know, Chris Manhertz is
34:00not is a is a good blocker and special teamer and that's nice. Isaiah Likely certainly is a a a good um receiver,
34:11very good receiver who can play from the slot. Um but all those guys are I would say John Theo Johnson is not an incomplete tight end.
34:20He's a good starting tight end who can continue to grow and get better. But I think when you take a look at this unit
34:28at overall, he likes how all of these players could probably start if they needed to or play a huge role. And I
34:37think that also includes when you look at this depth chart from top to bottom.
34:41At the bottom of the depth chart is Thomas Fidone, a player who Travis Kelce was impressed by as a rookie when he was
34:47working at tight end U last year. Fidone got hurt midway through last year, so we didn't really get a chance to see the
34:54level of growth on the field that that was possible for him. But Fidone is an excellent blocker. He's a good zone
35:02route runner, excellent at the catch point and after the catch. And I wouldn't be surprised to me if Thomas Fidone doesn't become
35:09one of a second contract starter in the league. And while it seems like a crowded depth chart, I would just continue to monitor him
35:18because I think he's one of those players that we find out in three to four years that we're like, "Oh, wow. He
35:23has fantasy value."
35:25>> There's another tight end that showed some fantasy value last year for a brief period. He was the tight end one overall
35:30for a couple weeks. Oronde Gadsden too.
35:34A lot of changes. David Njoku shows up, new offensive coordinator who I think probably likes using pieces like Oronde Gadsden when he has them. But we'll see.
35:41Is he a worthwhile dynasty value? I think people are a little dialed back. I know the the regular redraft and best
35:47ball ADPs have fallen since the arrival of Njoku. Good dynasty value? Feel or it?
35:52>> I'm going to say [ __ ] it. I'm I'm not there. I know. I know.
35:57I I saw I saw this news point and I thought I'm going to when I when I say it, I'm going to hear Bob say, "You
36:04son of a bitch." I I I I just saw it and then I smiled when I when when we thought about this one as a as a as a
36:11topic.
36:12Mainly is is that he's still got to learn to be a tight end. He's still got to learn to be a
36:17better route runner.
36:19Um a lot of what he did against zone last year, teams weren't really um flowing towards him early on in routes
36:27um and once they started to see that he was getting used a lot and they paid more attention to him, he faded. I mean, he
36:35faded pretty hard. Um and so I think that to me, I think Gastons one of those guys that you know, Jim Harbaugh goes on some
36:45of these these small little rants about things in life that you look at and you go, okay, he's a good football coach,
36:52but we we really the less we you know, either we really want him to talk cuz he's entertaining in a in a tin foil hat
37:00sort of way or or or we don't.
37:04You know, you know, but but I do think I think that Gastons one of those guys that you know, it's kind
37:13of who's the who's who name name like there's always Michigan players that that Jim Jimmy likes to to grab who
37:23Hassan Haskins. Like, you know, that's like a favorite, you you know, you know, I don't think he will be by the time it's over.
37:33I think yeah, I don't think he will be.
37:36I think he's a good pass catcher to an extent, but I think his route running was always an issue and I think he's a
37:43few years away, maybe a couple years away. I think he's a couple years away and it's going to be have to be
37:49dedicated work and and he's going to have to understand that Jimmy may love him, but the but the rest of the NFL
37:55doesn't really respect him and eventually Jimmy's going to realize that if they keep inserting Orande into the lineup and doesn't work out. And I think
38:03the fact that they have Charlie Kolar, they have um you know, David Njoku, those are their two guys and that's what
38:10it's going to be. And and really both of them are better receivers in zone than what Gastons is. Um and they're
38:20better all around players. So unless Gaskin's going to play the Keenan Allen role and and that's again like that's almost like saying that um
38:32you know, Andy Bernard with the banjo is going to go ahead and play the Eddie Van Halen role.
38:37Um in in an offense. It's it's a big steep climb between a banjo player who who can play two songs and Eddie Van Halen. Um
38:48>> We have seen the high end of his play.
38:51He we have seen him be unable to sustain it sustained it beyond a handful of games. Uh whether it was due to health,
38:58experience, role, etc. All those things.
39:01I think the you know, I think his saving grace could be Mike McDaniel. Uh but not enough so that I'm out there actively
39:08trying to acquire him. I think if you have him in dynasty you're hanging on to him even though Matt Wallman hates him
39:13like like I'm adding him to the list.
39:16>> Add Mike McDaniel to the list, too.
39:18Might as well add him to it as well. Cuz I wonder if he's I I wonder if he's like even you know
39:24the you know, the I think my I think my there's a lot of Miami players who feel set free from him.
39:31>> Well, I I think maybe you know, like I think we all know not everyone's cut out to be a head coach. I think maybe his
39:36you know, ideal role more ideal role is not being a head coach.
39:39>> With a strong coach there in place. And Jimmy Jimmy's strong, but he's he's also a little um he he he's also a little flaky, I think.
39:50>> Add something to my list here.
39:51>> Yeah, there we go.
39:52>> All right, we'll use that in the future.
39:54Kyle Williams, see if he's on the list.
39:56New England wide receiver goes into his second year. A lot of talk that he's you know, picking up the pace and learning
40:01some things. There's still some flux to that New England wide receiving core.
40:06We'll see if A.J. Brown shows up there.
40:08If we'll see if Kayshon Boutte uh Boutte sticks around. I'm a Boutte guy, but I don't know that the Patriots are. Oh well, unless they're Mike Vrabel
40:16is.
40:17Um Kyle Williams should not be ignored this summer. Feel it or [ __ ] it.
40:21>> I'm definitely feeling all of that. Um, I would say absolutely. Um, now is the current the current um thing I'm seeing in the news is how he's
40:32gotten bigger and stronger, which is which is again that same route as Marvin Harrison Jr. And he had the same issues,
40:39which was you know, clap attacking the football in certain instances where he had a lot of trouble catching it and fighting it, and that
40:48was the problem last year is he looked great at this stage of the game, and then >> great at moments when he was making long
40:56touchdowns. Other than that, I don't remember anything about him.
40:58>> Well, I heard I I I'll I'll refresh your memory. All I heard last spring was how Kyle Williams could be the starter year
41:07year one, and how he was getting behind defenses and making catches, and he looked really good, and he was very impressive, and then suddenly things got
41:16really quiet from the Patriots beat reporters once the pads came on and he actually had to run routes and make these catches, and I have to imagine
41:26it's because he was dropping passes. Um, because that was his biggest weakness.
41:31And he did make some good catches when they put him on the field at times, um, but he was used very sparingly in a very
41:38tight role. Um, so if he improves his catch performance, especially in tight coverage and contested scenarios, um he could be a real boon for this
41:50offense. And so I you definitely don't want to ignore him. You want to keep an eye on his progress.
41:56>> We're totally feeling Cam Skater Bo as a value running back 20. Tell me I'm right.
42:00>> Because the dude's crazy in a good way for a running back. Um he he believes he's healthy enough that he's going to be
42:08able to roll. Um, he's the best running back on the team. Um, he's a very good pass receiver. Um, powerful, looked excellent when he was
42:19used when he was healthy last year and on the field. And I think that he can only grow from there. As long as he
42:26learns how to put his hands in there and not his head in there as a pass protector, um, we're going to have a
42:32better chance of having a longer career.
42:35>> Yeah, I think it was uh when I go back and look at the totality of the off season, the talk first and they were
42:40going to try to land one of the big names in free agency, Kenneth Walker or Travis Etienne. Then when they didn't do
42:46that, they were going to try and get Jeremiah Love. All those things didn't come to pass and and probably Cam Akers or his increasing
42:54health is the reason why. But the numbers, I mean, he was week two, he averaged from week two on he averaged 16 carries, 4.7 targets,
43:0196.3 yards a game, scored six touchdowns in six full games. Five straight games with 90-plus all-purpose yards. Running back 10 when he went down in week eight
43:09despite not being the starter until week four.
43:12Uh, his 19.2 fantasy points per game would have ranked six over the full season. In the three fully healthy games, he was running back eight. So,
43:19yes.
43:20Running back 20, I'm going to take some shots there.
43:23>> He believes he can get 2,000 yards rushing.
43:26>> that. I don't necessarily agree with him, but and neither does history, but it has happened before.
43:32>> But I like his attitude.
43:33>> I like his attitude here. Here, more more than that, I think you look at the running backs going like slightly ahead
43:39of him. If you take Ky' Irving, I would be way more confident in Cam Akers. Uh, Javonte Williams, I'm pretty comfortable
43:46with. Do I think he has the same upside possibility as Akers and receiving ability as Akers?
43:51Remember the change to it like we all know I like Matt Nagy, but the Chiefs throw a lot of screens and a lot of
43:57passes near the goal line. The running back is an option there. Akers dominated in the targets in red zone targets off
44:04of that team last year. I imagine that'll kind of happen. How about Skowronek versus Trayveon Henderson?
44:09>> With I'm on Skowronek because of volume and because of consistency of what he can offer.
44:15>> Junkins.
44:16>> Um that's where it's a probably a push, but I would still go Skowronek just because I have I would say this one's going to be where
44:25it flip-flops throughout the year depending on the performance of the quarterback and offense in Cleveland. It could be in Cleveland's favor, but
44:35Skowronek has the edge right now.
44:38>> I agree. Taking a shot on him right now seems fine. He does seem to be increasingly healthy, probably more so
44:42than his teammate Malik Nabers who had the second clean up and must deal with that and it sounds like the Giants are going to be patient with
44:50him and they won't have to be with Skowronek cuz he has no patience to his name. Neither do I. I'm Bob Harris.
44:55>> He's a patient runner.
44:57>> He is a patient runner and and a tough runner, tough physical player and a lot to like about him and it's you
45:03know, like you look at the arrival Patrick Ricard, the fullback, you know, an all-pro fullback. They've they've bolstered the middle of the
45:11offensive line there as well. So a lot to like about this, you know, what John Harbaugh wants to do. He wants to run
45:16that big ball.
45:16>> Now we just need Jackson Dart to understand that he's a quarterback, not a running back.
45:21>> Oh that's all right. That's >> adjustments to your list.
45:25>> Huh? No, I'm not I'm not putting him on there yet. He's going to win you over just like he won over teammates last
45:31weekend. Um so let's go let's go ahead and and call this one a wrap for today. That's it for this episode of Feel the Pockets. Find my
45:40work at Football Guys. My fantasy notebook comes out every week. We're serializing it. It comes out by pieces during the week. This week it's going to
45:46be running through the wide receivers.
45:48First installment out Monday will be the top shelf, the top tier, bulletproof tier and you probably know who's on it, but
45:55go read the article if you don't and they'll be out every day.
45:58>> If you need to know who number one is, just take a look at Bob Harris here and how it's set up for him to be the
46:04answer.
46:05>> There you have it.
46:06All right, and go to mattwaldman.com and make all the purchases you have not yet already made vis-a-vis the rookie scouting portfolio, the best product of
46:14its kind out there bar none.
46:16It's proven demonstrated uh ability to raise your own level of play with a little help from the great Matt Waldman. All right, Matt, let's go away.
46:25>> All right, love you. Bye.