Keep telling you guys this is exactly why you need to listen to the football junkies
Podcast because oh my god right now we have a source off going off
Right now on Twitter. Okay on one hand you have people that are saying Liam Cohen
Might get the head coaching job tonight on the other hand
You got people saying that Robert solid is in Jacksonville right now because he has an interview tomorrow
With Jacksonville and then you have other people that are saying he never even got on the flight to go to Jacksonville man
Oh
man
Do we have a lot to talk about in this episode as well as Aaron Glenn going to the Jets
Jaguars Raiders and Saints are looking for a hero. They're looking for a leader
But we also have to talk about the offseason and draft forecasts. Okay. I have to get my forecast
Okay, bills and cheese preview and the commanders and Eagles preview. Okay, all of this and more
62nd episode of the football junkies podcast the best football podcast as you can listen to on a week to week
Day to day basis. Okay. I am your host with the most. Okay, your GM
Who currently is not on a team right now, but don't you worry about it?
Don't you worry about it my fellow football junkies? I am your chief Bagrod Thomas. Okay
I'm your chief head of the table everything that is related to the bag and more as well as draft free agency
Traves you name it. I do it. I'm that guy
But most importantly the most important title that you must remember is I am your host Kale
You already know how I'm about to do this. You already know what I'm about to say. So guess what you're excited. I'm excited
Let's do this thing one two three. Let's lock in. Oh
Right folks, let's just get into the meat and potatoes of everything that is going on in the league
Man, oh man, am I excited right now?
I got my phone propped up because I don't know what's about to happen within the next five minutes ten minutes
Even by the time I'm done recording this episode, but man, oh man
Do we have a source off going on Twitter right now folks and man? Oh man, is it good?
Let's do a little bit of unpacking when it comes to the Liam Cohen situation. So
originally he did interview with the Jaguars, right and so
Basically what happened was he left he went back to the buccaneers the buccaneers
But one of the highest paid offensive coordinators in the league, right? And so everyone is thinking, okay, that's over with
Okay, cool. And so I think what was it was that it was either the same day or
Or literally the next day the Jaguars fired their GM Trent Blake if I'm not mistaken
They fired him right and then shortly after that's when all of this happened and Liam Cohen
You know flew back to Jacksonville and he hasn't talked with anybody from the buccaneers like when I tell you
Things are going on right now as we speak as I'm recording this episode. This is a ongoing
ongoing fluid situation right now
My question is this did the firing of Trent Blake influence Liam Cohen to
Decide to back out of his choice of potentially inking a deal with the buccaneers to be a head coach with the Jaguars
That I don't know I don't have any insiders for that
But I will say this it is a dumb decision and the only reason why I say that is because
There is a lot of uncertainty with the Jaguars. Let's be real here
It is an unstable organization from top to bottom from the ownership all the way down
You don't know who the GM is because they the GM just got fired
You don't really know what is about to happen moving forward with the team because
Trevor Lawrence has not lived up to that contract. He has not lived up to being the first overall pick of his draft class
What exactly is the Jaguars going to do at this point the Jaguars are at a crossroads and they have to figure out exactly
Where are they going to take this team?
Are they going to go to the left and try to you know continue to go into the same wall and try to see if they can fix
Trevor Lawrence or are they just going to say, you know what let's bring somebody in if they can't fix them
We don't know we we don't know what to do at this point because right now you're just cycling through coaches and
None of them basically have the answer on top of that being with the Buccaneers. It's a more stable situation
Okay, you have bigger Mayfield you have Mike Evans. You have pieces around
Okay, if you stay with the Buccaneers for one more year or wherever the term of the contract is
That's not going to hurt you because because guess what by the time that contract is over with
Most likely they'll probably be two or three maybe even four, you know options open
There are much better options than going to a burning tire fire. That is the Jaguars
No disrespect to them. No disrespect to any of the players, but there is a lot of dysfunction if I am
Coordinator who is looking to be a head coach. I am going to a place where there is stability from the ownership
All the way down to the front office. That's where I'm going
I'm not going anywhere where there is a whole bunch of uncertainty and the owner has fired, you know
For four coaches in three years and you know that I'm just not doing that. I need stability
I need promises. I need guarantees. I don't need you know
Okay, well, we can do this or oh, we can do that
I don't need that what I need is guarantees and if you cannot provide me with guarantees
Then there is no need for me to put in my bid for this head coaching job. I don't care what pieces they have
I don't care what quarterback they have
I am not putting myself through that because guess what when you get fired that tarnishes your record
That doesn't tarnish the front office that doesn't tarnish the ownership that tarnishes your record
Let's get into the stuff that we had to talk about and that is
Eringland going to the jets
Before I get into my opinion and whatnot. Let's just go and do a little bit of a background
About Eringland because a lot of people don't know who Eringland is. I didn't for a moment
So he was drafted by the jets with the 12th pick in the 1994 draft. Okay
He played for the jets from 94 to 2001 then the Texans from 2002 to 2004
Then the Cowboys from 05 to 06 the job was for only one season in 07 and then the Saints in 08
He was the Browns assistant a secondary coach from 2014 and 2015
He was the Saints DB coach from 2016 to 2020 and then of course
He was the defensive coordinator for the Lions from
2021 to 2024 and he basically signed a five-year deal with the jets now. This is what I will say this could
potentially
Curve any
Negative emotions and feelings that any of the players that were about to be free agents had about the team and the direction of the team
Because now you have somebody that's been with the team
I understand Eringland was a part of the team before they even you know thought about getting into the league and whatnot
But he can relate to the players
He can give them assurances that I think they were trying to get because let's be real here
Robert Sala was ran out of New York and
He was literally the only thing that was keeping that team afloat
It was not because of Aaron Rodgers. It was not because they traded for Devonte Adams. It was none of that
It was because
Robert Sala was keeping things afloat that defense played a whole lot better when Robert Sala was there
Because look once Robert Sala was fired. We saw how that defense played and it would complete
360 so again
You have someone like an Aaron Glenn who you know is going to help with this defense because the defense has pieces
It's a really good team. It just needed leadership. That's all it was it needed
consistent leadership from top to bottom and now you have that with someone in
Aaron Glenn on
Top of that when you have someone like a Quentin Williams a sauce gardener
Who else CJ Mosley for instance?
Having someone like an Aaron Glenn that can talk to them and relate to them and can say hey listen
I was once a player
Tell me what what you need from me so that we can take this team to the next level because let's be real here folks
And I'm just gonna be completely honest with what I say people you can disagree all you want
But this is how I feel personally
The Jets right now are the second best team in their division and if they get their act together
I guarantee you they're gonna give the bills problems
If they hit on their free agency moves if they hit on their draft picks
I guarantee you this team is going to be a problem because they have
Certain pieces already in place all they really need to do is just work on the offense and just figure out exactly
What is the identity of the offense? Are we going to be passing more or gonna be running the ball?
I'm gonna be physical. What exactly are we going to be when we look at the quarterback position?
That is a little bit of a rocky situation only because
Aaron Rodgers is sort of like in this Brett Farr of type of mode where he's like, you know, this might be my last game
This may not be my last game. I I want to go, but I don't know if I really want to go
Keep me. Don't keep me. I don't really know if I want to play anymore
Listen, if he doesn't want to play anymore, you bring in someone that's going to be a bridge quarterback
You are telling them you are the bridge will actually know what no don't tell them that because they're not gonna sign with you
But you basically get somebody you put them on a two-year deal. That's actually gonna be a one-year deal and
You prepare for next year's draft because next year's draft is a much better quarterback draft class than this year
There's no need for nobody
Nobody well outside of the Browns and maybe the Titans to draft a quarterback
Just be honest if I'm gonna save that for our segment when it comes to the offseason in draft
Okay, so let us get into the Jaguars and Saints and why they are continuing to be on the search and the hunt
For a head coach for a leader for somebody to help them and rescue them
Let's be real here. The Saints are in cap trouble. Okay, if I'm not mistaken, they are negative
52 million they have no catchphrase catchphrase does not live or reside in New Orleans. Okay
I don't care how many times they restructure and push your money down by a few years and add a few
You know ghost years and do this and do that guess what at some point
The rubber meets the road and you are going to have to make the ultimate decision
Which is destroy everything all the way down to the to the grass and
Just build it right back up because at this point
It's not a good destination for anybody if I'm any of those veterans that that is on that team
I'm out of there. I don't want to stay here because guess what I don't want to be a part of a rebuild
I didn't gave 12 or 13 or 15 years of my career to this team
And now we're at a point where we're not going anywhere. You have a quarterback that has already said he's not willing to take a pay cut
But what exactly is there to really build off of sure you have Alvin Camara and you have Chris a la va but
Those are only two people you need the rest of this team to be something
at least
Be a little bit competitive because right now the Panthers the Buccaneers and the Falcons
Have more upside and a brighter future than what the Saints do
But that's only because those teams went through their trials and tribulations of going through a rebuild and
Missing on draft picks and you know whipping on quarterbacks and all those different things
So now the Saints have a tough decision that they have to make not to mention
I think and I don't know if this is true or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if
Many people do not want to work with the current GM for the Saints
Maybe if an insider, you know reports that then you know
We can do a little bit more of a deep dive with it
But I'm just gonna leave that you know that conspiracy theory there
But when we look at you know all the other stuff as I said before the Jaguars in their situation, it's unstable ownership
Shaq Khan is unstable. He is someone is not in my mind
I would say fully committed to football and the only reason why I say that is because
Outside of the Saxonville years where you know, you had Jalen Ramsey and Kaleas and
Telvin Smith and Miles Jack and AJ Boye and Leonard for that and Blake Bortles and you know
Alan Robinson when he was actually a dog and whatnot
They have not done anything. They have been struggling. They have been grinding and for what you're going in the same place
That you just were and that is nowhere
The division is weak
You should be able to compete with the Texans for the division title every single year on top of that
You gave a quarterback who doesn't even deserve that type of money
You basically gave him top five quarterback money when he's not even a top five quarterback just saying on top of that
You have, you know notable names like Mike McCarthy Pete Carroll
Spags Patrick Graham and Joe Brady who in my mind
I think they're waiting to see what other openings may happen as well as maybe they'll you know, just wait another year
I think for Spags. He'll probably just stay with the Chiefs
There's no need for you to go anywhere else because guess what you're one of the best defensive coordinators in the league right now
Nobody can stop you
You're literally
Working with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time
You're literally working with one of the best offensive minded coaches of all time. There's no need for you to go anywhere
You're winning Super Bowl's who cares now Mike McCarthy. I probably will wait
There's no need for you to go to the Raiders the Raiders are in the same situation as the Jaguars
And the only reason why I say that is because they don't have a quarterback
All they have is Brock Bowers and Max Crosby
That's all they have. They don't have anything else and it's and again, it's no disrespect to any of those players
None of them, but what in the world can you do with the tree limb and a brick?
Nothing
Nothing at all. You cannot you cannot build a two-story mansion with just a brick and a tree limb
It's not gonna work. That is a multi-year process where they are going to have to hit on their draft picks and on their free agency
signings, okay, I
Would not touch that I will wait for maybe the bangles job to maybe open or you know any of these other
Teams and any other situations to open up. Just wait. You'll be fine
Now let's get into a little bit of this offseason in the draft talk. Okay, let me just give you my forecast
Okay, as a chief, you know meteorologist when it comes to everything
Related to the bag and the offseason in the draft and all those good things and more so
This is just my analysis. I could be wrong. Okay. This is a strong
Detacol class
Corner class and running back class, but let me get into the running backs. Okay, let me just show them some love
We could legitimately see
eight
running backs
Be drafted in this year's draft
We have some legit running backs in this class. This could be a historic
Running back class you have people like O'Marion Hampton. You got Caleb Johnson
You got both of the running backs from Ohio State
You have the running back from Kansas State. Can we think of his name? I think it's what is it?
Devon Neil if I'm not mistaken. Hopefully I'm not butchering it. You got Ali Gordy. You have so many
Different running backs. It's ridiculous and they're all different types. You got your power backs
You got your you know your speedsters. You got your hybrid. You got your lucid backs. You got it all this year
Okay, which means that most likely a lot of teams who do need a running back
They're definitely going to make that a priority in this upcoming draft now when we look at corner
Corner is also a deep class as well. Okay, of course, you're gonna have you know
Will Johnson and the Benjamin Morrison's and the Chavon revels and you know all those different guys
But you still got some dogs and that's in that day two and day three. Okay, you still got a
Jaday bearing you got I can't even think of his name. I'm having a brain fart the guy from what is it Kentucky?
I think you got him. He's a dog as well. You got Kobe Bryant. Yes
His name is Kobe Bryant is not spelled with a K. It is spelled with a C. I am not joking
I am being dead serious right now
You have options at corner if you are a team that is looking for a corner steward's now moving forward
Okay, when we look at detackle, it's the same thing. Okay, you got Dion Walker
You got Derek Harman if I'm not mistaken
You got who else Jordan Phillips you have so many detackles that you could go after
Like this is a really good class for all three of those positions
Okay, and I would not be surprised if a few teams from Steelers would double dip in this draft class
Just being real here for the quarterback class. I would say it's about average
ish maybe
More ish than average and the only reason why I say that's because
The only three quarterbacks that probably will have a consistent first-round grade will be cam watch your door Sanchez and Jalen Milrow
That's it. There's nobody else that that you can say is a first-round, you know quarterback Quinn Ewers
I don't view him as a first-rounder. No disrespect you dawg, but I don't view you as a first-rounder
I view you as someone that could be a second or third. Maybe even a fourth. I would say that who else Jackson dart
You are a shot in the dark. No pun intended
That's a good one. That's a good one. I'm gonna have to keep that. I'm sorry. I'm gonna have to keep that who else
Who who else who else who else you have will Howard if he declares like it's just not good
And so my prediction is a lot of teams are gonna wait
Until next year because next year gonna have Carson Beck in a whole variety of other quarterbacks that you can choose from
Okay, and even the free agent quarterback class
It's still not good because the number one quarterback that everyone's gonna be interested in is who Sam Donald
Nobody else
Now Justin Fields that could be a quote-unquote cheap option. You're gonna have Russell Wilson
You're gonna have Daniel Jones. You could possibly have Kirk Cousins like even then those aren't really good options folks
I'm just being real with you guys. Okay. Now somebody is going to make the dumb move and they're gonna overpay
Sam Donald they are and that's probably gonna mess the quarterback market up even more
But outside of that, I don't see a whole bunch of friction going on with quarterbacks. Okay
Now when we look at some notable free agents, you know, you're gonna have T Higgins Devon Holland Chris Galvin
Trey Smith DJ Reed Khalil Mack Byron Murphy Jr. You're gonna have some good notable
Names and free agency. Now the question is this
Our teams gonna be super crazy like how they have been in that first wave of free agency
Or are they gonna, you know, wait things out and then, you know, make their moves because what I'm starting to see is with free agency is
It's a lot of veterans. Okay, a lot of veteran free agents who are
Sort of like at the tail end of their career who are trying to get into a situation where they can win or
Or at least compete for championship, right? So like a Khalil Mack
Most likely he's going to be heavily recruited by a lot of the Super Bowl contending teams
Because even at his current age, he is still a very very very productive pass rusher. Okay, I
Would not be surprised if someone like the Ravens or the Eagles, please God. No, just please for the love of God
No, or the bills or anybody else would try to you know, see if they can get Khalil Mack now
People like T Higgins and Jamar Chase and Javan Holland. Oh, they're gonna get the back
They're gonna get the back one of those three or two of those three are definitely going to reset the market for sure
And it's definitely gonna be Jamar Chase. It's probably gonna be Javan Holland. Just saying now T Higgins. I
don't know because it's a little bit tricky with him because on
On one hand, I do think he's gonna get paid fairly well
But I wonder what he'd be willing to take less to stay in the division so he can beat up against the bangles
But at the same time both T Higgins and Jamar Chase have both said that they would be willing to take less
To stay with Joe Burrow. So only time will tell with that
And as I you know said both more teams are going to prepare for the 26 quarterback draft class
Then this year's draft class because the only three like I've said before that everyone's gonna love and everyone's gonna be obsessed over
Is Jaylen Milrow?
Shador and Cam Ward and even then
You know what I'm a dropping. I'm gonna drop the hot take I think Jaylen Milrow
Draft stock can rise
Fairly high because I think he's going to take the bow nicks route and just participate in everything from the senior bowl
To the combine every workout
He is going to do each and everything that everybody asked him to do instead of what cam warden Shador may do
Which is they may only you know participate in private workouts and that at their protein. No disrespect to them also
So only time will tell we all know free agency gets a little bit crazy
We all know there's gonna be a surprise, you know release or someone will be you know float around for trades and whatnot
So you already know the football junkies podcast is gonna cover any and all of those things now
Let's get into these two games. Okay, so bills and chiefs. We already know this is legacy
versus dynasty
Yes, folks legacy versus dynasty and the reason why I say that is because if
Josh Allen wins
This moves his legacy into a great place, okay
But you're going up against the dynasty and that is the chiefs and we all know the referees are going to favor
The chiefs we all know that we all know that the bills are going to have to be on their peas and queues
When going up against the chiefs, we all know that but let's get into these junkie nuggets, okay?
So the chiefs have the fifth highest blitz rate this season at 35.6% and by creating free rushers
They generated a league high 49 unblocked pressures on blitz
Most likely they are definitely
Going to move Chris Jones around and they're probably gonna do the same for George Colofta's
So be on the lookout for that because I'm telling you just when you think Chris Jones is on the edge
Nope, he's in the middle
He's getting ready come through and he's gonna try to create pressure and Josh Allen's face now
We all know that Spags loves the blitz
We all know that he likes to send a variety of blitzes and different people to you know to do his blitzes
Sometimes who uses past rushers sometimes who uses a mill linebackers sometimes who uses his nickel corners
It's all a part of the Spags plan. Okay during week 11
Okay, the cheese blitz Josh Josh Allen on
37.8% of his dropbacks
That is the third highest blitz rate that Josh Allen has faced all season including the playoffs
Okay, but here's the most interesting part of this Josh Allen when he was blitzed when he faced
More than five rushers was eight for 16
108 passing yards one touchdown and one pick
But when he was facing less than four rushers, he was 19 for 24 for 154 passing yards
That's the recipe folks. That's what it is
We all know that the chiefs are going to come at Josh Allen quick
They are going to blitz him. They're going to put relentless pressure in his face
I don't blame them because guess what Josh Allen got wheels too. He can roll out the pocket
He can run too. So I don't think nobody really wants to you know, see that tank head on
One one V one. I don't think they want that problem
But let's keep on going Spencer Brown has allowed the fewest
Well, actually not fewest but the lowest pressure rate among right tackles at 4.8%
Okay, Brown has allowed only three pressures this entire season
That is one of three right tackles to allow only one
Sack he is going to have a busy day because his dance partner is none other than Chris Jones, okay
But I do believe this is gonna be a very interesting matchup
I cannot wait to the all 22 footage comes out for this because I want to see that all
They I want to see just that one specific matchup. Okay, Sean McDermott's defenses have allowed
35.7 points per game and 450.7 total yards per game
Against the Chiefs including the playoffs. They have allowed 18.3 points per game and
331.4 total yards per game against all other teams in the playoffs. I'm just being real here with you
The bills kryptonite is the Chiefs
It is
Sean McDermott does not do well when they go when going up against the Chiefs. I don't know what it is, but man, he
Shrinks I'm talking about when Mario hits the little lose and he goes
Do do do and he gets super small. That's exactly what happened with Sean McDermott when he goes up against the Chiefs in the playoffs
Hopefully that does not happen with this one because bro. We are relying on you. Okay, we are entrusting all of our
All of our love for this game into you guys, please beat the Chiefs, please
Please just dethrone them. Can we just have one Super Bowl where it's not the Chiefs in the Super Bowl?
Please I don't even care if it's the bills and the commanders
Which I think that might actually happen if it does you heard it here first on the football junkies podcast
Okay, just saying all right just saying
But come on guys you guys got to get over the hump at least once even if you don't win it
Even if you don't win it, you got to do it. You got to do it
Let's get into the final game and that is the commander versus the Eagles. Okay, so Seyquan has averaged
162 rushing yards per game in the playoffs. That is the most by a player within a single posties
Seyquan Barkley is on a historic campaign this season. Okay, even if they don't make it to the Super Bowl
Even if they don't win the Super Bowl if they do make it, which I don't think they are going to make it
I'm sorry Ron. I'm just being honest here
People are going to look at these highlights in the next three years. Well, actually two years. I wouldn't be surprised but
This goes to show. Well, you know what? I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna do it. I was right there
I was right there. I was gonna do it, but I'm not going to do it
I'm not gonna give in but let's just keep on going with these junkie nuggets
Okay, the commanders lead the league in scoring at 34 points per game in the playoffs
While the Eagles have allowed 16 points per game in the playoffs that is the second fewest in the league man. Oh, man
What is the best way to have an NFC championship or even the AFC championship match up?
Then your own division rival the team that you have to face twice in the regular season man. Oh, man
This is gonna be a good game not to mention the last regular season game between these two guess what happened
Jaylen Hertz was out. He got concussed. He didn't know his left from his right. Okay
This game a lot is wrangling on this game if they lose to the commanders
Most likely some people gonna get fired and Nick Sirian is probably gonna be the first one to get fired for sure
So hopefully that does not happen
But man, oh man, this is gonna be a great game and I cannot wait to watch it
But here is the last junkie nugget and that is when loading the box this season
the commanders have allowed 4.2 yards per carry and
Negative 10 rushing yards. So expect for them to load the box against a quad Barkley expect for them to be physical
Expect for them to try to stop the run as best as they can
I'm not saying that they are going to eliminate say quad Barkley because he can still
Do his thing whether it's you know going up the middle bouncing outside. Whatever he's still he's still that guy, okay?
But expect for them to load the box and expect for them to meet say one right where he is
But I'm gonna end this episode here if you guys like what you are listening
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It is together not spaced okay, it is together not
Spaced that I cover everything that I need to cover. I think I did no I didn't I knew I was forgetting something
Twitter follow me on Twitter at GM kale. Okay, GM kale. All right, Kaile
Follow me on there and for blue sky for my blue sky people. All right
Follow me GM kale as well. All right, GM kale
Kaile as always, I hope I gave you guys the fix that you guys need. I love you guys. I appreciate you guys so much
Man, oh man, are we gonna have something to talk about next week?
I would not be surprised by the time I am done editing this episode putting out this episode that Liam Cohen
Will be the next head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and if and when that happens
Man, oh man, are they screwed?
You man. Oh man. Are they screwed but as always I love you guys. I appreciate you guys so much
This is your GM kale signing out peace and love later