PodcastFrom NFL: The Insiders
The Insiders Podcast: Cowboys 2026 Expectations + Raiders LB Nakobe Dean and Browns WR KC Concepcion Join the Insiders
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
43 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Jun 27, 2026
Published
Sat, June 27, 2026
31
Player insights
24
Players mentioned
Topics
Justin HerbertCam WardJoe BurrowKC ConcepcionMicah ParsonsTrey McBrideBoye MafeBryan CookCaleb DownsDavid NjokuDenzel BostonDexter LawrenceGeorge PickensJavonte Williams
Player analysis
Player insights
Boye Mafe
PositiveDepth Chart7:15
Mafé signed by the Bengals as part of their aggressive defensive overhaul; Steve Weiss notes this signing alongside Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen represents the team finally investing in defense after years of offensive focus.
Insight pageBryan Cook
PositiveDepth Chart7:30
Cook added to the Bengals' secondary as part of their defensive investment; Steve Weiss notes the team is now aggressively pursuing defensive talent after years of neglect, with Cook joining Kyle Duggar in the secondary.
Insight pageCaleb Downs
PositiveDepth Chart3:30
Cowboys drafted Caleb Downs as part of their defensive overhaul; Steve Weiss notes the team added Downs alongside Quinn, Williams, Rashawn Gary, and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker to improve a bottom-of-the-league defense.
Insight pageCam Ward
PositiveProjection18:00
Brian Dayball, now Titans offensive coordinator, has high hopes for Cam Ward; Dayball researched Ward extensively when the Giants were in the QB market and liked his football intelligence, accuracy, athleticism, and ability to make plays out of broken plays. Steve Weiss expects a more confident Ward under Dayball's tutelage.
Insight pagePositiveRole19:00
Dayball has already noted that Cam Ward is understanding what he's looking at and why things are going good or bad; Steve Weiss believes this quarterback intelligence and Dayball's coaching will result in a confident Ward and a good marriage between coach and player.
Insight pageDavid Njoku
PositiveDepth Chart20:45
Njoku added to the Chargers at tight end; Steve Weiss notes this as part of the team's elite offensive weapons alongside Ladd McConkie and quality receivers to support Justin Herbert.
Insight pageDenzel Boston
NegativeRole28:08
Denzel Boston was drafted by the Browns to join their remade wide receiver room alongside first-round pick KC Concepcion and Jerry Judy, forming a new receiving corps.
Insight pageDexter Lawrence
PositiveDepth Chart7:15
Bengals traded a first-round pick to acquire Lawrence from the Giants; Steve Weiss frames this as the Bengals finally breaking character and acknowledging they needed to improve their defense, with Lawrence as a marquee addition to a secondary that also includes Brian Cook and Kyle Duggar.
Insight pageGeorge Pickens
PositiveRole2:17
Pickens showed up to minicamp, sending a strong message about the Cowboys team's cohesion and commitment; Jane Slater notes this as a significant positive indicator for Dallas heading into training camp without holdouts or off-field issues.
Insight pageJavonte Williams
PositiveRole2:45
Williams signed with the Cowboys as their running back addition this offseason; Jane Slater cites this as part of the team's intentional roster construction on paper to make a playoff run.
Insight pageJerry Jeudy
NegativeRole28:08
Jerry Judy remains part of the Browns' front-line wide receiver group alongside new additions KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the remade receiving corps.
Insight pageJoe Alt
PositiveDepth Chart21:10
Alt is returning to the Chargers' offensive line alongside Rashawn Slater; Steve Weiss notes this strengthens the line for Justin Herbert.
Insight pageJoe Burrow
PositiveProjection6:00
Burrow has praised the 2026 Bengals team, comparing them to his undefeated 2019 LSU Tigers; Zach Taylor reciprocates the praise, highlighting Burrow's leadership, work ethic, and growth over seven years as the foundation for the team's Super Bowl aspirations.
Insight pageNegativeInjury7:00
Burrow's injury history remains a critical concern for the Bengals' contention hopes; Judy Batista notes he has dealt with multiple injuries over several years, including training camp injuries that kept him out, and emphasizes that he must stay on the field for the team to be Super Bowl contenders.
Insight pageJonathan Allen
PositiveDepth Chart7:15
Allen acquired by the Bengals as part of their defensive reinforcement; Steve Weiss includes him in the team's aggressive offseason moves alongside Dexter Lawrence and Boye Mafé to address a historically weak defense.
Insight pageJustin Herbert
PositiveProjection20:00
Herbert walks into a rich offensive situation with the Chargers under Mike McDaniel; he has elite weapons including Omari and Hampton at running back, David Njoku at tight end, Ladd McConkie and other quality receivers, and an offensive line getting Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back.
Insight pagePositiveRole20:30
Mike McDaniel is working on improving Justin Herbert's footwork this offseason to help him get rid of the ball quicker and deliver receivers in stride for more yards after the catch; Steve Weiss praises McDaniel's humility in acknowledging he doesn't need to blow up the offense with an elite QB like Herbert.
Insight pagePositiveRole20:34
Justin Herbert is a key weapon for the Chargers under new head coach Mike McDaniels, who is focused on improving the offense's efficiency through better footwork and quarterback mechanics to get receivers the ball in stride for more yards after the catch, rather than overhauling the entire system.
Insight pageKC Concepcion
PositiveBreakout26:26
Concepcion was the 24th overall pick by the Browns in 2026 after a monster 2025 college season with 61 receptions, 900+ receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns while earning first-team AP All-American honors; he is a versatile receiver who can play multiple positions and generate yards after the catch.
Insight pagePositiveRole28:01
The Browns plan to use Concepcion all over the field in multiple positions, leveraging his versatility as a rookie; he expressed confidence in learning the playbook quickly and is ready to contribute immediately across the offense.
Insight pageKyle Dugger
PositiveDepth Chart7:30
Duggar joins the Bengals' secondary as part of their defensive overhaul; Steve Weiss highlights him alongside Brian Cook as part of the team's aggressive investment in defense.
Insight pageMaxx Crosby
PositiveRole14:00
Crosby, still the face of the Raiders franchise, is rehabbing from injury but brings infectious positive energy to the building; Nakobe Dean notes his presence is felt every day despite not being on the field, and he is ready to get back and win.
Insight pageMicah Parsons
NegativeInjury21:21
Micah Parsons is expected to start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from ACL and meniscus knee surgery, likely sidelining him for at least the first month and possibly the first half of the season; his absence will significantly impact the Packers' defensive performance under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Insight pageNegativeProjection22:01
Micah Parsons' absence will make it difficult to evaluate the Packers' defensive ceiling under Jonathan Gannon; historically, the Packers did not win another game after Parsons got hurt last season, underscoring his critical importance to the defense.
Insight pageNakobe Dean
PositiveRole10:00
Dean, a Super Bowl champion from the Eagles, joins the Raiders as a veteran free agent addition; he emphasizes the importance of bringing winning culture and players who know how to win to change the Raiders' culture, noting that winning games is the only thing that matters in the NFL.
Insight pageQuay Walker
PositiveRole12:00
Walker, who comes from Green Bay, reunites with Nakobe Dean at the Raiders; Dean notes they won a national championship together at Georgia and expresses optimism about their tandem, saying the sky is not even the limit for how good they can be together.
Insight pageRashan Gary
PositiveDepth Chart3:30
Gary acquired by the Cowboys as part of their defensive front overhaul; Steve Weiss highlights him alongside Kenny Clark and Quinn/Williams as key pieces to the defensive improvement, though notes the defensive front must stay healthy all season given the lighter inside linebackers behind them.
Insight pageRashawn Slater
PositiveDepth Chart21:10
Slater is returning to the Chargers' offensive line; Steve Weiss notes the team will get him back alongside Joe Alt, strengthening the line for Justin Herbert.
Insight pageTrey McBride
PositiveProjection23:43
McBride is coming off a huge touchdown season where he scored over 60% of his career touchdowns last year, demonstrating elite red zone efficiency and target volume under the Cardinals' new offensive system.
Insight pagePositiveRole25:01
Under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals' offense emphasizes 12 and 13 personnel packages that heavily feature the tight end, signaling increased usage and role expansion for McBride in the new scheme.
Insight pageZaire Franklin
PositiveRole21:33
Zaire Franklin was brought in to replace Quay Walker as the Packers' linebacker, described as a tackling machine who will anchor the defense under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. So far, so fun.
0:03Joe Burrows had great things to say about his Bengals team.
0:07His coach returning the favor for the quarterback. We'll hear what Zack Taylor had to say ahead of 2026.
0:13Nakobe Dean and the new arrivals in Las Vegas hope to surpass everyone's expectations for the Raiders.
0:18He tells us how they might do that and why someone might be doing more than raising the bar.
0:24And KC Concepcion gets a first-hand view of one of the more hotly contested quarterback competitions this offseason.
0:29We'll get insight from him and info from the rest as The Insiders starts right now.
0:34Hey everybody, welcome to The Insiders. Patrick Claiborne here with Judy Batista.
0:38As Judy, we're about a month and a couple of days away from veterans starting to report to a lot of training camps.
0:45But despite having to wait, we still got news coming in to the NFL LA newsroom today.
0:50You see here in this tweet from ESPN's Adam Schefter regarding the CFL and former Indiana and Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Soresby, it
0:57appears the options for him to play football this calendar year appear to have been exhausted.
1:02The CFL said in a statement today, quote, Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL.
1:09The allegations involving Brendan Soresby are serious and concerning.
1:12Let's get to the players who have made it to the National Football League.
1:16The Dallas Cowboys 2026 training camp starts July 28th in the familiar and friendly confines of Oxnard, California.
1:22Looking forward to Cowboys training camp. Let's discuss Dallas as we say hello to our Jane Slater and Steve Weiss joining us here in the NFL LA newsroom.
1:30Dallas working to get back to the playoffs appears that that is the bare minimum goal for the Cowboys, Jane.
1:36Yeah. If you talk to a lot of folks around here, lifetime fans, that is the bare minimum, but you know, they're taking it a step further.
1:45They want to make it to the Super Bowl.
1:48And in order to do that, they really had to improve the defense, Patrick.
1:52I mean, this was a bottom of the league defense in several metrics.
1:56And when you look at this team, in spite of that, they still went four and two in the division.
2:02So if they can just get a middle of the pack defense and they continue on what they were building on offense, this team could be very dangerous.
2:11And I think that's why when you hear a lot of people talk about this team, they have such high hopes for them.
2:18Obviously, the biggest thing is going to be injuries.
2:20They dealt with a lot of injuries last year that had a lot to do with some of the defensive problems.
2:27But I think more importantly, the fact it seems like fingers crossed this team might be heading into a training camp without
2:34any holdouts, hold ends or any off the field issues.
2:37George Pickens showing up to minicamp really sent a strong message about this team.
2:41And they had pretty much the entire team this offseason buying into the OTAs.
2:45You've got Javonte Williams signed here as a running back.
2:48So on paper, this team looks poised to make a run.
2:52But I always love when we try to make these predictions early.
2:56There's so much that goes into these things. But at least they've been intentional in trying to get to that spot.
3:02They're trying to get there. And head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Judy, not running away from the ultimate goal that he and every
3:09coach in the NFL have this offseason. I love that Shadi looks like the most mild-mannered man.
3:14And then he is the one who comes out.
3:17He beats Jerry Jones to the punch and says, like, we should be in the Super Bowl, right?
3:22So I love the optimism. As Jane pointed out, this is all about how fast the defense can come along.
3:29There hasn't been a question about this offense being Super Bowl ready for a number of years.
3:34It is the defense that has held them back.
3:37Now, they've done an awful lot. Of course, they have Quinn and Williams now for an entire offseason.
3:42They got Rashawn Gary. They drafted Caleb Downs. Christian Parker is the new defensive coordinator.
3:47If all of the pieces can come together and they can get an improved defense, certainly they should be certainly in the playoff mix.
3:54The question about can they get to the Super Bowl?
3:57I mean, can they just win a few playoff games?
4:00First, I go back to 2023 when they had the number one offense in the league and the number five defense in the league.
4:08They had a home playoff game and they lost in the wild card round to the Packers.
4:13So just slow down, win a playoff game, win another playoff game.
4:17They certainly have the wherewithal to do it as long as that defense comes together quickly this season.
4:22So slow down. Don't we don't we want the Cowboys to be talking all of this up?
4:27I mean, this is who they are. And you know, look, we know that the defense is the issue, but a lot
4:34of things do have to work together. Is George is George Pickens going to continue to do his thing?
4:40He could see the lamb this offense again. We do love it.
4:44I want to go back to Christian Parker, the defensive coordinator of Vic Fangio protege.
4:48He's somebody in coaching circles for years. People saying this is the next one.
4:53If he can get this defense going again, it's going to be good.
4:57I love the defensive front with Kenny Clark and and Rashawn Gary and you know, Quinn and Williams, but they're going to
5:03have to hold up the whole season long because you know the linebackers behind them.
5:08You know, we've got Damarian over showing his back.
5:11He's got D Winters who just came over from San Francisco, but these guys are light man.
5:16These are like 225 pound inside linebackers. If that defensive front has some type of injury and teams start to load up
5:23in the run game, especially an attack those very quick and very good, but smallest inside linebackers.
5:28That's where there could be some cheeks in the armor.
5:31But again, Judy, as you said on paper, they do look more poised to make a run into the playoffs than we've seen the last couple of years.
5:40And the thing is that's alarming as Jane and the Cowboys are set to come out here in Oxnard in a month and change.
5:47It seems like an aggressively regular off season for the Dallas Cowboys.
5:51We still got some time for the big boss to have some things to say.
5:55Sorry, Jay. I might've jinxed it. Thanks to Jay Slater.
5:59You know, Omar did this. Thank you, Jay. Joe Burrow and the Bengals look forward to training camp on the 28th as well.
6:06Joe has had some high praise for this edition of the Bengals comparing them a couple of weeks ago to his undefeated 2019 LSU Tigers head coach.
6:14Zach Taylor fine with that or anything else the leader wants to do for the Bengals.
6:19He's just telling for a whole team, all the extra work he gets in, the expectation when he walks on the field.
6:26He sets the huddle. Everybody knows what time it is when he walks out there and is ready to roll.
6:32And he demands the best from everybody, coaches and players.
6:35That's what you got to win. That's what you got to have to be able to win in this league.
6:41And we've got it. And I'm grateful he's our quarterback.
6:44It's been great seeing his growth that way. I would say he's changed too much as a person and a player, but
6:51just the things that he's been able to store away that's going to help him be a great player is what's been
6:58really fun to watch over his seven years. All of those seven years with Zach Taylor as the head coach, Judy, the
7:04big question, though, for the two time comeback player of the year is will he have to come back again as they've
7:11had to deal with these injuries for their quarterback for several years now?
7:15Yeah, certainly this is a more well-balanced Cincinnati Bengals team than we've seen in a number of years with Joe Burrow.
7:22They really invested in their defense. They broke character and went and got Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants.
7:28So they finally acknowledged they had to do something about the defense, but everything hinges on if Joe Burrow can stay on
7:35the field when he's on the field. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
7:40That is not an argument. But look at this injury history, including injuries that he had in training camp that sort of kept him out of training camp.
7:49This, though, has been to their benefit a very quiet offseason.
7:52Everybody's been there. There's been no contract situations. There's been no significant injuries.
7:56So they are going into the season into the training camp in about as good a state as they have been in in the Joe Burrow era.
8:04They've got to keep him on the field. He has to stay on the field for them to be contenders.
8:10We saw when they made that run to the Super Bowl.
8:14If he's on the field, they are a Super Bowl caliber team.
8:17They certainly have an improved defense. They can do it this year as long as Joe Burrow is there.
8:23A thousand percent, Judy. But that's most teams with the starting quarterback.
8:27We know Joe Burrow is arguably like he's the Kobe Bryant to me when it comes to quarterbacks.
8:33You got the killer instinct and things like this.
8:35But look at how many games where they scored 40 points are in the mid to high 30s and they still lost.
8:42This is where, again, you talk about the Bengals breaking character.
8:46It's what they finally realized that they had to do.
8:49They go out and they get Dexter Lawrence. They go out and they sign Boye Mafé.
8:54They get Jonathan Allen. Then they add the secondary, Brian Cook and Kyle Duggar.
8:58They drafted defensive players high and they have not landed those types of players.
9:02So now they get aggressive. They trade a first round pick to get Dexter Lawrence.
9:07They understand now is their time. They look at the rest of the upheaval in their division there in the AFC North,
9:14some of the changes that are going on. It is ripe for this team to make a move.
9:19And if they win that division and get into the playoffs with that quarterback, I'm calling Kobe Joe.
9:25That's going to be his new name. He's got the Mamba mentality.
9:28This is a team that can make a lot of noise going through the AFC.
9:33Yeah, the Bengals three highest scoring games for their offense last season.
9:37They're able to lose two of them. Of course, Joe Flacco involved in one of those starts.
9:42So regardless of who the defense has to improve, we'll be back with Judy Batista and Steve Weiss as we continue here on the insiders.
9:50Our coming up year 30 of the Manning Passing Academy.
9:53We'll get a chance to hear from Eli in a one on one with our Rhett Lewis when we come back.
9:59As well as looking at the new look, Las Vegas Raiders defense Super Bowl champion, N'Kobe Dean joins the show to tell
10:06us just how they will improve that side of the football.
10:09That's coming up on NFL Network. Plenty of turnover in the desert as you look at the additions for the Las Vegas Raiders.
10:16They changed the head coach. They drafted number one overall pick at quarterback.
10:20And then there's the acquisition of the national champion in college, the Super Bowl champion in the pros, N'Kobe Dean.
10:27And N'Kobe Dean joining us now on this edition of the insiders.
10:30Welcome to the show, N'Kobe. Having all that success everywhere you've been, what's been the biggest change as the process of acclimating
10:37to a new team and a new franchise and a new coach?
10:41Yeah, I mean, this is my this is my second team in the NFL now.
10:45So all I've known is Philadelphia Eagles. So it's been it's definitely been a process of trying to get to know new
10:52people, trying to get to know the defense, trying to get to know the character, trying to, you know, try to get to know names.
11:00That's the biggest thing for me is trying to get to know everybody's name initially.
11:04So it's definitely been a process, but I've been enjoying every step of it.
11:09I'm blessed. N'Kobe, real quick, I can't help but notice some writings or something behind you on the wall.
11:15What exactly is that? Yes. My my girlfriend is studying for the bar out here in Nevada.
11:20So she's been working hard. She got sticky notes all over my office right now.
11:24So, yes, she, she, yeah, she, she, she got her own thing going.
11:28Well, I like that way to be there and way to be supportive.
11:32Hey, what, one thing we came into the second, we showed some of the notable additions to this team.
11:38But when I look at the veteran free agents at the Raiders add to yourself, Quay Walker, Taron Johnson, Tyler Linderbaum, Quidi Pei, Connor Hayward, Spencer Buford.
11:47You all have come from teams that have consistently sustained success.
11:50Yeah. What about adding guys who've won in the NFL all to one team to try to change the culture there in Las Vegas?
11:57Yeah, we know what it takes. You know, you, you come, you, you bring guys and coaches from teams that have won and know how to win.
12:06And you kind of, you, you build a culture, you're trying to build a culture of winning.
12:11And that's really the biggest thing. We kind of know that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters in the NFL is winning games.
12:20And that's what we're trying to do. So I mentioned Quay Walker, who comes over from Green Bay.
12:25You guys played side by side together at the University of Georgia, won a national championship with Quay.
12:31What about you guys reuniting, lining up next to each other?
12:34And how good of a tandem can you be?
12:37I feel like the sky's not even the limit for how good we can be.
12:41I feel like for a lot of us on the team, our best ball has not even been played yet.
12:48So we all taking it day at a time.
12:50Like him, me and Quay coming in and combining as a right now connection, where we can be real with each other
12:57right now, we also push each other to be our best.
13:01So it's also the healthy level of competition between me and him going back and forth.
13:06But like I said, we just got to continue to take it a day at a time and continue to push each
13:12other and push the whole team to try to be the absolute best versions of ourselves.
13:17As you try to reach those versions, I want to try to get you to compare and contrast because you go from
13:24Vic Fangio, who's had that defensive coordinator job in the league for a long time, to Rob Leonard, who's been a coach since 2013.
13:31But this is his first time getting that chance to call defensive plays.
13:35What's the difference, the biggest difference between those two?
13:38It's a lot of, I say give and go.
13:41We just kind of learn from each other. He leaning on us, we lean on him.
13:46We just kind of trying to figure each other out.
13:49We just, he asked us a lot of questions.
13:52Me, Quay, Quay, everybody, you know, and the staff kind of, everybody works with him to try to make this thing work.
13:58But, like, it's something that we call our own and we just putting it together.
14:03We putting it together and we just trying to make something great out of him.
14:08Interesting. So, putting it together, one of the key players on this defense who's yet to really take the field with you
14:15guys is Max Crosby, as he kind of comes back from that injury.
14:19What has it been, you know, I know Max is around the building.
14:23Like, being around him and the energy he brings because right now he's still been the face of that franchise.
14:29Right. Yeah, I mean, his presence is felt, Max's presence is felt every day.
14:33Even though he hasn't been out there on the field with us, he's out there working.
14:38We see him working and rehabbing every day. Yeah, his positive attitude is infectious.
14:42He says what's up to everybody. You can kind of see how he know everybody.
14:47So, it's kind of like when I, me coming in and not knowing nobody, I'm trying to learn everybody's name, trying to
14:54be able to dap up everybody the way he does.
14:57But, like I said, his positive energy is infectious even not being on the field.
15:01So, you can tell he really wants to win and he's ready to get to it.
15:06So, I'm excited. I can't wait to have him on the field with us.
15:11I've noted the positive energy that you mentioned about Max Crosby.
15:14That's the thing a lot of people have said about the number one overall pick coming off and fresh off of his national championship.
15:21Have you been able to pick up on any of that?
15:25What were your first impressions when you got to meet Fernando?
15:28I mean, somebody, they use the new word, or, you know, he got a lot of oil.
15:33He got a lot of oil around him. You know, just being, he like a guy with a lot of like positive
15:40and infectious activity, positive and infectious energy around him.
15:43You know, he always smiling. He always got a smile.
15:46Every time I see him, he got a smile on his face.
15:50He always got some nice to say. He always saying what's up to you, no matter what.
15:55And I've just seen it around. And you know, my first impressions of him has been great.
16:00And I think you got a coaches to have.
16:03You got an offense, you got a team that's ready to, you know, ride it behind him and, you know, get the best out of it.
16:11Speaking of smiles on faces, we're going to have an opportunity for the back to school event coming up July 11th in Horn Lake.
16:18Tell the people what they can expect. Yes. It's just, it's like a back school giveaway.
16:23And I think this, it'll probably be my biggest one I've done.
16:27And I'm doing it through my kind hearts for life foundation and, you know, in Horn Lake, Mississippi, that's where I went to school.
16:34I graduated from Horn Lake high school. So they can expect us to give away school supplies, book bags.
16:40We got, we got vendors coming out. We got bouncy house, got bounce houses, snow cones.
16:45It's kind of like a community event. Try to have a little fun.
16:49Or we also give back to the community and get the kids ready for school.
16:54Well, getting ready for school, something that I'm sure it feels like you're doing with, with all of Gabrielle's preparation behind you.
17:01Good luck for her and the bar exam. Good luck you getting your office back and good luck for you and the Raiders here in 2026 to Kobe.
17:09Yeah. Appreciate y'all having. The CFL released a statement regarding the potential application of Brendan Soresby to join the league in the fourth week of its season.
17:17They said, no, thanks. Brendan Soresby would still have to wait for the 2027 NFL draft for his next professional football opportunity.
17:24Let's look at some previous head coaches. In fact, head coaches in 2025, like Brian Dayball, Mike McDaniel, Jonathan Gannon, Raheem Morris, all back in the coordinator spot.
17:33So we are joined back again by Judy Batista and Steve Weiss, where these guys have an opportunity.
17:38What kind of impact can they have as former head coaches?
17:42Yeah. And I want to start with Brian Dayball right here because going to Tennessee, first off, their offense is so bad.
17:49Dayball has got an opportunity to get Cam Ward and get this offense going.
17:53They've got some good skill position players. You know, they go out, they've got some wide receivers.
17:58They brought Wanda Robinson over. They drafted Carnell Tate with the first round draft pick.
18:03But the first thing that Brian Dayball has got to do is instill some type of discipline.
18:08The Tennessee Titans were next to last in penalties.
18:11So many positive plays turned into negative yards and negative yards.
18:14They've got to get that tightened up, Judy. But one thing about Dayball, his Giants were just two slots behind the Titans when it comes to penalties.
18:22Fourth worst in the NFL. So overall discipline has got to be tightened up.
18:27I actually have high hopes for this marriage because Brian Dayball really liked Cam Ward when Cam Ward was coming out of college.
18:34He had looked at him because, of course, the Giants were in the market for a quarterback as well.
18:40And so he'd done a lot of research. He really liked his football intelligence, his accuracy, obviously the athleticism, the ability to
18:47sort of make something out of broken plays. So Brian Dayball went in certainly with an idea of what he would have
18:53in Cam Ward and what he could do with him.
18:56I think you're going to see a more confident Cam Ward because that is something that Brian Dayball is really good at.
19:03He really likes quarterbacks who understand what they're looking at, who understand why things are going bad, understands why things are good.
19:10And he has already said so far this offseason that Cam Ward is doing that.
19:15I think this is going to be a pretty good marriage and he'll get a lot out of Cam Ward.
19:21Yeah, you would think that the arrows only pointed up for Cam Ward.
19:25I tell you what, now let's go to Mike McDaniel.
19:28Going to a situation with the Chargers where he's got his quarterback.
19:31He's got Justin Herbert. There's no questions about that.
19:34He walks into a very rich situation offensively. Judy Omari and Hampton, the running back.
19:39They added David Njoku to tight end. He's already got Ladd McConkie and a nice group of wide receivers right there.
19:45And an offensive line that's going to get Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back.
19:50Now he is changing to the outside run, that zone run scheme system, which is something everyone's going to have to adjust to.
19:57So don't be surprised if they get off to somewhat of a slow start while they get adjusted to that scheme.
20:03But once it gets clicked and there's an opportunity for big things, the main thing for the Chargers is just to finish
20:10so they can win some playoff games. That's the hump.
20:13We'll see if Mike McDaniels can get this offense over.
20:16And stay healthy. Mike McDaniel can't control that. But one thing I like that he said, I'm trying to find the margins.
20:23Mike McDaniel knows he does not have to blow up this offense.
20:27He has an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert. And so one of the things he's been doing this offseason is working on Justin Herbert's footwork.
20:34And the idea there is to get the footwork better so that he can get rid of the ball quicker.
20:40And that would lead to getting the ball to receivers in stride so they can get more yards after the catch.
20:47That's something they've been working on. But I do like the humility that Mike McDaniels is showing and acknowledging.
20:53I don't have to blow up this offense. I got Justin Herbert.
20:56I've got plenty of weapons here. I just have to tinker with it a little bit.
21:01Humility. No fashion game right there. Because Jim Harbaugh's got the fashion statements there with the head coach.
21:07Doesn't have to be Mike McDaniel. Let's go to Rich Gannon now.
21:11Of course, in Arizona, just a really tough situation there.
21:14Didn't win ballgames. Didn't establish an identity. So now he takes over a Packers defense that was just above the middle of the pack.
21:21But won't have Micah Parsons back from probably the start of the season.
21:25He's expected to start on PUP as he recovers from that ACL and meniscus knee surgery.
21:30Now Gannon has, they've changed some pieces on that offense.
21:33They, you know, we talk about they lost Quay Walker.
21:36They replaced him with a tackling machine, Zaire Franklin.
21:39But Gannon is somebody in Philadelphia. Did some very good things defensively.
21:43Got him to the Super Bowl. He's got to move some pieces around.
21:47Luke Van Ness is going to have to be his leading edge rusher.
21:51Gannon's got to get something out of him in a division where we know offensive points on the board.
21:57So again, we'll see if Gannon can find his mojo that seemed to get lost in Arizona over the past three seasons.
22:03You know, one of the things Jonathan Gannon is known for is like there's no Jonathan Gannon defense.
22:09He's very adaptable. He adapts to whatever he's got, what his players can do best.
22:14He doesn't go in and try to force them into his scheme.
22:17That's all well and good. But I feel like we're probably at the end of the season going to have to give Jonathan Gannon an incomplete grade.
22:26Because we're not going to know what this defense is going to be.
22:30We're certainly not going to know how it's going to be able to perform at its peak without Micah Parsons on the field regularly.
22:37And we don't know yet how long he is going to be back.
22:41We know it's probably going to be at least the first month and maybe the first half of the season.
22:47Again, it's going to be hard to tell what they can do.
22:51He's going to have to mix and match. He's really good at doing that until Micah Parsons get on the field.
22:57But we know how important Micah is. It was a different coordinator, a different season.
23:02But after he got hurt last year, the Packers did not win another game.
23:06So Jonathan Gannon is going to have to just sit tight and wait for his man to get back out there.
23:13And the through line for a lot of these coaches would be talent deficits at key positions.
23:18When they ultimately got fired, they all find jobs, especially Jonathan Gannon has Micah Parsons.
23:23You talk about Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert. Those things get better.
23:26You find yourself back in a head coaching position sooner rather than later.
23:30Thanks to Judy Batista and Steve Weiss. We've got an opportunity for season six of tight end you in Nashville this week,
23:37where the top tight ends in the league gathered to exchange the tools and tips of the trade.
23:43One of them, Trey McBride coming off a huge touchdown season.
23:46He had 60% over 60% of his career touchdowns last year goes one on one with ESPN's Lindsay theory.
23:52Trey, you're a return student at tight end university.
23:55What keeps bringing you back here? I think just the camaraderie being around all the guys to come out here and see
24:01the fans to learn a little bit. It's just such a fun week.
24:05And I always have a blast out here. A two hour film session.
24:09What kind of tricks are you guys trading in there?
24:12Yeah, they're showing, you know, clips of each other, you know, route running, what they're looking at, different run blocking techniques, how they do their job.
24:20And you're going to listen to some of the top guys in the NFL or guys that played at a really high level.
24:28So it's really cool to pick their brains and figure out what they're doing.
24:32With everything you learn here, how much do you actually take back?
24:36And how are you able to implement it? Yeah, as much as I can.
24:40I always try to take one or two things a year and apply it to my own game.
24:45It's really cool to listen to these really good tight ends and what they do and just try to take a little
24:52bit from them and add it to my own game.
24:55The Cardinals, a big off season for you guys, an abbreviated off season program there.
25:00But for you coming off such an outstanding season, how do you carry that in to this upcoming season?
25:06Yeah, just try to, you know, maximize this year and have another great season.
25:10Consistency is key and just try to put another really good year, you know, under my belt and excited for the big year to come.
25:18Mike LaFleur, your new head coach. Tell me what he has brought to the organization.
25:22Yeah, he's wonderful. He's brought a lot of energy, a lot of excitement.
25:26He's an offensive minded coach is what you love.
25:29And I'm just so excited to have him as our head coach to keep learning from him.
25:34And I'm excited for the great year we're going to have.
25:38With his offense, how would you describe what's changed?
25:41They love the tight end, man. They 12, 13 personnel.
25:44They just a little bit different. The terminology, everything's a little bit different.
25:48But I'm excited to grow and learn under his offense and have a remarkable year.
25:52And then there's another quarterback competition for you guys.
25:55Or I should say the first quarterback competition in a while after Kyler Murray's departure.
26:00How have you viewed that competition? Yeah, it's been great.
26:03You know, we have a lot of really good players in that room.
26:07And, you know, Jacoby's working through a contract deal.
26:09So we'll be excited when he gets back. But, you know, whoever's out there, we're going to have a great season and I'm excited for it.
26:17Thanks for the time today. Have fun and tight end you.
26:21Thank you so much. We've managed to slow down Browns rookie speedster KC Concepcion long enough for an interview.
26:27What does he think about the Browns quarterback battle?
26:29That's coming up next on The Insider. The 24th pick, the Cleveland Browns select KC Concepcion wide receiver Texas A&M.
26:36The 2025 nation's most versatile college football player has officially inked his rookie contract, becoming the final member of the Browns 2026
26:42class to secure a four year deal. The wide receiver out of Texas A&M is coming off a monster 2025 season with
26:49the Aggies being named first team AP All-American after leading the team with 61 receptions over 900 receiving yards and hauling in nine touchdowns.
26:57While Concepcion's on field moments speak for themselves, the 21 year old gave massive support after speaking out against critics who dare
27:03bully people like himself with speech impediments. The young wide receivers competitive spirit and adaptability ultimately gave the Browns a dynamic addition
27:10who confidently knows exactly who he is. I'm very versatile.
27:13I can play pretty much any position on the field.
27:16And, you know, after the catch, it's electric. You know, I get the balls in my hands, you know, you know, trying to go score.
27:24So the more you can do, you know, the more value you have.
27:28So, you know, I'm ready. I'm ready to, you know, I am.
27:32I am ready to do whatever to to come out of the team.
27:36From the NFL draft to the Cleveland Browns and now to the insiders.
27:40Casey Concepcion. Welcome to the show. That is Steve Weiss.
27:43I am Judy Batista. Casey, let's just start with it has been a whirlwind few months for you.
27:48You were a first round draft pick. You just got engaged to congratulations, by the way.
27:53Thank you. Thank you. You just wrapped up your first mini camp.
27:57You're welcome. And you just wrapped up your first mini camp for the Browns.
28:01What is your adjustment to the NFL been like these last few months?
28:05I would say my adjustment to the NFL. It has been good.
28:09Just, you know, learning a playbook, learning, you know, every position on the field, honestly.
28:14Casey, talk about learning every position on the field, especially with that wide receiver group.
28:18We know that the Browns have remade that wide receiver room, adding you drafting Denzel Boston to go with Jerry Judy on that front line group.
28:26What do you think about this wide receiver group and how quickly you guys can adapt to improve things in that receiver room?
28:33Yeah. You know, I think that I think that this new wide receiver room, you know, they can be dangerous.
28:39Everybody. Everybody compliments each other. You know, everybody. Everybody.
28:42Everybody. Everybody is a different, you know, receiver. It was clear from the first few practices that the media were allowed to
28:49watch that they plan to use you all over the field.
28:52That's obviously a big lift for a rookie. How comfortable are you with the playbook and where are you in your own comfort level with this offense?
29:01Um, I'm very, very comfortable. You know, um, you know, um, I'm confident.
29:05Um, I know what I can do. Um, playbook wise, you know, um, the first, like the first, like two weeks, you
29:12know, um, I had to, you know, learn it.
29:14Um, I had to, you know, I had, you know, I had to get used to the speed of the game, but
29:21I mean, honestly, now, you know, um, I'm already, I know the playbook and, you know, uh, I'm just ready to play.
29:28Casey, you know what we're talking about the wide receiver group, but of course, one of the big conversations around the Browns
29:35is going to be, who's the starting quarterback going to be?
29:38Is it going to be Shadur? Is it going to be Deshaun from a guy who caught balls from both of them all off season?
29:46How do you think that competition has gone? It's been going amazing.
29:49Um, once of those guys, you know, um, are amazing people, amazing teammates, you know, uh, amazing quarterbacks, you know, um, everybody,
29:56everybody is fighting, you know, um, before it's final in the roster.
30:00So, you know, um, it's going to be, you know, intriguing, you know, um, who comes away with it.
30:06You know, I think when you were coming out of college, we all knew you were an exceptional wide receiver and all
30:13American, but I think probably most people until the combine did not realize that you grew up with a stutter.
30:19Uh, why did you want to speak publicly then?
30:21And, and what has the experience been like since you spoke publicly at the combine?
30:26You know, I had, I had wanted to speak up publicly about it because, you know, I was just, you know, seeing
30:33like, you know, little like the videos and, you know, um, you know, um, and stuff like that.
30:38You know, um, I'm not really, I'm not really, I'm not really afraid to, you know, um, I am not really afraid to, you know, be myself.
30:47Um, I wanted to speak up to, you know, um, I wanted to speak up to, you know, inspire the youth, um,
30:53inspire people who might not be as confident, you know, um, with their, with their speech impediment.
30:59Well, salute to you about that because you clearly are a role model and you've just partnered with Expressible, which is an
31:05online company that helps people with speech impediments. What specifically made you want to partner with Expressible?
31:11Yeah. So growing up, you know, I, I didn't really have all of the resources.
31:15I didn't really have all of the outlets, you know, to, you know, um, to, you know, get the help that I,
31:22that I had needed, you know, um, when I was younger.
31:26And then, you know, whenever I found out about the, uh, about the Expressible thing, you know, um, I just, I just,
31:32I just found that it was, you know, very, I just found that it was very amazing.
31:38You know, that, um, I just found that it was very amazing that these great, that these great group of people were
31:44just able to help our kids all over the world.
31:47What are you hoping with your partnership and just being so public about having a stutter and dealing with a stutter?
31:54What are you hoping people will learn from you?
31:57Um, just, just, you know, always be confident. Um, always be yourself, you know, um, never back down.
32:02Um, everybody has their own struggles. Everybody has their own adversities, you know, but it's, but it's how you fight through those adversities.
32:09You know, it's, um, it's, um, it's, uh, it's like how it's, it's how you can go out here and help out
32:16other people that might be going through the same things as you.
32:20Casey, you're also, you're already doing really good work off the field.
32:23We can't wait to watch you on the field.
32:26Enjoy the rest of your off season. We'll see you in training camp.
32:30Thanks for joining us. Thank you guys very much.
32:33Have a nice day. It is top 100 time of year.
32:36You get a look at the top 100 players, the 2026, 100 through 91 Montez Sweat and Cam Jordan bookending that, but
32:43the number one here is Adam Rank because it's time for the weekender.
32:47What's up, man? Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for having a big weekend for us here.
32:53We're going to get a couple of days off.
32:55It's going to be a lot of fun. And as we look forward to the weekend, I would like to open this
33:02with a hearty congratulations to all the recent graduates of tight end university.
33:06Although with tight end premium leagues, becoming a thing in fantasy football, there will be those who feel that drafting tight ends
33:13are nothing more than a T one hire. But I think I speak for all of those in the fantasy community.
33:19When I welcome inclusion to make sure everybody who scores a touchdown is involved and accounted for it just because a tight end scores a touchdown.
33:27That doesn't mean running backs are slighted in any other sense at all.
33:32You know, we're, we're here for everybody. Yeah. That's why, that's why I have my tight end day shirt.
33:37And I wrote coaches on here out of here.
33:40This is for the tight end. Well, you know, we can celebrate, we can celebrate, we can celebrate everybody.
33:46Oh, but tight ends it's their thing. And by the way, it looked like it was quite a celebration down there in Nashville.
33:53When Taylor Swift crashed the party and even performed a song with George Kittle.
33:57And it's a, it was a momentous occasion. Look at Taylor Swift down there performing for everybody.
34:03It was a great, it's great to see her down there doing everything.
34:07Speaking of the spectacles that I missed out on the NBA draft was held this weekend.
34:12And what are the name of Sean McVay and Wes Snead was going on with the golden state warriors as it looked
34:18like there was a heated exchange after the selection of Axel Landenborg.
34:22And wait, Shep, what are we, do we not have footage?
34:25We're ESPN. Do we not have footage? What do you have footage of?
34:29What can we roll here? Shep's done a phenomenal job.
34:32He really has. No, he's not. No, I asked for one thing.
34:36One thing, Shep. That's it. Listen, some of the jokes are just for ourselves.
34:41Speaking of the draft, shout out to the Chicago Bulls for making the, making it easy on the second city sports fans
34:47by drafting Caleb Wilson from North Carolina. Yeah. Passing on a few players to let the Bulls take the guy from North
34:54Carolina has worked out very well before, but no, I would like to applaud the Bulls for keeping it in the Caleb family.
35:01If we could just somehow convince Shohei Ohtani to change his name to Caleb, then Chicago would have it all situated.
35:08Although you would have to be a pretty horrible organization to let Caleb or to let Shohei Ohtani walk.
35:13That's just me. Anyway, speaking of Caleb Williams, he had his Iceman trademark denied by the U.S.
35:19Patent and Trademark Office. Well, you know, George Gervin was a great basketball player.
35:23He deserves the name. That's what they wasn't. It wasn't George Gervin.
35:27No, that would make sense. No, it was denied because there might be confusion with a lacrosse product.
35:32Like the game? Lacrosse. Yes. Yes, exactly. Yeah, that's right.
35:35Look, I like American pie as much as the next guy.
35:39Nobody is confusing Caleb Williams with Chris Ostryker. Nobody's making nobody ever know.
35:43We know who they are. Do you believe in magic?
35:46Hey, sorry, Disney. Somebody's going to have to pay for that one.
35:50But that leads to our main story tonight. The Chicago Bears will play host of the Packers on Settle Down on Christmas this year.
35:57And NFL Films has jumped headfirst into the holiday season when they announce a partnership with somebody.
36:02Hallmark, I don't know. They're going to team up for Holiday Touchdown.
36:06A Bears love story. You know who doesn't love this?
36:09It's me and scores of other Bears fans around the world.
36:12And look, there is nobody more Bear-centric than me.
36:15This is too far. I can't imagine there's a thirst to see Zachary Levi and Lacey Charbear team up here for a holiday classic.
36:22What are we doing here? This is a trope that you see in every sports sequel from Major League to Bad News Bears to the Mighty Ducks.
36:31There's always a story about some underdog that gets a small amount of success.
36:35They let it go to their heads. And then this is it.
36:39They lose their edge. And you know who seems to disagree with me?
36:43Ben Johnson. Take a look at this. What's going on, Bears fans?
36:46It's Coach Johnson. Colston Lovell here. We've got some huge news for you, and it's coming this Christmas.
36:52The Chicago Bears are teaming up with the Hallmark Channel.
36:55The NFL and Skydance Sports. For a holiday touchdown of Bears' love story coming this Christmas.
37:00The ones for fans and everybody who rides with us in Bear Nation.
37:04My wife Jessica and I will definitely be tuning in for this one.
37:08More to share soon. Until then, Bear Down. Bear Down.
37:11Oh, you know what would be good, better, best?
37:14Canceling this movie! Oh, and I feel bad for the coach there.
37:18That didn't seem scripted at all. Seemed very natural, Coach.
37:21But listen, if you're being forced to read this against your will, blink or take off your shirt.
37:26You know what, right? Speaking of shirts, hearing you being upset about the Bears has me feeling a certain familiar way.
37:33I can't quite put my finger on it. How can you describe it in another way?
37:38Dang it. There it is. Patrick. We have shirt-memed you.
37:41How dare you? How dare you? It's the 30th Manning Passing Academy in Thibodeau, Louisiana this week.
37:46There for 28 of them, our very own Rhett Lewis, who gets a chance to go one-on-one with Super Bowl champion Eli Manning.
37:53As a two-time Emmy Award winner, I feel like we should take a page out of your playbook a little bit.
37:59We'll go, Eli, at the movies. Yeah. You and I sitting down.
38:03If we're watching a movie about the 30-year history of the Manning Passing Academy, what are some of the highlights that we're pulling out and we're talking about?
38:12I'd say just the microphones and how they've just, the timing.
38:15You used to have a big microphone. You went to the selfie stick for a while.
38:20And now we're into this little thing. We're into this little guy.
38:24It's impressive. But I think it's just, it's funny.
38:2730 years coming down here, but still so many of the same characters.
38:31And we had our staff meeting yesterday and coaches stated, hey, this is my 28th year.
38:36This is my 22nd year. And so it means you're doing something right.
38:40These coaches from all over the country want to come here, spend their summer break and come coach football in South Louisiana.
38:46It means that we're having fun. They're learning. And we have a great group of college kids that continue to come in here coaching them up.
38:54And so it is a little bit about family.
38:57It is a little bit of a reunion coming down here every year and having lots of laughs, but also on the field working hard.
39:05I always tell everybody that the college quarterbacks that come here, you know, this is a big name group as it usually is.
39:12But their first priority is to coach their group of kids, right?
39:16They're high schoolers. But there are some real benefits for them to be around each other, to be around you and Peyton in the group.
39:23Like, how do you see their role and what they get out of this?
39:28Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, yesterday we were on the field with the college guys.
39:33We did, you know, kind of an hour session last night going through drills, throwing, you know, routes first air.
39:39You know, they'll do it. They'll do that again today.
39:42Peyton and I will meet with them tomorrow for an hour, kind of closed room, closed door.
39:47Let them ask questions about anything, the best way to prepare, to get ready for a week.
39:53I mean, if it's about the combine, if it's about the draft, it's about, you know, NFL, whatever it might be, how
39:59to be a great leader, how to, you know, help the receiver out if he's not playing well.
40:05All these things that they're going through to have Peyton and I, two guys that have been through it at every level,
40:12have been in the same and their same shoes, I think is helpful for them.
40:16So it's on the field stuff. It's off the field.
40:19It's sitting, having dinner with them and just kind of, you know, just talking.
40:24So Peyton and I tell him, hey, anytime you see us, you have any questions, you know, ask us, take our number down.
40:31We want to be a resource and help you out on your path.
40:35And then, you know, maybe you see him on, you know, the Manning cast on Monday nights.
40:40You know, we've seen plenty of that too, which is cool.
40:43Jackson Dart was here as a counselor. Now, of course, you know, with your New York Giants, like you didn't start every game his rookie year.
40:51But looking to take a jump like you did going into year two, you guys won 11 games in year two.
40:58What do you remember about that time between year one and year two that allowed that kind of jump?
41:04Well, I think, you know, when you're coming into the NFL, you're a rookie.
41:08You're not the starter. It's hard to kind of know what your role is.
41:12How do you lead guys? Do you know your offense completely?
41:16I think now going to his second year, you know, he's going to have a greater command of the offense, a greater
41:22command of what he needs to do. How do you, how does he need to prepare?
41:27How does he watch film? How does he going to watch the blitz pick up and figure out how to change protection?
41:34So kind of knowing how teams played him in the games that he played so they can prepare for that, to have answers for that next year.
41:43So I think it just helps you from the leadership side and just from the preparation side of knowing what to expect.
41:49Thanks, buddy. All right, Rhett. Appreciate it. Good to have those two reunited.
41:53We're back here with Judy Batista on the insiders as the Giants have until the 28th.
41:58They will get ready for training camp and Jackson Darts going to have to do all those things Eli just talked about.
42:05I hope what Eli maybe talked to Jackson Darts about is staying on the field as much as Eli was able to
42:12stay on the field during his career. You remember Eli didn't miss a start until they benched him late in his career at the New York Giants.
42:20Jackson Darts has had trouble with injuries already. He takes a beating.
42:24He puts himself in harm's way. I know John Harbaugh wants him to stay on the field and to learn to protect himself more.
42:31So hopefully he can take a page from Eli Manning in that department, too.
42:35Yeah, Eli wasn't necessarily running a lot of QB power like Jackson Dart was.
42:40Some of it on his own volition last year in Brian Dable's offense.
42:44We will take a break. The insiders will return on July 6th coming back here on NFL Network.
42:49We hope you enjoy your break away from us.
42:52But we'll be right back here with all of the football news and information as we get set for training camp for
42:59Judy Batista, Steve Weish, Jane Slater, and Adam Rank.
43:02I'm Patrick Claibor. Thanks for watching the insiders. We'll see you after the 4th.
43:06Bye, everybody. Have a good weekend. This is an iHeart Podcast.
43:09Guaranteed Human.
