Training Camp Notes for ALL 32 Teams: Position Battles, News, + More
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
58 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Jul 21, 2026
Published
Tue, July 21, 2026
0
Player insights
0
Players mentioned
Player analysis
Player insights
No player insights have been extracted for this episode yet.
Full transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome.
0:03You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome?
0:06That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block,
0:13or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.
0:17Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense?
0:21There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required, compatibility and availability varies 18+.
0:26Welcome back to the Adam Schefter Podcast as we get ready to open training camps.
0:30And we today have a special treat in ALL 32.
0:33Look at the 32 NFL teams as they get ready to descend upon training camps.
0:38On Tuesday, July 28th, every NFL team will be in training camp.
0:42We currently have all the rookies from the world champion Seahawks, the 49ers, the Bills, the Panthers, and the Bills.
0:48And the Texans who already have reported to training camp.
0:51But at this time next week, by Tuesday, July 28th, every NFL team will have reported to training camp.
0:57And to help us get ready with a look at all the major storylines at all the camps across the league, we
1:04welcome in my friend, my colleague, the co-host of the Pat McAfee Show, Ty Schmidt, to help us on an expanded weekly six pack and eight pack.
1:12All eight NFL divisions and all the major storylines surrounding them.
1:16Welcome back, Ty. This week's six pack, which this week is an eight pack, is brought to you by ZipRecruiter.
1:22Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam. Meet your match on ZipRecruiter.
1:26Thank you very much, Shefty. It's great to be back with you.
1:30It's been quite a while, almost a month, I think, since we've been on the podcast together.
1:35We've been back to work. It's been a while, but hey, I'll tell you what, we came back in today, this week.
1:42We're 50 days away from the actual start of the NFL season.
1:46Teams are reporting. This is the best time of the year.
1:49Now we don't have to, you know, we don't have to go hunt for stuff to talk about.
1:55That stuff is right there in front of us.
1:58So our jobs and our lives get a little bit easier, but I can't wait.
2:02It's been a long off season, but I feel like we are, we're almost there.
2:07And I have to say, Ty, you look good.
2:10You look rested, refreshed, relaxed. It looks like you must have had a nice little summer break there.
2:16Yeah, absolutely. You know, when you have three young kids, I don't know how much of a summer vacation it is, but it was good.
2:23You know, it was good to spend time with them.
2:27My youngest, obviously, she's only 11 weeks, so she can't do much.
2:30But my two older daughters, they got to go to the, you know, the beach in Massachusetts and play with each other and play in the ocean.
2:39And they haven't really got to do, you know, that yet.
2:42So that was really cool. That was a lot of fun.
2:46And then, you know, coming out of that, going right to the home run derby and being down there on the field for that.
2:53And then, you know, New York to the ESPYs, it was a, it was a great first week back, but it feels
3:00good to be back in the Thunderdome with football on the horizon.
3:04And it kind of feels like the new normal is about to set in again, which is nice.
3:09Before we get to the training camp storylines, I'm just curious if there was anybody you ran into at the ESPYs that you were particularly excited to meet.
3:18Oh, I'm trying to think. Anybody. I mean, it's tough to say off the top of my head because once we were
3:25in there, you know, you're sitting down and we, you're not really communicating.
3:29I mean, you know what? We had Chris Berman on the show.
3:33I mean, anytime you get to see Boomer, you know, especially someone like my age who, you know, or anyone in the
3:40office, you know, we're all kind of around the same age, grew up in the same era.
3:45And we've obviously, we've got to talk to him a couple of times on the show, but anytime you get to see
3:52him and sit down with him, it is kind of like a pinch me moment because I spent so much time growing up watching him on Sundays.
4:00And, you know, so anytime you get to, to sit down with boom, it's, it's a great day.
4:06And his line about AJ Hawk was tremendous. Yeah, exactly.
4:09Exactly. Nice job, Chris. There you go. Sir. Speak less than Charlie Chapman.
4:13That's pretty good. All right, Ty. So let's, let's now move on to the training camp battles here.
4:19Some of the storylines, some of the things and headlines that are going on across the league.
4:24How do you want to do this, Ty? Um, let's start with the AFC East.
4:29We'll go team by team and we'll just go from there.
4:32Okay. So, uh, starting with the AFC East, let's go with the bills.
4:36Shefty. You know, listen, the Buffalo bills up until last year had won five straight AFC East titles.
4:42It was almost an automatic. And yet last year they lost their grip on the AFC East.
4:47The Patriots won the division. And so the Buffalo bills change coaching staffs.
4:51They hire Joe Brady. Huge deal. It almost feels like they're trying to do what the New York Knicks did.
4:57They felt like Tom Thibodeau took them as far as they could take them.
5:02They fire Thibodeau. They hire Mike Brown. They win the championship.
5:05Now the Buffalo bills have Joe Brady taking over for Sean McDermott.
5:09They're moving into a brand new stadium. I don't know that there's any team in the league that can be more excited,
5:16more rejuvenated than the Buffalo bills heading into the season with everything that's going on there right now.
5:21Perfect. Perfect. Okay. Let's go to another team in the AFC East.
5:25A fresh beginning. The Dolphins. Well, this is a total rebuild.
5:29They are rebuilding as much as anybody new head coach in Jeff Halfley, new general manager in John Eric Sullivan, new quarterback in Malik Wills.
5:36And I will tell you that I felt like this team did a good job of assembling some good young parts and
5:43we'll have the chance to add more parts. Miami is a tough place to play early in the season.
5:49And I know that people are not expecting very much from Miami and look, they're not going to make the playoffs this
5:56year, but I think there'll be a tough out because the new leadership there, because Malik Wills is probably a better quarterback than people realize.
6:04And there's going to be some young, hungry players on this roster determined to prove that they belong.
6:10Well said. Let's go with the team that was kind of last year's Cinderella, I guess.
6:15Maybe that's not the best way to put it, but the new England Patriots.
6:19I think this is all about the new weaponry for Drake May.
6:23A.J. Brown, they trade for him. They sign Romeo Dobbs from New England.
6:27That is some added firepower on the offensive side of the football.
6:30Now, I don't love some of the vibes around this team, what's going on in the offseason, the first place schedule, some of the challenges.
6:38But here's the thing. It reminds me a little bit of when I covered the Denver Broncos back in the day.
6:45There were years where the team might not be as good in training camp.
6:49There were years where the mojo might be off, where the momentum might not be real.
6:54But they always had John Elway. And this team always has Drake May.
6:58And I believe he's in that great young quarterback category where even when things are off, he can help get them back on track.
7:06And so when you have Drake May and you have A.J.
7:09Brown and you have Romeo Dobbs, I don't care how tough and challenging it is, you're going to have a chance.
7:16But it's going to be a tougher year in New England than the one the Patriots experienced last year in my mind.
7:23Yeah, without a doubt. Okay, Shefty, is there anything new that needs to be said about the Jets that we haven't said 100,000 times before?
7:30Well, look, a lot of new young pass catchers.
7:33First round pick Kenyon Sadiq from Oregon. First round pick Omar Cooper Jr.
7:37from Indiana to go along with Garrett Wilson. Look, they brought in a new offensive coordinator in Frank Reich.
7:43Frank Reich is a pro. Frank Reich is an adult.
7:46Frank Reich is a seasoned veteran. And that is going to make a huge difference when you've got legitimate weapons, including Brees Hall at running back.
7:55And living in the New York area, I've got a lot of people that stop me every day.
8:00And they say, what's going to happen with the Jets this year?
8:04And I'll say it right here. I was at a concert on Sunday night.
8:08I took my daughter and her friends to go see Noah Kahn.
8:12Great show, Citi Field. I'm sitting there and this woman walks up to me and she's like, I have a question to ask you.
8:20She's whispering like it's a big secret. How are my Jets going to do this year?
8:25Like it's some secret. And I get that question almost every single day of my life.
8:30Tell me about the Jets. So I'm going to tell people about the Jets right here.
8:35I think the Jets are going to be a tough out.
8:38I think they're going to be competitive. I think with Frank Reich calling plays, I think they're going to win seven games this year.
8:45Seven games, which you might say seven and ten.
8:48That's not very good for the Jets right now.
8:51It is. And they're moving in the right direction.
8:54They're assembling some good young talent like Miami. And watch out for the Jets in Miami in a couple of years.
9:00You know, I know they have multiple first round picks next year.
9:04I mean, if I were a Jets fan, though, I think seven and ten would be disastrous.
9:09Because they need to find a quarterback. You know, I think you want to be bad again unless you want to trade all those picks.
9:17I guess that's it. But again, you know, they've stunk for such a long time that, like you said, seven and ten might feel like twelve and five.
9:26Well, you might be better off going three and fourteen.
9:29I agree. I agree. So we'll see what happens there.
9:32And I think you hit the nail on the head with the top of the division there.
9:38The Patriots. Drake May, it's one of those things.
9:40I just, my expectation is he's just going to continue to get better and better and better.
9:46And he was the runner-up to MVP last year.
9:49So you wonder how much better can this guy get.
9:52I think he can get a lot better. And then the Bills.
9:55It'll be very interesting because I will, there's a lot of excitement right now with the new stadium and the new coach and all that kind of stuff.
10:04But, boy, I tell you what, if they don't at least win twelve games or, you know, I mean, you can say
10:11what you want about McDermott, but he was consistent.
10:14And they were going to win at least twelve games or so.
10:18And they were going to go to the playoffs and they were going to have a chance.
10:23So if they don't kind of meet that bar at least, then it's one of those things where it's like, well, boy, did you make the right decision?
10:32So we'll see. Obviously, it could go either way at the top there.
10:36All right, Shefty, let's stick in the AFC and go to the AFC North and start with the Ravens.
10:42Well, I think the first thing you look at new coaching staff again, head coach Jesse Minter, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
10:48Max Crosby is not in Baltimore, but Trey Hendrickson is.
10:51And it feels like we haven't talked about that maybe as much as we should because the Ravens' pass rush has been
10:58off and they're hoping that Trey Hendrickson can revitalize it.
11:01Not only that, but it looks like they're going to get back Nnamdi Matabike, their defensive tackle, who's a double digit sack
11:08guy who's been dealing with a career threatening knee injury.
11:11Now, there always could be a setback in training camp.
11:14Hopefully not. But the doctor's reports so far are encouraging.
11:18And as good as Declan Doyle is as an offensive coordinator, he still hasn't called a game yet at the NFL level.
11:24And I would say this about Declan Doyle just as I would say it about any first time play caller, whether it's anybody that's taking over this year.
11:33We got a lot of new offensive coordinators. But if they have not called an NFL game before, I think there's a
11:40question as to how they will respond. But Declan Doyle is a highly respected young coach and ascending young coach.
11:46He's on his way up to becoming a head coach, and he is now in charge of the Ravens offense.
11:53And Lamar Jackson has responded very well to new offensive coordinators in their first year.
11:57Every time he gets one, it feels like he wins an MVP award.
12:01Yep, absolutely. Okay, Shetty, let's go to a team that's getting, well, every year they get a lot of hype around this time of the year.
12:09What about the Bengals? I really think they're poised to have a big year.
12:14I really do. The schedule is so soft. And if Joe Burrow stays healthy, and he struggled to do that for a
12:21variety of reasons, a lot of it bad luck, a lot of it the protection the team has had of him.
12:27But if they can just protect Joe Burrow and keep him healthy, they have revamped their defense.
12:33They have added to the defense, put a lot of energy and resources into it.
12:37I think Cincinnati could get back to not only competing for a playoff spot, but make a legitimate Super Bowl run.
12:44That's how good I think this team can be.
12:47But if they are not, there's going to be a lot of questions about Joe Burrow's future if they struggle again.
12:53Because the losing will start wearing down on him.
12:56And we'll see how he responds. But it should be, I think, a big year for the Bengals.
13:02Okay, let's stay in Ohio and go with the Cleveland Browns.
13:05Four quarterbacks on the roster right now, Ty. Four.
13:08Four. And there will not be four quarterbacks when the season starts.
13:12I don't believe. Maybe they can carry all four.
13:14But right now, they've got Deshaun Watson, who's going to be there.
13:18They've got Shador Sanders. They've got Dylan Gabriel. And they have rookie quarterback Talon Green.
13:23So there's four quarterbacks. And the headlines of that camp, without question, are going to be who wins the starting quarterback job.
13:30Is it going to be Deshaun Watson? Is it going to be Shador Sanders?
13:34Are they going to keep the other two quarterbacks?
13:37Could they find a trade partner for Dylan Gabriel?
13:40And not only that, but no Miles Garrett for the first time in a long time.
13:45Jared Verse steps in. And Jared Verse is a great young player.
13:48I don't know if he's Miles Garrett. Nobody is.
13:51But Jared Verse is damn good on his own.
13:54And we'll see how he can help replace a Cleveland sporting legend.
13:58Okay, let's wrap up the AFC North with the Steelers.
14:01Well, look, Mike McCarthy comes home. And we bumped into him the night before the NFL draft in Pittsburgh.
14:07And all I could tell you is what it meant to him.
14:11And everybody saw this at his opening press conference.
14:13What it meant to him to be back in Pittsburgh to coach the franchise that he grew up rooting for.
14:20Honestly, there can't be a head coaching job that means more to anybody than it does to Mike McCarthy right now.
14:26It's a personal thing. It's going to be Aaron Rodgers' last season.
14:30We would expect. We thought last year was. And he's come back for one more.
14:35It looks like he's made some amends. He was the one that posted about his family this week on social media.
14:41His estranged family that he took pictures with this past week, it looked like.
14:46His mother, his father. You love to see that.
14:48And it looks like he's coming in with some mental peace there.
14:52So, you would think that it should be a good season in Pittsburgh.
14:56New head coach. Quarterback questions again also there in Pittsburgh.
14:59How that's going to work out. But I think that they feel like they're in a good spot with Aaron Rodgers.
15:06And who backs him up? Is it going to be Mason Rudolph?
15:10Is it going to be Sam Howell? Is it going to be Drew Aller?
15:14Like, how are they going to work that out behind Aaron Rodgers also is interesting to me.
15:19Yeah, I don't know how this division is going to play out.
15:23Because, you know, the Bengals stuff, I get it.
15:26And it seems like every year. I mean, we know they can score points.
15:30Can they stop anybody? We'll see. Can Joe Burrell stay healthy?
15:34We'll see. So, yeah, this is a massive year.
15:37Not only for him, that entire coaching staff, you would think, is, you know, it's kind of win or get out of town.
15:44The Ravens, I like Jesse Minter. You know, I mean, it was really weird what happened with the Ravens last year.
15:50And I don't expect that to happen again. Browns, you hit the nail on the head there.
15:56And then the Steelers, it's one of those things I agree with all the Rodgers stuff.
16:01I think him coming into the season with inner peace and just kind of ready to go and understanding, hey, this might be the last go around.
16:09Say what you want about the Steelers. They always find a way to make the playoffs.
16:14Now, can they make any noise in the playoffs?
16:17Can they beat anyone in the playoffs? We'll see.
16:20But they revamped that offense. We know what their defense can be when healthy.
16:24And this is a blood and guts division, you know.
16:27I could see several teams. I could see it coming down to week 18 in terms of who's going to win this division.
16:34It seems like that happens every single year. Nearly half of hiring managers say a candidate's enthusiasm and genuine interest in the
16:41role can be the most important factor in the hiring process, according to CNBC.
16:46Well, if you need to hire for your business, how can you separate the candidates most excited about being the best fit for your opportunity?
16:53Zip Recruiter has a new feature that quickly lets you see the most interested qualified candidates first so you meet the right people faster.
17:01And now you can try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam.
17:05No wonder Zip Recruiter is the number one rated hiring site based on G2.
17:09Use Zip Recruiter and find enthusiastic talent fast. Four out of five employers who post on Zip Recruiter get a quality candidate within the first day.
17:17And now you can try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam.
17:21That's ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam. Meet your match on Zip Recruiter.
17:24As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy.
17:27But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back.
17:32From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly.
17:38Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions.
17:42And because Granger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities.
17:49Call 1-800-GRANGER. Click Granger.com or just stop by. If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify.
17:56You know that purple ShopPay button you see at checkout?
17:59The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify.
18:02And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it.
18:06Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business.
18:09Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S.
18:13From household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started.
18:17Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful, ready-to-go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code.
18:24Tackle all those important tasks in one place, from inventory to payments to analytics and more.
18:29Spread your brand's word with built-in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers.
18:34And did I mention that iconic purple ShopPay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world?
18:40It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet.
18:43Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify.
18:50Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com slash network.
18:55Go to Shopify.com slash network. Shopify.com slash network. All right, Shepty, let's move to the AFC South and start with the Texans.
19:02Well, first of all, I think the big question this summer will be if and when they can get an extension done,
19:09a contract extension for CJ Stroud, who was great early on, who was good last year, had a terrible playoff game that everybody remembers.
19:16That's the lasting image. And so when you hear an extension for CJ Stroud, yeah, I think they want to keep him there in Houston.
19:24It won't surprise me if they tie him up.
19:27And this defense is so good. So Will Anderson, I know people talk about him, but I think he's right there with Miles Garrett, to be perfectly honest.
19:36Like that guy, Will Anderson is a beast and he is the heart of that Texans defense.
19:41That should be about as good as any defense in the league.
19:45They also have to get their offensive line issues under control.
19:48They put a lot of energy, effort and resources into that offensive line.
19:52We'll see if they can protect CJ Stroud. What about the Colts?
19:56Is Daniel Jones going to be right now? Now he said he's been cleared for contact at training camp.
20:02Looks like he is. And if he is, then this becomes a formidable team.
20:06When he played last year, as you know, they were really good with Daniel Jones at the helm.
20:12When he went out, Jonathan Taylor took a step back.
20:15The receivers took a step back. The team took a step back.
20:19But that's why they made the efforts they did to keep him there in Indianapolis, resign him because they know that if
20:26he is upright and healthy, that this team is going to be competitive.
20:30And right now it looks like it's all systems go for the early part of training camp.
20:35Okay. What about the Jaguars? Another big surprise team of last year?
20:39Amazingly inactive during the off season. Just kind of sat back and didn't make a lot of additions, but they believe in their roster.
20:46And it's interesting because Travis H. Chan, their running back who used to be called Travis Etienne, who corrected everybody and said
20:53his name is now pronounced Travis H. And he went to New Orleans.
20:57So that leaves Bashal Tootin, Chris Rodriguez, and Laquaint Allen as the Jaguars running backs.
21:02But Liam Cohen, the Jaguars head coach, is so determined to run the ball that he will make that committee work.
21:09And those guys, by the way, are very good.
21:11When Tootin came out, that was the player that they loved in the draft, Bashal Tootin.
21:16And when it hit free agency this year, they re-signed Chris Rodriguez, or they brought him in.
21:22He played for Liam Cohn at Kentucky. They like Laquaint Allen.
21:25So they like these backs more than the public realizes.
21:28And they're leaning on them to bounce back from last year.
21:32Last year, they had 13 wins. The second most in franchise history.
21:35So the people there have done a great job.
21:38All right, and let's finish out the AFC South with the new look Tennessee Titans.
21:43The new look Titans are the New York, New York Titans, because they brought in Brian Dayball as their offensive coordinator.
21:50They brought in Robert Sala as their head coach.
21:52They have two former New York head coaches. Then they go out and add a bunch of former New York players.
21:59They trade for the Jets pass rusher, Jermaine Johnson.
22:02They sign Wandale Robinson. If you look up and down this roster, it's filled with former Jets and Giants.
22:08And despite all the New York coaches and players, it still comes back to the former New York Giants head coach Brian
22:15Dayball getting the most out of Cam Ward, the former number one overall pick.
22:19I think they really like him. I think they think he's going to develop.
22:23And this is going to be a big year.
22:26We saw last year Drake May take a major step.
22:29We've seen some of these young quarterbacks like Caleb Williams take a major step.
22:34They need Cam Ward to take a major step.
22:36Yeah, absolutely. I think the Titans are one of those teams a lot of people expect to maybe be better than everyone
22:43else thinks they have any business being. The Texans, we know what their defense is.
22:48It's kind of can their offense put it together for multiple weeks at a time.
22:53I'll be excited to see if the Jaguars can do what they did last year.
22:57I mean, I don't know if anyone expects them to win 13 games again.
23:02You know, you win a lot of one-score games.
23:04You know, the ball bounces your way a lot.
23:07They created so many turnovers on defense. And then the Colts, it's kind of can Daniel Jones replicate what he did last year?
23:14Because when he was healthy, you mentioned it, they were the best offense in the NFL through six weeks.
23:20You know, and it looked like they were on pace to go to the playoffs and win the division.
23:26And obviously we saw how that whole thing ended.
23:29So, and this is kind of a rubber meets the road year too for I think Chris Ballard.
23:35And I don't know about Shane Steichen, maybe him as well.
23:38But there's a lot that's going into this Colts season and a lot of guys who have a lot to play for.
23:45So it'll be interesting to see. It'll be fun.
23:48You know, the energy around the city here, especially when Dan Jones was healthy, was just much different.
23:54Once he got hurt, it was very deflating. So hopefully he is healthy and ready to go by the time the season starts.
24:01All right, Shefty, let's go to the AFC West and the Broncos.
24:04Well, I think we had a few things going on in Denver, right?
24:09Bo Nix is coming off his ankle surgery. Jalen Waddell comes in.
24:12They traded their first round draft pick for the wide receiver.
24:16And then they have the ongoing legal issues for their linebacker, Jonathan Cooper.
24:20Does he start the season on the commissioner's exemplus or training camp?
24:24How does that play out? Sean Payton calls offensive playmakers jokers.
24:27He's been looking for a joker, what he calls a joker, in Denver.
24:31And I think that he views Jalen Waddell as a little bit of a joker now, a guy that can come in,
24:38make some plays, line them up in a few different places.
24:41And he got some big-time endorsements, Jalen Waddell did, from some key people that Sean Payton spoke with.
24:47And I think it really resonated and resulted in them being willing to trade a first round pick.
24:53Now let's see if Jalen Waddell can help this offense take the next step.
24:57What about the Kansas City Chiefs? It's all about Mahomes, right?
25:00Guy tears his ACL, his LCL in mid-December. And you wonder how he's going to bounce back from that injury.
25:07He's already going through OTAs. He's back on the field.
25:10I don't think there's any question that the guy's going to be out there on opening night against the Denver Broncos for Monday Night Football.
25:18The real question is, is he 70% of Mahomes at that point?
25:2180%, 90%? Is he running around less? Can he use his legs to make plays?
25:26Is he going to look to do that less so as not to put himself at risk?
25:31I think those are the kinds of questions we have to ask.
25:35But is he going to be out there for the opening Monday Night Game?
25:39I mean, I'd be shocked if he weren't out there.
25:43It looks like he'll be out there. And of course, they've got some question marks aside from Mahomes.
25:48They've got the two cornerbacks to replace. Trent McDuffie was traded to the Rams.
25:53Jalen Watson signed with the Rams. They have some running backs, but they also have a new cornerback.
25:58But they also have a new running back in Kenneth Walker.
26:02And it looks like they're going to really lean into this running game more so than they have in recent years.
26:08What about the Las Vegas Raiders? I feel like a lot of people...
26:12I mean, there's actually excitement around the Raiders for the first time in a long time.
26:17You know why? They've stabilized the quarterback position. They've stabilized the quarterback position, and they have a head coach who knows how
26:24to handle quarterbacks in Clint Kubiak, who they hired away as the former offensive coordinator of the Seahawks.
26:30You now have Kirk Cousins. I think he'll start the season as the Raiders quarterback.
26:34They're going to bring along their number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, slowly.
26:38And it's a good combination. They know they have their present and future accounted for at the quarterback position.
26:44And then, of course, there's the storyline of Max Crosby being back out there.
26:49I know some people are wondering if he'd still be on the market.
26:53I don't see that. I see him staying in Vegas, helping this team and being a Raider for life.
26:59And we'll see how that plays out. Okay, then let's close out the AFC as a whole with the LA Chargers.
27:05I think one of the most intriguing storylines out there is one of the least sexy.
27:10And that is the return of the Chargers' two offensive tackles.
27:14Rashawn Slater, who last summer becomes the highest paid offensive lineman in football, and then days later ruptures his patella tendon.
27:20And Joe Walt, who is a force, a former top pick, who couldn't finish last season due to the injuries that he was trying to play through.
27:29You get back Rashawn Slater. You get back Joe Walt.
27:32And you pair them with the rest of the offensive line that they've upgraded and fortified.
27:37And Jim Harbaugh always has said offensive linemen are weapons.
27:40He's got a lot of weapons this year. And if those weapons are healthy and they play, the Chargers become a major player in the AFC.
27:48This division is going to be fun this year.
27:51Oh, yeah. Because I think the Raiders are going to be much, much better than a lot of people anticipate.
27:57I wouldn't be surprised if Mendoza's starting by week six, week seven.
28:01Now their schedule's very, very difficult, so we'll see.
28:04And you mentioned it with the Chiefs. I mean, I think people have kind of just written off the Chiefs.
28:10Hey, they're done. They're past their prime. I am everyone else's.
28:13But we know better than that. The real question, where are they going to get all this production from?
28:19You can't rely on Travis Kelsey to have a 1,200-yard season and catch 14 touchdowns.
28:24He could turn back the clock and do it.
28:27But how much are they going to rely on Kenneth Walker to kind of bring them along?
28:32And like you said, I mean, that was a massive part of their offense last year was Mahomes rushing.
28:38And I think that is going to be tapered down quite a bit coming off the injury.
28:43The Broncos, I mean, you know, there is – we know how good their defense is.
28:48Jalen Waddell's a huge get. And then the Chargers, I mean, it's the same thing.
28:53You could convince me – you'd have to do a little bit more for the Raiders, but you could convince me that
29:00any of these teams could win this division this year, which, you know, I don't know how many divisions in the NFL you can say that about.
29:08So I'm very excited to see how the AFC West plays out.
29:12All right, Shefty, let's move to the NFC now, starting with the NFC East and the Dallas Cowboys.
29:18Well, here's a team that has enough talent, again, to make a deep playoff run.
29:22And everybody knows the Dallas Cowboy defense has been under fire and in question.
29:27And what did the Dallas Cowboys do? They went out and they dramatically upgraded their defense, which has to give people hope.
29:34It's not just coaches, it's players. There's a new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, who they hired away from Philadelphia.
29:40Christian Parker is learned under Vic Fangio. I think the Cowboys are hoping that he takes just some of Fangio's methods and madness to Dallas.
29:47They go out and they draft playmakers at the top of the draft.
29:52Caleb Downs to play safety. Malachi Lawrence to rush the passer.
29:55They added a safety and free agency, Jalen Thompson, who cannot be overlooked, going to be a factor.
30:01New coaches, new players, new look defense. And if this defense is as improved as Dallas thinks, then Dallas becomes dangerous for the 2026 season.
30:08Okay. What about the Giants? Malik Nabors, how's his knee?
30:12I know we saw Cam Scadaboo over-rotate on that backflip this past weekend and wipe out.
30:17Okay. They need him to be healthy. They really need Malik Nabors healthy.
30:21And they really need their quarterback, Jackson Dart, to stay healthy.
30:24Those are the two key offenses. But Cam Scadaboo adds a certain spirit and energy to this team, just like Jackson Dart does.
30:31Like this team, if it has its young players, is going to be amazing.
30:36Like they bring energy and juice, but there are durability and health question marks about them at this time.
30:42We'll see if they can answer them. They go get Arvel Reese in the draft.
30:46He should make a big impact as well. And of course, the new head coach, John Harbaugh, should make a big difference in New York.
30:54This should be a better team. Wouldn't surprise me if they make a playoff run.
30:59Okay. What about the Philadelphia Eagles? Look, everybody's talked about the new offensive coordinator, Sean Mangin, coming in.
31:04Everybody knew they needed to address that area. They went out and they hired Sean Mangin.
31:09But let me just say this. Sean Mangin still is not called an NFL game.
31:14He has not done that. We talked about it with Declan Doyle in Baltimore.
31:18A lot of these new offensive coordinators. What do they do when the lights come on and they're actually in a game
31:25situation and they've never called a play? It's sort of like the first time you go on TV.
31:31You might know the material, but you've never been in front of a camera.
31:35You've never known what it's like to do a live shot.
31:39And now these guys are standing there and they're going to be under scrutiny.
31:43Everybody's going to be watching what they're doing. And it's not just Sean Mangin.
31:47We need to remember that the Eagles lost their legendary offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, as well.
31:53So they have a new offensive line coach coming in.
31:56That is one of the most difficult and important assistant coaching positions across football.
32:00The offensive line. No Jeff Stoutland. Let's see how that impacts Philadelphia's offensive line.
32:05Okay. And let's close out the NFC East with the commanders.
32:08I think that they went out and they hired new offensive coordinator, David Blau, to help elevate Jaden Daniels.
32:14Last year was a massive disappointment. We know how good Jaden Daniels can be, but we've forgotten it almost because last year was such a bad year.
32:22He got hurt. The talent fell off. The defense was terrible.
32:26Team went out and made a lot of changes.
32:29And this is a franchise that had completely turned it around.
32:32Felt like a step back last year. Time for this team to get back on track with Dan Quinn as the head
32:39coach, with Terry McLaurin to have no issues. Like that was one of the major storylines last year.
32:45Terry McLaurin missing camp, not happy, wanted a contract, got the contract, wasn't healthy, wasn't able to be integrated into the offense.
32:51That's not going to be an issue this year.
32:54I think McLaurin has a big year. Yeah, I feel like we talk about the NFC East the same way every single year.
33:01Obviously, the Cowboys did get much better. There's no question about that.
33:05Will this be the year that Dak finally maybe wins an MVP or is at the end of the year in that conversation?
33:12Because yes, the defense matters, but ultimately they're going to go as the offense goes.
33:17Now, I mean, they can't be as poor on defense as they were last year, but their offense is so explosive.
33:24The Eagles, that's one of the – I mean, we're going to ride the wave of that every single week.
33:30You know, chances are they're going to go 11-6.
33:33The sky is going to fall multiple times during the season.
33:36The Giants, I mean, kind of the same thing.
33:39I feel like we've been – and now granted, it is different with Harbaugh being there now.
33:44I think that it adds a level of legitimacy that they haven't had in several years.
33:49I think it would be better for the league as a whole if they make a playoff run.
33:55It's always better when you have a New York team that is kind of in the thick of the things.
34:01And like I said, the commanders, I mean, we're not too far removed from them being in the NFC Championship.
34:07So was that kind of just a fluke or is Jaden Daniels going to kind of take that next step?
34:14Because like you said, he was hurt for most of last year.
34:17I think he got hurt in that Thursday night game against the Packers in Week 2 and was kind of just never the same after that.
34:26So we'll see. You know, we're definitely not going to be grasping at straws for things to talk about when it comes to the NFC East.
34:34So we'll follow this division very closely this year.
34:36Need parts fast? O'Reilly Auto Parts as fast. Need them now?
34:40We've got now. No matter what you need, we have thousands of professional parts people doing their part to make sure you have it.
34:47We're O'Reilly Fast. Just one part that makes O'Reilly stand apart.
34:51The professional parts people. O, O, O, O'Reilly Auto Parts.
34:54Life insurance is one of those things that's easy to put off because it doesn't feel urgent today.
35:00But it's not just another financial box to check.
35:02It's about having a plan in place so if life throws something unexpected at your family, they're not left dealing with the financial side without support.
35:10Ethos makes getting life insurance fast and easy. It's 100% online so you can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day coverage.
35:19There's no medical exam. You just answer a few simple health questions online.
35:23You can get up to $3 million in coverage and some policies start as low as $30 a month.
35:29Ethos has also earned strong customer feedback with a 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot based on more than 4,000 reviews.
35:35Take 10 minutes to get covered today with life insurance through Ethos.
35:39Get your free quote at ethos.com slash sports. That's E-T-H-O-S dot com slash sports.
35:44Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Trustpilot rating as of June 1, 2025.
35:48I like things my way. My coffee, my schedule, and my treatment.
35:52So I talked to my doctor about self-injecting with the Vivgard Hytrulo pre-filled syringe, which contains F-Gartigamide alpha and hyaluronidase QVFC.
35:58It's injected under your skin subcutaneously. It means I can inject in my space on my time.
36:04It's my treatment, my way. Visit VivgardMyWay.com. That's V-Y-V-G-A-R-T MyWay.com.
36:07And talk to your doctor about Vivgard Hytrulo. Brought to you by Argenics.
36:11Let's move on to the NFC North, Shefty, and let's start with the Chicago Bears.
36:15Well, let me say this before I get to the Bears.
36:19Since 2021, all four teams in the NFC North have won the division.
36:23That's only the second time since 1970 that all four teams have won that division, every team in the division.
36:29So there's been a lot of balance. Any team is capable of jumping up and winning the division.
36:35And last year, Chicago did it. And they did it largely because they forced a league-high 33 turnovers.
36:40As good as they were, it's difficult to think that that's going to happen again, which tells me that Caleb Williams will
36:47have to play even better, and he should be better in his second year under head coach Ben Johnson.
36:53They're going to have to run the ball better with DeAndre Swift and Kyle Menonga.
36:58And they did that great last year, but will have to be even better this year.
37:03They gave up 24.4 points per game last year, got all the turnovers.
37:07This year, I'll bet you the turnovers drop, and the points per game is going to also have to drop to keep
37:14up with what they did last year. Okay, what about the Detroit Lions?
37:18I think this is all about the Lions offensive line.
37:21Let's remember, Taylor Decker didn't want to come back.
37:24They moved Penny Sewell to left tackle. They drafted rookie right tackle Blake Miller in the first round.
37:29And this is a team that was so close, you wonder if it missed that window that it had a couple of
37:36years ago when they were in the NFC Championship game in San Francisco.
37:40Should have won that game. Didn't get it done.
37:43And they have not been able to get back to that point yet.
37:47But, again, a team with Jameer Gibbs and Amon Ross St.
37:51Brown and Jamison Williams and Penny Sewell, they're loaded.
37:54They're loaded. But the division is tough. And I don't know if the Lions are just as good as they were a
38:00couple of years ago when they were ascending and rising up and dangerous.
38:04I still think they're a really good team. Anyone can win the division.
38:09But they've got some questions to answer like everybody else.
38:12How about the Green Bay Packers? Well, we're not going to get Micah Parsons back until later in the season.
38:18He's going to miss, I don't know, the first three, four, five, six games.
38:22Maybe start the year on Pup, IR, whatever it is that they decide to do with Micah Parsons while he recovers from his ACL.
38:30They know they need him for the second half of the season.
38:34Also, some major wide receiver moves here, right? Romeo Dobbs moves on to New England.
38:38They re-sign Jaden Reed. They re-sign Christian Watson. I would imagine they're going to get a new deal done for Tucker Craft at some point in time.
38:47This offense is going to need to step up in that regard.
38:50And of course, are there any lingering legal issues around Josh Jacobs?
38:54That was a murky situation. We still haven't heard the final resolution of it.
38:59Maybe it's something. Maybe it's nothing. I don't know yet.
39:02But they certainly need Josh Jacobs. And if they don't, Marshawn Lloyd becomes interesting because he's never been able to contribute anything.
39:09Former second-round draft pick. Very talented. Never healthy. Need him if Josh Jacobs is not there.
39:14And what about the Minnesota Vikings? All about the Vikings quarterback situation, right?
39:18I think everybody expects that Kyler Murray is going to be the guy in Minnesota.
39:22But I'm not ready to write off J.J. McCarthy yet.
39:25He was hurt his first year, battled injury his second year.
39:29Offensive line struggled. Defense was not what it was.
39:32I think it was a team-wide issue. Now, J.J.
39:34McCarthy has to get better. And I'm sure he knows he has to be better.
39:39But Kyler Murray looks like he also could be the latest reclamation quarterback project where we've seen Sam Darnold rehab his career.
39:46Baker Mayfield rehab his career. Daniel Jones rehab his career.
39:49Quarterbacks were written off in a certain franchise. Go on to thrive elsewhere.
39:53Would anybody be surprised if that happened with Kyler Murray this year in Minnesota?
39:58I don't think anybody would. But, again, they're saying it's an open quarterback competition despite the fact that I think a lot
40:04of people across the league believe that Kyler Murray will be the guy.
40:09Yeah, I mean, like a lot of these other divisions, I think the NFC North is very similar in terms of how we talk about it every year.
40:17I think it would surprise me if the Vikings won the division.
40:21Outside of that, Packers, Lions, Bears, I could see any of those teams winning.
40:25The Lions, like you said, they're about as talented as a team as there is in the NFL.
40:31And last year was so disappointing with them not making the playoffs.
40:35The Bears, I agree. Everything, I mean, it's, you know, that's kind of the law of averages.
40:40You know, they're probably not going to turn the ball over or, you know, have teams turn the ball over against them the way they did last year.
40:49Their defense has to get better. But another year of Caleb Williams.
40:53He was unbelievable down the stretch. With the Packers, you hit the nail on the head.
40:58They need Micah Parsons back. But also, you know, you look at the stats for Jordan Love and he is right up
41:04there in the, you know, top five quarterbacks in the NFL.
41:08But they need to completely take the reins off and kind of give him the keys to the car.
41:14And he needs to go. He needs to have an MVP type season for them to go to the places they want to go to.
41:22So it'll be very interesting what happens with the Packers.
41:25And then I think you're right. I think we're all kind of just waiting to see what happens with the Vikings.
41:31And we all trust Kevin O'Connell. So whatever decision is made there at quarterback, I think we'll, fans will be okay with it.
41:38And we'll kind of agree. And let's also remember they made a change at GM.
41:43Quasi Adaflomenza went back to San Francisco. They brought in Nolan Teasley from Seattle.
41:48He didn't draft J.J. McCarthy. He didn't sign Kyler Murray.
41:51But he's there now. Let's see what happens and if that is any type of influence over what they decide to do at quarterback.
41:58Exactly. Well said. All right, Jeffy. Let's move to the NFC South and let's start with the Falcons.
42:04I have quarterback battle. Tua Tunga-Vailoa, Michael Penix. Now, Michael Penix is coming up that knee injury.
42:09He was the former first-round draft pick. But again, their general manager, Ian Cunningham, Matt Ryan, they didn't draft Michael Penix.
42:16The head coach, Kevin Stefanski, didn't draft Michael Penix.
42:18Those guys did acquire Tua Tunga-Vailoa. And I did hear Kevin Stefanski praise Tua during the offseason, talking about how impressed he
42:25was with his accuracy and how accuracy might be the most important attribute a quarterback could have.
42:31When I heard Stefanski speak in glowing terms about Tua, I said to myself, I think that's a little hint as to
42:38where this quarterback battle could be headed. We have to see how Michael Penix is bouncing back from that knee injury.
42:44They'll have an open competition. But again, new regime, new staff, new everything.
42:48Let's see how that plays out. What about the Panthers?
42:51Look, they're bouncing off a big year last year.
42:54We have the Bryce quarterback situation. They did not sign him to a new extension yet.
42:59That is lingering out there. So is he the long-term starter or is he in the last year?
43:05I think it's a big year for Bryce Young to step forward.
43:08They also lose Rico Dowdle to the Pittsburgh Steelers and have Chuba Hubbard as their starting running back.
43:14Now, a lot of people forget that Chuba was outstanding, like really good until Rico Dowdle cut into his workload.
43:20They have Jonathan Brooks, former high pick, bouncing back off a knee injury.
43:24Let's see the type of impact he has. And they have some good wide receivers.
43:29It's a pretty good team. And they won the division last year.
43:33The division last year was decided in the last week and a tiebreaker when Atlanta, Atlanta beat New Orleans, which was kind of weird.
43:40The Falcons beat the Saints, which enabled the Panthers to win the division over the Bucs.
43:45But that tells you exactly how tight this division sometimes can be.
43:49And we'll see how it plays out for Carolina.
43:52Let's go down to New Orleans and the Saints.
43:55I like this team. I like this team as a sleeper this year.
43:59I like Tyler Shuck. I like some of the young receivers.
44:02They add Travis H. Shan at running back to compliment Alvin Kamara.
44:06The Saints, to me, feel a little bit like the Patriots last year.
44:10That's kind of the way I feel about them having the potential to make a playoff run.
44:15Now, it doesn't mean they will. Tampa's good. Carolina's good.
44:18Atlanta should be better. But I think the Saints can be one of these teams, one of the surprise teams that we get every year this season.
44:27And let's close out the NFC South with the Bucs.
44:30The Baker contract. It's an issue right now. He has put an artificial deadline of the start of training camp on the Bucs to re-sign him.
44:38Now, the Buccaneers have a history of re-signing players during camp.
44:42So, is Baker going to be flexible? I can't imagine if they don't have him signed by the first day of training
44:48camp that if talks are heating up, he's going to say, no, I said it's the first day of training.
44:55No, all you have to do is say, look, we started talking.
44:58We're going to continue talks. And I would imagine they figure out a way, both sides, to get a deal done.
45:05The deal will be somewhere about $50 million a year.
45:08If I had to guess, they want to keep Baker.
45:11I think Baker wants to be there. His money is worth more in Florida and no state tax.
45:17So, to me, they'll figure out a way to do it.
45:20It may not be by the start of training camp, which is the deadline that Baker has imposed.
45:26But I think they want to keep him. And the Vita Vea one is also interesting because he also wants a new contract.
45:33And let's not forget that they're trying to replace Mike Evans, who's been such a longtime fixture for this organization.
45:39He's now in San Francisco. So, they need Emeka Abuka and Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan and some of these other young wide receivers to step up.
45:48Yeah, I think it's easy just to say, hey, the Bucs are, you know, the betting favorite to win this division.
45:54We expect the Bucs to win this division. They have a lot of talent.
45:59But I agree. I'm bullish on the Panthers and the Saints.
46:02I mean, I think the Saints, the way they closed the season last year, if they can get, if they can start,
46:09you know, decent and not like, I mean, what was it last year?
46:13I think they lost their first six games. I can't remember what it was, but it was bad.
46:19But if you can get that fan base behind you, that is one of the true, legitimate home field advantages in the
46:26NFL when that stadium is rocking down there in New Orleans.
46:29I like the Panthers. I like what they've done.
46:32They're a tough team to play. A lot of people forget.
46:35I mean, they took they took the Rams to the brink of death in the playoffs.
46:40Probably should have won that game. And they didn't.
46:43We'd be talking about them much differently had that happened because, you know, I think a lot of people thought during the
46:50playoff run last year, even after the Seahawks won, a lot of people thought the Rams were the best team in the NFL.
46:57So we'll see. This is going to be a fun division this year, I think, because, again, this is one of those
47:04divisions where it feels like it comes down to the last week of the season.
47:09And there are three teams still in contention. And we have these wild tiebreakers and they have a lot to play for still.
47:16So I'm very excited to see how the NFC South plays out this year.
47:20All right, Jeff, let's wrap things up with the NFC West, starting with the Cardinals.
47:25Well, it's interesting, Todd, because on Wednesday, July 22nd, the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers become the first teams to report
47:32in full to training camp, which means that all Cardinals veterans are required to report on Wednesday, which means we're going to
47:39get some clarity on Jacoby Brissette's situation. Didn't show up during the offseason program other than to the mandatory minicamp.
47:45So he couldn't be fine. Look, here's what I think is going to happen.
47:49And Jacoby Brissette has to be there to avoid being fined.
47:53He's under contract. So he reports he may not go through drills, but he'll report new coaching staff.
47:58And these two sides have to figure out a solution so that Jacoby Brissette can then go into camp.
48:04I would think he's the favorite to win the job.
48:07But they did sign Gardner Minshew. They did draft Carson Beck.
48:11They do have a few different quarterbacks there to go along with their new first round draft pick, Jeremiah Love.
48:17So there's some excitement there. You don't want to dampen it with a holdout of your leader and your quarterback.
48:23So these sides, I would think we'll figure it out.
48:26And Jacoby Brissette and the Cardinals are due into training camp on Wednesday.
48:31All right. Let's go to the best team on paper in the NFL right now, the Los Angeles Rams.
48:36The single most intriguing storyline training camp question is whether Aaron Donald is going to come back.
48:42And where we're currently at, Ty, is this. Aaron Donald is essentially trying to get himself ready for the upcoming season.
48:48I don't think, and it doesn't sound like, we're going to get an immediate answer or an immediate signing of Aaron Donald.
48:55He is too busy trying to get himself back into football shape to try to regain some of the form that he
49:02might have lost in two years away from football.
49:05And he's not going to come back until he feels like he's ready to be Aaron Donald again, a version of Aaron Donald again.
49:12And so if it takes all summer long for him to get into football shape, train, run around, you may not hear
49:19about an Aaron Donald deal until later this summer.
49:22In fact, at this point, it sounds like it would be a surprise to see an Aaron Donald deal sooner.
49:28Not only that, he currently is under contract to the Rams for $30 million.
49:33And I don't know if the Rams are going to pay him $30 million as much as he'd like to make that.
49:40So if he wants to come back, all he has to do is say, I want to come back.
49:45And then it would be up to the Rams to sit down with Donald to come up with a compromise contract solution that would work for both sides.
49:54So there's work to be done from both of them.
49:57Donald needs to get back in football shape, which it sounds like he is working to do and to make the determination
50:04that he can be the version of himself that he's comfortable with, that he's ready to put out there on the football field.
50:11And if he can do that, he'll come back.
50:14And if he can come back, then he and the Rams have to sit down and figure out a contract because he
50:21currently has a year and $30 million left on his current deal.
50:25So there are some unresolved issues, and it doesn't sound like there will be a solution to this anytime by the start of camp.
50:32Yeah, that's the decision we're all waiting on with bated breath.
50:36And we will continue to do so. I think we all feel like it's moving a certain way.
50:41Right. My point is there are steps to this.
50:44There are incremental steps, and it doesn't sound like it's going to move fast, and we may not see Donald back in
50:51a Rams uniform until early this season. Okay. All right.
50:54Well, that's a good tidbit to have. Let's move on to the San Francisco 49ers.
50:59Look, a lot of unresolved issues here. We still have to see if Brandon Ayuk is going to apply for reinstatement.
51:05George Kittle is coming back from his injury, and he feels like he's going to be ready for that regular season opener in Australia against the Rams.
51:14But the 49ers may be very careful, and let's see if he can make it back.
51:19I don't think it's a given just yet. They have a new defensive coordinator in Raheem Morris, who will be their fifth
51:26different defensive coordinator in the past five years. Now, they love Raheem Morris.
51:30They've wanted him to do that job for a while.
51:33I think Kyle Shanahan is very happy to have him back there, but it's another new defensive coordinator as they try to
51:40work in with some of the other players coming back from knee injuries like their former first-round draft pick, Mikel Williams.
51:46A lot of players trying to bounce back, but they do have Mike Evans, and that should be a big boost for the offense.
51:54All right, Chef D. And last but not least, the defending Super Bowl champion, Seattle Seahawks.
51:59I think it's two obvious departures here, Ty. Clint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator, goes, and they bring in Brian Fleury, the Titans
52:06coach from San Francisco, who, again, hasn't called plays in an NFL game.
52:10Notice the theme there. Brian Fleury may be a great offensive coordinator.
52:14Nobody knows whether he'll be a great play caller and how that will work on game day.
52:19Clint Kubiak was a great play caller. It got him the job as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach.
52:25And, of course, Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl MVP, goes on to Kansas City.
52:29They draft Jadarian Price in the first round. They have George Helani.
52:33They have Emmanuel Wilson, the free agent they signed from Green Bay.
52:37And Zach Charbonnet is coming off an ACL. So this is a team that also has some offensive question marks that it has to handle.
52:44But we know how tough and how good Seattle is.
52:48They're defending world champs. Yeah, and that's what's crazy.
52:50All offseason, it's kind of all we talked about was the Rams, and rightfully so.
52:55You trade for Miles Garrett. All the stuff with Ty Simpson getting drafted.
52:59They were the storyline of the offseason, and that was before Aaron Donald considered coming out of retirement.
53:05Because on paper, they do look like a super team.
53:08They do look like the best team in the NFL.
53:11But, lo and behold, it's not like the Seahawks overnight turned into a pumpkin.
53:15They won the Super Bowl last year. Their defense is still very tough.
53:19Outside of a few of those guys you mentioned, they return a lot of the same guys.
53:25So, once again, I can't wait to see how this division plays out.
53:29Because the 49ers are no slouch either. You know, they're a tough out.
53:33We know these division games are always very difficult.
53:36But it does feel like this season is kind of the Rams for the taking, especially with the Super Bowl being in L.A.
53:43Well, you know what, Ty? Here's the great part.
53:46We just listed all these training camp storylines, and there's going to be something else that emerges that we don't even see.
53:53Like last summer, Terry McLaurin was the obvious one going in.
53:56And all of a sudden, lo and behold, in late July, early August, it became apparent, whoa, Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys might not be staying together.
54:05Man, was that last year? That was last year.
54:08That became the story of the summer. That became the story of the summer.
54:12And I don't know what that's going to be.
54:15Like, I think back to the time, I'll never forget it because I was walking into a doctor's office for a doctor's
54:22appointment, and I get a text that Teddy Bridgewater just went down in Minnesota.
54:26He goes down. That leads to the Sam Bradford trade.
54:29Like, there's always something that happens that becomes sort of the story of training camp.
54:34And there'll be another one this summer, and that's the beauty of it.
54:38We're about to get underway on Tuesday, July 28th.
54:41Everybody will be back in camp, and we will see how it all unfolds and what does become the major storyline aside
54:48from all the storylines that we just brought up today.
54:51Yeah, and like you said, we will get that stuff.
54:54You know, hopefully, obviously, you pray, hey, no injuries.
54:57Everybody's going to stay healthy. We're going to go into this season with all the big names that we know and we
55:03love and we can't wait to watch play. But that's not the reality of the NFL.
55:08And there are going to be some situations where, like you said, in a month from now, we're going to be saying,
55:15man, can you remember where we were on July 21st and where we are now on August 21st, a couple weeks before the season starts?
55:23You know what it's like? Each week, me and a couple of buddies from work, we do these DFS golf rosters.
55:30Okay. And you fill out your roster and you think you haven't figured it out.
55:34I like this guy, this guy, this guy. Like we all had Justin Rose in the British Open.
55:40And then the British Open starts and Justin Rose is seven over, you know, through the first two days and he ain't making the cut.
55:48You're like, I thought this team was supposed to, this guy was supposed to be good.
55:53This team was supposed to be good. Things happen.
55:56Things change. It doesn't go the way you thought in the end.
55:59Cam Young was there. I thought he might be there.
56:03Some of the other guys were there. You thought they might be there, but Ryan Fox wins the British Open and there's
56:09going to be a Ryan Fox in football. And there's going to be somebody that we think is going to be good.
56:16That's going to be Justin Rose. And that's sports.
56:19It just never goes exactly the way we think.
56:22And that's why sports are the best because we have all these plans.
56:26And ultimately, until we spot the ball out there, none of this stuff matters.
56:30And that's why we're going to be in the spot every week to break it down with all the insights and information and interviews.
56:38All right, Ty, great job today. Looking ahead to the old 32 training camp storylines for all 32 teams.
56:44Great job by you. Great job by our producer, Dan Stanczyk, Ben Smith.
56:48And thank you to all the people tuning in to the Adam Schefter podcast.
56:52Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the Adam Schefter podcast.
56:56We'll be back in this spot next week to go over some of these storylines as they unfold in training camp.
57:03Until then, have a great week, everybody. Be well and stay safe.
57:06Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of
57:13unlimited premium wireless for $15 a month is back.
57:16So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills.
57:20But it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial.
57:25Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $180 for 12-month plan required.
57:33$15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only.
57:36Greater than 50 gigabytes may slow when network is busy.
57:39See terms.