Is Puka Going to Miss Week 1? Did the Cowboys win the Parsons Trade?
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
48 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 11, 2026
Published
Tue, August 11, 2026
19
Player insights
15
Players mentioned
Topics
Josh JacobsKeaton MitchellKimani VidalOmarion HamptonBarion BrownCarson BeckCyrus AllenDak PrescottHaynes KingJahmyr GibbsJustin HerbertMatt FlynnPuka NacuaRussell Wilson
Player analysis
Player insights
Barion Brown
PositiveBreakout44:43
Saints rookie wide receiver Barron Brown has been performing well in training camp and is a player to watch in the upcoming preseason games.
Insight pageCarson Beck
PositiveBreakout41:49
Carson Beck impressed in the Hall of Fame game, passing the eye test and looking like he belonged on the field. While he is not expected to start early, continued strong preseason play could make his situation more interesting.
Insight pageCyrus Allen
PositiveBreakout44:35
Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen has been performing very well in training camp and is a player to monitor during the preseason.
Insight pageDak Prescott
PositiveBreakout46:32
The source highlights Dak Prescott as a fourth-round pick who 'came on every week' during his rookie preseason, serving as a benchmark for players who stand out immediately.
Insight pageHaynes King
PositiveRole41:49
Haynes King looked impressive in the Hall of Fame game and is expected to be deployed in a Taysom Hill-style role for the Panthers, serving as a versatile weapon who can run and make plays.
Insight pageJahmyr Gibbs
PositiveUsage27:18
Ty Schmidt highlights Jahmyr Gibbs' 2023 production of 1,200 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, and 77 receptions for 616 yards and 5 touchdowns as elite, comparable to top-tier wide receivers.
Insight pageJosh Jacobs
NegativeInjury10:14
Adam Schefter confirms Josh Jacobs is under review by the NFL regarding an alleged domestic incident from the offseason, with potential discipline pending before the start of the season.
Insight pageNegativeUsage13:30
Ty Schmidt notes that Packers training camp coverage has featured Marshawn Lloyd heavily at running back while Josh Jacobs has been largely absent from clips, suggesting the team may be preparing for a potential suspension.
Insight pageJustin Herbert
NegativeProjection24:54
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Chargers' running back committee, Justin Herbert remains the focal point of the offense for fantasy purposes.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
NegativeUsage22:54
Keaton Mitchell is competing with Omarion Hampton and Kamani Vidal for touches in the Chargers offense, with the team planning to use a 'hot hand' approach that makes all three difficult to trust for fantasy purposes.
Insight pageNegativeUsage38:23
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel indicated that he plans to rotate Keaton Mitchell, Omarion Hampton, and Kimani Vidal based on the opponent, creating a volatile fantasy situation.
Insight pageKimani Vidal
NegativeUsage22:54
Kamani Vidal is part of a three-man committee in the Chargers backfield alongside Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell, with the coaching staff explicitly stating they will rotate based on matchups and performance.
Insight pageNegativeUsage38:23
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel indicated that he plans to rotate Kimani Vidal, Omarion Hampton, and Keaton Mitchell based on the opponent, creating a volatile fantasy situation.
Insight pageMatt Flynn
NegativeDepth Chart45:18
The source notes that Matt Flynn was the Seahawks' 'big free agent quarterback acquisition' who was ultimately surpassed by rookie Russell Wilson during the preseason.
Insight pageOmarion Hampton
NegativeUsage22:54
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel indicated he plans to rotate Omarion Hampton, Kamani Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell based on the opponent and the 'hot hand,' creating significant uncertainty for fantasy managers.
Insight pageNegativeUsage38:23
Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel indicated that he plans to rotate Omarion Hampton, Kimani Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell based on the opponent, creating a volatile fantasy situation.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeInjury9:04
Adam Schefter reports that Puka Nacua is under review by the NFL for potential discipline related to offseason incidents, noting it is within the realm of possibilities that he could miss the Rams' game against the 49ers in Australia.
Insight pageRussell Wilson
PositiveBreakout45:18
The source recalls Russell Wilson's rookie preseason as a prime example of a player who 'shined right away' after being drafted in the third round, eventually overtaking the team's big free-agent acquisition, Matt Flynn.
Insight pageTyreek Hill
NegativeInjury10:40
Adam Schefter mentions that Tyreek Hill is currently under review by the NFL regarding potential discipline.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00You know when you're locked in, focused and fearless.
0:03Welcome to the WNBA. Your vision narrows. You can't look away.
0:07Every assist, every stop, every logo three. From beyond.
0:10Every did you see that moment. You bet. What records are going to be broken this season?
0:16All of it right here. Lock in. It's the WNBA on ESPN.
0:20All season long. Welcome back to The Adam Schefter Podcast as the NFL preseason is in full effect.
0:26All on every day is something else. It's incredible how many storylines the NFL produces on a daily basis.
0:33There are four, five, six interesting items every single day.
0:36But, for today, we are going to get into the six-pack with my friend, my colleague, the host of the Pat McAfee Show, Ty Schmidt.
0:45And this week's six-pack is brought to you by ZipRecruiter.
0:48Try it for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam. Meet your match on ZipRecruiter.
0:53Ty? Thank you very much, Shefty. Great to be with you, as always.
0:57You're right. The preseason is here. It is out in full force.
1:02I said last week with the Hall of Fame game, I said, hey, it'll take probably about two drives, and then I'll flip to something else.
1:11I'll be done with it. I watched that whole damn game.
1:14You're right. Yeah, exactly. That kind of just goes to show you how much we've been craving football, and I can't wait
1:22that we have a full slate of games this week.
1:25And we're going to get to that item today at the end, the quarterback play in that game.
1:32But, again, back in the day, when I first started out in this business in 1990, some 37 years ago, I would cover the Denver Broncos.
1:41And I always remember the great reporter Joe Sanchez for the Denver Post.
1:45I said, Joe, I got to write something about the Broncos every day, sometimes two, three things.
1:51What do I do when there's nothing to write?
1:54And he said, write about the quarterback. Now, I would say this.
1:58He was right. It was always something I always remember.
2:02You're always right about the quarterback. But I'm always amazed, covering the NFL in this day and age, how many things happen on a daily basis.
2:11Like, just go through my Instagram feed or my Twitter timeline and take a look at what happens in this league on a daily basis.
2:19And that's, by the way, the stuff that we do know.
2:23What if there's a fight in the locker room that we don't know about or some player being drug tested or some,
2:31but he's got a legal issue or whatever it is.
2:34There are things that fly under the radar, too.
2:37So it's just amazing the amount of drama that this league produces, the amount of headlines that come out of this league.
2:45It's something every single day. And I know it's my job to track that.
2:50But every day I look back, I'm like, wow, how does the league produce the news at this rate every day?
2:57And I just think it gets more and more so more and more so every year.
3:03I really do, Ty. No, I'd agree. And I think it just it speaks to the volumes of how important and how
3:10popular the NFL is, because if people didn't care, we really wouldn't be covering those stories.
3:16They'd kind of just step up. But people care whether it's a new, you know, a training camp fight or like, you
3:24know, a lot of time like that'll be one of the lead things we talk about on Pat's show, you know, because it's everyone's talking about it.
3:33Everyone's seeing it on Twitter. It's everywhere. So it just you know, it goes to show how popular the NFL is.
3:40And like you said, that's just that's just the stuff we know about there.
3:45You know, the amount of stuff that gets kept in house, I'm sure would shock people.
3:50With that in mind, Shefty, let's get to this week's six pack and topic number one.
3:56Speaking of stuff that we don't know about, we're not privy to, we couldn't see coming.
4:02There are I would say it's safe to assume there are some curveballs coming in terms of potential discipline for some key
4:09players that we haven't really heard about yet. Do you have any updates on that and how impactful will that be for a couple of teams?
4:18Well, Ty, here's the great part. We're just talking about all the things that happen on a daily basis in the National Football League.
4:26All the things that occur that are documented, that we see, that we discuss, that we dissect.
4:32And right now, there are some things going on behind closed doors that we don't have full access to that are going
4:40to have a significant impact on this season, depending on how these conversations go.
4:45And what I'm talking about is the potential discipline for a handful of players that we believe will be handed down, whatever
4:52it is, by the start of the regular season.
4:56Now, we know last week, the Atlanta Falcons lost Jalen Walker, their former first-round draft pick.
5:01And we also know that their other former top pick, James Pierce, had a disturbing domestic situation during the offseason in which he is going to be suspended.
5:11He's going to be suspended. The question is, how long?
5:14Is it six games? Is it longer? Eight games?
5:17Ten games? What is it going to be? A season?
5:21Don't know how that's going to come down. But James Pierce, I believe, is going to be suspended here.
5:27And it's not just James Pierce. There are names that we haven't heard about as much that there are conversations now that
5:35are going on that will determine if these players are disciplined, if they're fined, if they're fined, if they're suspended, and how it impacts their teams.
5:44And cases that I believe are now being reviewed include that of the Rams' wide receiver, Puka Nakua, who could potentially face
5:52discipline for some of the offseason headlines that accompanied him.
5:55And some of those incidents last year with another woman, what did and didn't occur.
6:00We'll leave that to the NFL to figure out what did and didn't happen.
6:05But it's possible that when the Niners and Rams play in Australia, it's within the realm of options that Puka doesn't play in that game.
6:14It's also possible your team, the Green Bay Packers, are going to lose Josh Jacobs.
6:19That also still is under review and still a pending situation with the NFL.
6:24Coming back to his case in the offseason and another alleged domestic incident.
6:28What the league finds, what it determines, we'll see.
6:31We saw the case with the Broncos standout defensive player Jonathan Cooper.
6:36That's still under review. Alaric Jackson, the Rams offensive tackle, under review.
6:40Tyree Kill, a free agent, also under review. So we could see a situation here where there are some key players, such
6:47as Puka Nakua and Josh Jacobs, that are going to face discipline, potentially, before the start of the season.
6:54And it's been awfully quiet in that area. Because the league doesn't talk about those things.
6:59But I've been able to confirm that the cases still are under review.
7:04They still are being investigated. Discipline still is a potential option.
7:08And by the time the regular season opens, and probably sooner, we'll have more clarity as it pertains to Puka Nakua, Josh
7:15Jacobs, James Pierce, Alaric Jackson, Jonathan Cooper, and maybe more.
7:19Yeah, no, I mean, I think you hit the nail on the head.
7:23We've talked about, you know, Puka ad nauseum this offseason.
7:27And again, who knows what's going to happen to that.
7:30At least he's on, it seems like he's on the right side of it.
7:35You know, he had this kind of... Yeah, now he is, right.
7:39Barring whatever happens, you know, suspension-wise and all that kind of stuff.
7:43The Josh Jacobs stuff, as a Packers fan, has been kind of mind-boggling.
7:48Because when that stuff first came out, you know, it seemed, in multiple offenses, very serious.
7:53It was like, oh, are they just going to outright cut him?
7:58You know, like, that is kind of what it was...
8:01And then he gets bonded out. And they're saying, well, maybe it's not what it seems.
8:07And he was practicing. But then as I go look...
8:10As I go look through, like, what the Packers post from training camp, it's almost exclusively, like, Marshawn Lloyd at running back.
8:18A lot of that. Like, I haven't seen very many videos or clips with Josh Jacobs in it.
8:24So I don't know if they're under the assumption that they are going to lose him for a little bit.
8:31So they want, you know, they want to get the reps elsewhere.
8:35But you're right. I mean, and these are... Obviously, the other guys as well.
8:40Like, that matters. But, boy, Puka Nakua and Josh Jacobs, if they have, you know, what?
8:45Four to six to eight game suspensions. I mean, that drastically changes each of those teams.
8:51Here's the thing. I want to be very clear.
8:54We don't know, truly, the severity of each case.
8:57Correct. We don't know what the league is going to find, right?
9:01From the outside, as you said, initially, the Josh Jacobs case looked very disturbing.
9:06And then there were other versions that came up that it was not what people thought.
9:12I don't know what's right and what's not. It's up to the league to determine.
9:17The Puka one didn't sound quite as severe, but maybe it is.
9:21I don't know. So, again, it goes back to these are the conversations that are occurring.
9:27And all I'm going to say is I won't be surprised if there is some potential discipline handed down to all the
9:34players we mentioned, varying lengths, varying significances. I don't know how long each one's going to be.
9:40But all I'm saying is it's still in play.
9:43We haven't heard the last of it. And we will hear something.
9:47I think we'll get some clarity before the season begins.
9:51Okay. Yeah. So, that's good to know. Obviously, selfishly in my situation, I'd like to know what's going on with your bell cow running back.
9:59But, again, there's so much hearsay. We don't know 90% of the story, I would guess.
10:05It's just what we've read. Or, I mean, guys like you obviously do a little more digging than most do and maybe know a little bit more.
10:14But it's still, you know, we have no idea what conclusion the NFL is going to come to.
10:21So, I'm kind of waiting with bated breath on that one.
10:24And we'll see what else kind of comes of all these different disciplinary situations.
10:29Because they do matter. And it makes a massive impact.
10:33And you know where it's also going to matter?
10:36Where's that? The fancy world. Oh, big time. Big time.
10:39And, you know, there are people. And, again, I don't think the NFL really cares about that.
10:45You know, but there are people that. Fans do.
10:48Without a doubt. And there will. And I say this every year.
10:52I don't know why people do it. Because I think I want to say you do the same thing where your fantasy
11:00draft is the week of the first game. Right?
11:03We always do it the day before the season starts.
11:07But there are plenty of leagues where people will do it, you know, in the third week of the preseason.
11:13Or do it well in advance. Which, you know, that might be more on your league manager than anything else.
11:20But it's still, you know, it does have an impact.
11:24So, we'll keep an eye on that. There. Fun story there, Ty.
11:28There was a year where I was getting news that Wes Welker was being suspended.
11:33You can look up what year it was right now and what the violation was.
11:38I think it was a PED violation, if I remember correctly, for Wes Welker.
11:43Maybe you could Google it while we're talking. We had the fantasy draft going the night before the season began.
11:50And I was getting news during the draft when it started that Wes Welker was being suspended.
11:56So, I intentionally held it for like 20 minutes until one of my friends drafted Wes Welker.
12:02And right after he did, I dropped the news that Wes Welker was being suspended.
12:072014. How long? Four games. There we go. Yep.
12:10That news broke right after my friend drafted him.
12:13Yep. That's awesome. That's the way it goes. You know, those are the risks you run.
12:19Oh, man. I would have loved to be in that draft room to hear that.
12:24That is absolutely hilarious. All right, Chepti. So, yeah.
12:27Something to keep an eye on, especially if you're playing fantasy too.
12:31But, you know, just in general, those are a couple massive names that we'll keep some tabs on moving forward.
12:38Sometimes it's the smallest gestures that people remember most.
12:41And then, you know, I'll see you next time.
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13:06That's ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam. ZipRecruiter. Meet your match on ZipRecruiter.
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13:37Call 1-800-GRAINGER. Click Grainger.com or just stop by. Let's move on to topic number two of this week's six-pack.
13:44Running backs got paid in droves this week. All guys who deserved massive contracts.
13:49You know, what they mean to their teams, respectively, is, you know, that's not up for debate at all.
13:55Jonathan Taylor, Jameer Gibbs, Bajon Robinson, all incredible. Arguably, you know, three of the five best running backs in the league.
14:02But, considering their usage, is it crazy to say that these guys are still way underpaid?
14:08See, here's the great part about it, is we heard this week how the running back market was corrected.
14:14And it was, to a large extent. We saw this week there was one running back being paid an average of over $20 million coming into the season.
14:24And last week alone, there were three, Bajon Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Jameer Gibbs, who all exceeded that total.
14:30Which, long time coming, about time. Let me point out something to you.
14:35Jackson Smith and Jigba is now the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.
14:40He makes, on average, $42 million a year. We have Jamar Chase at $38 million.
14:45Justin Jefferson at $35 million. Drake London's up there at $35 million on Bajon's team.
14:50Yep. And now we have these running backs out there where Gibbs is at $22 million.
14:56Bajon's at $22 million. Saquon's at $20.6 million. So, Gibbs' average, Bajon's average, Saquon's average, Taylor's average.
15:02It is basically almost half, half of Jackson Smith and Jigba.
15:05Think about that for a moment. Is Jackson Smith and Jigba twice the player?
15:10Let's also think about it another way. We have Jamir at $22.75, actually.
15:15We have Bajon at $22.25. Christian Watson, your Packer wide receiver, has a deal averaging $23 million a year.
15:21Cortland Sutton's at $23 million a year. Chris Godwin's at $22 million a year.
15:26Devontae Adams is at $22 million a year. So, you're talking about 1A, number two wide receivers, making as much, if not
15:34more, than the top running backs in the game on average.
15:38And so, even though the running backs did push the envelope and did raise the bar and help reset the salaries at
15:45the position, they didn't reset them to where they're close to the wide receivers in this game, which is just crazy to me.
15:53Like, there's no way that Bajon Robinson is half as valuable as Jackson Smith and Jigba.
15:59As great as Jackson Smith and Jigba is. But that's where the market came in.
16:04And it's going to stay that way for a little while.
16:08Like, I don't know what's going to change that in the running back market.
16:13The best running backs, the best running backs, are under contract now for a little while.
16:18So, I know everybody's talking about, oh, the market's been reset at running back.
16:23And it has. And it's much better. And it is.
16:26But think about, in relation to wide receivers, how the running back market still is out of whack.
16:33Because it is. Yeah, without it, I mean, so, I just, I pulled up Jameer Gibbs' stats.
16:38He rushed for 1,200 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
16:42And had 77 receptions for 616 yards and 5 touchdowns.
16:45For a lot of teams, that's the output of what their number two, maybe even number one wide receiver's going to do.
16:53And I don't know if you need to, if they need, like, a good agent to make a stipulation.
16:59Because some of these guys, like him, Bajon, and I think, to a degree, you can throw Jonathan Taylor in there.
17:06They need to be, like, they're, they get screwed over because they are running backs.
17:12They need to be labeled. They're weapons. They're not, you know.
17:15Yeah, exactly. They're, because, I mean, you know, he, Jameer Gibbs had almost 2,000 total yards last year.
17:22And 18 touchdowns. So, for, yeah, to say that he's making almost $20 million less than Jackson Smith and Jigba.
17:29It's crazy. It's nuts. It's nuts. And maybe part of that, I don't know, you would know better than I would, is
17:36that the teams inherently are a little more worried about a running back getting hurt because they touch the ball so much.
17:44And they don't want to sink that much of the cap into a guy.
17:49But if you don't, you know, Jameer Gibbs is, he's the most explosive player on their offense.
17:55And they have good players on their offense. That's part of it.
17:59But the market was suppressed for so long that it takes a long time to repair that market.
18:05And you need somebody that breaks the mold that the running backs have been cast in to say, we're going to pay
18:13you as an offensive weapon, not as a running back one.
18:16We're not going to make you the highest paid running back in the game.
18:21We're going to make you the highest paid weapon in the game.
18:25Yeah. And nobody's done that yet. Nobody's done that yet.
18:29Now, you know, you could have made the argument that these running backs here would have had an argument.
18:35But what is their leverage? It's very hard to do.
18:39There's time on their contract. You know, the teams would say, no, they got as much as they could get.
18:46That's what the market bared here. It's just still out of whack for as good and strong as those running back deals were last week.
18:54Yeah. And I suppose, you know, if you're the front office of one of these teams, you're just saying, well, you're the
19:02highest paid running back in NFL history. What else are we supposed to say?
19:07I understand you're a weapon. We are paying you more than any other running back has ever been paid in league history.
19:15You know what I think, though? This this goes this reminds me of when Debo Samuel had his huge year and he was up for an extension.
19:24And I think part of what his agent wanted to do is, hey, we want to be compensated for what he does running the football, too.
19:33Because, you know, they were giving him like those jet sweeps and like he would line up in the backfield sometimes.
19:40And I remember like the incentives that they added for his rushing.
19:44It was next to nothing. So it was like it's it's much different as opposed to a running back adding value as a receiver.
19:53You know, like that. And again, things have changed since then.
19:56But in like a in a in a in a shell of everything that was kind of like, oh, OK, well, they
20:04they really don't care that he's going to add four touchdowns on the ground and average eight yards of carry.
20:11They want him catching touchdown passes. It's just a different market again.
20:15Just want to point out the disparities that still exist, despite the strong deals that the running backs got.
20:22And, you know, I there's there's probably there's it's not like there's much up for me, maybe a next contract.
20:29But if both Bajon Robinson and Jameer Gibbs have 2000 yard seasons and score 25 touchdowns each, like, you know, it's it's
20:36not like they're going to get massive raises. It kind of is what it is.
20:41Yep. So I think you're I think you're right.
20:45I don't know if that applies to every running back, but I don't think the ones it does.
20:51Yes. And I don't think we've seen as many rare ones that have been in the league at the same time, maybe ever.
20:59And who's the next one that's going to get paid?
21:02Oh, my guess is just a guess is Jeremiah Love has a rookie contract that's set up.
21:08In a big time way with fifty three million dollars in guaranteed money.
21:13So if he performs like the potential great standout back that people think he can be, he has a chance to maybe help reset the market.
21:22But it's going to take somebody special like a Barry Sanders type player.
21:26Yeah. To redefine that position and the salary in which it's paid.
21:30Yeah, maybe, you know, I mean, he there's not a whole lot to go off because he got hurt last year.
21:37But maybe a guy like Omarion Hampton, you know, with L.A.
21:41has a crazy year with Mike McDaniel and, you know, puts up insane numbers.
21:46But I think you're probably right. It's he still will be a year away from being contract eligible.
21:52They're exactly offensive lineman and the quarterbacks. And they would just say, well, stick another running back in there.
21:59Right. It's going to take a unique circumstance to get a running back to alter that structure.
22:05Like. It's just it's just very hard to do, very hard to do.
22:09I don't see it coming anytime soon now, because it's tough to imagine that we're going to find someone more special than
22:17some of these guys that have just been paid.
22:20So we'll see. That'll be something to keep an eye on.
22:24That is an interesting conversation. All right, Chetty, let's move to topic number three of this week's six pack.
22:30I just mentioned the Chargers there. And speaking of running backs as a whole, what do you think about Mike McDaniel and
22:38what he said about the Chargers running backs? I thought this sent shutters down the spines of fancy football managers across the country.
22:46Like for those who didn't hear it, Mike McDaniel was asked how that he might use Omarion Hampton, the aforementioned Omarion Hampton,
22:54Kamani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell, who they signed as a free agent from Baltimore.
22:58And this is how Mike McDaniel, the Chargers offensive coordinator, answered the question.
23:03He said, quote, bad news, fantasy owners. Good news is I see all three of those guys producing at a very high level.
23:11Bad news is I can't tell you which games those are.
23:15And then he went on to add that he would essentially divvy up the workload depending on the opponent, the opponent and
23:22who has the quote unquote hot hand. So if you're drafting a Chargers running back and you're looking at Omarion Hampton, that might spook you.
23:31Now, I would say the flip side to that would be he said similar things in Miami and Devon HN still panned out.
23:39And Ali Gordon didn't threaten him. And the other Dolphins running backs didn't threaten him.
23:44But that is something that I think that got attention of fancy football managers as we get ready to head into fancy football draft season, Ty.
23:53Yeah, I agree. If I if I had one of those guys earmarked to potentially take, I'd be livid.
24:00I'd be taking them off my board. I don't know.
24:03Off your board. I think so. I think so.
24:06I mean, and who knows? That could just be posturing.
24:10Omarion Hampton could be the lead back and play every game and, you know, get the lion's share of the carries.
24:17But like you said, there's there's proof in the pudding of what we've seen before HN really went off in Miami.
24:24Like they did kind of they were just shuffling backs in there.
24:28And I guess the flip side would be that all those guys had success.
24:33None of them none of them really dropped the ball and weren't any good.
24:38But boy, I don't know if you, you know, the idea of having to roster three Chargers running backs because you're not
24:46going to know who's going to get most of the carries until maybe Sunday morning.
24:51Who's up? Who's down that? Yeah, that's not great.
24:54But I think, you know, this team, at least fantasy wise, is always about you start and end with Justin Herbert and
25:02you kind of just we'll see what else we can get from there.
25:06You know what I love? Mike McDaniel is very aware of fancy football managers.
25:11He's very aware of what people want to know.
25:14And I got to be honest with you, that that's a big part of why people care so much about football.
25:21Obviously, there's the gambling, the betting aspect, but fancy football is so huge.
25:26I love it. I love it. That. I think that everybody out there cares about the Chargers running back situation, everybody, the
25:34way that they would care about their favorite team, because you want to know, should I be drafting Omarion Hampton or Kamani Vidal or Keaton Mitchell?
25:43So that's when we're talking about all the things that happen and all the interest there is in the league.
25:49A lot of it is driven by fancy with everybody getting ready for their dress in the next month.
25:56Yeah, without a doubt, I would and I don't have any evidence to stake this claim, but I would say the fantasy
26:04football has done more for the NFL in terms of the average fan than anything else.
26:09Like the people who are just on the fringe, they care more about fantasy than anything.
26:15And haven't we heard like the golfers on the PGA Tour complain about people showing up in their mentions on social media,
26:22getting on them because they're betting them or playing them in DF.
26:26It's the same thing. That's that's a listen. As somebody who fills out golf lineups, I understand that, right?
26:33Like that's the fun part about it is it gives you a vested interest.
26:38And who doesn't love fancy football? Who doesn't love fancy golf?
26:42I love fancy golf. It's great. It's fun to play.
26:45So it's it's helped driving the popularity of the respective sports.
26:49I believe. Yeah, without a doubt. There's no question about it.
26:53And the and it hasn't plateaued. It just keeps getting more and more, you know, interest and people playing.
26:59So it's great, man. All this talk of this.
27:02I got to go and do a mock draft after the show or something.
27:07And our interests are very different than Mike McDaniel's interest that I can tell you.
27:13Yes, without a doubt. That's a good footnote for people to remember that ultimately he doesn't give a shit about your fantasy football team.
27:21He's trying to win games. All right, Jeff D.
27:24Let's move on to topic number four of this week's six pack.
27:28Yesterday, Quinn and Williams got a new massive extension with the Dallas Cowboys.
27:33And with that, Stephen Jones basically said, OK, the Micah Parsons trade is now officially complete.
27:38What do you think about the new contract and the haul that the Cowboys essentially got from trading Micah Parsons?
27:45A few things here I want to point out.
27:48As you mentioned, with Stephen Jones saying that the trade is complete.
27:52So the Packers get Micah Parsons on a four year, $186 million contract.
27:57And in return, the Dallas Cowboys get Quinn and Williams, who they've now signed to a three year extension for almost $106 million.
28:05Kenny Clark and Malachi Lawrence. So we're going to see this season who supposedly has looked good.
28:11Not quite as good as Caleb Downs has, but he's looked good.
28:15So the Cowboys get three people to rush the passer, play defensive line.
28:19Quinn and Williams, Kenny Clark, Malachi Lawrence. A nice return on Micah Parsons, but Micah Parsons is incredible.
28:26But that trade is now essentially complete over process.
28:29We can now judge how it should be judged in time because there it is in time.
28:35It also feels like the Dallas Cowboys have learned.
28:38They're getting out in front of these deals. They're signing Quinn and Williams.
28:42And this is the first summer that the Dallas Cowboys haven't really had any contract drama.
28:48Last year was Micah Parsons. The year before was C.D.
28:51Lamb. The year before was Dak Prescott. There's enough drama surrounding the NFL.
28:56We don't need more of it that's self-induced, that Dallas has brought on.
29:00And so Dallas is getting out in front of Quinn and Williams.
29:04They can't do anything about George Pickens. And it's always interesting when these big deals get done to see when I post them on Instagram, who likes them.
29:14And I saw yesterday when I first likes on the Quinn and Williams deal on my Instagram feed, Leonard Williams from the Seattle.
29:22Who's in line for a contract extension. I'm sure he very much enjoyed seeing that Quinn and Williams got a three-year, $105.9 million extension.
29:30That was good news for the big cat in the Pacific Northwest there.
29:35And the last thing I'll add about that is it ties into Micah Parsons.
29:40Because Micah Parsons also said this week that he is targeting the game against the Dallas Cowboys this season to come back
29:47and play for the Green Bay Packers. So if we look at the Packers schedule, and I love having the schedule out
29:55in front of me so I can just kind of look right down the line to see.
30:01The Packers open at Minnesota, then play at the Jets, then play home for Atlanta at Tampa.
30:07Three of the first four on the road before back-to-back home games against Chicago and Dallas.
30:12Interesting that he hasn't even referred to Chicago in week five, but is already targeting Dallas at home in week six as
30:20the game that he'll be back for. So Micah Parsons looks like he'll miss the first five games and return against his former team.
30:28And all I could probably think of is that game against the Dallas Cowboys is probably providing an awful lot of fuel
30:36during his rehab to get him going. Every time you think like you're done, like I can't go another rep, I can't do any more, I'm exhausted.
30:45Well, we got the Dallas Cowboys in week six to get ready for.
30:49And I think that's probably a part of his mindset during rehab here, Ty.
30:54Yeah, without a doubt. He made a comment, and this isn't a direct quote, but he said basically like, I want people
31:02to worry less about my rehab and teams need to worry about what I'm going to be like when I get back.
31:10So I think he has taken this, you know, in stride.
31:13And I expect him to be the best Micah Parsons we've ever seen.
31:18In terms of who won the trade, like you said, we're not going to know about that.
31:24I mean, because if the Packers with a healthy Micah Parsons go and win a Super Bowl this year, did they win the trade?
31:32I think you could argue that they did. You know, it kind of starts and ends with that.
31:38I'm glad that the Cowboys got Quinnen Williams done because they had to.
31:43I mean, after trading for him and trading the draft compensation they got from the Packers, like they didn't have a choice.
31:50If you let him walk, then, you know, then we really, it gets really loud.
31:56So, yeah, I think if you're a Cowboys fan, you're happy with how everything shook out.
32:01But as a Packers fan still, you know, like when Micah Parsons is healthy, I think it's 1A, 1B with him and
32:09Miles Garrett in terms of who's the best edge rusher in the NFL.
32:13He's just, he's so good. He lines up everywhere.
32:16He makes everyone else better. So, yeah, I think Cowboys fans and Packers fans both have a lot to be happy about.
32:24And I can't wait for that week six game because I think you're right.
32:29I mean, that's going to be, that's going to be cinema to see Micah Parsons come back Sunday night football, I believe, at Lambeau.
32:37Can't wait for that one already. So, yeah, we'll keep an eye on Micah Parsons.
32:42Again, I think the hay is kind of in the barn there.
32:46I think we know when he's coming back. I don't think he's going to be coming back earlier.
32:53He's not going to push it. The Packers want to make sure that he is as close to 100% as possible whenever he suits up.
33:01Because, again, when they traded for him last year, he kind of had to do the same thing.
33:08He had that gradual progression with the back and, you know, his snap count was limited early.
33:13And then it was same deal, probably week four or five in that range where it was like, oh, okay, this is the guy we traded for.
33:23Not to say he didn't, you know, wreck games early on because he did.
33:28But, you know, when he is as close to healthy as he can be, there are, there's next to, you know, next
33:35to nobody I'd rather have out there. So good on both teams.
33:39All right. Speaking of injuries, Shefty, let's move on to topic number five of this week's six-pack.
33:45We say it every year. You'd like to avoid it.
33:49It's the NFL, though. You can't avoid it. Injuries are already wreaking havoc all over the place.
33:55In your opinion, which one stands out the most?
33:58Well, I got to tell you something. When you suffer the season-ending injuries, those are the ones that seem so permanent and so lasting.
34:06We saw that early on in Carolina with Nick Scowerton on the first day, first drill, first everything of first hour training camp.
34:14They lose their pass rusher. The Saints lose their defensive tackle.
34:18Brian Brzee to a season-ending torn ACL. The Falcons lose Jalen Walker, who we talked about.
34:23So three NFC South teams lose key defensive players for the season right away.
34:28Devastating. We saw the Lions lose their starting center, Cade Mace, to a broken bone in his wrist, maybe half the season.
34:36And that's a tough one considering they lost Frank Ragnow to retirement.
34:40They pay him $25 million to come in. He now is out and they have to figure out a way to replace him.
34:48But the one that stands out to me right now, Ricky Pearsall of San Francisco, Laramie Tunsil in Washington.
34:55That to me right now, and we're on August 11th, Tuesday morning, 9 a.m.
34:59or so. When you lose your starting left tackle, when you have to protect Jaden Daniels, when you want him to stay
35:07more in the pocket under your new offensive coordinator, David Blau, and be more stationary and not take as many risks, and
35:15you lose your starting left tackle, who you made this offseason the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history, and he's got
35:22a torn tricep where he's going to miss most, if not all of the season, that to me is crushing.
35:29Now, you could try to replace him, you've got time, but you can't lose a left tackle of Laramie Tunsil's caliber and
35:37think that everything is going to be fine. And I'm a big believer in vibes.
35:42Like, when you lose your starting left tackle, like, that's a bad vibe for the whole team.
35:48Just bad. Bad. And they've got a lot of reasons to be hopeful in Washington.
35:53They've made a lot of nice additions. Sonny Stiles looks like he's going to be great.
35:59Loved adding Steph Diggs. Loved some of the players they've added, but to lose your left tackle like that?
36:05And you know what's going to happen, Ty? What's that?
36:09This is the first full week of the preseason.
36:12This week. I don't know who. I don't know when.
36:15I hope I'm wrong. But there are going to be some more players lost in the preseason.
36:21Knock on wood. I hate it. I hate it.
36:24It's the worst part of training camp. And when these guys go down even earlier, it's deflating.
36:30It's just deflating. But, unfortunately, it's a part of the sport.
36:34And it's like, I see these teams injury-less. I'm like, what are we doing?
36:39I know you've got to get ready for the season.
36:42But, like, the Niners got 20 guys missing practice.
36:45The New York Jets have a half dozen guys missing practice.
36:49We've got these season-ending injuries in the NFC's. What are we doing?
36:53What are we doing? It's a great question. It really is.
36:57And I don't know if there's any way you can solve it.
37:01I mean, it's just guys are bigger, stronger, and faster than they ever have been.
37:06It's just every year it is expedited a little bit.
37:10And, man, these guys work out so hard, too.
37:13But it's just crazy. It really is. And the Tunzel one, I couldn't agree more.
37:18I mean, if you lose your left tackle who, you know, maybe it's his first or second year playing left tackle.
37:25Like, that's an important piece, obviously, you know, a guy protecting your quarterback's blindside.
37:30But, like you said, I mean, Jaden Daniels got hurt, what, week two of the NFL season last year?
37:37I think Thursday night against the Packers. And he played after that, but you could tell he wasn't the same.
37:44You know, he was hurt. And then they shelved him for a little bit.
37:49And this is such a massive year for the Commanders, too, being, you know, two years removed from the NFC Championship.
37:56Because then you're going to start, like, if they have another kind of dud of a year, then the narrative kind of
38:03goes to, hey, was this kind of Fugazi that they went to the NFC Championship?
38:09You know, it was lightning in a bottle and all that kind of stuff.
38:14And then, you know, I don't think this should be the case.
38:18But, you know, what's Dan Quinn's job security look like?
38:21And then what do they do with the new offense?
38:25All of those questions come up. And they're in a tough division, you know.
38:29They're in a very good division with a Giants team that's ascending, the Eagles, who are always good, the Cowboys, who a
38:37lot of people think have Super Bowl aspirations. It's just terrible.
38:41And while we love getting all this info and watching the preseason, it is hard.
38:46Like, I heard Matt LaFleur say that, hey, if you're healthy, be ready to go Thursday night in Pittsburgh for the Packers.
38:54And part of you just kind of, you just squirm a little bit because it's like, you know, you try not to.
39:01You have to get these guys ready. Exactly. But on the other hand, I sometimes wonder, I know it's going to sound crazy and blasphemous.
39:10What if we just did, like, conditioning for four weeks, five weeks, six weeks, and, like, no hitting, no contact.
39:17Like, maybe guys would still get hurt. And maybe then they would get out there and their bodies would not be used
39:24to the contact that they had on opening day and we'd still get these in.
39:30And I guess it's just a part of the sport, but God, I hate it.
39:35God, I hate it. So, anyway. No, it's terrible, especially when it's, you know, and it seems like it happens every year.
39:42But these are household names that are getting hurt and are injured for the season.
39:48Like, names that we're going to want to see on primetime once the season starts.
39:53But like you said, I don't know if there's any fix for it.
39:57I don't know if there's any way to solve it.
40:01And look, it's one of the big stories of every week of the season.
40:06Every week, there are a handful of big players that go down that change the course of that season, that change the trajectory of franchise.
40:14It's part of the violent sport that football is.
40:17You can't change it. But I just, I hate it when it's its own team's practice.
40:23Like, they're going against each other. It's a week or two into camp.
40:27Like, that, what a waste. What a waste. I know, I know.
40:32I couldn't agree more. And you hate to say it, and it's kind of selfish as a fan.
40:38But at the end of the day, it's like, man, we just, hopefully these quarterbacks can stay healthy.
40:44Because, what was it, two years ago or so where we had 60-some different starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
40:51Like, that's not tenable. The league doesn't want that.
40:54Fans don't want that. It's going to happen again.
40:57I'm just telling, I don't know whether it'll be 60 or 52 or 64.
41:02But guys are going to get hurt. That's what happens.
41:05Yeah. No, you're right. And so, I guess, you know, here on August 11th, we can just hope and pray that that's not the case.
41:14It's minimal. It's minimal. Minimal. But, you know, more than likely, conventional wisdom says that week 11, yeah, week 11, we're going
41:21to have, you know, 14 to 16 teams with quarterbacks that were not the starters week one.
41:27So, well, it sucks, you know, but like you said, football's a violent, violent sport.
41:33And that's unfortunately just part of the game. All right, Shefty.
41:36It's not a baseball game. It's not a baseball game or something else is going to keep my attention much better.
41:44That was the best NFL. That was the best Hall of Fame game ever, ever.
41:49Carson Beck looked unbelievable. Haynes King looked unbelievable. Unbelievable.
41:52It was the best QB play we've ever seen in the Hall of Fame game.
41:57I don't think that's hyperbole. What does that mean to you?
42:01Well, that's, and that's what I said on your show yesterday with Pat.
42:05I was watching that game. And again, as somebody who's covered this league for 37 years and always look forward to the
42:13Hall of Fame game as much as you can look forward to football being back, but it not being very good football.
42:21I don't ever remember seeing two quarterbacks play at that level in the Hall of Fame game.
42:27Carson Beck was impressive for the Arizona Cardinals. Haynes King was impressive for the Carolina Panthers.
42:32Carson Beck played like, like, here's the deal. You put on these games, the preseason.
42:37It's the thing that I'm, who jumps out? Who passes the eye test?
42:42Who looks like the game's not too big for them?
42:45Who looks like they belong? Carson Beck looked like he belonged.
42:49And Haynes King looked like he belonged. And it makes you want to see them more.
42:55Now, Haynes King has a hamstring injury. He's going to miss some preseason time here.
43:00Maybe he won't play again in the preseason. Haynes King won a job.
43:04Okay? Not that it would have been any different.
43:07My understanding is he had looked that way in practice, too.
43:11It was the same kind of way that when he came in, the offense moved.
43:16He looked like he got it. The play stood out.
43:20And he's going to make that team. And I think he's going to be deployed in a Taysom Hill type of role for the Carolina Panthers this year.
43:30A weapon who's brought in a quarterback, move him around.
43:33He could run around, make plays. I think they're going to use him that way.
43:38Carson Beck, to me, one game. And you never want to read too much into it.
43:44But he looked like he belonged. And we got to see more of him now in the preseason.
43:50Arizona has veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
43:53But that made me think, like I said, we may be seeing Carson Beck at some point this season.
44:00Not going to be early on. I don't think.
44:03Unless he continues to light it up in the preseason.
44:07And then every time he does that, the conversation gets a little bit more interesting.
44:12But look, whether it was Carson Beck and Haynes King in the Hall of Fame game last week, we have week one,
44:19the full week one of the preseason kicking off this week.
44:23This is the opportunity for guys we've been waiting to see to make a mark.
44:28Whether that is the wide receiver Jacoby Lane in Baltimore, who's been lighting it up during training camp.
44:35Whether that is the Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen, who aside from the Bruce Shin, has been lighting it up in training camp.
44:43The Saints rookie wide receiver, I don't even know if I'm going to pronounce it, Barron Brown?
44:48Barron Brown? Yeah, good question. Late round draft pick?
44:52Yeah. Lighting it up in camp. Okay, so these guys are lighting it up on their own teams.
44:58Can they do it in a game? What about the rookie quarterbacks?
45:02Like, there are going to be rookies and young players that make statements here in the next few weeks.
45:08No, yeah. Listen, we were talking about this, and it's easy for, in terms of recency bias, to say whatever you want
45:16to say about the Hall of Fame game. People immediately want to throw cold water on it.
45:22And I get it to a certain degree because they're not playing complex coverages.
45:27It's very vanilla defense. But we have enough evidence to see.
45:31That doesn't matter. Guys go out there and they look terrible.
45:34You know, they look like they are not ready for the show.
45:39And both of those guys, yes, that wasn't a defense you're going to see week one on Sunday.
45:45But they both look like they belong. And I think that's more than you can say for a lot of the Hall of Fame games that we see.
45:55Again, guys pass the eye test or they don't right away.
45:58Right? Like, last year, you could see Jackson Dart when he was out there.
46:03He passed the eye test. Tyler Shuck when he was out there.
46:07Passed the eye test. Yep. Those guys last week.
46:10One game. Passed it. But that's the most intriguing part of the preseason.
46:15Seeing if they do it on a week-to-week basis.
46:18I remember, again, Russell Wilson came in in the year that the Seahawks signed Matt Flynn.
46:24He was the big free agent quarterback acquisition. And this young rookie drafted number 75 overall, I believe, in the third round from Wisconsin.
46:32Russell Wilson shined right away. Dak Prescott. Fourth round pick.
46:35Yeah. Came on every week. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Same thing.
46:39There are certain guys that just stand out. One week.
46:42Let's see if they keep doing it. Let's see who else does it.
46:47And that is the exciting part of what's ahead with a full preseason slate kicking off this weekend.
46:53All right, Ty. Lots of stuff going on. Great job.
46:56It feels like we're in midseason mode already with all the headlines going around and all the things that are going to be happening.
47:05Great job by you today. Great job by our producer, Dan Stanczyk.
47:09Our videographer, Ben Smith. And thank you to all the people who tune into another Adam Schefter podcast.
47:15Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the Adam Schefter podcast.
47:19We'll be back in this spot next week, probably to discuss Aaron Donald, probably to look back at week one of the
47:27preseason and look ahead to week two. And let's see which other players stand out.
47:32Until then, enjoy this weekend's action. Have a great weekend, everybody.
47:36Be well and stay safe. Bye.