Well, when Nick Mullens came to the Vikings via trade, we
wondered who would be out Sean mannion or Kellen Moore and as
it turns out
both are gone, Monde waved yesterday morning mannion in
the afternoon cuts and a thought that one
of those guys could be back on the practice squad. I heard
that all day yesterday, everybody who was cut. Well,
you know, if he if he clears waivers and maybe he won't, he
could be
brought back to the practice squad. I'm surprised
a term of that ilk. Wasn't trending yesterday on Twitter.
It was uttered. So many times in every one of these reports
of course every guy with four or
fewer fewer than four years of service goes through waivers
and yes you can bring back guys to the practice squad, even
veterans. Now there's leeway to have guys back who have
unlimited service so that happens today
yesterday was the cut, 253, today's the day where we find
out who was claimed on waivers. We find out who ends up on
practice squads, but it was a bit of a surprise, Chris
that the Vikings after keeping Manion and Monde.
Throughout the offseason program
throughout training camp,
throughout the preseason.
Just decide. Cut down day, both are gone.
It is it crazy. I wouldn't have thought that would have
happened. I thought I'd been one or the other for sure, you
know, but obviously, it was to the point where they were,
you know, not practicing well enough, not playing well enough
to blow the doors off there to, where they didn't feel
comfortable with having either one of the backup. You know,
I like Helen mons Talent, you know, we kind of went through it.
Using game one. He did a few things I kept going man, I wish
you'd let it go and throw the fireball, you know, preseason
game. Number two, did some good things through the ball with
a little more Authority and to the potential of his
arm, but had one really bad interception. You know, at
the end of the game, had another interception early on where he
didn't, kind of feel the pocket and had somebody
in this ways. So obviously they went in the year ago and we got
a pretty good offense and I don't trust either one of these
guys and with it being a new regime and that not being,
you know, and in handcuffs as far
As this is our guy,
all right I think they just went man that's enough we're
going to go with a guy that we trust and has played a little
football knows the this offense a little bit. You know Nick
Mullens was in the Shanahan offense to a degree. I would
think this has
some similarities to it
with okano
coming from from the Rams so that was but it's still
surprising to me,
it is. And to me, it makes me delve into, is there something
more there within the K mon, you know, is it more?
Then just a play on the field.
Is there something about the guy that's not like they're in
Minnesota because we know Zimmer didn't seem like he's in
love with them either. So, oh my God buddy. Yeah, well
I maybe he does it but I was shocked. And you know me I was
kind of a
backer of K mom and he's coming out in the draft
by the way, I did get busted coming out of the b-roll,
scratching my back. I got an itch right here and I've been
trying to get to it and its really annoying. I need to keep
it back. Scratcher, a back scratcher butt, scratcher up
here and my,
in my office.
Anyway, it just East. And it's not just Minnesota
in the NFC North that has gone through this. The Lions also
on Cut Down day. Yeah, getting rid of Tim Boyle and now
David Blau, it just seems to me Chris far from ideal
to have two guys
that you keep for all that time,
all that effort,
all that developmental opportunity
and there's just flush.
Yeah, as we get within
days, literally of the start of the regular season because now
what do you do for your backup quarterback? The Lions
reportedly bringing in Nate said felt the Vikings had
traded for Nick. Mullens, at least they made their
Arrangement before
they did the down Day Massacre of their quarterback room, but
it's just odd to me. I can't remember many occasions were
teams. Got rid of their
entire complement of backup, quarterbacks on cut down. Oh,
it definitely a head scratcher to me, too. You know. There's
got to be a point in the offseason when you start to go,
wait, are these really going to be our backups and that's
before training camp?
You know? And again,
I I can understand the Detroit won a little bit. You know,
maybe more than Minnesota because I look at Minnesota and
go. I think Aleman Still Got Talent. I mean I could see his
arm and things he does and we saw that scramble and
the preseason we're
good, this pretty damn good. You know, Blau and boil.
I understand I was always going damn it. They really going to
be the backups. Really, those two
are going to be the backups in the NFL
so Yeah, Nate sun-filled being there. You know that that
certainly makes sense and then
I still think you know as we're talking about this he have
53-man roster, Czar, set for now for a little bit. But
I gotta think teams like this or looking at,
you know, Mason Mason Rudolph a guy that go well they really
going to keep them or is it you know, they're just keeping them
here for an extra
few days until they really got to,
you know, make a move and get the right 53 on the roster.
So I think there's still a little, you know, meat left on
the bone, I guess. As they say in this subject and where this
goes with some of these guys,
and that's important thing to keep in mind, especially if
you're one of the guys at the bottom, one of these rosters
you are not guaranteed a job even
as soon as week one
because there will be constant churning. There will be
waiver claims today and in order to make room for the guys
claimed on waivers, are going to cut somebody who had made
the team as of yesterday, don't exhale yet
and there will be this constant churn all year long.
Bottom five, ten,
So the roster always seem to be changing for whatever reason
because of injury because of ineffectiveness, whatever,
right we need to bring in somebody else so you've got to
go, it's
not about you, it's about the fact that we need a backup center
or we need a backup running back or we need this or we need
that. It's just a numbers game and we have to let you go and
that happens all the time. You mentioned the Steelers with
Mason Rudolph. They're reportedly waiting to be blown
away by a trade-off or they otherwise we'll
keep three guys on the 53-man, roster
the Dolphins. He's keeping
rookie Skylar Thompson. Seventh round from Kansas State on
the roster with to Otunga Viola
and Teddy Bridgewater
for very different reasons.
They're not trying to set up a trade, they're trying to set up
a potential future. Yeah. Horse collar ties and here's Chris
Greer and Mike McDaniel from yesterday, talking about their
decision
to keep him on the roster
with Skylar a no-brainer ultimately, was he at good at
preseason where we didn't even requirements on you guys?
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, it's yeah. So he played very well.
Again, another guy that comes in, he just works every day one
over his teammates, through his work ethic. And, you know,
you went out and bald, and
another one we got calls again, people asking what we're going
to do. And they're all saying, you know, you guys would be
stupid to let him go. And there was no thought about us doing,
we're not in the business of being stupid.
And that's the best way to put it. And look we don't know
what's got her. Thompson's going to be, it doesn't mean
that he's going to be the starting quarterback. Ma'am,
I am right at any point
but what it means is they see enough in him,
then it would be stupid to let him go.
And I
saw a picture of me wrote a story about him last night and
he wears number 19 and it made me think of another guy who
wore number 19 for the Colts. The Steelers
cut Johnny Unitas at one point crazy
he was playing semi-pro football for the Bloomfield
Rams in Pittsburgh. Wow. And and eventually becomes one of
the all-time great. So if you have a guy that you think
has something at that position touches the ball, every play,
As
McDaniel later said about the quarterback position generally,
he's not aware of any team that had had, that was bad because
it had too many good quarterbacks. Yeah. That's
right.
You, you've got three, good, quarterbacks you keep them
and you figure it out later
then, you know, you're trading out that roster spot for
a truly bottom of the roster guy
who's maybe going to be a special teams contributor.
You you keep that third quarterback, you develop
scholar Thompson, you see where he's going to take you
for now. And it may be nowhere, but you don't want him to take
somebody else somewhere because you were too hasty to give up
on. Well,
at the very least like to what you're saying there. Yeah, then
maybe not starting quarterback but potential to be that and
then you keep them because you, oh wait,
he could potentially be our backup here for a long, long
time. Like he's got that type of talent to but let alone
sighs good. Athlete. Then,
you know, showed the ability to digest the offense and then my
goodness. Like we were talking about, would like Josh out
a little bit, you know, could just make some plays and some
throws that.
Yeah, it's not about the offense. It's just the guy here.
You know, I'm not trying to compare him to Josh Alan. But,
you know, there was a few throws in every game where he
went. Damn, there's 40 yards down the sideline right on
the money. Perfect, you know.
Whoa, little pressure in the pocket
25-yard krauser. Wow. So it wasn't just like system BS.
He showed the ability to
You know, make some plays with his pure physical ability
and that's why you keep them
you do and yeah, okay, it's three guys on the roster of
quarterback, you know, it's not always seen to be the great
thing here in football. But
I look at it and go,
okay, to we know it's a big year,
right? Teddy Bridgewater. I could see this being, you know,
a one and done type of thing. He's kind of the if to it
doesn't work, he comes in, if, to a dozen work,
all right, they're going to look for a big-time starting
quarterback next year, and now you got it.
I like oh hey you're Skylar Thompson, who's
he can be our great backup and knows the system and all of that.
So you know, and maybe has the future potential to be
a starting quarterback. So I think it's a win-win there and
you know good for him kid from Kansas State coming out and
really just you know
forcing himself on our roster with his play
pretty damn special preseason for him.
The eighth quarterback taken in the draft this year. In round
seven. The last quarterback taken was Brock Purdy
who did survive in San Francisco as one of the backups
there but you know, it's not about
Needing the quarterback. It's about developing
the quarterback and at some point even if he doesn't become
a starter in Miami, he's a guy they could flip, he's an asset.
Sure they can grow and develop you water. You nurture this
plant that turns into a flower that somebody else wants
to pull out of the garden at some point, down the road, if
he ends up not being the guy that that you think
he could be for you. For now though,
every reason to let it play out. See if this continues
preseason next year
just see how it Goes, how does he deal with himself in
practice? How does he grow? How does he develop, how locked in,
is he, how hard does he work? Does he exhibit exhibit
leadership, traits and, and are they developing
throughout his rookie year? You know, a lot of it is Unwritten.
And they don't want to throw that book away just yet because
it could end in a very good spot for the Dolphins. It did
not end in a very good spot. Chris,
for the Raiders. Yo, 17th overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Alex Leatherwood, all options were on the table
as of this past weekend, they could trade him,
they could put midgard, put them in tackle
or they could put him out the door.
That's what they've done. They've cut him.
His salary is guaranteed through
2024. He's got three years left under contract fully
guaranteed. All the way through
just couldn't get it done. And another failure
of the Gruden Mayock regime and it's Gruden big letters. May
A small one hundred percent certain was running that show,
but what a s*** show it was
in 2019 2020. And 2021
when it was Mayock and Gruden together.
Making those pics now. Definitely. I mean, yeah. You
know, we know Mayock was the GM but Jon Gruden had full power.
He was, he was running things. No, pick was made without his
consent and
really, I would think almost all pics were made,
you know, because he says, let's make that pick there
and and yeah, you know,
A shiny objects with issues all over the board there.
Oh, Clemson. Colin Farrell all that have the minutes that may
be one of the worst picks in the draft in the last 10 years
at number
at Colin Farrell at number. What was that for that trap?
I mean he can't even get on the field.
You know Josh Jacobs. Okay that's been good. Jonathan Abrams.
Hey it's been a little all over the place. Rugs hitogata.
That's unfortunate they got unlucky there because that
looked like it was going to work out. Damon are Ned. Oh
Overdrafted and had off the field concerns, you know. But
take a chance. Alex Leatherwood?
Yeah, potential,
right, big strong guy. But damn
watching the film. And all that, when he was coming out in
the draft me, others were going, I don't, I mean, I know
he's not a first-round Lyman. What they're taking him
a pic18. Whoa.
And so I, you know, I think it says it all.
You got Josh, McDaniels, a New England staff there. Do they
know understand Alabama, guys, and what they are
new. Love's Alabama guys?
Obviously it didn't match up and obviously there's more than
what it's on the field on the field, it's just less than that
was talking about. This is my father a little bit, the other
guard tackle, whatever.
The biggest thing is he can't pass protect. So it's hard to
play in the NFL and a Josh, McDaniels offense, and you
can't be relied on to pass for Tech. He just can't move his
sweet and stay with me Bill that way.
So I think they looked at that and just said the hell with it.
We're out of here and we'll just take our lumps and try to
rebuild this old. Line
a lot easier for a new regime to do that. I have a feeling if
Gruden was still there, they they'd be making a work likes
Leatherwood. Right. Because they don't want to admit to
the world, they screwed up right. Josh, McDaniels
has no compulsion, no reason, no purpose, if anything, it
makes him look better because it makes the prior regime look
even more in-depth and as to Farrell and I will say this,
I remember sitting in this chair
saying after Farrell was a fourth overall pick and people
were like, where did he come? From I said hey you know, Mike
Mayock wasn't in the media to tell us about it, right? That's
why we didn't know about
him and
Yeah, even though I was sitting here telling you how? Well
I know something. I know about it. Good. No, but I understand
you know again it happens.
It's not it's not easy. Why did they fall in love with the god?
It's what I'm doing. How did they get do? Pits Clemson and
whoa he's on that team and you know he had all the right
I think intangibles as far as off the field that you liked
but it was one of those Mike and I will say this, it's
a similar body and a similar look to cave on Thibodeau that's
coming out in Oregon, which scares the crap. But the me as
a giant sand,
but a lot of sacks where you go,
well, that wasn't really that good.
He's like they everybody was covered in the quarterback had
a scrambled or they tricked them with a blitz and he didn't
have anybody blocking him and he got a sack you got to
evaluate it for what it is. You can just go well Clemson and
sacks. Whoa, that's good.
No, you know, there's been other guys where I go, they
never get a sack, like the kid from Baltimore. Adopt, the away
from Penn State.
Never got a sack, but damn, he was beaten people left and
right all the time. It's just You know, it college football.
They get it out as a screen. It's a read-option. He was, he
was dominant, he was doing it,
you know, the right way the way you want it to be done, and
people fall in that trap, sometimes it's not easy again.
I messed up a lot of guys, too. I thought K mon was better than
Justin Fields. I'm going to eat that crap for sure.
I'm definitely need that crap. Justin Fields is better than K.
Ma non any that ain't gonna change.
You know, I hadn't thought of this before but really for
a pass rusher, getting the sack is icing the cake.
But there's a lot of cake. You can bake that doesn't need
icing, right? He damned the F. The play upright. I mean that's
where we. We don't need Aaron. Donald to get 20 sacks a year
for us to realize.
He's unblockable and he's the best D lineman in football.
We watch the game and we go.
Many missed that play up. He missed that play up, he missed
that play up. Oh, okay, Leonard Floyd got the sack, this guy
got the sack o the quarterback. Threw the ball, but it was
a bad errant throw y 0, because Aaron Donald's in
the quarterbacks
face. He had to just get it out of his hand, you know. Yes,
it's way more than sacks and that
Overlooked at that position too much.
Some of the analytics experts out. There actually downgrade
him against the run because he creates such. Yeah. Gaps at
times, right off, right. When he destroys the entire
offensive line that the running back just says, hey, I'm going
to run where that guy was sure. And he's not, he's not there to
make the tackle because he is destroyed the offensive line
and he's 10 yards into the backfield
real quickly. Speaking of back fields,
we knew the Damien Pierce was emerging as the starter for
the Houston Texans as a row. Rookie, we didn't expect that.
They would say, see you later to veteran Marlon Mac, but
they did and
my son. And I were talking about this yesterday, because
he was surprised because, you know, a running back, gets name
recognition, people think he's good. He's desirable. Like
a Philip Lindsay, who was cut Yesterday by the Colts. Here's
the problem. It's a numbers game
and the older you are. Yes. And you don't have to be around
very long to be too old for this. In the NFL,
they're not going to carry a third running back, who's not
playing special teams Abilene are just not, they'll get it.
Fresh out of school. With a minimum
contract. That is much lower than the Marlin. Mac, Philip
Lindsay, minimum and that guy will be on every special team.
Yeah. And be, if you need him, he'll take a rapper to on
offense but Marlin Max not going to do that. Philip
Lindsey's. Not going to do that. Veteran running backs are
not going to play special
teams. No they're not. You're exactly right. There's value in
that. He's a guy that's been, you know, injured the last few
years, right? He didn't show like great explosive ability
and I'm trying to look here
just to look at At it as far as
what exact year is because you're right. As far as
when you get the gear, six or eight in the NFL,
you if you're not just an absolute stud or on the top end
of the roster you're Expendable and they start to go wait we
can we can save
six hundred thousand dollars a half a million dollars on
the salary cap
because this guy you know is is making the veteran minimum and
you're six or eight or whatever and we don't want to pay that
and we got other guys
And they got guys, it on their roster that
that are worthy to playing, you know, again
Damien. Damien pierce, the man Rex Burkhead Royce Freeman,
right? They're comfortable with that group, and they're going
to play special teams like you said. So
it's a shame for Marlon, Mac. A guy that was
looking like he was going to be
a chance to be a starting NFL running back. He got hurt in
Indianapolis and I don't know if it'll ever be the same will
say,
that is the thing about eight years is our usual Cordell
sex, okay? Six, thank you. Ricky wage scale and the lower
minimum salaries for the younger players. That's how it
hurts veterans. Yeah,
because it allows teams to engage in a very
dehumanizing objective dollars, driven assessment of
who I'm going to keep, and it's close enough.
I'm going to keep the younger guy.
I'm going to keep the cheaper guy.
I'm going to keep the guy who can do more things, right? Why
I wouldn't I and that that higher veteran, minimum salary
ends up screwing, a player out of a job. And now, again,
there's an opportunity to be on the practice squad, no matter
your years of experience. We'll see
what happens. But
that's why running backs don't last very long in the NFL.
I remember being stunned when I was a kid saying the average
hearing that the average duration of running backs
career was like three or four years you
whether it's injury or whether it's just, you're too expensive
and there's too many younger guys who can do it. You're
going to be