Sports Krunch W/dkrom

1. Week 1 Takeaways -Me: The Chargers proved they aren’t the same old Chargers -Hal: LOTS of surprises 2. Truth or Exaggeration -All four NFC West teams will make the playoffs -Justin Herbert and Matthew Stafford will be among the top three finalists for 2021 NFL MVP honors -Kyler Murray has already proven himself to be a legit NFL franchise QB -Urban Meyer will only last one season as Jaguars head coach -It’s time to talk about the Atlanta Falcons as a serious candidate to have the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft -The Philadelphia Eagles will be serious contenders for a Wild Card playoff spot this season -Even though they didn’t come away with a win, the way the Browns played the Chiefs last week bodes EXTREMELY well for their chances in a potential playoff rematch at Arrowhead, especially when the weather will likely benefit their physical brand of football more -The Tennessee Titans offense will be one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments in 2021 3. This Or That -Who had the more impressiv

1. GOOD IDEA/BAD IDEA -Was it a good idea or bad idea for the Patriots to release Cam Newton and hand over the reins to Mac Jones right from the get go? -Was it a good idea or bad idea for the Broncos to name Teddy Bridgewater as their starting QB over Drew Lock? -Is it a good idea or bad idea for the Bears to begin the season with Andy Dalton under center as opposed to Justin Fields? -Is it a good idea or bad idea for the 49ers to hold Trey Lance out of practice until Week 3 so the “small chip” fracture in his hand can fully heal? 2. Truth or Exaggeration -Zach Wilson, who I originally panned the Jets for drafting rather than Justin Fields or Trey Lance, has a FAR better chance of becoming the best QB from the 2021 class than most of us initially thought -Robert Saleh is THE best possible man to help make the Jets a consistently relevant franchise -Jameis Winston will have his best year as a pro in 2021 -The Carolina Panthers will finish with a better record than the Saints this season -The Packers

1. Based on everything we’ve seen and/or heard out of training camp and preseason action thus far, which player’s fantasy stock has gone up the most, and which player’s stock has fallen the most in your view? 2. In terms of the running back position, who are your favorite running backs this season outside the top four (McCaffrey, Cook, Henry, Kamara)? 3. One of the keys to not just prevailing in fantasy football, but in literally anything, it to be willing to go against the grain when it comes to groupthink. Are there any players you’re considerably higher on than most Mike? Considerably lower than? 4. THIS OR THAT -David Montgomery or J.K. Dobbins? -Nick Chubb or Antonio Gibson? (PPR) -Aaron Jones or Austin Ekeler?  -Allen Robinson or CeeDee Lamb? -Adam Thielen or Tyler Lockett? -Brandon Aiyuk or Ja’Marr Chase? -Kyle Pitts or Mark Andrews? -Logan Thomas or Irv Smith, Jr.? -Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray? -Trevor Lawrence or Jalen Hurts? 5. Buy Or Sell -Justin Herbert will be a top-five fantasy

1. While I still firmly believe Trevor Lawrence will be the man under center on September 12, is it just absolutely bonkers for Urban Meyer to give Gardner Minshew any kind of chance to start? 2. This year, the NFL plans to crack down on taunting, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported a few weeks ago. Two taunting fouls per game will now result in an automatic ejection, plus fines and even suspensions. Yet in Week 1 of preseason action, officials were flagging even the most innocent of celebrations as taunting. Do you think this is just one of those things where the refs penalize a lot of stuff in preseason, then let a lot of it fly when the games count, or are you very worried that a bad taunting call will end up costing several teams key wins in 2021? 3. With the Delta variant wave expected to get worse during the fall and winter, can you see many other teams following the Raiders lead? 4. Main Takeaways from Week 1 of Preseason    -David: Several lesser known rookie edge-rushers show they

1. Do you know or know of Kelly Kleine, and if so, what kind of football mind did the Broncos get with her and what makes her so good at what she does? 2. Who do you have in mind for the first ever all-woman NFL broadcast? 3. In recent months, your business, Athlete Relations has grown even more. In addition to signing more NFL clients, in what other ways has Athlete Relations expanded since we last had you on? 4. During your time in the sports industry, have you ever felt mistreated solely because you’re a woman? What can me and my fellow men do to create THE best possible workplace environment for women in sports, and in any other field? 5. Do you still think it would be the worst thing for the Bears to play Dalton for just four games and then give the reins to Justin Fields shortly thereafter? 6. How much will what Simone Biles did shift the paradigm in how women in sports (and women in general) are perceived and does the sick reaction of many to her decision not to participate in that event show you that

1.  As you know, this past year-and-a-half or so has been nothing short of paradigm shifting in terms of women in sports. It seems that every month, a new glass ceiling in the sports industry is smashed to pieces. In recent months, we’ve seen the highest-ranked female scouting executives in NFL history (Kelly Kleine of the Denver Broncos and Catherine Raiche of the Philadelphia Eagles) and two women (Becky Hammon and Teresa Weatherspoon) receive serious consideration for NBA head coaching jobs. Yet Major League Baseball, where you work, saw arguably the two biggest glass ceilings get shattered this year. First, we witnessed Kim Ng become the first woman GM in league history, and just a few weeks ago, we saw the first-ever all-female broadcast of a Major League Baseball game with Alanna Rizzo, Sarah Langs, Lauren Gardner, Heidi Watney and Melanie Newman. As a woman who assists with the radio broadcasts of an MLB franchise, how much did it mean to you to see such a barrier-breaking milestone in terms of wo

1. If both Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson take until late October to recover, are the Colts looking at a potential top-10, if not top-five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft?  2. Chris Mortensen reported that the Colts are not going to pursue a trade for a veteran QB like Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew, or Marcus Mariota at this time, but implied the team can change its mind if Jacob Eason struggles badly in preseason. Should that happen, which of those three aforementioned quarterbacks would YOU trade for if you were Chris Ballard, and why? 3. Do you think the Niners will be forced to abandon their original plan and start Trey Lance sooner than many expect? 4. As long as the Bears get 10 or more starts from Justin Fields this year, would it be acceptable to let him wait his turn for just a few weeks given the uncertainties on the offensive line? 5. How bullish are you on this new Chiefs offensive line and if they’re as good as PFF thinks they’re going to be, is defending Patrick Mahomes going to be scarier than e

1. DRAFT STRATEGIES -The two most common ways to begin a fantasy football draft (at least the ones I’ve come across) are to either draft two running backs in the first two rounds, or to draft one running back and one wide receiver in the first two rounds. Which of the two approaches do you prefer and why? -When you’re drafting, how much stock do you put into early season schedules (Weeks 1-4) and [fantasy] playoff schedules? 2. Speaking of fantasy playoff schedules, with the NFL changing to the 17 game/18 week regular season format this year, when would you recommend fantasy league commissioners schedule their playoffs (same standard as always with weeks 14-16, or do you move it to weeks 15-17)? 3. Running Backs -Why is Christian McCaffrey your #1 fantasy player right now? -Why is Jonathan Taylor worth an investment as early as the fifth overall pick in fantasy drafts? 4. Wide Receivers                 -Why do you think 20

1. Hypothetically speaking, if there’s a tie in the competition between Justin Fields and Andy Dalton at the end of preseason play, and if there’s a tie between Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo at the end of preseason play, should the Bears and 49ers unquestionably start Justin Fields and Trey Lance, respectively, in Week 1? 2. What should we expect from Zach Wilson and this young Jets offense this season, and do you think Joe Douglas has put his rookie QB in the best possible position to succeed? 3. Does the approach Urban Meyer's taking with Travis Etienne concern you about how he will utilize Trevor Lawrence?  4. You said the transition from the Alabama offense to Josh McDaniels’ offense isn’t as seamless as many think. Why is that so and when is the earliest we see Mac Jones this season? 5. How much should we temper expectations for this Rams offense as a result of the brutal injury to Cam Akers and what schematic adjustments, if any, should we expect? 6. With the presence of new Seahawks OC Shane Wald

1. Hypothetically speaking, should the QB competition between Justin Fields and Andy Dalton, end in a tie, with both training camp and preseason play accounted for, should the tie go to Fields or Dalton? If Dalton starts Week 1, when is the earliest you think we see Justin Fields this season? 2. What is your most educated guess as to Allen Robinson’s future as a Bear at this point in time? How much hotter should Ryan Pace’s seat be if the Bears let Allen Robinson walk for nothing? 3. The two young pass-catchers I personally have my eye on are TE Cole Kmet and WR Darnell Mooney. Which one of those two sophomores (so to speak) has the bigger breakout season, and how much does the answer to that question depend on who starts more games at QB? 4. If Roquan Smith does what he did in 2020 this season, do the Bears give him a similar mega-deal before Week 1 of the 2022 season? 5. Since their out-of-this-world 2018 season, the Bears defense has still been solid, but nowhere near the dominance they showed that year. T

1. Based on the intel you have, why did the Panthers decide to take Jaycee Horn over Justin Fields, and why do they think Sam Darnold can be the long-term answer for them at QB? 2. Outside of Jaycee Horn, which Panthers rookie do you see making the biggest impact this season?   3. Last season, Christian McCaffrey, the focal point of the Panthers offense, only played three games due to various injuries. With the NFL moving to the new 17-game regular season format this season, how much do the Panthers plan to lighten CMC’s workload, if at all? Is he still worth the first overall pick in fantasy drafts?  4. The Panthers have one of the NFL’s rising stars at WR in D.J. Moore. Despite playing with five different QB’s over the past two seasons, he’s totaled 1200+ receiving yards each year. If he plays as good or better in 2021, can you see the Panthers extending him some time before the 2022 season? 5. Do you think Brian Burns solidifies himself as a top-10 pass rushing DE this season, if not top-five? 6.

1. What will be the next major barrier to fall for women in pro sports? Will it be the first woman NBA head coach, first woman NFL GM, first woman NFL offensive or defensive coordinator, or something else? 2. You currently work for The Draft Network, which I have said many times is THE best year-round NFL Draft resource there is. We have interviewed many of your colleagues, including your partner in crime (the good kind) Paige Dimakos earlier this year. What exactly do you do for TDN, and are there any exciting developments going on there this season? 3. Last week, the Washington Football Team was fined $10 million due to the findings of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment throughout the club. That said, the attorney who led the investigation, Beth Wilkinson hasn’t released a single page of her report and the aforementioned penalty can only be summarized as a slap on the wrist. Aside from boycotting the NFL, what can we do to hold the NFL accountable for not caring whatsoever about the phy

1. What will be the next major glass ceiling to be shattered in pro sports? Will it be the first woman NBA head coach, first woman NFL GM, first woman NFL offensive or defensive coordinator, or something else? 2. How did your experience as a Broncos cheerleader help make you into the strong, powerful woman you are today, and how pivotal were those seven years in getting you ready to go into sports media? 3. During your seven years on the team, did you ever encounter anyone giving you hell and/or stereotyping you for being a cheerleader? What can me and my fellow men do to help ensure a safe, healthy workplace environment free from such stereotypes and all other forms of sexual harassment for ALL women in sports? 4. You were a Broncos cheerleader in 2015, when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. That was truly one of THE most intriguing Super Bowl championship seasons I have ever watched. Aside from going to San Francisco, dancing at the Super Bowl, and every post-game celebration that came afterward, what wer

1. Just a few weeks ago, the Titans acquired Future Hall of Fame WR Julio Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Tennessee’s 2022 second-round pick and 2023 fourth-round pick. Now you add Julio Jones, who can still play at a very high level, to a Titans offense that has arguably the best running back in the NFL in Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, who has grown into a top-10 WR in the NFL after just two seasons in the league, and a QB in Ryan Tannehill who has played at a Pro Bowl level for the last two years. Does the acquisition of Julio Jones make the Titans THE most dangerous offense in the entire NFL right now? 2. A big issue for the Titans offensively is the depth at the skill positions behind Julio Jones, A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry. Which Titans offensive skill position players do you expect to play the biggest role outside of those three? 3. For the Titans to go the distance, they are going to need FAR better play from their defense. And their defensive woes start up fro

1. This is the first year of the post-Drew Brees era for the Saints. Thus, all eyes are on the looming training camp battle between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston to be the starting QB Week 1 in New Orleans. As of right now, what is your most educated guess as to which of those two will be under center for the Saints September 12 against the Packers? 2. Given the COVID-related salary cap reduction this season, the Saints cap issues were further magnified this year. Moreover, according to OverTheCap.com, the Saints are projected to start the 2022 league year nearly $15 million above the cap, $14.847 million to be exact. This means, they will likely have to get super creative as they try to re-sign their two 2017 first-round picks, Marshon Lattimore and Ryan Ramczyk. Which one of those two do you believe is most likely to re-sign in New Orleans long-term? Can you see the Saints eventually re-signing both? 3. In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Saints used all of their picks in the premium rounds (rounds 1-3) on defense.

1. Jaguars -Not only did I feel the Travis Etienne pick was a waste given the presence of James Robinson on the roster, Urban Meyer says they are trying to get Etienne to play wide receiver in addition to running back, and he’s never played the former position. Outside of Etienne’s familiarity with Trevor Lawrence and his impact on team culture, how do you justify the Jaguars taking him in the first round? -With their first of two second-round picks, the Jaguars selected Tyson Campbell, the long, tall athletic corner from Georgia with track speed. The only reason he fell out of the first round was his struggles locating the ball in the air. In 2018, a corner prospect with a similar body-type fell all the way to the end of the second round for essentially that same reason. That prospect? Carlton Davis, who has grown into a top-10 corner in the NFL for the Bucs. Can you see Tyson Campbell experiencing a similar rise over these next three years? -In the third round, the Jaguars addressed the secondary agai

1. Eagles -With their first-round pick, the Eagles traded up two spots with the division-rival Cowboys, leapfrogging the division-rival Giants to take DeVonta Smith. Now, we all know about DeVonta Smith. He was the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and despite his size, he does EVERYTHING you want a WR to do. While I personally expect DeVonta Smith to have at LEAST a very good career  (as in multiple Pro Bowls plus an All Pro honor or two), the Eagles, at least in my view, could have done a lot better by beginning their rebuild with Justin Fields. Do you think the Eagles should have taken Justin Fields, or is DeVonta Smith the kind of player you want to begin a roster overhaul with?  -In the second-round the Eagles, as they do often, rolled the dice on an extremely talented, yet often-injured player in Landon Dickerson. After the pick was made, many, if not most, said he would redshirt in 2021 and then replace Jason Kelce as the Eagles center of the future in 2022. However, they announced him as a guard

1.  Before we begin here, please explain the criteria you used in determining the ranking of all 32 NFL rosters 2. NFC North (Packers 1 [3], Vikings 2 [7], Bears 3 [24], Lions 4 [31]) -Why did you rank the Vikings roster as high as you did? At least to me, they don’t seem anywhere near as strong as they were in 2018 when they were preseason Super Bowl darlings -With Justin Fields now in the fold, what are the next must-dos for the Bears in roster building?  3. AFC West (Chiefs 1 [2], Broncos 2 [17], Chargers 3 [21], Raiders 4 [26]) -In your view, do the massive upgrades the Chiefs made to their OL solidify them as favorites for a third-consecutive Super Bowl trip? -Why did you rank the Broncos, who have one of the worst QB rooms in the entire NFL, ahead of the Chargers and Raiders, who have two top-12 QB’s themselves in Justin Herbert and Derek Carr, respectively? 4. AFC North (Browns 1 [4], Ravens 2 [6], Steelers 3 [19], Bengals 4 [25]) -You and I are in agreement that the Browns are the mo

1. 49ers -The 49ers arguably made the biggest move in the arms race draft-wise. After losing out to the division-rival Rams in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes, the 49ers went all in on finding their next franchise QB in the draft, trading two future first-round picks to move all the way up to three, where they selected Trey Lance. Before they made the move, Mark Schofield, one of THE best QB minds in the business, told me on this podcast that there was no clearer hand-in-glove scheme fit between prospect and team than Lance and the Niners. Also, many believed that out of the top-four QB’s in the draft, Lance’s ceiling was the highest. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Trey Lance to Josh Allen, and Lance clearly has far better decision-making and accuracy than Allen did coming out of college. Given the athletic profile, the system he walks into and the talent around him, would it surprise you if Trey Lance is regarded as the best QB from this draft class five years down the line? -In the second-round the 4

1. Falcons -With the fourth overall pick, the Falcons decided to pass on a potential successor to Matt Ryan and instead took Kyle Pitts, the best non-QB prospect in the draft. Even though Pitts is listed as a tight end that, at least to some degree, is a misnomer. You can line him up inline, in the slot, or even at the X receiver position, and he is still equally as effective. Assuming the Falcons keep Julio Jones this season, does the addition of Kyle Pitts make the Falcons pass catching unit the most dangerous in the NFL?    -In the second round, the Falcons traded down five spots and selected Richie Grant, the talented, versatile safety out of UCF. Atlanta obviously needed a safety, but some would argue they should’ve went with Trevon Moehrig, who went just three picks later to the Raiders. Do you think Richie Grant was the right pick for the Falcons in terms of fit, or do you think they’ll regret taking him over Moehrig? -In the third round, the Falcons made their first of two dips in the