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Sam Robinson
2:05
Hey guys, let's get started!
Donkos
2:13
Have they done enough to stay atop the AFC West? I didn’t love bringing back Singleton over the upside of Greenlaw, but I get why they did. I did love that they brought Dobbin back and went out and got Waddle, helping Nix out as much as possible. But I was a bit underwhelmed with their draft seeing that they didn't nab Klare in the second round or address their LB concerns.
Sam Robinson
2:13
Donkos, I too was surprised the Broncos did not go with a linebacker earlier. The team will experiment with Jonah Elliss there this offseason, and the oft-injured Drew Sanders remains rostered. But having 30- and 32-year-old ILB starters and not much else in the pipeline is risky. I'd expect them to be a candidate for a pre-Week 1 addition.

As for the overall question, possibly? The Chiefs will be better, and the Chargers SHOULD be better than in 2025. Denver got by on some 2023/24 Chiefs-ian close-game success. Regression feels inevitable there, but Waddle will help with the margin for error. Going with Justin Joly and another seventh-rounder at TE while keeping Engram (in an age-32 season) may be enough at TE, but the run on Round 2 LBs and TEs may be why Denver traded down from No. 62.

I think fourth-round RB Jonah Coleman should serve as better Dobbins insurance than they had last year while being groomed as the Mark Ingram-type RB to Harvey's Kamara by 2027.
Mr. Unlimited Refills
2:22
How badly has post-Seattle Russell Wilson tarnished his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame?
Sam Robinson
2:22
This is perhaps one of the 2020s' defining big-picture NFL questions. I'd have to say significantly tarnished. The question will at some point shift to whether he soared high enough during his Seattle peak to cover for his prime ending earlier than expected.

I see both sides. I've always been in the camp that Wilson had a strong second chapter of his career -- the post-Legion of Boom Seahawks period -- that featured him as the centerpiece of playoff teams. Seattle was a Wilson-led operation from at least 2017-20, and the 2015 season marked a clear statistical breakthrough. That period of his career needs to be isolated for a Canton case.

If voters view him as a QB whose playoff success was defense-driven, then he's in trouble. Because his Denver stay needed to be better -- I still contend his 2023 was decent, even if he was benched late -- than it was if so. Eli Manning is the most interesting HOF case presently, but Wilson may be the defining 'tweener among QBs when his time comes.
Couch2Northcutt46
2:30
Over/under: 1.5 starts for Deshaun Watson this year. Please say under. I'd rather watch anyone but that clown.
Sam Robinson
2:30
Couch/Northcutt (strong alias btw), I am confused by this sudden buzz. But we are still four months from the season. I disagree with Monken wanting to have a starter in place by minicamp; how good can evaluations possibly be in non-padded offseason work? That is not how QB competitions function, and it would set up an awkward training camp/preseason switch if the winner falters in game-like settings.

That said, I think I have to say "over" here. Sanders doesn't seem like a good enough deterrent to prevent the Browns from using a formerly great QB who remains rostered solely due to guaranteed money. Watson in no way deserves another chance based on his play and everything else, but if he looks good enough in Monken's offense this offseason, Cleveland might view him as the highest-floor option.

This season should be about seeing what Sanders/Gabriel have, as Watson has no future with the team. And both young QBs could be bad enough to get the Browns a strong 2027 draft slot. Watson could accomplish this too
Nevada Nick
2:40
At what point do you see Mendoza becoming the Raiders' starter?
Sam Robinson
2:40
Nevada Nick, I think we'll see him by the midpoint of the season. First-round QBs play as rookies, with only a few exceptions dating back to Aaron Rodgers. How the Raiders' schedule looks will provide a clearer picture of an optimal Mendoza entry point.

I see it as improbable Cousins starts most of the season. Mendoza will need to spend time adjusting to the NFL learning curve and developing in a pro-style offense. Though, he has been working on Klint Kubiak's system since before the draft. That is notable when considering the Raiders' plan.

It just won't be reasonable to sit a No. 1 overall pick for a full season. I know this worked for the Bengals and Carson Palmer, but of the past 12 QBs taken first overall, only one (Goff) has entered October of his rookie year as a backup. That does make this an interesting plan to follow, and I'll be curious to see how Tom Brady's influence will impact this call.
TD-Machine
2:53
Which teams do you think have improved the most this offseason?
Sam Robinson
2:53
We've seen a few improve for sure. I like what the Commanders did to bolster their defense with new edge rushers plus Chenal and Cross (underrated FA addition). Ditto Panthers, who spent for Phillips and Lloyd. Both still have questions on offense, though.

Like the Bengals' commitment on defense, but they did still lose Hendrickson. The Texans adding Kayden McDonald and (again) revamping their O-line matters, and having Tank Dell back will offer WR depth. The Chargers adding McDaniel helps, but they didn't do enough in free agency. The Giants should improve, too.

The Rams and Raiders, however, made big strides. L.A. adding McDuffie and Watson from KC represents a big upgrade at CB and on a team with next to no holes. The Raiders had to spend in FA, and adding Mendoza/Cousins while managing to keep Crosby (for now) will help significantly in 2026.
Roger
3:00
Hi Sam. Would you have picked Ty Simpson or gone for immediate help in the Rams shoes? In fairness to them, they got McDuffie with their other first round pick, so I'm not that hard on them for taking Simpson.
Sam Robinson
3:00
Hey Roger, this could be a pivotal sliding-doors sequence. Adam La Rose did well to address it in this week's mailbag. As for my take, I think I would have leaned toward going with the WR/TE move they were planning and trusting McVay to lure a veteran QB in either 2027 or '28 to replace Stafford.

We have seen McVay do wonders for assistant coaches' careers, and he rebooted Goff well upon arrival. Super Bowl windows are hard to open, and the Rams passed on widening the gap between themselves and the field (all due respect to Seattle) by going Simpson over Lemon/Sadiq at 13. Then again, we have seen this move pay off (Mahomes, Love in recent years). And Simpson is in a perfect spot.

See both sides, and we won't know if it was the right call for a while. But we also saw the 2020 Packers narrowly miss Super Bowl LV as Love sat on the bench. They haven't been that close since. I'm fascinated to see McVay develop Simpson, but a non-QB in Round 1 could have made this one of the best rosters in recent NFL history
Steelersfan
3:07
If the Steelers don't sign Aaron Rodgers, will Will Howard be starter for Week 1?
Sam Robinson
3:07
This is really dragging on again, isn't it? It is pretty interesting Rodgers has secured this level of security at age 42 and as a player who has been declining since 2022. The Steelers boxed themselves in once again -- all due respect to their current QB depth chart -- and must continue to wait.

If they don't re-sign Rodgers, would it then be Rudolph who steps back in for Week 1? I know they have spoken highly of Howard, but he was a sixth-round pick. The hit rate there is rather bleak at QB, and Allar obviously will need time. Allar coming in as a McCarthy draftee after Howard arrived under Tomlin/Arthur Smith will be an interesting dynamic to follow as well.

I'm not sure the Steelers could pass Howard through waivers to the P-squad, so Rudolph's roster spot would seemingly be in trouble if Rodgers returned. But would Pittsburgh go with a 42-year-old QB and then two untested options as the only backups? That part is interesting too.
Sam Robinson
3:07
We will wrap there for today. Thanks for the questions, everyone, and have a good weekend!
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