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By Jay Glazer Jun 6, 2019
69
We’re back with another weekly mailbag, and man, a few of you were not fans of one of my answers last week. I talk a bit more about that below, as well as the Jets’ GM job, Todd Gurley and more. Thanks as always for your questions!
Jay, last week you actually said Baker Mayfield is better than Russell Wilson. What the hell are you smoking? —Nick Z.
When I give an opinion, it is an opinion! That’s what I’m paid for certain times in these mailbags.
The question in this case was which quarterbacks would you pick over Baker Mayfield if you had control of a franchise. When I said I’d still take Baker over Russell Wilson, the response from some of you in the comments and on Twitter was that I don’t think Russell is elite. I didn’t say that at all. Wilson is a hell of a quarterback, he’s a great player, probably a future Hall of Famer. Still, if you’re giving me the keys to a franchise, I do have faith that Mayfield is going to end up being that much of a star that he’s the type you’ll want to take over other great quarterbacks. I think he’s going to be that good where, yes, I do want to build my team around him for the next 10 years.
But damn, if you ask me for my opinion and don’t like my opinion, don’t act like I just came over and lit your cat on fire.
Who’s the team that nobody is really talking about this offseason that surprises you the most?—Dennis H.
Hmm, good question. I’d say the Cowboys, which is odd because they are the Cowboys. But there’s been so much attention everywhere else with Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, etc, that they’ve somehow flown under the radar. That’s a rarity. I think roster-wise, top to bottom, the Cowboys are top-five in the league.
Jay, being a 49ers fan, I loathe the Seahawks. However I love Shaquem Griffin’s story and want him to be successful in the league. How did he play last year and what are his expectations this year? —Matt W.
He played great. When everyone was talking about the Legion of Boom dying and the Seahawks in a rebuilding year, the team thought he would be one of those players who would step in and play a big role. He did. He has an old soul work ethic, probably because he has had to overcome a lot. He gets a lot of attention and he’s a brand, but he’s one of those rare guys who wants to be great before being famous. You just can’t buy that kind of work ethic and drive these days.
Jay, which team has more talent, the New York Giants or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? —Rodger D.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’m not going to go into a long diatribe. Neither team has great talent on its roster right now, which is why they were both picking in the top seven of this year’s draft. I think the Bucs may have a little bit more to work with, just a little, though obviously Jason Pierre-Paul’s neck injury is an unfortunate turn of events for the team.
Who do you think is the frontrunner for the Jets’ GM job? Is it really Joe Douglas or is that being overblown a bit? —William M.
No, it has been Joe Douglas all along but the Eagles were really trying to squeeze Joe and convince him that staying with Philly is a better opportunity. On the surface, the Jets job is not the most appealing gig. For one, there’s the recent history of the Jets, which isn’t pretty. Two, there’s the question of the ownership and what happens when Woody Johnson (who is currently serving as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom) returns? You don’t really look at the Jets and think how great it would be to work for them. Sure, you’ve got a good, young quarterback in Sam Darnold, and that should factor in some. But listen, I’m from Jersey but if you gave me a job right now to move my ass right in the middle of Jersey, it better be for a lot of damn money, because I am not going back.
It’s certainly not the most attractive job out there, but when Sean Payton came in and took over the Saints in 2006, that was really the worst job you could possibly ask for. No one wanted to go there; they were a displaced team because of Hurricane Katrina, they had a bad reputation with their owner being too frugal. And then Payton and GM Mickey Loomis changed the culture and the ownership’s approach. They became a model of stability.
As crazy as it sounds, the GM and head coach oftentimes have to teach the owner how to be an owner. Just because you’ve made billions of dollars in one business doesn’t mean you know another and vice versa. Just because you ran a great multi-billion dollar business doesn’t mean you know how to build football, the same way you wouldn’t take a great football coach or GM and have them run your multi-billion dollar corporation.
Simple question: Will Odell Beckham be too much for Freddie Kitchens to handle? —Jason Y.
Nope. I think they know what they’re getting with Odell. Everything is skill versus circus. If your skill level is very high and your circus isn’t higher, they’ll deal with a lot of things. The moment the circus gets higher than skill, that’s when they tend to move on. That’s what happened with Josh Gordon. They knew the skill was there but the off-field issues just became too much. We’ve seen it a lot. It happened with Antonio Brown, arguably the best receiver in the entire game, in Pittsburgh — the other drama just became too loud, to the point where it was impossible for the team and Brown to move forward together.
I would hope that Odell can look at it now and reflect on how a team could move on from him. I’ve said it here: Odell is a great kid. He works his butt off, he’s a brand. If I’m him, I want to suddenly become a blue collar brand. If he goes and embraces what that city is about, his marketability will be way higher than he thought it could have been in New York. If you can resurrect winning in that city, you’ll be golden forever. Sometimes these guys think that you can only be a big deal in these bigger markets, but that’s not the case at all.
Jay, the Patriots shut down the high-flying offense of the Rams, this is a copycat league. Will we see the teams with running, scrambling, moving-type quarterbacks be less effective this year or was there something special about the New England defense that can’t be replicated? —William B.
No, New England can’t be duplicated. Trust me if someone wanted to copycat the New England Patriots, they would have done it years ago after their first Super Bowl win. Every time a coach has left and tried to duplicate it, it obviously doesn’t work. What they have going on inside those walls of that locker room is different than anything we’ve ever seen.
With the Ravens’ defense decimated in free agency, who do you think is the best unit this year? —Andrew M.
Well, I don’t think they’re decimated. I think the way that Wink Martindale, their defensive coordinator, runs that front seven, he’ll get pressure. Getting Earl Thomas back there if he’s healthy, Earl’s a difference maker. The way Wink runs that scheme, he is a very underrated coach, not unlike Vic Fangio. Fangio’s system makes guys shine, Wink is the same way.
Which new coaching staff addition will mean the most to their team’s improvement this season? —Brain F.
I think you’re talking about assistant coaches, and it’s Mike Munchak, the offensive line coach for the Broncos. That offensive line has had problems for a while, they have been decimated. We talk about the poor quarterback play a lot, and it has been bad, but it’s also difficult to succeed when your offensive line is awful. Munchak is great and will help transform that line. Also, Gary Kubiak with the Minnesota Vikings is a strong addition.
Jay, seems like stuff has already come out to back up your news that the Rams are worried about Gurley. How does it feel to be right all the time but also how do you see the Rams using Gurley this year if he’s not a workhorse back? —Tim G.
No, seriously, I’m not right all the time (or maybe I am!), but I think the Rams are cautiously optimistic, while it’s also a wait and see thing. He has a long time still where he can just let that thing get settled. Right now, you don’t need to push it, there’s nothing you need to do. Earlier in the year if you have a chance to let him go, you let him loose, just make sure you have a good backup plan.
Did the Browns add enough on defense to be a real Super Bowl contender? —Allen R.
Everyone is really excited about the Browns because of what they added on offense. I’m guilty of this also, but I do think we need to pump the brakes. For two years, this team won one game. We’re only a few wins removed from that. The culture there had led to them having this losing attitude for a long time. It was almost like it was ok not to be great. I think this is the first time they’re changing and expecting more out of themselves but they’re going to have to get over the, “Oh no, here we go again” mindset when something goes bad. I think it’s too fast to say the Browns are going to be in the Super Bowl this year. A 10-win season there would be incredible, but there’s so much hype that I’m worried people won’t consider it successful if they just make the playoffs. It’s OK if they don’t get to the Super Bowl this year. If you make the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and start changing the attitudes inside that locker room and start getting the culture to feel different, that’s a win. Trust me, that’s a win.
By Jay Glazer Jun 6, 2019
We’re back with another weekly mailbag, and man, a few of you were not fans of one of my answers last week. I talk a bit more about that below, as well as the Jets’ GM job, Todd Gurley and more. Thanks as always for your questions!
Jay, last week you actually said Baker Mayfield is better than Russell Wilson. What the hell are you smoking? —Nick Z.
When I give an opinion, it is an opinion! That’s what I’m paid for certain times in these mailbags.
The question in this case was which quarterbacks would you pick over Baker Mayfield if you had control of a franchise. When I said I’d still take Baker over Russell Wilson, the response from some of you in the comments and on Twitter was that I don’t think Russell is elite. I didn’t say that at all. Wilson is a hell of a quarterback, he’s a great player, probably a future Hall of Famer. Still, if you’re giving me the keys to a franchise, I do have faith that Mayfield is going to end up being that much of a star that he’s the type you’ll want to take over other great quarterbacks. I think he’s going to be that good where, yes, I do want to build my team around him for the next 10 years.
But damn, if you ask me for my opinion and don’t like my opinion, don’t act like I just came over and lit your cat on fire.
Who’s the team that nobody is really talking about this offseason that surprises you the most?—Dennis H.
Hmm, good question. I’d say the Cowboys, which is odd because they are the Cowboys. But there’s been so much attention everywhere else with Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, etc, that they’ve somehow flown under the radar. That’s a rarity. I think roster-wise, top to bottom, the Cowboys are top-five in the league.
Jay, being a 49ers fan, I loathe the Seahawks. However I love Shaquem Griffin’s story and want him to be successful in the league. How did he play last year and what are his expectations this year? —Matt W.
He played great. When everyone was talking about the Legion of Boom dying and the Seahawks in a rebuilding year, the team thought he would be one of those players who would step in and play a big role. He did. He has an old soul work ethic, probably because he has had to overcome a lot. He gets a lot of attention and he’s a brand, but he’s one of those rare guys who wants to be great before being famous. You just can’t buy that kind of work ethic and drive these days.
Jay, which team has more talent, the New York Giants or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? —Rodger D.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’m not going to go into a long diatribe. Neither team has great talent on its roster right now, which is why they were both picking in the top seven of this year’s draft. I think the Bucs may have a little bit more to work with, just a little, though obviously Jason Pierre-Paul’s neck injury is an unfortunate turn of events for the team.
Who do you think is the frontrunner for the Jets’ GM job? Is it really Joe Douglas or is that being overblown a bit? —William M.
No, it has been Joe Douglas all along but the Eagles were really trying to squeeze Joe and convince him that staying with Philly is a better opportunity. On the surface, the Jets job is not the most appealing gig. For one, there’s the recent history of the Jets, which isn’t pretty. Two, there’s the question of the ownership and what happens when Woody Johnson (who is currently serving as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom) returns? You don’t really look at the Jets and think how great it would be to work for them. Sure, you’ve got a good, young quarterback in Sam Darnold, and that should factor in some. But listen, I’m from Jersey but if you gave me a job right now to move my ass right in the middle of Jersey, it better be for a lot of damn money, because I am not going back.
It’s certainly not the most attractive job out there, but when Sean Payton came in and took over the Saints in 2006, that was really the worst job you could possibly ask for. No one wanted to go there; they were a displaced team because of Hurricane Katrina, they had a bad reputation with their owner being too frugal. And then Payton and GM Mickey Loomis changed the culture and the ownership’s approach. They became a model of stability.
As crazy as it sounds, the GM and head coach oftentimes have to teach the owner how to be an owner. Just because you’ve made billions of dollars in one business doesn’t mean you know another and vice versa. Just because you ran a great multi-billion dollar business doesn’t mean you know how to build football, the same way you wouldn’t take a great football coach or GM and have them run your multi-billion dollar corporation.
Simple question: Will Odell Beckham be too much for Freddie Kitchens to handle? —Jason Y.
Nope. I think they know what they’re getting with Odell. Everything is skill versus circus. If your skill level is very high and your circus isn’t higher, they’ll deal with a lot of things. The moment the circus gets higher than skill, that’s when they tend to move on. That’s what happened with Josh Gordon. They knew the skill was there but the off-field issues just became too much. We’ve seen it a lot. It happened with Antonio Brown, arguably the best receiver in the entire game, in Pittsburgh — the other drama just became too loud, to the point where it was impossible for the team and Brown to move forward together.
I would hope that Odell can look at it now and reflect on how a team could move on from him. I’ve said it here: Odell is a great kid. He works his butt off, he’s a brand. If I’m him, I want to suddenly become a blue collar brand. If he goes and embraces what that city is about, his marketability will be way higher than he thought it could have been in New York. If you can resurrect winning in that city, you’ll be golden forever. Sometimes these guys think that you can only be a big deal in these bigger markets, but that’s not the case at all.
Jay, the Patriots shut down the high-flying offense of the Rams, this is a copycat league. Will we see the teams with running, scrambling, moving-type quarterbacks be less effective this year or was there something special about the New England defense that can’t be replicated? —William B.
No, New England can’t be duplicated. Trust me if someone wanted to copycat the New England Patriots, they would have done it years ago after their first Super Bowl win. Every time a coach has left and tried to duplicate it, it obviously doesn’t work. What they have going on inside those walls of that locker room is different than anything we’ve ever seen.
With the Ravens’ defense decimated in free agency, who do you think is the best unit this year? —Andrew M.
Well, I don’t think they’re decimated. I think the way that Wink Martindale, their defensive coordinator, runs that front seven, he’ll get pressure. Getting Earl Thomas back there if he’s healthy, Earl’s a difference maker. The way Wink runs that scheme, he is a very underrated coach, not unlike Vic Fangio. Fangio’s system makes guys shine, Wink is the same way.
Which new coaching staff addition will mean the most to their team’s improvement this season? —Brain F.
I think you’re talking about assistant coaches, and it’s Mike Munchak, the offensive line coach for the Broncos. That offensive line has had problems for a while, they have been decimated. We talk about the poor quarterback play a lot, and it has been bad, but it’s also difficult to succeed when your offensive line is awful. Munchak is great and will help transform that line. Also, Gary Kubiak with the Minnesota Vikings is a strong addition.
Jay, seems like stuff has already come out to back up your news that the Rams are worried about Gurley. How does it feel to be right all the time but also how do you see the Rams using Gurley this year if he’s not a workhorse back? —Tim G.
No, seriously, I’m not right all the time (or maybe I am!), but I think the Rams are cautiously optimistic, while it’s also a wait and see thing. He has a long time still where he can just let that thing get settled. Right now, you don’t need to push it, there’s nothing you need to do. Earlier in the year if you have a chance to let him go, you let him loose, just make sure you have a good backup plan.
Did the Browns add enough on defense to be a real Super Bowl contender? —Allen R.
Everyone is really excited about the Browns because of what they added on offense. I’m guilty of this also, but I do think we need to pump the brakes. For two years, this team won one game. We’re only a few wins removed from that. The culture there had led to them having this losing attitude for a long time. It was almost like it was ok not to be great. I think this is the first time they’re changing and expecting more out of themselves but they’re going to have to get over the, “Oh no, here we go again” mindset when something goes bad. I think it’s too fast to say the Browns are going to be in the Super Bowl this year. A 10-win season there would be incredible, but there’s so much hype that I’m worried people won’t consider it successful if they just make the playoffs. It’s OK if they don’t get to the Super Bowl this year. If you make the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and start changing the attitudes inside that locker room and start getting the culture to feel different, that’s a win. Trust me, that’s a win.
