- 5 weeks ago
John Keim joins Grant & Danny just before the Commanders' final preseason game. He details players on the bubble, players who could be on the trade block, and how they can upgrade the offensive line.
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00:00This is The Fan. We are live at Radio Row.
00:04Thanks to our friends at Circa for making the show that much more entertaining the last couple days,
00:09bringing us out to Vegas as they get ready for Circa Million Six, Circa Survivor, Circa Grandissimo.
00:16John Kime was out here, I believe, at one point covering the Commanders and the Raiders,
00:20was on this area, what is this, Old Vegas?
00:23I think this will be considered Old Vegas.
00:25Fremont by Stadium Swim, so he knows about the Circa facility.
00:28Cakes, how are you? Good to talk to you. What's up, buddy?
00:31What up? Hey, I was at that place, was it five years ago, something like that?
00:35Yeah, I think I was here with you at Stadium Swim. It was a blast, yeah.
00:39All the NFL games up on the screen.
00:41I believe there was way too many people in that bungalow,
00:45and the security guard kept getting mad that people kept coming in.
00:50That's what I remember.
00:51Well, that's a good memory. We packed a lot of people at a little party before.
00:55I think it was a Taylor Heineke-led Commanders team.
00:58Taking on the Raiders with Scott Turner on the play calls.
01:01They did. It was their little winning streak, four-game winning streak.
01:04Cakes, tonight, there won't be a whole lot on the field that is recognizable in terms of players.
01:1041 guys going to sit.
01:12Any surprises to you as to who is going to play?
01:15Well, I think a little bit that, like, well, I think what it highlights with Luke and Van Jefferson playing,
01:22that clearly there's a decision to be made there.
01:26And I don't know, like, what are you really going to see in the third preseason game,
01:31especially from, like, McCaffrey, whom you've had now for three years, that's going to change your mind.
01:36So I don't know if they're, like, maybe one of them has a really good game.
01:40It's like, can you get a late-round pick for one of them?
01:43I don't know.
01:44And I think Luke would be the one that you could get.
01:47If you got anything for anybody, it might be him because he can return kicks, rookie contract, et cetera.
01:54You know, so I don't know.
01:55That's the one that surprises me, that both of them are playing.
01:59Now, somebody's got to play, right?
02:01You've got to have somebody there.
02:02I think you want to have guys in there who can catch the ball to help fully evaluate the quarterbacks.
02:07But, you know, I think there's still a decision to be made there.
02:10Yeah, I want to get to QBs in a second.
02:12But will they keep seven wideouts?
02:14Because I almost wonder, you might need a roster spot for somebody else here,
02:17given the fucks on the O-line, given how much they seem to want to keep three quarterbacks here.
02:22Do you think they even can keep seven, John?
02:25I would say, yes, I do think they can.
02:28Because then it's like, well, how many running – and the way I did it was like, you know,
02:33we had to do our 53, obviously.
02:35So I put in, like, three running backs only because I don't know that right now with McNichols and Ford
02:42on –
02:43you know, Ford's out, and then McNichols is hurt.
02:46And Robert Henry, his last preseason game, did not have a good one, fumbled the other day in the joint.
02:51So I think you can keep three.
02:53That's how you get seven receivers.
02:55But having said that, Danny, I only – on my 53, I kept eight linemen.
02:59But with the thought that after – at some point you're adding a ninth.
03:03I just don't know that that ninth player is on this roster.
03:06So, you know – but I think you can keep seven.
03:11And I – like, they think they have eight guys who can play and who would have made the roster
03:16last year.
03:17I just – it's such a strong point now.
03:19I don't know that you want to weaken it unless, you know, maybe, again, if you're able to trade somebody.
03:25John Keim of ESPN, going to be on site for the Ravens and the Commanders.
03:30Six o'clock kick, about 55 minutes from right now, preseason game three.
03:36Presumably, Ethan Kaliak-Manus starts this game.
03:39He played really well in Detroit.
03:41If he plays well again, is there a chance they feel like they have to keep him on the 53
03:46because they would risk losing him as a drafted player who's shown something?
03:50Yeah, and that's how I view it, too, Grant.
03:53And with him, like, you see the arm.
03:57You see the – there's poise in the pocket.
04:01His accuracy at times is a little bit off.
04:05He had cage wide open the flap yet last week.
04:07If you hit him right, still sort of caught it.
04:09But if you hit him right, it's a touchdown.
04:11So there's sometimes a little bit off of there, but there's a lot of other traits alike.
04:15But I'm with you.
04:16If you have a quarterback that you like and he shows enough, you don't get rid of quarterbacks that you
04:22like, to me.
04:23And especially because, like, if you think somebody else might pick him up.
04:26Like, you know, we know, like, if you cut Sam Hartman, I don't think anybody's going to pick him up.
04:30So I think with Kaliak-Manus, you might have – you may get someone to, like, bite on that one
04:37a little bit.
04:37But, yeah, I think he makes it, especially if he has a strong game.
04:44But isn't that roster spot so important?
04:46I mean, it's such a preview with all the injuries and all the depth.
04:49It just – it's the whole – I've talked way too much about this, John, and my soapbox thing.
04:55I just would never go down this road when I've got a young quarterback.
04:57If I've got Carson Wentz or Case Keenum, yeah, let's throw something at the wall and see if it sticks.
05:02I've got Jaden Daniels.
05:03That's my moon and stars.
05:04With everybody being hurt, I need that roster spot.
05:08It just – it feels like just a giant waste to me.
05:10And now we're so worried that we can't lose him that you're taking one of those 53.
05:14It just seems a fool's errand to me.
05:16But give me your thoughts there.
05:18So, yeah, and going into camp, I had the same thought.
05:22Like, oh, it's going to be two because Jaden Mariota, like, you're strong there.
05:25You can put one of these guys – you can put him on the practice squad, and you're okay.
05:29And there's your third guy, and he's still in camp, right?
05:32He's still there.
05:34But the more when you watch him, like, again, there's a thought come back to,
05:39if you like the quarterback, you keep him because at some point you may –
05:43like, with the thought of in a year or two, can he develop into a number two quarterback?
05:49That's the thought.
05:50So you have him in here.
05:51If you're in the system for a while, like, maybe that helps you down the road.
05:56And it's a position where, again, if you like the guy, you've got to keep him.
06:00Then you look at, like – I think the other thing that helped get him on there
06:05is that Nick Nichols, you know, is – like, you don't really have four running backs
06:09that I think warn it right now that you have to worry about.
06:12Receiver's the main one.
06:14Like, I would not want to lose a guy that can help you win now
06:17at the expense of a guy who might be a backup, the number two in two years.
06:22You know, that's where I think would be a hard one.
06:25Offensive line, I would – if you had nine guys that I think were in a spot,
06:29then I think you could say – and I think they may end up keeping nine.
06:33Like, I could see Julian Good-Jones making –
06:35I could see DJ Humphries going on the practice squad because –
06:39you know, but then he's around, right?
06:41And I see – if Good-Jones makes it, I could also see him getting put onto
06:45practice squad the next day based on who they bring in.
06:48I would think they bring someone else in in that interior.
06:52So – but, yeah, there's the maneuvering that – under their spots.
06:56But I think, like, also there are other guys, too, like on the defensive line.
07:01If you wanted to keep one less instead of six, you'd keep five.
07:04Well, you could probably put Coward or Barber on the practice squad
07:08and just elevate them if you need it.
07:10So I think there's some maneuverability based on some of the guys who might be cut.
07:15Would somebody really pick them up?
07:17That's the question.
07:18I think receiver, the answer is yes.
07:20I think in a lot of other spots, I'm not sure that that's the case.
07:24John Kime of ESPN.
07:25One thing that I think maybe needs to be said, although you could disagree with me here,
07:29it seems like everybody's taking this 41 as gospel in.
07:33And there's a couple names that I find intriguing.
07:35Is there a way that Fabian Moreau is not actually a roster lock,
07:38but maybe tweak something?
07:40Are we sure that all 41 of these guys are in?
07:43I don't know if they're all in, but I would say with Fabian,
07:46I think what helps him is Trey Amos still not practicing.
07:50I mean, he's got the ankle, and that would mean if you cut him –
07:55first of all, if you cut him, you could probably get him on the practice squad.
08:00Like, he was on the street up until a couple weeks ago.
08:02Same situation he had last year.
08:04You could do that for sure.
08:07So is he a roster lock?
08:09No, but I think he's going to be here.
08:10And I think because of Trey, if you only have – right now, you'd have –
08:16if you don't include him, you'd have three healthy corners.
08:18So I think you almost have to because of that.
08:21The other thing, yesterday, or at the joint practice,
08:25Quinn was praising Moreau and how – what he's – nice job he's done,
08:28how well he knows the defense, et cetera.
08:30And so, like, okay –
08:31Let me jump in real quick, John.
08:32Do they like him more than Antonio Hamilton?
08:34I've really liked him at camp and in preseason.
08:37I think so because he knows the system,
08:39and Durante's had him for a couple years.
08:41So that gives him an edge.
08:42And I think – and I don't know that for a fact, GP,
08:45but I know, like, with Hamilton, like, he's a really good special teams player.
08:48I mean, he plays physical, plays with passion,
08:50but he's another guy that you can cut and get on the practice squad.
08:54It just is age and all that.
08:56So I think you – I think if you want someone who's going to play from scrimmage
08:59who knows the defense, I think you'd go Moreau.
09:02So – and John Kime with us here on G&D.
09:04By the way, the expanded practice squad,
09:06I don't want to say it's rendered this day irrelevant,
09:08but it has changed the squad.
09:09It's changed the dynamic for sure.
09:11Like, when you and I were back in the Shanahan days,
09:14a day like today when you have seven practice squad spots,
09:16if you got cut –
09:17And it's got to be a guy that's like a first- or second-year player, yeah.
09:19And, yeah, you couldn't be a veteran.
09:21But, like, now, all these guys are mostly going to be in the building.
09:24So what are we really talking about?
09:25Yeah, well, it's very – it's so different.
09:28Well, here's what I want to get to.
09:29You mentioned the injuries.
09:30It's getting late early here.
09:32I know there's still some time before a football game happens,
09:35but when someone's day-to-day for a month or whatever it is,
09:37I'm thinking of Allegretti and Amos and Owe
09:40and a number of these guys that are going to be counted on, John,
09:44it just – the updates don't seem to be very good when it comes to these guys.
09:47Again, it's the third preseason game.
09:49None of them are going to play anyway.
09:50But you know what I'm trying to get at here, bigger picture.
09:53Regardless of this third preseason game,
09:55I don't really have a better question, Seinfeld style, than what's the deal?
10:00Well, Danny, I'm with you on that.
10:02Like, so, you know, all the angst and anxiety over the joint practice the other day,
10:07my bigger concern versus what we saw there is exactly what you're talking about,
10:11is what is the impact of all those guys missing for multiple weeks,
10:15and when will they be back?
10:17And when they get back, like with Allegretti, you know,
10:20he comes back and he hurts his calf.
10:22Like, what's – is there any guarantee that that doesn't happen again?
10:25That is the concern.
10:26And plus now, you know, you've missed – he's practiced twice this summer.
10:32That's not ideal.
10:34You know, everybody talks about, like, the most important thing with the line
10:36is the continuity and cohesiveness, and they've worked with him in the spring.
10:41They've worked with him in the past.
10:42But you need to mesh as a group for a few weeks.
10:46And these are going to be – these are not the two most strenuous weeks of practice coming up.
10:50So, like, I'm – so I have that same concern.
10:53Plus, then, like, with Caleb on chase on – and Odafe Owe, like, are they going to be back when?
11:00I don't know.
11:01I think chase on – I don't know when he'll be back, you know, but Owe has the calf injury.
11:05And we see what – how they might be cautious with that.
11:09And will he be ready for the opener?
11:10I don't know at this point.
11:12I don't know that, you know, I think we'll get an update next week.
11:15But, you know, you have Trey Amos.
11:17I mean, there's too many guys in that banged-up situation where they've missed too much time,
11:24where they're at least – if nothing else, there are questions about it.
11:28Like, what is – there is an impact on it.
11:30What is the impact?
11:31And then when you're playing Philly, Dallas, Seattle early, not the ideal way to go into the season.
11:38John, we've talked about Luke McCaffrey as maybe a trade ship.
11:42It is not lost on me that Adam Peters, in each of his two years here,
11:46has made a trade as he's cut down the roster, right, where they move a guy like a Brian Robinson.
11:52McCaffrey's an easy answer.
11:53Is there anyone else that you think could be of interest there in that regard?
11:58Yeah, first of all, with him.
11:59And I don't know – there are going to be a lot of receivers, I think, available.
12:04And, you know, he's a good returner, but he's not great.
12:08So I don't even know what value he has, but I do think of that group that it is.
12:12So the only other guy that I – the one other guy that I would look at would be a
12:15guy like Jordan McGee
12:16because he's, you know, I think he can play.
12:20And would he be a guy that they'd try to get a late-round pick for?
12:25Because you're not going to get much more than that, but could you get that for him?
12:29Because you have depth there.
12:30They like Ali Cahoe, you know, guys like that.
12:33So, you know, and you have – again, you have Chanel, Sonny, and Frankie.
12:38So you're good there.
12:39Could you get a guy like that?
12:41I think before they cut Will Harris, I'm like, well, could you have traded Kwon Martin
12:45and then got to the point where Kwon is definitely ahead of him?
12:48So you're not going to do that, you know, if you thought they were even.
12:50But really, I think it would be – I think it would be Jordan McGee and then Luke.
12:56And I don't think any other receiver – I think the other guys, like you want – they like Trey
13:00Burks.
13:01Deami has a role.
13:03I don't think there's a trade value for Van Jefferson.
13:05So I think it's probably those two guys, probably.
13:08Sunday evening, after rosters are finalized and cuts happen, I imagine it might be a feeding frenzy here.
13:14What are you anticipating from Washington, kind of going back to your point about the line
13:17and maybe some of the roster maneuverability they can do with practice squad and stuff?
13:21I imagine there are going to be some signings here, so the roster won't be the roster, if that makes
13:25sense.
13:26Correct.
13:26No, I would expect – first of all, they're seventh in the waiver wire order.
13:31So, you know, if a player, you know, that was four years or less, each subject is cut, then you're
13:36subject to waivers.
13:37They're seventh in that order.
13:38If there's an interesting offensive lineman, though, who becomes available, I still think it might be hard for them to
13:44get it via waivers.
13:45But I think what they need is experienced depth.
13:48And I think this is where, if you trade, I think that's where you're looking, right?
13:52Like, there are a couple teams like the Raiders have a little bit of depth on their interior.
13:57That could be a team to watch if you want to trade.
14:01Buffalo has several guys who battle inside that might become available via cuts or – I don't know about trade,
14:08but maybe more cuts.
14:09But I would think that they find a way to strengthen that interior, you know, for sure.
14:16Because it's not just center, it's guard.
14:19And that's the result of the tonsil injury.
14:22Like, moving Coleman out there, which was the right move, and, you know, it's the only move.
14:26And they didn't bring D.J. Humphries in to start there.
14:29Like I said, he may end up on the practice squad and sticking around that way.
14:33But what it does is it weakens guard because if Coleman and Paul are competing – and I think Coleman
14:40would have won that one.
14:41But regardless, you have whoever the loser is of that is really good depth.
14:45And now you don't have that.
14:46So I think that's an area to watch as well.
14:49Get a guy in here who can be a swing guard center type.
14:52So can I ask about Chris Paul specifically?
14:54Because you mentioned Coleman was probably going to overtake him.
14:57At least that was the scuttlebutt there.
14:58Now, of course, he's probably got to play tackle, et cetera.
15:00But what's going on there?
15:02I remember Paul was last year's watch out for Chris Paul.
15:05Look at the surprise.
15:05Then it was watch what he gets in for agency.
15:07And it turns out it wasn't much to come back here on a one-year deal.
15:10What's the state of that left guard spot?
15:11Is that something that we thought was – we're going to be solid and set there that we may not
15:15be?
15:16I think he'll be okay.
15:18Like, there are things he does well.
15:20He's got – like, even the other day in the joint, like, he has –
15:24D.Liveman will always say heavy hands.
15:26And you see that when he just aggressively punches a guy, it's like he'll stone them.
15:32But the trouble he has sometimes is, like, sometimes his base becomes a little bit narrow,
15:37and so you may not react as well to certain moves to the inside.
15:41But, like, so that's his flaw.
15:43But he does other things well.
15:45I think they're okay there.
15:46I don't – and the other thing, like, last year, too, I mean, he wasn't perfect.
15:50Because he was – he was better than people I think thought.
15:53He wasn't – you know, he wasn't – he's probably like a C-plus maybe.
15:59But that was also next to tonsil.
16:01I think that helped a lot.
16:03I don't know what the loss of him next to him will be, will have the impact on him.
16:07But I think he's – I don't – I don't – I think he's okay.
16:11I think he's okay.
16:12John, I used the analogy a couple days ago about – and this is relatable, I'm sure, for you,
16:19because you have three kids that are all grown now.
16:21But when my wife leaves for the night, and I've got all four at the house,
16:25and my seven-year-old starts acting up, I basically pull her to the side and I go,
16:30not you, I've got to deal with a baby, I've got a three-year-old, I've got too much going
16:34on,
16:34you need to help me.
16:36And that's how I feel about Josh Connerly.
16:38Like, dude, I drafted him in the first round last year, it's year two,
16:41I'm worried about center, I've got to deal with a left tackle going down,
16:45you need to be good.
16:47And I don't – I showed up at camp wanting to see this major violent leap
16:52that I haven't really seen.
16:53Now, I feel like maybe he's a gamer anyway because practices last year were rough,
16:56and I'm going to wait and see.
16:58But they can't afford to have a right tackle issue, too, on this line.
17:01They need him to take a leap.
17:04Especially, Pat, as a run blocker, he's pretty good.
17:07Like, he did a really nice job in that area last year,
17:09and even, like, watching him this summer, I think he's still very good in that area.
17:14But you're right, in pass throw, you need him to be better
17:19because you're going to have – with Tunsil there, you could help him out more, right?
17:25You could do things to help him, and now you don't have that luxury.
17:29So I'm with you.
17:31I think he's got to be – I think he has to have a good year.
17:33And I don't know – I don't know, like, if his strength right now, to me,
17:39is the running game.
17:40I don't know that this year, like, what kind of leap we'll see in pass throw,
17:44but it has to be there because it has to.
17:48Like, it has to, period.
17:50I'm with you on that, Grant.
17:52They doing crab cakes tonight?
17:53What do they got?
17:54Are you spoiling you a little bit, or are they going preseason mode?
17:56No, there's no crab cakes.
17:58For the Battle of the Beltway, no crab cakes.
18:01What's going on?
18:02It's all like orange chicken, rice, all that, you know.
18:06It's preseason for them, too.
18:08You know what I'm saying?
18:09Yeah.
18:09I'm just – I'm surprised that you opted for Vegas over this rivalry.
18:13I know how big this rivalry has been for you in the preseason.
18:17That's right.
18:18Yeah.
18:19Who knew?
18:20Circa and a couple of days in Vegas.
18:22It's very – I'm with you.
18:23It's not like –
18:24I know, like, I'm sure Danny's seen the angst on your face off the air.
18:30I'm sure that's probably going on.
18:32I mean, he's rocking like Leo Mazzoni in the fifth.
18:34You know what I mean?
18:35Like, he's uncontrollable at this point.
18:37Enjoy the night.
18:38It should be fun.
18:39Just manage to have fun out there, though.
18:42We're going to do our best.
18:42We're going to do our best.
18:43We're going to fight the good fight.
18:44Thanks.
18:44There's John Kime of ESPN.
18:46Go check him out.
18:47Does a great job covering the Commanders.
18:48It's a 6 o'clock game.
18:49I keep reminding people of that because it's weird and it shouldn't be happening,
18:53and no one's going to be expecting.
18:54Everyone's kind of like, listen, let's just get this thing over with.
18:5740 minutes from now, 6 o'clock, Commanders, Ravens.
19:00We're forming the roster.
19:01We're breaking down some of the burning questions.
19:03Let's open up the phones.
19:04We've not taken calls yet today.
19:07800-636-1067.
19:09You've seen the big storylines here.
19:11Luke McCaffrey is playing in this game.
19:12Do you think he is squarely on the roster bubble?
19:15Grant and Danny on the –