Rams Camp with Sean McVay, Les Snead, Kevin Dotson and Byron Young

22:22Jourdan Rodrigue:You got the blue going this year, though, which I like. You know, you saw the team came out with their throwbacks. I actually did it before the team. Oh. Oh. But the team, I wanted to do the old school, you know. Sure. Little White, and then they came out with it like, hey, this is perfect. Yeah, you kind of called your shot there. I feel like you've kind of done that since you got here, though, just on the field, too. I mean, the second they acquired you from the Steelers a couple years ago, you were like, I'm coming in hot for this position here. I've always put it on my mind that if I'm on a team, I have to start.

22:53I have to play. I don't know what type of teammate I am if I'm not contributing to the team.

22:59Jourdan Rodrigue:Well, you've been the Iron Man, too, in the past. I mean, it's very cool. You know, your arrival a couple of years ago signified a shift to more physicality up front, you know, going from that wide and middle zone and a lot of duo and gap stuff now, which we know Kyron loves to run behind you guys. That's been really a staple here for a couple of years. Can you tell us a little bit more about being inside that room and being a part of that really significant change into how tough this team wanted to be up front. You know, I always try to, you know, know what my personal goals are and knowing what kind of person I am, you'll kind of do that introspection of yourself of like, what do I do best?

23:43What do I want to be known for? And I've always wanted to be known for a run block and offensive lineman. And it's been my MO since high school.

23:53Jourdan Rodrigue:Good to play guard then. I've always wanted to play guard always. So I've always wanted to block down. I've always wanted to one-on-one somebody. Like, this has always been my thing. So when I came here, it was like I have to show them that I can pass block, but when we run, I want to be the difference maker. So when I came in, I knew my first game I had to show what I could do. And then I feel like they kind of understood that this right side, But we're going to have some good runs on this right side. And I feel like everybody just, they already had it in them. But they just got to see somebody else doing it or we got to change the plays.

24:31And it's just, they're all locked in on running the ball. We know if we can run the ball, we can do anything on this game. So once the run game is going, everything is open. And since you have nine back there, you got to worry about the run and the pass. It's scary. And last year, you had it going. Some of the numbers are crazy. If you look at the efficiency numbers, like success rate, EPA per play, like it was one of the most effective running games, not just in the league. You were the most effective of the last handful of years. And yet, Sean, and you got the MVP, is so pass heavy. Do you ever like get in his ear that, hey, we got the most efficient running game, and yet we're still not running the ball that much, like, you know, on a percentage basis compared to you ever ask him about that?

25:17We've had some talks on the sidelines during games. You know, sometimes you could just, coach, hey, we're getting a little fancy. Let's just, let's go, you know, let's go head on and see how they really feel when they get pushed in their mouth. How did that go? I mean, he usually listens. He usually says, all right, you know what, let's try it your way at least. And then we try it and he's like, well, I mean, I guess you were right.

25:40Jourdan Rodrigue:Or he gets mad and calls a screen to your side. Hey, I'm going to do whatever you say. I'm just throwing suggestions. I love it. It's cool to watch. You know, you have a new right tackle. I know not new to you. You know, Warren very well. Right tackle. There's a young guy wearing your old teammates number 79 out there. I noticed he's doing some he's doing some really good stuff as camp starts with the twos. But Warren, I wanted to talk to you a little bit more about, because I know it's been a big point of pride for you to help instill that confidence in him. He already is a very centered person.

26:14Jourdan Rodrigue:But I know for your communication and your sort of belief in him has helped him too. What about that did you sort of take on yourself to just make sure he felt, you know, hey, you're not coming in or replacing anybody. You are you. And being on this right side now after like a real legend retires. Exactly, as you say, never treating them as in like, oh, he's a backup coming in. I'm always thinking whoever they put in, I can trust. Anybody they put in on this right side, I'll trust. And him coming from a pedigree of Georgia, they're used to winning. They're used to going against big competition.

26:49So he was always, he's always been, you know, confident. So he never came in there and be like, oh, I'm going against somebody big. He's used to that. Hey, somebody get this man away from my scooter.

27:02Jourdan Rodrigue:Jalen Watson's over here trying to steal a scooter here. Yeah, you got a lot of attention with this scooter. You're, you know, a big man on a scooter. What's the strategy there? Just taking the little steps off, you know. Okay. After practice, I'm not trying to walk out right there. So it's a load-bearing scooter. Okay. Got it. Got it. Good shocks on that thing probably. I think it's only supposed to carry like 240, but it does the job. How is it going against this defensive line in practice today? You guys were getting after it in the running game. As you're doing it, it can be frustrating, but in the end it's a blessing because you're going against the best you can, and you're doing that every day.

27:41And so you start going into the game and stuff just way easier.

27:45Jourdan Rodrigue:I know it was a rest day for him, but are you happy that usually Myles Garrett is not lined up on your side? Man, I've started to get to where it's just like, I'm going to have to do it anyway. So if he's on my side, just get the job done. Do what you can do. And, you know, we have focus on him. So it's not, I'm not going one-on-one with him. So it's mostly Warren, hey, slow him down. So if somebody can come out there and try to help somebody, you know, try to chip him or something. But he's definitely – he has that aura on the field when he's out there. It's like even if you're not looking to this side, you can feel this pressure over here.

28:29So it's definitely a difference.

28:31Jourdan Rodrigue:You know, we talked a lot with Sean McVay earlier today and a little with Les Snead as well about the heavier personnels that you guys are using. I know everybody's been talking about this for a few months now. We are obsessed with it on our show. We've been calling for it for years, and now you guys got like a million really good tight ends, right, and you can do it. What does that do, though? I mean, you can run or pass out of it, we know. But for you, you do love that extra physical edge. You do love knowing even if it's a pass, it's going to be, you know, very, very large person coming right at you for the yards after the catch play.

29:06Jourdan Rodrigue:What is that for you guys as a group? It just helps overall play, overall being able to help each other in the run. So it's like the more people we have out there, the more double teams we can get, the more physical we can be because people can't focus on one person. They can't focus on one tight end like some teams do. Some teams will put a defensive tackle out there just to try to disrupt the tight end. Now we've got two of them on them. So it's like they don't get that advantage. We get the advantage of having more bigs and the possibility of the pass so they can't play as aggressive where they put 10 in the box type deal.

29:41deal. So they're still scared of the pass. You can't be scared of the pass and do the run. So it's a blessing for us.

29:48Jourdan Rodrigue:Do you like, though, that, I mean, some of the motions, this is on tape, so I don't feel like I'm revealing state secrets here, but some of the motions that the tight ends run, especially like the inside alignment guy, and he'll sort of act like he's motioning across, and then he'll just dive bomb like the middle gaps, right? When you guys are, run or pass, and yet you'll still have another tight end out there as that math mismatch. So So as the lineman, first of all, what's the communication like when someone else is coming into a gap that normally you would occupy? And then what is that like knowing also, hey, we're going to have sort of these numbers on our side and another big body going down the field?

30:24It's really just, you know, another layer of security. When you know somebody is going through that gap, you can go a little harder in this way, knowing that you have protection on the backside if they do move. So it's just another way to get us moving more confidently. The more confident, the less hesitation you have, the better you play. You take it personal a little bit that people are looking for weaknesses in this Rams team and the best thing come up with, like, eh, the offensive line, is that the strength of this team? I don't think anybody said that.

30:55Jourdan Rodrigue:He said, he goes, who is people? I don't think anybody said the offensive line. How have you seen this group kind of come together in your time there as like a centerpiece of the team? I think offensive line is always going to be a focal point of any offense. I don't believe anybody can get any accolades if the offensive line isn't good. You don't get an MVP. You don't get offensive players of the year. You don't get all these wide receivers doing all these great things, 20 touchdowns and stuff like that if you don't have good blocking. I feel like our whole offensive line finished within the top 10 of every position.

31:32So it's kind of crazy that nobody got a Pro Bowl. That's sort of it. Yeah, that's a little crazy to me. I don't understand. We have one of the most explosive offenses. That's sort of what I'm getting at. It's for whatever reason, the name value isn't as much there. But we're going to do our best. Kevin Dotson, one of the best run-blocking guards, offensive linemen, players in the entire NFL. And, yeah, one of the best haircuts coming in here. And a painter, right? Doing it in style. Yeah, you paint too.

32:00Jourdan Rodrigue:Love that. I appreciate it. Try not to make it a job, but, you know, I'm really loving it. Still got time on the field for the Rams. That's it for Kevin, but we are going to welcome in his teammate, Byron Young, next. We are here with Byron Young, the fourth-year edge rusher for the Los Angeles Rams, wearing the black-on-black Rams hat, which I don't think, I feel like isn't worn enough. That's, like, that's sneaky nice. No, for sure. I feel like that's kind of cool. I feel a little bad that I'm wearing my just, you know, my typical everyone in the airport has one of these. Right. I feel like it's smooth.

32:34I got it.

32:35Jourdan Rodrigue:I got to level up. Byron, we're so thrilled to have you with us today because, man, what if I mean, how's the year been? It's not like not like anything's happened. Right. You had it. How's everything going out there and how are you kind of getting used to new teammates transition, you know, with with Jared going? And how's everything been sort of in that assimilation process for you? Oh, it's been busy. You know, busy, stressful, complicated, but we're still going. You know, been blessed, honestly. My rehab been going great. Finally getting to get going, feeling like myself again. You know, I'm limited a little bit, but when I go, I'm go for a go.

33:11So, you know, I'm thankful for that. You know, you know, verse going, you know, he ended up getting traded for miles. You know, that's unfortunate that, you know, he had to depart that way. But at the same time, you know, it's a blessing to have miles and, you know, great pass rusher like that to pick, you know, pick his brain and been playing for so long, you know. So, you know, it was a blessing to, you know, be in the room with him right now. And, you know, every day I learn from him. So, you know, it was some ups and downs, but, you know, we're still going. We're still going. We're doing good.

33:39Jourdan Rodrigue:I'm kind of curious, you know, when you – when someone like that comes in, like Miles' caliber of player, and obviously he rushes a certain way, right? I mean, just – I mean, even just standing there, the amount of space he takes up and the alignments and the way he likes to feel space and kind of learn you as well and your habits and the way you like to rush. A lot of it's a nonverbal process. I understand that when you're in the snap itself. But what's the communication between snaps? Like, how do you guys talk to each other through kind of like, here's what I like to do, and then I'll feel you kind of come around here.

34:12Jourdan Rodrigue:How do you guys like to plan that out with each other? Like during the play, before the play. Yeah, during the play. like that yeah yeah yeah uh we kind of communicate communicate before the play um you know just talk through the snap and just what we see sometimes uh sometimes we probably don't have that much a time but uh we already we already gonna do that in the meeting room like depending on if it's a chipper like the other day you know um he asked me how do i take on chipper blocks and i'm just giving him my different ways and he got hit different ways just picking my brain too so um us kind of learning off each other but when we you know before the snap we always say something to each other you You know, it was like two men and he was like, it's me, then you, then you.

34:49You're like getting a sack. So, you know, just us kind of being on the same page with rushes. You know, I'm kind of already know what kind of rush he's going to do just because he's probably most likely going to get a slide. So I know what he's going to do more than likely. So, you know, I try to play smart too and we try to play off each other. What do you think has been the key to your development? Now, we did a rankings. You wouldn't know about this offseason. and you were part, you know, I watched some Byron Young tape and you're in our like top 25 edge rushers. And I think you're kind of a ball knowers, you know, guy.

35:21Yeah, those who don't know. Those who don't know, like, and you've gotten steadily better, but, you know, not a name that like maybe the average fan knew about a couple years ago. What have you done to your game that you think has brought you to this level, like over the last three years? What's different about year four Byron compared to when you were a rookie? Honestly, I just think my mindset of understanding that I'm going to have up and downs. I'm going to fail. I'm going to have plays the days I don't like. I'm not going to feel the best all the time, but I got to keep going. You know, life ain't perfect and football not perfect either.

35:54So at the same time, just taking that approach and growing like that, I learned that from AD my rookie year. He was telling me, he told me it's okay to make a mistake. You know, just make up for that. You know, and just have the mindset I want to get better. But over the years, you know, I would just find out different things to do, workouts, Pilates, stretch lab, just all those different things. I just kind of put into my recovery workout, whatever it is, and just trust in the process, you know, because at the same time, it's like you got to understand like this is football. You know, it's a it's a sport where you're going to get beat up all the time, regardless if you're playing all the time.

36:25But you got to practice. You got to go through all of that. So, you know, it's just I think over the years, just looking back and just really studying myself and understanding like, OK, I want to get better at this. I want to get better at that. But just taking one thing at a time and not trying to do everything at the same time, but just take that one thing and try to get better at that. That's what I do every day when I step on the field. Just take that one thing, whether it's getting off the ball, whether it's just using my hands better, getting off block faster. I'm going to take that one thing today.

36:50I'm going to work on that. So I think over the years just consistently doing that just made me who I am right now.

36:55Jourdan Rodrigue:You know, I covered you when you first came in. You know, I was a beat writer here, and you have grown so much. And I think people who are fans of this team who know and who know of your play have as you've grown into, you know, more of your adulthood. Also, your rush has has just kind of blossomed in that way, too. And I feel like you rush with a lot of personality. Like, I feel like people can know who you are and what you're about by watching how you rush the quarterback. Am I on the right track with that? And what do you think they're thinking or feeling when when they see you and kind of express yourself that way?

37:30You know, kind of like what you say, you know, you could tell, like, the type of rush I am and, you know, how I'm going to rush probably. You know, going against different tackles and stuff like that, I try to give them different looks. I do feel like I sometimes display the same thing, but that's where I was growing and learning. It's kind of doing a different rush and giving them different looks. But, yeah, you know, the type of rush I am, you know, kind of, you know, I love the way I rush. I think I grew over the years. And, you know, it's amazing that, you know, we still here doing interviews together.

37:56I know. How crazy is that? You know, growing.

37:58Jourdan Rodrigue:Man, you're not as old as me, though. Do not even get started. No, I mean, it's a blessing to even be older, though. You know, a lot of people can't say that. And then where you was and where you at now, I heard you got promoted. So congratulations. Oh, my gosh. Thank you. Yeah. So, yeah, it's, you know, it's been an amazing journey. And, you know, still growing and still trying to be better, a better rusher. I want to be a household name. I want to be a name that, you know, when people, you know, bring it around, it'd be like, you know, with the rush, Miles Garrett, Ann Byron Young, Kobe Turner all of us and Braden Fisk all of us in the rush collectively so I want to be better at like that for my team And you know just be someone that they have to look out for it.

38:33So what is that personality then if they're seeing it? What is it? I'd say like a demon okay honestly I you know right now I just feel like I'm just not him I'm peeking just now getting to where I want to get to but I'm not satisfied You know I definitely think you know last year was a great You know a great step in the right direction But this year I want to take a big step, you know, kind of like a Miles Garrett get off step. So I'm trying to take a huge leap, you know, trying to get like that.

38:58Jourdan Rodrigue:So it's cool because, I mean, I assume you'll have more opportunities. For sure. I mean, they're going to send everybody plus the kitchen sink at Miles Garrett to try to stop him. Right. And then you're like, hello, nobody around me. I hope anyway. Or you get a lot of one on ones in reality. Hopefully that's the plan. You know, just try to take advantage of my opportunities. I was just telling them the other day with Eridano, my rookie, I didn't understand. and the offside head and him getting a slot and what that does for me. But, you know, like I said, you know, I'm growing, going into my fourth year.

39:26I understand, like, the one-on-ones and not getting a chip, not getting that guard coming back all the time or the center. So it's like trying to take advantage of those opportunities, you know, every chance I get. I looked at your schedule, and it's hard not to notice those Seahawks games at the very end of the year, which is kind of similar to last year where you played twice at the end of the year. Not to bring up bad memories, but I do like thinking about the matchup specifically and just hearing from guys who are technicians like yourself, what about the matchup against those two tackles, specifically Abe Lucas, Charles Cross, who you're matching up against in those games?

40:02What's the scouting report a little bit on them? What kind of problems did they give you? What kind of problems did you give them? The scouting report, we just knew what type of tackles they was. Those two good tackles, so we know we had to come at them certain ways. They sometimes do have the tip right there, But at the same time, they good at just jumps in. You trying to take away your speed. So, you know, you got to kind of play off that. Trying to get some quick wins in there. But, you know, those two guys do a really good job with kind of handling power a little bit. So at the same time, like, you probably get them a good few times with power.

40:32But then they'll come back and kind of, like, you know, get you back. You got to have a good disengage with both of those guys because they really good with their hands. So, you know, just playing those two guys and competing. You know, just been great good on good.

40:43Jourdan Rodrigue:You have two really, really great corners behind you now. and I mean not to compare to anybody else but Trent and Jalen coming in I mean you can see they first of all they understand each other really really well they understand space they're aggressive they're confident they play I mean like it's true they've been playing football at a really really high level for years do you feel the I know it's you guys have just gotten into pads it's still what week two of camp all that I understand that but do you feel the pace picking up a little bit like you can if you can get to the quarterback faster you just know that they're coming down tighter that they're covering aggressively in the way where um maybe you know that that complimentary feeling is is there and it feels like you guys are truly setting each other up no 100 you know I was just talking to those guys and already watching them play it's amazing like even like playing against a guy like Matthew Stafford and the throws he could make and just the plays that the cornerbacks making both of those guys is insane because like regardless how good you're covering that guy, Matthew know how to put it on the spot.

41:42So for them to play good coverage with Matthew throwing the ball, it's like it's insane, you know. You know, and sometimes it probably don't go their way, but they're always in the area, and that's the best you could do in that situation. So, you know, having conversations with them, kind of playing hand-in-hand, like we work off them, they work off us. So, like, if we don't get to the rush, that means they're going to be in coverage all day. If they don't have good coverage or leverage, you know, they're going to have a quick pass. So it's like, you know, it goes hand-in-hand. So we kind of work off each other and communicate like that.

42:07So when I'm rushing, I kind of think about the DBs and coverage. I'm like, you know, I got to get to the quarterback. You know, regardless if I don't sack him, I got to make him uncomfortable. I got to force him to make a bad play. So, you know, like you said, go hand to hand, just try to make each other better and just work off each other.

42:20Jourdan Rodrigue:Do you kind of ever have to warn new teammates on defense? Like, hey, yeah, nine, like, I mean, he's going to get you a lot. You know, like, that's just who he is. You know, Jalen, I just seen a post the other day, Jalen was like, he'd never seen nobody throw the ball like nine throwing. And it's just like, I think we didn't have to tell him that, like, honestly. But it was already, like, from day one, it was like, you know, Matthew sit right in front of me. I'm just sitting here like, bro. I'll be forgetting he in front of me. I'm like, this is crazy. Like, it was when he threw the puka the other day.

42:47And he just like, it's no place you could have put it but right there. I was in coverage with the boot on Kobe. And I'm on him. I got the hand right here at his hand. He threw the ball right there. I'm like, it's nothing. Like, it's like, you know, sometimes you got to say, you know, I took my hat to you. That's the best you could do. and just go ahead and do the next play. You know, live to us, see another down.

43:08Jourdan Rodrigue:Does he ever say anything after he throws one like that? He don't say anything, right? That's the thing. That's the thing. Like, I never, not like you said, I never hear him talking to Phil. Like, I never hear him say a word. He's just so, like, he's a stud, man. Like, I've never seen nobody play like him. He's a dog, and he have that mentality. Like, he's trying to get better with us, and he's definitely making us better about going against, we're going against the best quarterback in the league right now. So that's amazing. The quiet assassin. And you've since you've entered the league, you know, you and Jordan, you know, you she's been covering you for three.

43:39Each one of those years, you've advanced a little bit closer to that Super Bowl. Like it's like very linear progress. Does this year with with everything around it feel like a little different? Honestly, for me, I always have the mindset of going to get there. Like I'm not going to say it feel a little different. It feel a little different than going to year four. But just I feel like a growth mindset, you know, always feeling like we could get to the bowl. Like last year, I feel like we could get there the year before that. You know, I never think that, OK, this year we're going to, you know, like last year, not saying like, you know, oh, we're going to get to the conference championship.

44:13OK, now this year we're going to get to the Super Bowl. No, it's more like every year we're trying to get to the Super Bowl and we have the mindset. So, you know, this year I'm very excited. We got, you know, new guys, got some new faces and we're working good with each other. So I'm looking forward to it. Appreciate you and all your time. Very generous with it. Byron Young, fourth year edge for the Los Angeles Rams, making that number zero look cool. For sure. I appreciate it. Coming for that contract.

44:37Jourdan Rodrigue:That's right. Need it. Everything going to play itself out. Can't wait. Wrapping up the show with Les Snead, who's making me nervous. He requested a card and a pen, and he's writing notes as I'm introducing you. What did you just write? Oh, I just noticed we got a lot of ink. Oh, yeah. Your font's very similar. You see that one? You know what I mean? This one here. Typewriter font. Oh, work works. Okay. I mean, it's kind of. I like the look. I like the look. Oh, yeah. What does yours say? Usually, this one says heed the call. I got another various. That's a little art up there. Yeah. This is more of a.

45:16This is a California cutie. You know, we try not to put that too much on camera. NFL. Speak for yourself.

45:22Jourdan Rodrigue:I'm blazing a trail. Okay. Les Snead is here. A Day of Stars, as we mentioned, like Clayton Kershaw's. In the mix, a lot of stars. There's a batting cage right there. We ought to go see if anyone can make contact. Anyone, audience on the field, on the sidelines. If there is someone. $10 ,000 if you can make. If you can even just do a foul ball. If there's someone in this group who you think could have a shot, who is it? I don't think. Who's the. Do you have any ex-baseball players on the team? Our producer, Eric, is already pointing at himself. He's like, I could foul it off. Fouling off. All right, Eric, you're the baseball.

45:55I'm going with Eric. Anybody that is that confident, borrowing stock?

46:00Jourdan Rodrigue:Oh, man, what it would be like to have that kind of confidence. I was going to say, do you feel as the GM of the Los Angeles Rams now and, like, Dodgers, it's all stars, Lakers, you know, are the Lakers, you're now bringing out, do you feel a little pressure almost, like we got to deliver? Know your ecosystem, know how to thrive in it, right? Here's what I do know. I don't know a lot about baseball. Yeah. But the other morning, I woke up to the trade the Dodgers made, and my first thought was, I really don't know who this is, but I bet he's good. Like, I just bet he's, like, one of the best. So I don't follow baseball knowing the names, but I just automatically assume, well, I bet this guy's really good.

46:43It's not like you just go trade for a middle reliever. Hashtag analysis. You nailed it. Well, it's kind of a metaphor if you think about it. That's a great reputation there.

46:50Jourdan Rodrigue:It's not like you guys just went out and traded for a middle reliever either, you know? It's kind of a metaphor. A closer. Yeah, a closer. And honestly, it really got me thinking about, like, kind of your trajectory as a GM. You're now one of the longest-tenured GMs in the league, not to age you, maybe a little to age you. And I wondered when you decided or when you discovered that, like, you were going to be this kind of general manager. You guys pivot a lot. You're aggressive. You take risks. You embrace risks. when did you kind of in your career did you think okay i already know this maybe is who i am as a person now i'm going to really just try to send it as the gm i think it i think when you get in the chair you're helping you know build a team the whole goal is to build you want to build you want to have the breakthrough year always go breakthrough that's that cinderella season and then after that I call it your real the the real stuff starts and like everyone can have a hit but can you come back and do it again consistent so I think once we showed we could do that there's efficacy to have efficacy you got to have evidence and then I think that's kind of that moment when you go okay we're contending is there anything we can do to right maybe go from good to great i've always used the metaphor if you let's just say you're a pro golfer you've been in it a while you find yourself in the mix on sunday at augusta and you're hitting the ball well right you're unless i let's just act like i'm the caddy golfer you're caddying is hitting the ball you're striking it you get past a man corner it's a tight race you're within striking distance but there's evidence that you know what today we're striking it well We probably all dream of that green jacket.

48:44Why don't we go for it today? So there's an element of risk. Maybe that par five where you're going to try to land it in two, make the eagle. There's risk in that, but there's an element of also it's calculated because there's evidence that, right, you're striking the ball well. This might be the time to make that move, to take that shot. And then you see what happens. And is it a timing thing because thinking about you said breakthrough year. And to me, I guess your breakthrough year, because you were the GM before Sean came in, was probably Sean's first year. That's like the first dream year.

49:17You guys did way better than expected. You obviously get the championship. But then in this build, which our friend Jordan likes to call sprint rebuild back in the day, you know, sprint rebuild. I can say this. I've been trying to tell her that was a retool. What was a remodel?

49:33Jourdan Rodrigue:He refuses to use the word rebuild. I mean, we had Matthew Stafford. You can't rebuild. That's the sprint part. But she refuses to go remodel. She's going to always keep rebuild in there. Stubbornness right here. It's good for the branding. And so as this version, kind of like the 2.0 Stafford version, you know, you get a little closer each year. You've gotten a little closer to the end. Is that part of the timing of taking these big swings this offseason? Because when we talked to you at this very set a year ago, you know, you had two first-round picks coming up. Two first-round. You used them in surprising ways, both of them.

50:08But now you're using picks back to how you used to. Yeah, I think interestingly, to start the offseason, what we really wanted to do was, let's call it, we wanted to weaponize our corner room, right? Bring some reinforcements in, improve that room. So that's what we did with the 29th pick, and we signed Jalen as teammate. We could have stopped there and probably had a successful offseason in terms of making a couple moves to solidify our top priority. Then as the offseason went on, I call it that opportunity for Miles presented itself, and that's when we – a lot of times in the league, you get an opportunity you're going to take advantage of or not.

50:52So that's what we did.

50:53Jourdan Rodrigue:On Jalen and Trent, when I'm out here at practice and there's been a couple really great practices, when I watch them from the back of the end zone, and sort of that all-22 look on the defense, they move so well together. They have this understanding of where each other is, even as far away on the field as they might be. And it kind of brought me back to when you guys were scouting Jared Verse and Braden Fisk, and obviously Jared is in Cleveland now, but you were looking at sort of that chemistry element to sort of fast-track some of the innate things that have to happen for players. I know they're really great football players, veterans already, but was there any sort of, hey, they already know how to play together?

51:37You know what, I think that's beneficial, how that compounds over the season. Time will tell, but it was coincidental that we signed both. And let's just say if we couldn't have traded for Trent, we might have just signed Jalen without Trent. But it worked out this way. So it is going to be interesting to see how their chemistry, their time together, right, those energy vibes that they have, how it does compound as they go through it, because they're both learning something new as well. When I think about this team build too now, it's so tight end heavy. We talked a lot about, you know, the schematics of the tight ends with Sean, but I'm curious, did you go into this draft thinking, you know, you take Max Clare at tight end in the second round, did you go in thinking that that was a position you could wind up taking pretty high in this draft despite what most people from the outside looking in would be like they have a lot of depth there at that position.

52:32Yeah, we were intentional about coming away with a tight end that we felt like we could draft, and if he had to play this year, he could. So I'll walk it through. 13 personnel, you're going to have four up on game day. So we needed a fifth that would be someone that you felt like was a contributor. It could be a three if he had to be a three. right but so we drafted him to be that fifth and then what happens on game day if you don't if you don't have four up and then you have only three up and one goes down and you let's just say 50 of the game plans 13 you just lost 50 of that week's game plan so that happened uh a little bit last year as we were running because that's that's a lot of players at one position right that is Because you're showing what your priority is on some level.

53:25No doubt. So we knew whether it was going to be second round, but we knew somewhere along the way. Probably with one of our second or third round picks. Because we only had the six after that, so you're probably rolling the dice. Oh, we'll get a contributing tight end in the six.

53:40Jourdan Rodrigue:The ripple effect of that, to me, we're still seeing, not just locally but around the league, like what that ripple effect will be. Internally here, I'm realizing that this is really the first time that your defense has had a chance to truly rep against this many of that type of look, but also mixing in 11 and 12 and all of those things. In season last year, when you guys are pivoting to this personnel, defense is still practicing against scout looks, getting ready for the game. So are you watching, are you noticing a difference or more of like even a spatial or personnel awareness? This defense getting this many reps, they're going to get looks like this all year as people start to try to.

54:18Because it's definitely the gaps. The spacing gets a little bit, the geometry is a little bit, let's call it wider. So that does, it could possibly, let's call it, widen some of the running lanes. And here's what's going to happen. All teams are not going to want to get run on in 13 personnel. So they're going, they probably spent the offseason coming up with an iteration to try to, let's call it, cut some of those lanes down. and mess with the geometry. That's the cool part about this league where, as Sean will be the first to admit, 13 could work, and then all of a sudden it's shut down and you've got to figure out what's next.

54:59We had Byron Young on earlier. He's grown a lot as a player, you know, entering a contract here. Kobe Turner, grown a lot as a player entering a contract. In most cities, like, they would kind of be a big story of like, oh, they're actually not holding out here. They both said they're happy. They're just, you know, looking forward. What sort of priority do you have on getting either or both of those guys done? I think it's with a lot of players, those two, I mean, many others, if you look at whose contract expiring next year after the next season. So there's an element. I always go, we communicated with them, gave them our plans.

55:35There's an intent to it. And going through that, it's not comfortable per se. But they're good football players. There's a patience to it. It's going to work out. It's just a matter of when for them. But you've got to give those players credit, right, to be able to compartmentalize, hey, maybe I'd like to open the Christmas present a year early, but maybe you might not get that chance, and you've still got to go through it. So that's a tribute to them just as human beings and competitors.

56:07Jourdan Rodrigue:I have been dying to ask you this since camp starts, since really you traded for Miles, but is there anything you know about him now that you didn't know before? You know what that – here's what I would say. Not necessarily haven't gotten to know him that well yet, but it is interesting when you – let's call it you see him at Texas A &M, you play against him every now and then, you watch him on film, but to then see him come work day in and day out, there's – I think that 3D, 4D, whatever you call it, a real human being, there's a wow factor there to what mom, dad, God gifted him with and how he's using it.

56:50No doubt. Do you think about Seattle when you're making these moves, like specifically? I don't think you ever just, let's call it a choir player for two games a year. Three maybe? Three maybe. Just the matchup of it all, like how it's going to work. I'm just curious. But you're definitely aware of your division. That's priority one if you can win your division. You check a box and you host a game and you're in the tournament. But really I think the way we do it is what are we trying to accomplish and then try to acquire the players that can execute what we're trying to accomplish. But now with that, there is probably an element of bleeding into all of this.

57:36You're going to be playing those teams in our division twice a year. So a lot of your defense or offense is to score against them and score against them and stop them from scoring.

57:46Jourdan Rodrigue:Well, I mean, I think people who somehow still underrate the NFC West are dead wrong because it's been an incubator for football, the way football is going for so many years. It's McVay and Shanahan, and then it's Mike McDonald coming up and showing how his defense and the way he uses the safeties and some of these front structures and how he can try to neutralize any of the personnel that these other two division opponents and Cardinals, you know, with some of their 13 will throw at him. And then Sean McVay and Kyle Shannon, they try to solve it. And it's like these collisions, I think, are teaching them all a lot.

58:24Jourdan Rodrigue:Now, they probably don't think of it like this. They probably all want to just rip each other's heads off. But, you know, I think it's cool. there's there's tech you know what not just it's there's some tactical right uh intent there when they get in the ring and and spar with each other wouldn't it just be nice to just be in the afc south one year or something nfc south you i you better watch what you say because you all of a sudden the the division that you think wasn't strong is strong that's the neat thing about this league i thought you were gonna say you better watch what you say because liam cohen might be listening uh i immediately thought oh i should have said nfc south because afc south it's legit he takes slights.

59:02I don't want it to take. But as we're wrapping up, we're finishing the show right now. Aren't you proud of Jordan? Oh, my God. How far she's come? Stop. That's part of your development tree, too, maybe. I'm in hell, Les. You know what? She's a rock star. No, no.

59:15Jourdan Rodrigue:I heard through the grapevine, I am supposed to write your obituary. That's an assignment I didn't know I had. So thanks for handing me that responsibility. I got a hit on me. I didn't know that. Hopefully she's got some time on that. She's done a really good job of probably, I would say, what we do is really boring, but she's done a really, really good job of going, wow, they do some cool stuff there. Thank you to Jordan Roderig. Thank you to Les Snead. Let's get out of here. We are going to be live, Jordan and I, doing some news, talking a little bit after the Hall of Fame game on Thursday night.

59:49So join us live on YouTube. That's going to be around 8 p.m. Eastern time. We'll have some news. We'll play a game. Thank you to Les Snead. Thank you to Sean McVeigh, of course, Byron Young and Kevin Dotson. We'll see you next time.

1:00:08This is an iHeart Podcast.

1:00:11Jourdan Rodrigue:Guaranteed human.