Hour 1: Guest Host Bobby Bones’ Preseason Games Reactions, plus NFL Media’s Trevor Sikkema

23:05Trevor Sikkema:producers lower the volume a little bit when you're saying look i love you know being able to stay you know 10 10 toes down on your takes but just tell the producers to bring the volume down a little bit that's a that's a one toe down with a pinky toe only um okay trevor sykema arch manning those two names what do it for me yeah I'm a huge fan of Arch Manning and look I'll admit you know I even sort of put the you know the cart in front of the horse last year with Arch Manning where I watched even the little bit that he played the year prior when he wasn't a full-time starter when Quinn Ewers was the starter there for him and I said yeah but wait till this kid is a full-time starter admittedly it's not great to go into the horseshoe against Ohio State in that defense first week of the season but I do think that there was a lot of pressure on him I think you saw that through the first half of the season he just wasn't quite ready for that now the second half of the season looked a whole lot better and a lot of the people that just said ah Arch Manning you know he's nothing compared to sort of what he was talked about to be he turned into a much different quarterback through the second half of last season and I am very excited about him going into this year he looks even bigger he looks like that frame is totally filled out he looks like an NFL quarterback.

24:18Trevor Sikkema:He genuinely does. And I think we see that this year, the confidence level of him starting right out of the gate from week one, I think is going to look different. But the fact of the matter is beyond the last name, right? He's got the tools to be a national championship type of a quarterback. He's got the tools to be a number one overall pick type of a quarterback as an athlete, the arm strength, the accuracy, how he's seeing the field already in his young college career. I am a believer in Arch Manning, even for as much as I got burned by it at the beginning of last year. I'm back in and I'm ready to believe in him going into this season.

24:53The Manning name, I would assume, still helps with the ceiling of Arch Manning. It doesn't mean that it helps him throw or run or make decisions, but I do believe it does help with the ceiling. But if you were Arch Johnson, what would you be saying right now?

25:10Trevor Sikkema:I would still be saying that he is one of the top quarterback prospects, truly. Now, I think that question is a great one. And I think that it means more before last season than this one. For last season, we all kind of anointed him as this Heisman Trophy winner, a guy who was going to go number one overall in the draft in the 2026 draft, the one that we just had. And I think the last name was doing a lot of heavy lifting on that one, even though there were flashes that he was clearly going to present NFL tools to be an NFL starter one day. The last name, I think, helped him out a lot last year.

25:50Trevor Sikkema:This year, I don't think that's the case. If his name was Arch Johnson, I even think that a lot of people would look at the second half of last year and he would still be considered a first round caliber quarterback. Now, would he be, you know, this consensus number one quarterback? Maybe not, but he'd absolutely be in that conversation. So I think that's a great question because a lot of people are asking, you know, how do you view this guy through the lens of not being a Manning? But I do believe that the previous season, that holds a lot of weight. I think this year he still would have been viewed as one of the top quarterbacks coming into college football.

26:25I also think that his name is Manning and people were maybe giving him a little more credit than he deserved at first. but there actually is something valuable about being around and having the resources. And I won't even say the coaching, but the consultation of quarterbacks who have done it at a high level in your family. And so as much as we want to say, okay, he's only got it because of his name. I think that does help his ceiling because of what he can lean into, who he can still learn from that have done it. And I do think that is an advantage to having Arch Manning.

27:00Trevor Sikkema:no I agree completely and I believe he was doing an interview with Marty and McGee earlier this this summer and they kind of threw him a curveball question and they're like hey you know everybody talks about sort of the drawbacks of the last name and all the pressure and everything that comes to it and they're like what's the best part about being a Manning and he said and he kind of laughed and he's like honestly it is the fact that you know these all pro and hall of fame quarterbacks are a phone call and a text away. I truly think that that's a valuable resource. This is clearly not a kid who, even though he wants to make his own legacy, certainly, he's not sitting here saying, oh, I'm going to do it all on my own.

27:38Trevor Sikkema:I don't need Peyton. I don't need Eli. I don't need Archie. I don't need any of these guys. He's leaning into that as a positive resource. And to exactly what you just said, that is a very valuable thing. Now, can Peyton be out there to throw the ball for him? Can Eli be out there to help him, you know, scramble and make a broken play, a crazy good play? No, he's the one who still has to do that. But when it comes to the mental reps, how to prepare and how to get to that point of playing really high level football faster. Yeah, he has those tools that other quarterbacks just don't. I think you're the best.

28:16I think you're ahead of anybody else that I read. So I'm going to ask you this next question. And your thoughts on Marshall Manning, 15 years old, freshman to Peyton Manning's son. What do you think?

28:25Trevor Sikkema:Yeah, you already see. I've already seen the clips. I've seen the TikToks and the social media clips out there. Trust me, we're doing, you know, we're doing a little forward scouting. And there are ways that you could just watch him and you go, OK, that's a little Peyton mannerism right there. Or you see that and you go, OK, that is a little bit of Eli Manning. You could probably guess that this guy was at the very least in a Manning camp by the way he kind of was operating. And so we're not going to go too deep into it. He's got a long high school career before he even gets to a college career.

28:53Trevor Sikkema:But obviously it's exciting when the football royal family and last name of Manning starts to kind of make their way up with the next generation. I just play and I just I did watch the clip. So, OK, I'm an SEC guy, Trinidad Chambliss. He was so electric last year, almost almost won the game for Ole Miss in the college football playoff. Like, get on my back. I'm going to do this for you. what what does he kind of tap out what's a ceiling for a guy I don't want to say that size but that size and style genuinely like I think he could be an impact starting quarterback at the NFL level now does that mean you know pro bowl all pro like if you want to say that I'm not going to push too far against you I understand that he's not necessarily built the way that a lot of NFL quarterbacks are built but I love this guy I mean I got I got friends friends and family honestly now that are Jets fans.

29:45Trevor Sikkema:And I was kind of telling them throughout the, throughout the entire off season. I don't know why this guy is not your starting quarterback this year. I'm so surprised that Trinidad Chambliss did not capitalize off some great momentum and great tape that he had last year, including in the college football playoff where he only got better as the year went on. If he would have declared for the draft, I think he's a first round quarterback last year. I think he would have been in consideration for the top 10, maybe even the top five. That's how well he played because Trinidad Chambliss, where he doesn't have the strongest arm in the world.

30:15Trevor Sikkema:I think it's plenty adequate to be able to play at the NFL level. What I love about him is the way that the game already slows down for him in those moments where it's unique or it's unscripted. A lot of people call them broken plays where you snap the football, you look to your first read, you look to your second read, oops, one of the offensive linemen didn't pick up the blitz or there was something that they didn't see. Now I've got to scramble. Now it's a fire drill. Now I got to kind of look everywhere, you know, calibrate the defense. And it's just like the game already slows down for him.

30:45Trevor Sikkema:So you see he was able to really pad the stat sheet last year. They showed up really well when it came to the efficiency numbers as well. He's got that escapability. He's got that mobility to him. And I just think that I know this term is sort of, you know, it's a little polarizing. But I think he's a gamer, man. I really do. When the lights were brightest, he showed up. And I think having that ice in your veins type of mentality, to me, it is something that you note in a scouting report. And he was one of the best in all his college football last year. So I really hope that he starts this season picking up where he left off.

31:22Trevor Sikkema:Because if he is, we're going to have a lot of fun watching this dude this year. And we're absolutely going to talk about him as a starting caliber NFL quarterback. You mentioned if he would have gone out last year, he probably would have had some success in the draft. Now we can talk about Dante Moore. he would have had success in the draft you know top five who knows where he's going to land but he decided to go back to Oregon so like what can he do this year to actually improve his stock I think it's play better in some of the biggest games right when you look at Dante Moore Oregon schedule had some stinkers had some easier ones in it as you know a lot of college teams do at the very highest level and I think that he was really able to carve up those lesser defenses he's very very accurate he knows how to see the field really well pre and post snap but when the game really started to speed up when NFL caliber competition was in the secondary or attacking the pocket, whatever it was.

32:13Trevor Sikkema:It's just him being able to operate at a little bit faster of a speed while continuing to take care of the football the way that we know that he can with really good accuracy scores and good decision making. I think that that's really what we're looking to see from Dante Moore this season because Oregon's going to play in a lot of big games. You know, we expect this team to be a college football playoff team once again how do you look when we get to that point of the season when again the lights are brightest are you playing calm and confident the way that you need to so the skill set's there for him he's a very efficient quarterback you just got to be able to play it against the best level of competition travis sickema on with us here it's bobby bones filling in for rich eisen have two left and i just want to go julian saying And what can he do?

33:00Trevor Sikkema:He is a deadly accurate quarterback. I mean, I had a lot of fun watching his tape last year, you know, whether it was me watching Jeremiah Smith, whether it was me watching Carnell Tate, like whoever it was, and obviously doing some summer scouting because Sam is draft eligible this upcoming year. But it's got to just kind of be more of the same for him because he is another quarterback who doesn't have the physical tools of a lot of these other guys that you're going to hear potentially higher than him on quarterback rankings just from their physical attributes Sands not exactly going to stack up when it comes to wowing you with arm strength and velocity and just the overall stature but he was so accurate last year man it felt like he was always making the right decision and hey when you have those wide receivers of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate and the rest of the bunch there at Ohio State you want a guy to look like that but he did and I think just the important part for saying is continue to look like that accurate assassin against the best level of competition and when you do you're going to have people in your corner i don't know if that's going to be you know qb1 status or something like that but you continue to be as efficient as you were last year and you stack years in a row we'll talk about you like a potential first round pick quarterback because that's what some offenses need they just need a facilitator because they have the other skilled players.

34:16So I was watching some warm-ups. I'm seeing Drew Aller just spin the ball, but I also saw Drew Aller play college football. And you know, I'm watching the NFL fans. I never really watched him play in college. This guy could be amazing. And who knows, he could be. What are your thoughts on Drew Aller now?

34:33Trevor Sikkema:Yeah, so Aller, he just had such a roller coaster of a college career. You go back two years ago, that junior year from him was really, really good before he got hurt. And I think the only reason why he didn't come out of the draft that season is because of the injury. So he goes back and he goes, okay, well, I'm just going to stack another really good year up, and I'm going to be talked about as a potential top 10 pick. Because sort of what you're talking about and what we're seeing in the preseason, he's got the physical attributes. When he sees the throw and he's got a fire to the sideline, he can absolutely do that.

35:05Trevor Sikkema:He can get the football kind of basically everywhere that you want on an NFL field. So the physical attributes and the arm strength have never been a question with him. It's always been the consistency and the longevity, maybe is a better way to say it, with the decision making. Because you could get a couple of really good drives or you could even get a couple of really good games from Drew Aller. But can you stack that up throughout a whole season? Can you stack that up in the NFL playoffs, the college football playoffs or whatever it is? And I think that inconsistency to be able to convince people of that is why he gets drafted later than maybe his overall physical talent would have told you that he should have been drafted.

35:42Trevor Sikkema:a little bit higher, but it's great to see him playing well in the preseason. I was a fan of Will Howard as well, who's also on that roster. And I feel like one of those two guys, you could feel pretty good about, you know, when Aaron Rodgers retires next year, because he said that this is it. This is the last year that he's there. So it's great that Lauer's already showing them a thing or two here, because we know that Rodgers is going to get all the snaps for that team this year. So going in, I even think that just from the preseason of what we've seen from Aller already. You kind of go into next season thinking, all right, is he the incumbent guy who we're going to slot in there at QB one if we can't find a home run option, maybe in the draft that they're picking super high in the draft or something like that.

36:22Trevor Sikkema:I think that they could be pretty happy with Drew Aller and what he could potentially be in Mike McCarthy's offense. All right. One more quick bonus. One word, Mendoza.

36:34Trevor Sikkema:I feel as though I know it's a one word thing overthought is probably the one word I feel like there were way too many people that were nitpicking him as a prospect and I just I think he is going to be exactly what the Raiders need he is going to be such a student of the game to clean Kubiak and I am really excited about what their general manager John Spitek is building on that roster as well so to me he was overthought and nitpicked as a prospect and I think that he is going to be great for that team. G-O-A-T. That's Trevor Sikama. I don't say that about many people that come on. The freaking GOAT.

37:09And don't forget NFL Pro Mondays and Fridays and Tampa Bay Trey on Instagram. But the GOAT. I love having you on, man. You kill it. This is time to go, so you're the guy I want to go with. Thank you for the time, and hopefully we'll talk again soon.

37:23Trevor Sikkema:Yeah, I appreciate it, brother. Thanks for having me. Anytime. That dude's awesome. Let me just say it. That dude's... I love talking to Trevor Sikama. I get it this isn't even on the air we just did that just us here right that wasn't even on the air I was just asking him questions okay yeah good good good good because we'll have him on the air in a second we're gonna go live in like three minutes right okay well oh we were oh my bad alright alright alright now yeah he's called in zoomed into the show before no I know that but I mean right now that was just us talking just the two of you yeah yeah we're gonna do some calls I want you guys to call us and I will do because yesterday I was told I can do win-loss I felt like it wasn't my place to do it sure it's your place it's not It's not even us.

38:02Trevor Sikkema:It's the fans. It's what they want. It's their game. So, you know, we do it for them. 844-204-RICH. We're going to do a little win-loss and talk to you guys. I'm Bobby Bones. Back in a second.

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40:12The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. eizen hire right the first time with linkedin hiring pro get started by posting a free job at linkedin.com slash eizen love to hear from you 844-204-RICH that's how to get us and terzo in iowa that's how he got us terzo hello welcome to the show he's up he's up terzo it's bobby here oh terzo i have to put him on hold he's at the bar it might be loud we got to hold him back maybe he just got scared i wasn't rich and he goes i don't want to speak to someone that's not rich nah i think i think he knew okay well then let's go to jake in princeton uh jake welcome to the show

41:01Trevor Sikkema:hey bob thanks for having me on the call yes sir sir um so i'm a big bears fan right we're we're driving to college right now i got five hours left and i i just wanted to ask you overall what you think about the bears this upcoming year you know a lot of people think that what they did last year was pretty unsustainable with those comeback wins and frankly i can agree with that a little bit but i guess overall like what do you think caleb williams has to do this season like to come away saying that he's like officially one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC and the NFL as a whole. You're right about the comebacks, but here's the thing about the comebacks.

41:35The cool thing is once you come back, that's kind of in you now that you know you can do it. Big confidence is built through comebacks. So, yes, did a lot of that happen? You go, wow, will it ever happen again? It may not need to happen like that because your team's going to be better and stronger. If I were flooring the Bears, I'm going a floor of 7-10. If I'm ceiling in the Bears, I'm 13-4, and I'm feeling really good about the Bears. I mean, realistically, 9-8 or so, I mean, Caleb Williams took a massive jump, and that's probably, most likely, because of the coaching change. And so I think if they go 13-4, Caleb Williams is now part of the MVP conversation.

42:13Ben Johnson is that dude who has a top-five offense. He's going to be that dude. and you're looking at like Arunze and Luther Byrd and Colson Luff, who started really strong, finished really strong, and I think he's the guy at tight end. He's going to be a beast. Right. So I think the Bears are going to be really good next year. If the floor, this is just my opinion, is seven wins, that's a pretty strong floor, especially when your ceiling is 12, 13 wins. so if I'm a Bears fan I think I'm feeling really good about the future and it doesn't even have to be the this year future I do feel good but I feel great that I have a team now and if you're a Bears fan I get it it's been a minute I know I have those teams that that things are things are going to be good like consistently good if things stay as they are and grow at the rate they're growing I'm really excited about being a Bears fan and I can tell you it's probably hard to allow yourself to be excited after so much losing because that's my teams.

43:16It's so hard for me to be excited about anything because all I do is lose, lose, lose no matter what. Yeah. So as a Bears fan, feel good. And I think you guys could really have a great season next year. But even if it's just a good season, I still think that's great for you guys in the future of your team with your coach and your quarterback.

43:37Trevor Sikkema:Yeah, man. This is the first time that I've had like, well, I'm 19 right now. So quite literally, last year was probably the best thing I've ever watched in my life. That was the best moment ever when we beat the Packers in the playoffs. And this is the first time I've ever had real expectations for this team. I've been sitting on the couch watching football for six hours a day since I was like 10 years old watching Red Zone. And I'm real excited for this team. That's fun when you haven't been excited in a long time and you get to be excited. like that's the most fun as a sports fan and i think you know some people have teams that always win and chris isn't here but if you're a patriots fan like like screw off man you've won so much like you don't know what it's like to not win i don't win my teams don't win and if there's a glimmer like it's so exciting going into the year and a lot of times i say hey don't have expectations because they're only going to let you down that's from my experience if i'm a bears fan i i don't think i go hey we're going to win the super bowl next year but my expectation is man over the next three years it's going to be fun being a fan and i think that that is like what long-term fandom is about like you want hope forward yes just a little glimmer you can do one of those hope t-shirts with just a bear's helmet with the colors right so yeah uh good good for you i'm happy for you and i'm happy for bears fans the only thing about bears fans that's tough for me is it's just it's just cold it's just cold and and if you go to and if you play out india what about playing in indiana What's happening with that?

45:09Trevor Sikkema:You know, I thought they were going to go Arlington, but it's kind of unfortunate. Well, actually, ironically enough, I live in Indiana. I'm going to college. We're just driving to college right now. But, yeah, I live in Indiana. I don't know how I feel about moving to Indiana. I think they're going to go to Hammond or Gary, which is, like, right by the city. Luckily, they won't be changing their name or anything like that. I think that would be really wrong. But, yeah, I don't really know what to think of it. the parking will be a lot better. Like I went to the game last year in December, Bears Packers week 16, one killed through that overtime.

45:44Trevor Sikkema:Oh man, that was awesome. DJ Moore, I mean, that was like the best game I've ever watched live, like in person. Yeah. And yeah, it's just, it's going to be a totally new environment, but I don't know. You got to figure that out. How do you feel about a dome, a cover? A dome would be nice. I mean, I don't know if you've ever been to Soldier, but like you should have seen how it's, it's like so windy in there. It's, it's honestly insane. I don't know how Kyra Santos was hitting those field goals that game. Like every time was a nail biter, but yeah, dome would be nice. I really hope they add that to the new stadium.

46:21I get why Buffalo does not want to add a dome or to affect what they have as their advantage, which is the weather. And you know, they built the new stadium. They, they did not affect, you know, the weather and how it can play a role. I get it. If I, If I'm a Bears fan, I'm asking for a dome. I want to play inside. I mean, it's awful. It's so cold. I'm a massive Cubs fan, so when I go in the spring, if I go to an April game, if I'm at Wrigley and the wind is blowing off of Lake Michigan, it cuts you in half. I did one thing where I went and applied for six credit cards so I'd get the free T-shirts.

46:57I went way underdressed because I thought, oh, it's going to be 62. Not really putting into fact that Chicago cutting cold wind. I applied for six credit cards, got the six free T-shirts, and basically made me like a parka, like a half-dress out of free credit card shirts. So, hey, I really appreciate it, Jake. I put on layers for that. Yeah, thank you for the call. Go Bears. I'll give you that. All right, brother. All right, there he is. Thank you, everybody. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast.

47:24Trevor Sikkema:You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney +, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

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