Hour 3: Eric Edholm NFL.com

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24:47Brian Webber:I don't know that I have a personal first-round grade on him, but what I saw early in the year was very, very encouraging. Before the injuries started mounting and before he started taking a ton of hits, and I give him credit, obviously, for toughness playing through it, but with a small sample size, you look at those games and realize there just isn't a lot to analyze. That's the risk of a one-year starter, but obviously he has a little more experience than that. He's been in the program a few years, has some real athletic upside and traits. Again, not a true scrambler, but somebody who I think can run a little bit, move around the pocket, and throw on the move, too.

25:29Brian Webber:Maybe traits are just even a little higher in some cases than Mendoza, but the floor would be lower because we just don't know. We don't have that breadth of information. And, you know, you go back and look at, for instance, the Watson, you know, Trubisky draft, obviously Mahomes, you know, both those other guys besides Trubisky had a full diet of, you know, 29, 35 starts, whatever it was for those guys versus 13 for Mitch. And that's the debate I think a lot of teams are going to have is what do we know? What do we feel and what do we think he is right now versus what he can be? But yeah, I would say his range is anywhere from number two to the jets, all the way down to where Tyler Shuck went last year, early second, because, you know that's what this process is about is sorting out you know quarterbacks are treated a little bit differently right if you need one you're willing to overspend like the giants did for daniel jones who obviously had a great year last year before getting hurt but at the time i don't think there was another team that was going to take him at number six so i use that as an example to say that all it takes is that one team to decide that we don't need him right now but we think he can be special down the road or maybe we do need him right now and we think he'll work through his issues as he becomes a star so it's a wide range right now I would guess back into round one would be the most likely landing spot but I am not ruling out something higher than that in case he has a good pre-draft process and or the feedback from around the league is strong.

26:59Eric Edholm:Derek since you gave us that range those parameters how about Simpson and the Steelers at number 21?

27:05Brian Webber:It's got to be a spot that makes a lot of sense obviously Mike McCarthy was hired for his quarterback coaching prowess. You know, that, you know, obviously, you know, Aaron Rodgers' connection is a nice story, and maybe it works out for you here, who knows. But they need a quarterback in some form. Even if you really like Will Howard, I don't know that you can go into the season with, even if Rodgers does come back, do you feel entirely comfortable with that room? Or is there one more guy you need to bring in? There is certainly a possibility. I would throw the Rams in there, too, with the two first-rounders and Stafford coming back for another year.

27:40Brian Webber:You know, Simpson has actually mentioned Stafford as a guy that he looks up to. So possible pairing there. I'm sure there are other ones too. I think a lot of it depends on that game of musical chairs this offseason. Once the dust has settled on Kyler Murray and Tua Tonga-Vailoa and Daniel Jones and all the quarterbacks who could be moved this offseason, who's left needing one? You know, there will be three or four teams that I think you can put on that list. And I suspect the Steelers and maybe the Rams are two of those teams.

28:09Eric Edholm:Eric Edelman of NFL Media is our guest on the Rich Eisen Show. I want to hit on Miami, Arizona, and the Jets in the remaining minutes. But first, one more draft-related thought. Let's presume Trinidad Chambliss has continued legal success, stays at Ole Miss because the NCAA loses in every courtroom these days. Who is your third best prospect? How big of a gap is there between Mendoza at the top, Simpson maybe late first round? Who's next?

28:37Brian Webber:Yeah, I think Drew Aller has a chance to kind of refurbish his image a little bit. And I know things didn't really go according to plan the last year and a half or so. Really, you know, he felt like a player would come out a year ago until those last few games. And then everything kind of changed. So obviously somebody who I think at one point was given that, hey, he could be a top overall pick at some point. kind of label. He's not there now, but I still believe there's a starting quarterback starter kit in there that if you work with the right team, and maybe that's Pittsburgh or one of the teams we mentioned, or maybe somebody else who's got a starter in place, but Drew Aller's got an opportunity.

29:19Brian Webber:Garrett Nussmeier's had a little head start here. He got back from the injury, played well down at the Sierra Bowl. I don't think he was great, but I think he was fine. You know, he at least answered the questions about his health, and that's a great place to start. A typical dimension, small hands, you know, maybe some limited upside in some regards, but I think he's on the right track to be a possible day two pick. And then, you know, Carson Beck, obviously with the national title run, you know, not everybody's favorite quarterback. I think there are some teams that are down on him, but there might be a few that have seen him kind of take some lumps the past few years and still have some success on the field and say there's enough there, you know, to put him in range.

30:00Brian Webber:So I think those are the three guys that I would immediately kind of summon to mind that could be in the quarterback three discussion.

30:07Eric Edholm:You know, the combine's coming up if we're talking about small hands and we're breaking it down with Eric Edom of NFL Media. All right, Eric, quick hits. I'll give you a team. You give me likely names that could be a week one starter. How about the Jets?

30:24Brian Webber:Oh, man, that's a tough one.

30:25Eric Edholm:I mean, you got five minutes if you need it, my friend.

30:28Brian Webber:Yeah. I'm going to run out the clock if I can here. It's still a buster for a minute. But, yeah, you know, I still think because, like, you know, the Dante Moore situation and Simpson, I would say, would still be considered a reach at that point. They also have a second first rounder. I think it's number 16 off the top of my head. So, you know, again, maybe that's a more realistic range possibility for them. But as a week one starter, you know, Derek Carr has been mentioned as a possibility. I think that there's some meat to that one. If he comes out of retirement, Saints still retain his rights.

31:03Brian Webber:You know, I don't think it would require a massive trade to get that done, but that's a real possibility there. I don't think they want to go in with a Justin Fields or a Brady Cook or Adrian Martinez or any of the options they've had the last year. So I think there is going to be a little bit of a clearing of the decks. You saw what happened to the coaching staff, and I think Aaron Glenn is feeling the pressure. So the idea of a rookie or a young player, kind of an unproven quarterback starting there week one, even with a limited supply, I tend to veer toward the veteran there.

31:37Eric Edholm:Okay. How about Arizona? Do you think it's a done deal? They're moving on from Kyler Murray.

31:42Brian Webber:I don't think it's a done deal, but it seems like it's sort of trending in that direction. Yeah. I mean, I think they've probably decided that if they can make this happen, they're going to do it. but you've got to have somebody who's interested too. And certainly the Jets would be a possibility. I don't know that that's their first thought, but it's got to be somebody that they consider. You know, and there are other teams obviously as well who kind of fit into that same category a little bit. But, yeah, I mean, they have the opportunity to respond from him. Kind of the soft benching that we saw last year where Jacoby Brissett was playing a little bit better and, you know, nobody was really too sure how bad the injury was for Murray, and it felt like kind of the inch, climactic end to his career out there.

32:29Brian Webber:But, again, you got to have, I think they're going to try to trade him, and I don't think they want to release him, but, you know, again, sometimes what we want and what we can do are two different things.

32:40Eric Edholm:And finally, because it sounds like you've entered a wind tunnel, quick thoughts on Tua and the Dolphins. I'm sorry, trying to find the least. No, not your fault. Hey, I was watching the golf on the Monterey Peninsula yesterday. It feels like you're at Pebble Beach.

32:53Brian Webber:I'd love to be back at Pebble. I got to play years ago. It's a lot of fun, but not quite like the seventh hole out here right now. And it says, say again, who are we talking about here? Tua and the Dolphins. I think they're moving on from him. I just sort of feel like Malik Willis is going to be a possibility there. They can make that work. and give him an opportunity to start on a deal that probably is somewhat similar to what Fields got last year, although maybe a little bit more, and especially with the Green Bay connection. Jeff Hathaway, John Eric Sullivan now running the show down there.

33:28Brian Webber:So, you know, again, who – do they just release them or is there a trade opportunity? When does it happen? Because the earlier it happens, if it's pre-June 1, you know, the cap hit is more significant. Then again, we've seen in two years how the Broncos have been able to completely remake their roster after making the same tough decision, swallowing hard on that contract with Russell Wilson. This is going to be more cap space, but percentage-wise won't be too much different. The Broncos were a couple plays away from a Super Bowl. So I think that's the justification for moving on and not going to his health and future.

34:08Brian Webber:And obviously a new coaching staff kind of portends those things.

34:12Eric Edholm:Eric, terrific information as always. Thanks for being so generous with your time. Enjoy the rest of your day and keep it on the fairway. Will do it. Thanks, Brian. Eric Edom does a marvelous job anytime we reach out. And that's not his primary goal in life, not to be a compelling guest with a fill-in host, although he's on with Rich as well. He spends a lot of time, as you heard in that conversation, breaking things down in an understandable manner. He's not going to overwhelm you with all of the analytics and the data-driven observations. So check out his work. He's ramping up the content on NFL.com.

34:51Eric Edholm:That was an interesting thought regarding the Broncos' decision, and that was completely driven by Sean Payton. Payton just did not want Russell Wilson around for understandable reasons. Felt like it got personal there, but in no way can you quibble with the outcome. It also took literal buy-in from ownership. And remember, the Broncos' new owners have Walmart money. The Walton Penner family. No need for a GoFundMe or a bake sale for that behemoth. So, ownership was willing to eat the dough. Now, it is challenging from a salary cap perspective, and I always find that really boring and tedious, especially on a national platform.

35:35Eric Edholm:But you got to make some short-term tradeoffs to navigate your cap limitations. But mostly it's about an owner saying, okay, I'm writing this check. It's a loss, as we learned on Seinfeld. Jerry, they just write it off. Do you even know what a write-off is? No, they just write it off. So the question is to Stephen Ross, who's now 82 years old as the owner of the Dolphins, you would think he would have an urgent approach to win. Dolphins have not won a playoff game since what, 2000, 2001? It's been a minute. Is he willing to swallow the 50 million bucks as they blow things up with the new GM and the new head coach, Jeff Halfley, to have a fresh start at quarterback?

36:18Eric Edholm:Most things are pointing in that direction. And then the question becomes, where is Tua going? And we'll save that for another day. Tomorrow is another day with the host in the chair, Rich back from the much-deserved three-day weekend tomorrow. You can give him a call at 844-204-RICH. You can continue to throw me your thoughts on the X platform. It is B.W. Weber. Weber with 2B straight ahead. We wrap it up with gusto. I keep going back to the media point of view because nothing gets more traction and resonance than talking about what we do for a living. But if you speak into a microphone, you learn.

36:59Eric Edholm:Words have importance. Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang just found that out in a very profound way. Details coming up. I'm Brian Weber in for Rich here on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. I am Weber. It's been an absolute blast to keep you company for the last two hours and 45 minutes, potentially saving the best for last. And as always, if we are winding down, that means Rich is warming up. Mr. Eisen's name is on the marquee, and he's back in the chair tomorrow with the guys, offering his perspective on NBA All-Star Weekend, as we've done in detail, Plus, all the NFL news.

37:45Eric Edholm:I'm sure he'll have thoughts as to where Tyreek Hill could be heading. With today's development, he has been predictably cut by the Dolphins. It is intriguing to see, in a world with so many options, what gets noticed. I don't love the term viral, but I think you know what I'm talking about. What's able to cut through the clutter? And in sports, especially because we love lists. So with the NFL draft coming up, you can flip around and catch shows like the top 10 draft bust of all time or top 10 coaching slash managing meltdowns we've ever seen in sports. A week ago, we got a gem from then, and that's the key word, then Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang.

38:36Eric Edholm:Now, you'll remember Jerome was part of a miraculous run as head coach of the Wildcats, guiding them to the Elite Eight in 2023. So just a couple years ago, they had the brilliant play in Madison Square Garden. They got New York City energized. They're having a miserable year. Just one win in Big 12 play. Last week, they got shellacked by Cincinnati, and Jerome went to the podium and went thermonuclear on his players. This was embarrassing. These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university. I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section.

39:20Brian Webber:It is just ridiculous. We got practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, and we will get this thing right.

39:31Eric Edholm:I have no answer and no word, so y 'all got two questions. So whoever wants to ask two questions, I'll answer them to the best of my ability right now. But right now, I'm like pissed. And what's most interesting about that was he was so measured and so even-keeled. You think about your parents when they didn't scream at you, when they were really seething, you knew you were in trouble. But the context was they got obliterated. They got destroyed by Cincinnati by 29 at home. Some folks in the student section showed up in the garb with bags over their heads. So, you know, things are spiraling in Manhattan, Kansas.

40:10Eric Edholm:They lost again over the weekend, make it six consecutive defeats, dropping 11 of their last 12. and the news came out yesterday, broken by ESPN College Sports insider Pete Thamel, that Tang had gotten fired with nearly$19 million left on his contract, but for now at least, he won't be seeing a dime of that money because he was fired for cause. Why did that occur? What was the justification? Well, let's hear from Kansas State Athletic Director Gene Taylor explaining why Tang was fired for cause. I want to get into it. There's language in his contract that addresses, you know, certain certain things that could potentially bring embarrassment.

40:56Eric Edholm:You know, basically his comments about the student athletes and the negative reaction to those comments from a lot of sources, both nationally and locally, is where we're kind of where I thought we needed to make the decision. I speak Gene Taylor. I speak athletic director nonsense because I spent a lot of time in the college sports space, calling games back to my early 20s and my alma mater. That is nonsense. What Gene Taylor is saying is we fired him because people were laughing at Kansas State nationally because that clip went viral. It was on all the talking head shows. And you heard it here on ESPN radio.

41:40Eric Edholm:I was watching part of the interruption that day. I have it on my TiVo old school. I still record it every day. Tony and Mike both absolutely crushed the school and primarily Tang because what you did not hear in that tirade was, this is on me. He took no responsibility. He pointed the finger at his players. But the disconnect was, who was in charge for recruiting and signing those players? Last time I checked, it's the head coach. So he had no accountability, no responsibility. He lost me when he made it so personal. At the same time, to say that is justification for firing someone for cause is absurd.

42:26Eric Edholm:I'm not a lawyer, but I'll play one on the radio. Right now, we're at a stalemate where when you get whacked for cause, you get nothing. You get shown the door. It's the end of Willy Wonka or Caddyshack. You'll get nothing and like it. You lose, sir. Good day. I mentioned the buyout, remaining money on the contract, roughly$19 million. So where is this going? Somewhere in between or somewhere that Tang feels like, okay, pick a number,$5,$7 million, and nobody wants to waste money on lawyers. And remember, Kansas State has their own legal department that the taxpayers in Kansas pay for, so they have more wiggle room there.

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44:43Eric Edholm:And we don't have enough time, and I'm not that much of a hack. We could play 45 different, especially college basketball coaches, just burying their players. This has been going on for decades because the old school types, a la Bobby Knight, would tell you, well, it's a way of motivating my guys. Public shame and humiliation. And I've always had a problem with that for college players because we're talking about young people who in the past weren't getting paid. Well, now they are getting in-isle money, so that's going to evolve. But it is a farce to say that Tang somehow was an outlier bringing embarrassment and ridicule to the school because this is not just an L.A.

45:30Eric Edholm:lean as I come to you from our outstanding studios in Southern California. Mick Cronin did it at Cincinnati. Now he's doing it on the regular at UCLA. He destroys his players on a daily basis when he's not busy burying the conference because clearly he doesn't like the fact that the Big Ten makes him, him, not the team, him, get on a chartered jet and fly to Bloomington, Indiana. So I can't defend Tang in terms of the details. He was wrong for pointing the finger at his players, but this is foolish and embarrassing for Kansas State. You want to fire the guy for underachieving on the floor? Fine.

46:12Eric Edholm:Pay the man. That's why contracts exist, to try to wiggle out of a payment because he said something that crossed the line is an absolute joke. But welcome to college sports in 2026. I'll leave you with this thought. But Sacramento State is joining the Mid-America Conference with Northern Illinois joining the Mountain West. Make it make sense. Always an honor to be in this chair for Rich. Want to thank our guest, Eric Edholm of NFL Media, Kurt Heelan, NBCSports.com. Thanks to Rich, Jerry Silbowitz, and his team. Thanks to our great production crew, led by our producer, James Steele, Nick Cardy, and the rest of the gang in Bristol, Connecticut.

46:57Eric Edholm:it. My name is Brian Weber. Rich is back tomorrow, so keep it where it is on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Monster Energy.

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