Hour 3: Guest Host Tom Pelissero Talks Giants, Cowboys, Colts & More, plus Hall of Fame WR Randy Moss

0:00Ian Fitzsimmons here, and I'm going to be brutally honest with you. I was skeptical about ordering plants online. Like this is actually going to show up alive at my house. But after my wife and I ordered from Fast Growing Trees, convinced. They have this thing down to a science. They've built a whole system to protect your plants until they arrive. They even have a lab where they test against cold, heat, humidity, you name it. Any condition, they've got it. And they thrive. We couldn't believe how good our plants looked when they arrived at our doorstep. And everything showed up exactly how we expected.

0:33A perfectly healthy plant that was easy to unbox and ready to go. Every order is backed by. They're alive and thrive guarantee. And you'll get ongoing support from real, knowledgeable experts. They have unbelievable deals on spring planting essentials. And right now, you can get an additional 20 % off your first order with the code SPORTS at checkout. That's 20 % off at FastGrowingTrees.com with the code SPORTS. Terms and conditions apply. Again, that's FastGrowingTrees.com, code SPORTS. This is what everyone's talking about. Everything's on the table. This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see.

1:18And the slam! No do-overs. No second chances. No more Mr. Nice Guy. This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. All I give a damn about.

2:07The Rich Eisen Show. With guest host Tom Pellicero. God, I love that guy. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Wee wee! Victor Wimanyama, six feet behind the line. Earlier on the show, NFL Network Insider Mike Garofalo. Coming up, Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss. And now, sitting in for Rich, it's Tom Pelissero.

2:36Tom Pelissero:Welcome back to the Rich Eisenliss Show. Tom Pelissero in for Rich. One hour to go here on this Tuesday. We have a little tradition. When I come in, you know, for a few days at a time, several times a year, love being with my boys in the studio. Chris Brockman, Mike Kale, T.J. Jefferson as well. I like to start off the final hour that I'm with you before I head back on a red-eye flight tonight that I'm really looking forward to. To allow you to cut it loose, ask me anything you want about the NFL. Day job as NFL Network insider, occasionally moonlight as Rich Eisen with hair over here in the corner.

3:15Tom Pelissero:844-204-RICH, if anyone listening, watching, wants to ask as well across Disney+. Plus ESPN Radio, the ESPN app. I turn it over. Brockman, I will give you the floor first. What is a burning NFL question you've got a little over two months before teams report to training camp? Thinking about this, some of it is fantasy, but I also think that the Giants have a chance to be kind of one of the surprise teams of the NFL this year. With John Harbaugh there, they got a lot of talent on both sides of the football. But we saw Malink Neighbors had a second surgery last week. What is that all about? Should we be concerned, Giants fans, fantasy owners, should we be concerned about Malik Nabors heading into this year?

3:56Tom Pelissero:So Malik Nabors' second procedure was actually over a month ago. Okay. It was reported last week, my understanding. So his initial injury was a torn ACL and a meniscus tear. So there are times where you will have complications. In his case, it was like scar tissue buildup. They had to clean that out because it was preventing him from having full range of motion, getting back the natural flexion in the knee. if you game that out that's about five months before the start of the regular season obviously i don't mean to downplay it like it's not my knee so obviously i don't want to make it sound like this isn't substantial here you never want to hear about your young star receiver because malik has been healthy which he's dealt with a toe injury he's at the knees at a bunch of different stuff he's been healthy he's really good and of that vaunted receiver class with him marvin harrison jr and roma dunze i think you have to right now give the edge to neighbors based upon the production per opportunity that he's on the field he hasn't been on the field full-time you don't want to hear that but five months out from the season you would think week one is probably still a realistic goal for him losing some time on task not really helpful but he has some chemistry already built up with jackson dart um not ideal but certainly not anything that at this point i'm sounding the the panic but okay and then let's stay with them real quick cam said yeah what else you want to know uh that he will be ready for week one will scam cam scadaboo be ready for week one coming back from that ankle cam scadaboo was on one of those what is it the rascal like the little carts that you roll around on right where your foot's up he was at a wwe match and was like wrestling people a month after the injury cam scadaboo if he was told you can play with that cast on would be on the field he would be or the brace or whatever it was like he would be out there if he possibly could will he be ready to play week one that was a pretty significant injury if anybody's going to be willing to be out there it's cam scadaboo but the giants doctors are certainly going to have a say in this john harbaugh comes from a place in baltimore where they really wanted to make sure guys were 100 before they put them back onto the field we'll see on scadaboo again i have no doubt in his mind he believes he's going to play but there's also something to be said for don't push him out there at less than 100 percent given his violent playing nature the last thing you want to do is have him suffer some type of a setback that after his first season ended in rather graphic fashion leads to his second season getting derailed sure tj so it wasn't just like some people on raw that was dirty dominic mysterio my boy in the judgment day all right but i'm not crazy that he was like physically engaged he was While on a rascal.

6:35He was ready to throw down with Finn Balor and Dirty Dom in them, but that wouldn't have worked out well for him. But Cowboys, might as well talk about this. Let's do it. It's my squad. We had a pretty good offseason, I thought. But this whole George Pickens thing, and I sit in this chair, Tom, and I have no problem admitting everybody out there. I don't know everything. I'm a fan who just happens to be behind this mic. So I know George Pickens has signed this franchise tag, 27 million bucks, but I still hear chirping. I still hear chatter that like, this might not be a good thing. Can you, Tom Pellicero, like just put me at ease?

7:11Is him signing this franchise tag while still seeing people like, I don't know, like Alec Pierce get like$115,$14 million. Is that going to be okay with George? Is he just going to play this year without any problems? Or should I just like hold off on my like, this is our year type band?

7:29Tom Pelissero:Listen, I would start with this. when George Pickens was traded a year ago from Pittsburgh to Dallas, there wasn't like a huge market for him, as evidenced by the fact that he went for a third-round pick. A lot of the stuff that had caused him to go in the second round of the draft in college showed up in Pittsburgh. Teams were aware of it. That's why there wasn't more of a market for a guy who is as talented as any receiver in the NFL. So is there a scenario where a team steps up and offers something significant enough to make Dallas move? There is. that hasn't happened to this point. And you have to wonder, given the value of George Pickens to the Cowboys, is there anything that someone could offer that would actually make them move?

8:12Tom Pelissero:In other words, I don't see somebody being willing to give up a first round pick and more for George Pickens right now on top of giving him the contract. So if no one's going to do that, why would the Cowboys move? Again, there is a level at which, from my understanding, based on my belief, that they would be willing to listen. I just don't know that barring injury and injuries can happen. Let's say somebody goes down in the first week of training camp, a contender, and they're like, we got to get a guy. Maybe you are willing at that point to give up a first round pick and more to go get a George Pickens.

8:41Tom Pelissero:Failing that, I believe he plays this out. Jerry Jones has already said they're not going to negotiate a long term deal right now. So you're probably playing on the franchise tag, which is why you go and sign it rather than having the long shot. I don't think this would have happened, but the long shot possibility of the Cowboys pulling it and all of a sudden nobody's willing to go out and give you$27 million that you would be due. So his agents at Athletes First, David Mulageta, they don't have guys missed paychecks. Mulageta never advises his guys don't show up. They don't always practice. Sometimes you have a back issue and you're basically standing around for a month.

9:20Tom Pelissero:But for Pickens, to me, it makes sense. he's going to show up. He now is bound to show up for minicamp into training camp. I don't think it's going to be a hold in type of situation. We'll see if maybe his reps are limited and things like that. But George Pickens best path here is go play really well. Your next tag next year will be 120 % of this year's, which is around 33 million if I'm doing the math right in my head. So now your options are you pay 33 next year, which is 60 million over two, or you get to hit free agency next year. Well, The only way you're going to have that type of value next year is you play really well again.

9:55Tom Pelissero:Don't get suspended for the first drive of a game in Vegas. Don't have any of those little blips that you did in the past. You don't want to go down that road. To me, it makes sense for Pickens to show up and play. Can I 100 % say he'll be a Cowboy in 2026? No. Because again, things change. Things move. Injuries happen. Needs change. But all things equal, sitting here right now, I believe George Pickens is on the Cowboys in 2026. All right, cool. I like that. I want to keep talking wide receiver. Because there are some pretty big names. I don't know what their production level could still be, but there are some names still available at wide receiver.

10:33Tom Pelissero:Stephon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Debo Samuel. What is up with these guys? Is there a market, and when might we see them attached to a team? Diggs definitely has a market. It's not across all those guys going to be the type of market they've had in the past, which sometimes from a financial perspective, They're looking, why is no one offering me more? He's a good player for New England last year. And you start to, he did. And they felt like they got as much out of him as they were going to. They had an opportunity to upgrade, to go to a younger player in Romeo Dobbs for similar range of money. I don't remember the exact numbers on those deals, but similar type of money.

11:06Tom Pelissero:It was always, it was a three-year deal on paper for Diggs, but it was a one-year deal with a couple of team options, realistically. Diggs can still play. And the thing I would point out is Diggs has been really good for young quarterbacks in the NFL. whether that was Josh Allen, whether it was for Drake May last year, because he is, regardless of all the stuff that seemingly is going on in his life and with various entanglements in this past offseason, a legal accusation in which he was absolved, on the field, in the locker room, he is a professional. There is nobody who practices harder than Stefan Dix.

11:43Tom Pelissero:You can ask anybody in Minnesota all those years. You can ask people in Buffalo. I can tell you from my own two eyes, it can be the second Tuesday in August, and he is going 100 miles an hour on the field, which sets the tone for the other receivers, which is great for the young quarterback because the looks he's giving you in practice are the looks you're getting him from in a game. And that does not always happen, particularly with superstar players who are veterans who have a ton of time in the league and maybe don't practice that much. Diggs practices. I think the logical spot for Diggs is probably with one of these young quarterbacks.

12:16Tom Pelissero:Who is that ultimately going to be? Is there a market for him? Let's say this is just me spitballing here. This is not based on information, but Washington with Jaden Daniels, could they use another one? Everyone's talked about Brandon. I hope we don't even know. Brandon. I hope as Mike Garofalo says, even going to play, we don't know if he could pass a fiscal. Could Chicago have to trade away. DJ more use another wide receiver. Would that be a fit there? Would it be a fit in a place like Las Vegas? They're not a contender right now. But could you see a spot where it makes sense for him to go to a place like that?

12:50Tom Pelissero:He could put up some numbers there, yeah, for sure. And then there's other ones without young quarterbacks, but you know the Rams. We talked about that with Mike, too. The fact that they told Devontae Adams that they might trade him because they were close to getting an A.J. Brown deal done until they pulled the plug on that. Puka Nakua has had a lot going on in this offseason. He's been back with the team. Could Diggs to the Rams make sense? Diggs has a bigger market. Debo is, he's always been a niche type of a player. he's been really good at his best but like his body type his skill set the way the manufacturer touches for him he's going to be a fit for teams to want to use him in that role last year you watch him in washington he was a little bit heavier they didn't have a lot of receivers around him to support him so teams were able to key on him um you know is he a five million dollar player at this point i don't think he's an eight to ten million dollar player at this stage in the offseason that can be hard when you were previously a highly paid player in the nfl to kind of wrap your mind around here.

13:46Tom Pelissero:I do believe Debo will be on a team. He's got to decide what's right for him. How urgently does he want to play? Is he going to sign tomorrow or is he going to sign in August and find his spot or wait to see how things develop? Keenan Allen, he's toward the end. He's one of the most productive receivers in NFL history, but I think it's fair to say at his age, he's 35, I think. He's getting close to the end for him. There's still value to be had for McKeen and Allen, but his opportunity might be one that has to wait until you get closer to August and get closer to the season. Tyreek is one you didn't even mention.

14:21Tom Pelissero:The issue with Tyreek is we truly don't know, will he be healthy enough to play? Forget week one. I'm talking about all of 2026. That was a severe knee injury, which is why Miami really didn't have a choice but to cut him loose. I do believe Tyreek will have interest when he's healthy. It's just not yet clear. Is he anywhere close enough to health in August, September for someone to sign him? Are we talking about, is this like Odell some years ago where we were really into November and December before we could even talk about, is this guy going to be ready to help a team this season? Yeah. Speaking of Odell, what's the situation there that seems like he's flirting with the Giants, but there's nothing concrete?

14:58Tom Pelissero:Listen, Odell is also at a different stage in his career. It's a complete flyer on Odell. The last time we saw him on an NFL field was with Miami in 2024. it just wasn't a fit he wasn't able to get in he had like three catches i think that season was out of football last year had a strange situation where he took a supplement he had a suspension but he wasn't really taking it for performance enhancing reasons and so that was part of it too but then you watch him in the flag football game which granted i think you look at tom grady in that flag football game and you go the guy could play as well of course uh odell though still like he still is a freakish athlete yeah the fact that john harbaugh keeps talking about it, but they're not actually signing him.

15:37Tom Pelissero:To me, seems like more trying to help Odell keep a market up. But, you know, again, injuries happen. Let's say Malik's not ready by the time training camp rolls around. Do they give Odell a shot? I do think somebody signs Odell at some point, but you're in a complete flyer, minimum salary territory here. See if he gets something out of him. This is probably his last gasp, which I think is evidenced by the fact that nobody signed him after he came off the suspension last year. but he's still man you go back his first three seasons the NFL I would put up there with almost anybody that we've seen in NFL history not not including our next guest any free agent defenders still out there yeah Joey Bosa oh there's a ton of pass rushers Cam Jordan who Mickey Loomis said the other day they have an offer on the table for him if Cam plays in 2026 I would think it's with the Saints there's other teams that have interest when he had what 10 and a half sacks i think last year came back at one of his better seasons at a later stage in his career it's just you know what's the money look like at this stage cam's a really talented guy who certainly could go into media as well he may well have tv offers does he want to go do that does he want to play one more season does he really want to have to be a mr saint for however many 16 seasons whatever it's been does he want to go to another team you got to take all that into account von miller still wants to play that's another really big name uh that's sitting out there you mentioned joey bosa does brandon graham he brandon graham just may never announce retirement again as tom brady said the second time you retired as you remember well you really only get one of those uh tearful goodbyes so i'm just gonna say bye i'm leaving and that was like house video the second time like him on the beach just going like i'm not gonna do the whole thing again just like i'm retiring and just letting you guys know hey tom let me ask you let's move away from that move into the most important position the quarterback position right and specifically the Indianapolis Colts, right?

17:30But in particular, like Anthony Richardson.

17:34Tom Pelissero:Is there anything ever going to happen with this dude? There's some level of interest. You have questions there in terms of like, I mean, his sight, like that accident he had last year where a resistance band breaks and snaps him in the eye, which is my worst fear every time I go to the gym and I'm not an NFL quarterback. There are not many 6 '5", 250 dudes with howitzers walking the face of the earth. That's what I'm saying. His opportunity will come at some point. Because he didn't have a lot to look at. But there just wasn't. There were moments, right? Where you looked at him. There were moments, yeah.

18:06Tom Pelissero:Maybe he's a 40-something percent career passer at this point. But you saw various moments like big plays down the field or running around the goal line. I think he started four games his rookie year, and he got hurt in three of them. He never should have been the starting quarterback in his first year. Jim Marce, God rest his soul, came out publicly in training camp and basically said he's going to be the starting quarterback, which forced their hands and all the owners said he's the starting quarterback yes he's the starting quarterback now he probably needed to sit what does carly have to say about he only played like 13 yeah exactly he only played about 13 i think he had 13 starts in college at florida so he just hadn't played a lot of football he needed to develop now he gets the time i understand the frustration for him the injuries he's been through the ac joint sprain the eye everything concussion everything that he's had through the course of his career he may need to be back on the field and show that he's healthy again and that he can frankly see the field normally before somebody's willing to give up something real to go and get Anthony Richardson.

19:02Tom Pelissero:His story has not been written in the NFL. I put him in the same bucket, different situations, but Trey Lance, even J.J. McCarthy performed at a high level in college. Guys that have ability, you know that, but their first two years are such total wrecks of injuries and circumstances that you just can't tell. He was the number four pick for a reason. The Colts have no reason just to give him away or release him. So let's see. He may get his opportunity. It might come up with the third string in training camp because I anticipate that Riley Leonard will probably be the two behind Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones also is working his way back from an Achilles.

19:37Tom Pelissero:These reps in the spring are going to be really important for Anthony Richardson too. So come in, show what you can do, and let's see what it looks like on the other side. Speaking of the other side, Randy Moss, Hall of Fame receiver, said to join us on the other side of this break. More NFL talk as well. Stick around. Tom Pellicer, win for it.

19:59The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.

20:07Tom Pelissero:Most protein drinks ask you to choose between results and taste. Bucked Up decided that's a ridiculous tradeoff. Bucked Up makes lightly carbonated protein drinks, 25 grams of protein per can, Clear protein, not milky or thick, and they taste so good that 25 grams of protein almost feels like a bonus. Bucked Up is so confident you'll love their drinks. They're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary. Giveaway ends May 30th. Enter and find your closest Bucked Up at BuckedUpEnergy.com. Grab a Bucked Up and feel like a million bucks.

20:44In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style. He is just driving the kids to soccer practice. Make every day feel epic in an all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid with up to an EPA-estimated 619 miles of range on select trims, advanced tech, and class-leading interior space. Because when you're hauling kids' gear, snacks, and backpacks, space matters. And so does comfort. Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seats. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. Need parts fast? O 'Reilly Auto Parts has fast. Need them now? We've got now. No matter what you need, we have thousands of professional parts people doing their part to make sure you have it.

21:30We're O 'Reilly Fast. Just one part that makes O 'Reilly stand apart. The professional parts people. Oh, oh, oh, O 'Reilly Auto Parts.

21:50Tom Pelissero:Welcome back to the Rich Eisen Show. Tom Pellicero in for Rich Hall of Famer. Randy Moss set to join us shortly right here. For now, we're playing the win-loss game. You know what no one's called in about so far is the Denver Broncos. We got one now. Andrew in El Paso, Texas. Let's go. Broncos win-loss game. Andrew, are you there and ready to roll? Hey, what's up, Tom? What's up, gang? How's it going, guys? Hey. Doing great. Let's get it rolling right here. Monday night football, week one at Kansas City. Man, you know our pass rush is going to be coming after Mahomes. If he's ready or not, we're going to take the dub.

22:32Tom Pelissero:Week two, home against the Jaguars. Jags. We're going to get them. We're going to get payback for last regular season. It was a closed game last season. We're going to take a dud right there. 2-0. All right. Week three, home. This is Sunday night football against the Rams. Ooh, Rams. Does anyone have a coin? It's going to be a coin toss. You've got to flip it in your head. Okay. I'll take an hour right there. It's 2-1. All right. 2-1. Week four at San Francisco. I'll take a dub right there week 5 at Chargers Chargers oh my gosh that reveal video got me so heated about him taking out Von Nick's ankle so we know we're going to get the dub right there he's going to come back with a vengeance we've got to go fast because we've got a Hall of Famer waiting on you week 6 Thursday night against the Seahawks win or loss week 7 at Arizona week 8 home against the Chiefs We'll split them Lost Week 9 at Carolina Dub Week 11 home against the Raiders Dub Raiders Week 12 at Steelers on a Friday Black Friday Take a dub right there Week 13 home against the Dolphins Dolphins Easy dub Week 14 at the Jets Who we got?

24:03Tom Pelissero:Jets

24:08Week 15 at the Raiders Week 16

24:14Tom Pelissero:Bills on Christmas Week 17 at New England Oh my gosh You know Bo's going to be 100 for that one. That's another dub. All right, final one. Week 18 against the Chargers, home. We'll split them. We're going to have our starters rest. All right, there you go. 13-4 for the Broncos right there. Thank you very much, Andrew, for the call. Sorry to rush you through it. But listen, it's very rare that you get to have a living legend on TV. the greatest wide receiver that i have ever seen in my time on earth one of the greatest players of all time hall of famer randy moss is joining us right now on the show randy where of course you're out there fishing what are we what are we what are we hunting today randy uh i'm just out in a beautiful state of minnesota man just enjoying myself out here trying to do some business get to see the team in a couple of days but uh i'm just out here still chasing 10 right now i want some smallmouths right now so i'm more rookie of the year in the state of minnesota where it all started out man and uh it's just a great day to be out fishing you got a new show chasing 10 you're out you're fishing this is all about hunting the 10 pound bass right tell me more about the the the genesis of this show and why this is so important to you?

25:50Well, I've been fishing for quite some time. And I think when you go around the bass world talking about bass fishing, you know, the question is, what's your biggest? And I think that if you're not talking about 10 plus or better, it's really not really a conversation. so I wanted to put a show together and for the fishing fans for the football fans and me just going around the country and having different celebrities on my boat having a great time making some memories and we're going out here and see if we can catch that 10 plus pounder we're showing a

26:29Tom Pelissero:photo right now from chasing 10.com I don't know if you can see the photo to tell me how big that one is what is what is your biggest bass right now Randy uh well the thing about it is you have to watch the show. Case in 10. We have our own YouTube channel. And like I said, I have some guests. I have three deep. If you've seen some of the social media posts that we've been doing, I got the Kelsey Brothers. One of my favorite shows that I've taped thus far, I had two of the premier pass rushers in all the football on the show. One man just got paid 150 over three. And the other one is the best player, not just pass rusher, the best player in all of football.

27:15Yes, including quarterbacks, too. So, like I say, guys, I have a great show. And the thing about it is I'm talking about Rookie of the Year has a Minnesota Viking theme to it. And I think that a lot of the viewers will definitely hopefully gravitate to it and see how much fun we're having. But at the end of the day of what we're doing with this boat, I teamed up with a company out of Tennessee called Icon, and they blessed me with this boat. And the reason why I'm telling you this story is because there's a foundation out of Minnesota, CCRF, where it's a Children's Cancer Research Fund foundation for them to be able to raise money for kids and being able to help with research with cancer in this state.