- 2 days ago
Kevin Sheehan reacts to Jeremy Fowler’s comments about the Commanders being big players in the WR2 market, but likely won't sign Brandon Aiyuk even if he were to be released this offseason.
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00:00All right. So we've got a little bit of news. I guess you could call it some news. Jeremy Fowler
00:06was on with the junkies this morning and talked about a new receiver. Not that it's new in terms of
00:14conversation, in terms of what Washington may be looking for, but in terms of actual contact with said receiver, we'll
00:22get to that.
00:23He also, on ESPN yesterday, talked about Stephon Diggs and even mentioned Ayuk. This was Fowler on maybe Washington's interest
00:36in Stephon Diggs and a little bit on Brandon Ayuk as well.
00:40I do see the fit in Kansas City because it's a team that's got an established quarterback that can deal
00:46with a big personality, especially a guy that's used to getting the football who maybe would have to have a
00:52different role.
00:53And for a little context, guys in the two deep at wide receiver in Kansas City, Jimmy Holiday, Jalen Royals,
01:01Cyrus Allen, those are the names in the two deep.
01:05Remember, this is a Kansas City team that did a lot of things on the defensive side of the ball,
01:09especially in the draft.
01:11And so they've essentially said we're going to rerun it with our starting receivers from a year ago.
01:16Who knows what's going to happen with Rasheed Rice, what his availability will end up being for the entirety of
01:23the season.
01:23I think that there's value in Stephon Diggs in some role, a veteran receiver in some role, a team that's
01:30good with a quarterback that can handle him.
01:33So that's why Kansas City makes more sense than a team with a young quarterback, you know, that's just starved
01:40at wide receiver that thinks adding someone with his talent and experience is helpful.
01:44So, yeah, I think it needs to be a team like Kansas City.
01:47All right, so we're throwing out all these teams, but Jeremy, what are you actually hearing about the interest on
01:51Diggs?
01:51Yeah, Laura, I'm hearing he's going to have a market closer to training camp.
01:54I was told that at least five teams that need a wide receiver have been checking in.
01:58Now they've got to deal with some of the baggage and the headlines.
02:01They are what they are, but here's why Stephon Diggs, I'm told, is confident.
02:04He had 1,000-plus yards last year, really playing on a snap count of around 55% of the
02:09snaps, coming off an ACL.
02:11He feels he's going to be better this time around.
02:13I'm looking to the DMV, Laura.
02:15That's where he's from.
02:17Commander certainly needs a receiver.
02:18I think they're looking for more of like a speed option at this point.
02:20We'll see.
02:21There are several veterans they could look at.
02:22I don't think it's going to be Brandon Ayuk at this stage.
02:24The Baltimore Ravens, they have really made a living at times signing retread receivers, veterans who are accomplished, who are
02:32in their 30s, who can come in and help.
02:34Do me a favor, just so everybody understands.
02:36That was Tim Hasselbeck for the first minute on ESPN, talking about Diggs and him believing that the fit in
02:45Kansas City would be the right one.
02:47And then Jeremy Fowler started with, you know, he's, you know, thinking that Diggs could be, he was looking to
02:54the DMV, but they also need a speed option.
02:57This is why, for me, there may be less interest in Diggs, because they want a true vertical threat in
03:05their offense.
03:05Not that Terry can't be, because he can be, but even a more, you know, threatening vertical option at wide
03:16receiver, which is why Ayuk made sense.
03:19Now, sorry, but I, you, Max, you jumped in into my ear.
03:23Did he mention that he doesn't believe Ayuk's an option at this stage?
03:28Can you just play the Fowler portion of that again for everybody?
03:32Yeah, right back right here.
03:35All right, so we're throwing out all these teams, but Jeremy, what are you actually hearing about the interest on
03:39Diggs?
03:39Yeah, Laura, I'm hearing he's going to have a market closer to training camp.
03:42I was told that at least five teams that need a wide receiver have been checking in.
03:46Now, they've got to deal with some of the baggage and the headlines.
03:49They are what they are, but here's why Stephon Diggs, I'm told, is confident.
03:52He had 1,000-plus yards last year, really playing on a snap count of around 55% of the
03:57snaps, coming off an ACL.
03:58He feels he's going to be better this time around.
04:01Yeah, I'm looking to the DMV, Laura.
04:03That's where he's from.
04:05Commanders certainly need a receiver.
04:06I think they're looking for more of like a speed option at this point.
04:08We'll see.
04:09There are several veterans they could look at.
04:10I don't think it's going to be Brandon Ayuk at this stage.
04:12Right.
04:12And the Baltimore Ravens, they have really made a living at times signing retread receivers.
04:19Right.
04:19Veterans who are accomplished, who are in their 30s, who can come in and help.
04:21Okay, there you go.
04:23The two things from Jeremy Fowler yesterday on ESPN is that he's looking to the DMV as a possibility for
04:30Diggs.
04:31Five teams are interested.
04:34Diggs feels like he had a good season last year coming off an ACL year and didn't have even the
04:40snap counts that maybe he wanted.
04:43And then you got from Jeremy Fowler there that he doesn't think it's going to be Ayuk to Washington.
04:51Yeah, I mean, you know where I am on Ayuk.
04:53And if you don't, I'm out.
04:55I think it's a big no for me.
04:57And I would bet that the odds are tilted very heavily in the no category for Washington as well.
05:05But like I've said, with these situations, subject to change because he could go on some big, you know, contrition
05:13tour and do the, you know, adult thing, which is to get reinstated and then to approach his current employer
05:21with real representation face to face, man to man, men to men in a more professional environment than he's than
05:29he's been playing in in his sandbox over the last five to six weeks.
05:34And the opinion on him could change.
05:37These teams in this league and in every sports league, they give talent opportunities and then second chances and then
05:45third, fourth and fifth chances.
05:47So I don't think he's done from the NFL.
05:50That just doesn't sort of make sense with what we've seen historically.
05:54There have been players that have done and behaved a lot worse than Brandon Ayuk.
06:00Now he has sabotaged himself in a major way here over the last five to six weeks.
06:05I, I, we have rarely seen something so easily, uh, controllable, get out of hand from a self, uh, self
06:14-destruction standpoint, um, uh, with, with him, but things can change.
06:19Now I have not heard this Jeremy Fowler from his appearance this morning.
06:26Correct.
06:27Max on the junkies.
06:30Sorry.
06:30Say that one more time.
06:32Jeremy Fowler was on this morning with the junkies.
06:34Correct.
06:34He sure was.
06:35Okay.
06:36So let's play that.
06:37I want to hear what he said.
06:38Yeah.
06:38So I, you know, Washington is certainly on the radar for a receiver.
06:42Um, it's been hard to identify which one it's kind of been a moving target.
06:46You know, I think the Brandon Ayuk ship has failed.
06:49I think, I mean, I'll, I'll never say never.
06:52Maybe he can sort of rebuild his image here a little bit in the next few months, but it, it,
06:55it looks bigger than football at this point with some of what's going on there.
06:59So I'd be surprised if Adam Peters went that route.
07:02Um, the, the problem is in talking to some people there, I get the sense that they really would like
07:07a speed guy.
07:08You know, they got Antonio Williams and, and, uh, Lane, I believe that some of the young guys can play
07:14in the slot a little bit.
07:15And they got McLaurin who can still run, uh, but you could use another outside speed guy, but there's not
07:21much out there in free agency like digs at this stage, uh, is, I think he can still be really
07:26productive, but he's not a burner, you know?
07:28And I've heard Washington implicated to Keenan Allen a little bit over the last few weeks, but it, it sounds
07:34like nothing's going on there.
07:35So maybe that perks up, but you know, he's more of a true slot at this stage.
07:39So it's interesting.
07:40Like they've been linked to some receivers, uh, but nothing firm.
07:43So, you know, at the end, Adam Peters is still kind of operating in the shadows here.
07:47We'll see.
07:48I still think they could add somebody.
07:49Um, the digs would love to be in Washington.
07:52I mentioned Baltimore mostly just because they, that would be a wash.
07:56That would be a Baltimore signing.
07:57If on dig somebody who's been in the league, there's sort of a retread at this stage.
08:01Like they seem to lean on those kinds of receivers with Ankle and Bolden in the past and, uh, the
08:06Andre Hopkins recently.
08:08So that would fit the mold in that way.
08:10What are you?
08:11Okay.
08:11So that was Jeremy Fowler earlier this morning on with the junkies, uh, the highlights of that, you know, Washington
08:20still on the radar for a wide receiver.
08:22He believes the IUC ship has sailed.
08:25He said also what I've been saying and had just said, which is, you know, things can change.
08:30He can repair his image somehow over the next, you know, four or five, six, seven weeks and go on
08:38some sort of an apology tour and take responsibility for going scorched earth on his employer.
08:45Take some responsibility for losing $30 million to having, uh, voided, uh, guarantees to videotaping himself, breaking the law and
08:54then posting it on social media.
08:55All of the, you know, shenanigans of, of IUC, he could certainly, because he's got great talent, repair his image
09:03to, to a point in which a team would say, okay, good job.
09:06We're on board.
09:07Um, but he said at this point, he'd be surprised if AP Adam Peters goes in that directions, uh, direction.
09:16And I totally agree with him.
09:18We've talked about this for a while.
09:19I think what they're looking for is more of a vertical speed threat, you know, um, sure.
09:25Terry can be that, but they really want somebody that will make it a lot easier for everybody else, for
09:32the run game, for Chigakonkwo, uh, for Terry, for their slot receivers, somebody who can really create the kind of
09:41space, uh, on the field from the line of scrimmage going vertically.
09:45That they'd like to have, um, in their offense.
09:49And I'm not so sure that they believe that they have that digs.
09:54Isn't that anymore?
09:55I would not call him a retread at all.
09:58I don't think Stefan digs is a retread guy had, you know, over a thousand yards in receptions last year,
10:04um, with, you know, a lower target number coming off an ACL.
10:09He was the leading receiver for an offense that was good during the regular season, really struggled in the post
10:14season as we saw, but got to the Superbowl, you know, Stefan digs is not a retread, but he's not
10:21the deep threat that he used to be.
10:23I think most people view him as more of a possession guy, but he is a big time over the
10:29middle possession guy.
10:30Um, and he could easily be that number two outside guy to Terry being the number one and his speed
10:38doesn't stink.
10:39It's not like he can't run Keenan Allen's never been able to run.
10:43Keenan Allen is a big possession style target.
10:47I love Keenan Allen always been a big fan of Keenan Keenan Allen, one of the better route runners, one
10:53of the really good contested catch guys, phenomenal as a leader in locker room guy.
10:59Um, and you know, was part of the teams that Anthony Lynn coached in San Diego, um, with Phillip Rivers
11:08at quarterback.
11:09Um, so I, I don't, so that he mentioned Keenan Allen as Washington's been implicated in talks for, for Keenan
11:19Allen.
11:20We've mentioned Keenan Allen, but it's the first time I've heard that there's been any, uh, conversation between Washington and
11:27Keenan Allen.
11:28Um, yeah, uh, you know, the one name that, that is out there that was not mentioned in that conversation.
11:36And I've not heard this man's name mentioned in many conversations at this point.
11:41And that's Tyreek Hill.
11:44Now it could be because nobody's really sure what kind of, uh, shape, uh, his knee is in.
11:51He had a very serious knee injury last year.
11:53Uh, and obviously there's baggage with him too.
11:57There's baggage with digs.
11:58There's baggage with Hill.
12:00There's baggage with Iuke.
12:02Um, well, so there was about a week ago, we got a little report.
12:06It's a NFL rumors thing.
12:08Uh, but James Palmer says that Tyreek Hill may not even be cleared to play at all for the 2026
12:14season.
12:15Well, there you go.
12:15That may be the reason there isn't a lot of tying, uh, uh, to teams, um, with, uh, Tyreek Hill.
12:23Yeah.
12:23I didn't see that last week.
12:25Um, but yeah, that's, uh, that, that's the list digs Keenan Allen and, you know, Iuke at this point, I
12:36think the odds are favoring now that Washington goes into 2026 with what they have.
12:43I think that that would be the odds on favorite, not an overwhelming favorite, but a, a favorite nonetheless.
12:51Um, and then adding somebody else.
12:54And I'm talking about adding a name, like an Allen, like a, an Iuke, like a digs, uh, before the
13:00season begins, you know, I'd put that at less than 50, 50 now, man, Keenan Allen, just such a pro
13:09over the course of his career.
13:11But possession guy, you know, and who's going to be the burner, who's going to be the vertical threat.
13:18Is it going to be Jalen Lane?
13:20I don't see that.
13:22I don't personally see that.
13:24I still see, see Jalen Lane being much more of a punt returner.
13:29I, you know, and, and I look at Keenan Allen and I, and I think, and I, I talked about
13:33this with Ben yesterday.
13:35Do they view Traylon Burks as essentially what they would be getting at this point from Keenan Allen?
13:41Not that they're comparable players right now, but that they have a belief in Traylon Burks that he could become
13:46that kind of a receiver.
13:49You know, Van Jefferson, the same thing to a certain extent, you know, a little bit on the taller side,
13:55really good route runner, um, creates more separation.
13:58I think over the course of his career than maybe he's gotten credit for.
14:02And there's no doubt that the off season activity, one of the, you know, things that we kind of learned
14:09through some of the interviews with the head coach in particular is that they do and were impressed.
14:15They do like, and they were impressed with Van Jefferson.
14:18I would say right now, 60%, 58% that they go into 2026 with what they have now, Terry McLaurin,
14:33Deami Brown, Traylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, Van Jefferson, you know, some mix of that, you know, um, and Jalen Lane,
14:42uh, and Antonio Williams.
14:43I'm forgetting. So let's just say if, if there's six receivers, it's Terry, it's Antonio Williams. Those are two givens
14:50right now.
14:51Jalen Lane's a given too, because of the punt returner. Deami, I think is a given that gets to four.
14:56Burks is a given that's five.
14:57And then, you know, Van Jefferson and Luke McCaffrey, I'll just go six, seven, and just say those seven have
15:05a really good chance of making the team.
15:07Ultimately, one may get injured and be put on, um, injured reserve and we'll see how it all plays out.
15:13But that's 58% chance from my standpoint that that's what they go into the season with a 42%
15:21chance that they end up adding somebody else.
15:24And I think that the reason for that is the ship has sailed on IUC for the time being.
15:30Can you bring it back to the port? He'd have, it's all on him.
15:33You know, at this point with him, it's all about him. Is he going to do what it takes to
15:42get back into the league to affect, uh, and impact the outcome that he has talked about wanting?
15:49You know, the ball is in his court. It's not in the 49ers court. I know some of you really
15:55think it is. It isn't.
15:57There are actual, you know, uh, things out there that suggest that the 49ers are fine with this right now
16:04because it actually benefits them from a salary cap standpoint moving forward.
16:09It seems to me like the ball is in his court. Um, if anything is going to change for him,
16:17he's going to have to take action and stop running his mouth as a way to try to affect his
16:24own personal outcome.
16:25Um, he's actually going to have to take some action. He's going to have to apply for reinstatement like an
16:31adult. He's going to have to be a man and confront the 49ers in a professional way, either by himself
16:38or with representation, which would be much, uh, you know, advised. Um, he's got to make sure he's in the
16:45best shape of his life.
16:47And then he's got to consider some sort of contrition tour apology tour about the way he's handled himself and
16:54the way he's attacked people personally and professionally on social media. Um, there's always a chance with a guy that
17:03has that level of talent that you can repair this.
17:08Uh, but he has shown no indication at this point that he's willing to take action rather than continuing to
17:18pump out videos on social media.
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