00:00All right, joining me right now, my good friend John Keim from ESPN at John underscore Keim on X.
00:08John's got a podcast, the John Keim Report, and of course you can read him and his coverage of this
00:14team.
00:15So we can do a more in-depth conversation as we approach the end of camp or the beginning of
00:23the regular season,
00:23but let's focus on digs here.
00:25How did it happen?
00:27How did it come together?
00:29So they've been talking to him for a while, and I don't use words like monitoring, but it's the same
00:36thing, right?
00:37You know what's going on.
00:39So they've definitely had interest for a while.
00:42For a long time, it certainly seemed like digs may be a little bit more costly than what they want
00:49to spend,
00:50but there was another guy that they thought might be here.
00:53This is a few months ago, right, with Brandon Ayuk.
00:55But they stayed in touch with digs.
00:57They knew he wanted to be here, and I know certainly over the last month you would think that this
01:04got a little bit more realistic,
01:06a lot more realistic.
01:07And I knew earlier this week that there was definite optimism that this would occur.
01:12So I think it's a combination of things.
01:14I don't think they were looking at anybody else.
01:17Certainly nobody else that was free because nobody else really made sense for them.
01:21And so it's a natural fit, man.
01:25He wanted to be here.
01:26They needed another guy, and they finally got it done.
01:31And so here we are.
01:33We did this the last time we talked, which I think was on radio, but we both understood that eight
01:41weeks ago,
01:42we'll go back to pre-the video series on social media with Brandon Ayuk,
01:46that that was a definite possibility until he started the video series.
01:55But I just want to make sure that we had ruled it out a week ago when we talked.
02:02I mean, now it's absolutely ruled out, correct?
02:05Yeah.
02:05I mean, listen, everything I always hear is, well, you can never say never.
02:10Of course.
02:11And I think in this, so...
02:12But 27 maybe, not 26.
02:16Right, right, right, right, right, right.
02:17It wouldn't make sense.
02:18Like, there's...
02:19Yeah, it just...
02:20Honestly, man, like, I'd want a lot of distance between last month and anything beyond that.
02:27So if I were them, you know, I just...
02:29I just...
02:30I don't know...
02:31You don't need to invite that into anything right now.
02:35I just...
02:35I think they're in a good spot.
02:37I think they're in a really good spot.
02:40And I think that would be the thing.
02:42But yeah, the phrase I would always hear is, never say never.
02:46But, you know, it would represent a dramatic change.
02:53Yeah.
02:53Is it fair to say, with this signing, that while they've been telling us that they're completely
03:00pleased with what they have, and, you know, essentially implying they're willing to go
03:05into the season with what they have, that they weren't?
03:11Well, I think...
03:12So there's two things here.
03:14They liked the room.
03:15I don't think that was...
03:16I don't think that at all was insincere.
03:19The room is better than it was in terms of the depth.
03:21It's better than last year.
03:22So you can like that part like you likely have.
03:25Clearly, they wanted something a little bit more.
03:28Because they've looked for it all offseason, right?
03:31You know, Alec Pierce, they would have been able to sign him.
03:34You know, Dobbs, they ran him.
03:35I mean, possibly Carnell Tate if he had fallen to seven.
03:38So my point is, like, while you can say, like...
03:42And I don't...
03:43You know, again, you can like that room and realize that there's a little bit more that
03:49you need.
03:50And I think that's where they were always at.
03:52Because, again, they monitored him.
03:54I think sometimes, too, like, you know, get in here and see what you have.
03:57Like, what if you...
03:59If you remember, like, when Terry McCorn was a rookie, you knew he was going to be really
04:03good.
04:03You just saw it in practice.
04:04Like, I don't remember too many rookies, certainly after the first round, you come in and say,
04:10like, wow, that kid's going to be good.
04:11But you saw it.
04:12So maybe you see something like that from, like, a Williams or something like that.
04:15And you're like, okay, maybe you don't need to go out and do something.
04:19But I know, like, this was always an option.
04:22They had always been looking for something more.
04:25And so I think, like I said, while you can like it, you liked it.
04:28I mean, the depth is better.
04:29Like, look at what they have now compared to what they had last year.
04:32The guys that they were bringing in off, you know, from the practice run last year compared
04:36to now.
04:37It's just ridiculous.
04:38So you like that, but you knew you needed more.
04:41The deal ends up being reportedly from Adam Schefter, right?
04:46A one-year, $13 million deal.
04:49Are you hearing that Diggs, that the holdup on money may have just been years?
04:53He wanted another year?
04:55I'm not positive on that.
04:57So I don't know.
04:58Listen, man, what would make sense, right?
05:01If you, it's almost always that.
05:03And he hasn't been a one-year guy.
05:05So that would make sense, right?
05:07But I don't know that for certain.
05:09All right.
05:11What version of Stefan Diggs do you think the team is getting at this point in his career?
05:17Good question.
05:18Listen, I don't, listen, man, like, is he going to be the guy who was a pro bowler a few
05:22years?
05:23That'd be, he's going to be 33.
05:26Like, there's a natural de-evolution of a player's game, right?
05:31Like, we always see that.
05:32But I think what you need to get from him is be a solid target for Jaden.
05:38You know what I mean?
05:39Give someone else good opposite Terry McCorn.
05:42The difference for Diggs here is he doesn't have to be the guy.
05:46That's Terry.
05:47You know, I think for him, can you come here and be, like, if he came here and caught 60,
05:5365 passes, that's pretty good.
05:55That'd be really good for them.
05:57You know what I mean?
05:57Like, so be that guy and be a guy that you can rely on, you know, be more than just
06:02a
06:03possession, you know, like, you just say, okay, you're just a guy who's catching.
06:06No, you can do a little bit more.
06:08And, you know, he's coming off a year where he averaged, I think it was like 4.1 after
06:13the catch, which is like his best since 2019.
06:16He had like 20.7% of his catches were for 20 plus.
06:21That was one of his better year, you know, numbers in recent years.
06:24So there's still some things you can do, but like, you get into the situations.
06:28Red zone, seven touchdown catches the last two years out of 14 catches overall.
06:33Like, help them in those areas.
06:35Be a solid guy opposite McCorn.
06:37And if something happens to McCorn, can you be that guy for a few games?
06:41And here, the other thing, like, when you look at his numbers last year, he had like
06:45five 100-yard games, but he had a lot of games, like, I think everything else was under
06:5070.
06:50So it's not like there was this, you know, it was like, hey, you're capable of some
06:54really good games, but maybe in other games you're going to be a solid guy here, here,
06:58and here.
06:59You know what I mean?
07:00And that's, they would take that, I mean, that's, that'd be a good thing for them.
07:04This is the best guy that Terry's played alongside.
07:06Oh, no doubt.
07:08Yeah, you're right.
07:09Yeah, I pointed out, too, for Diggs, what's really interesting is other than the eight games
07:13he played in Houston with Nico Collins, he's never been anything but the number one.
07:20And this will be a new spot for him to be in.
07:24And he did say a few weeks ago, I'd be the best number two in the league.
07:30I do think it'll be interesting.
07:32I think most people will view it.
07:34It doesn't need to be viewed in this context really anymore.
07:37I mean, the NFL seems to be moving towards positionless football like basketball has.
07:42But, you know, Terry's the number one, and Diggs is the number two in this offense.
07:48Yeah.
07:48Yeah.
07:50Automatically.
07:51Yeah.
07:52They didn't solve a challenge that I think they wanted to solve in this offseason, and
07:59I think you obviously have talked about this a lot as well.
08:02And that is a true vertical speed threat.
08:06You know, Pierce could have been that.
08:07Ayuk could have been that.
08:09But my question is, because they haven't solved that true vertical stretch the defense speed
08:18threat, are they done at wide receiver?
08:24I don't know that you're ever done, are you?
08:26Like, what if somebody else good becomes available and he's like, hey, this guy would help.
08:29Like, you can't be done.
08:30You know what I mean?
08:31So, I think sort of something else popping up that was unexpected, you know, but who
08:38knows what happens in final cuts, et cetera, who might come free that, like, oh, this guy
08:43could help just because of his speed.
08:46That we'll see.
08:47Like, maybe there's a guy at the midseason.
08:49I don't know.
08:49But I don't think they're...
08:51Listen, man, you're 5-12.
08:53You should never be done.
08:54Yeah.
08:55Right?
08:55So, I don't think they're...
08:56I don't think they're done, but I don't know that...
08:59I don't think he can...
08:59There's nobody on the open market right now that would be...
09:02That's going to be coming in here.
09:04No, the suggestion that a guy like Kayshaun Booty could be available in New England because
09:09of Dobbs, because of A.J. Brown, because of the depth they all of a sudden have...
09:13I mean, he's been...
09:13But that's been true since...
09:17For how long?
09:18Like...
09:18I know.
09:19But New England, there's no urgency post-draft to do it.
09:25We'll see what happens in camp if they got to the point where they were interested in it.
09:30And I don't know that New England would be doing that, and I don't know what his value
09:35would be, but, you know, I don't know.
09:38I think...
09:40I just...
09:40I don't...
09:42I think they feel pretty good.
09:44I think they feel pretty good right now.
09:46But, yeah, like, could you claim Booty is a guy that you can get down the field, right?
09:51Yeah, definitely.
09:52But, you know, what's the cost?
09:54What's the cost?
09:54And, you know, then...
09:55I know there's a lot of things with that one.
09:58I would...
09:58Okay.
09:59I don't know that right now.
10:00I see that, but it's definitely not something I've heard.
10:04I do know that from the time that they signed those guys that his name kept popping up and
10:08nothing has ever happened.
10:09The other thing, too, is to see, okay, now that you have this guy, and they say, yes, you
10:14definitely still could, you definitely still like something else that's more explosive.
10:18How does this offense help you get there as well with now with what you have?
10:23Because Terry can still be that guy.
10:26Oconquo, a tight end, can be a guy at that position that gives you some of that.
10:30Can you get more of that?
10:31That's the thing we'll have to see.
10:32And if you don't, and maybe Booty's available down the road, then maybe something like that
10:37would make sense.
10:39Whose chances did he hurt the most of making the team?
10:47I'd say right now, probably Van Jefferson.
10:52But that's just...
10:54Because I look at it like, obviously you've got Terry Diggs and then Antonio Williams.
11:02Jan Lane is a really good punt returner.
11:05So, Diami, they like Diami, and Trey Burks has had a good start to camp.
11:10And Luke McCaffrey has made some plays in camp, like he, you know...
11:15Plus he's a kickoff returner.
11:16A kickoff returner in these special teams.
11:19But there's a lot that they like.
11:20Whether or not people think, like, he should do more having been a third-round pick, they
11:26do like what he gives them now.
11:29I mean, you'd want...
11:29Listen, we all know, like, if you've been getting more out of the position, you don't
11:34have to make these moves.
11:35But you're not.
11:36But he still has value for them.
11:39And so, like, when you...
11:40I mean, how many receivers are you going to keep?
11:42If you wanted to keep Van, that's number eight.
11:44But he's also a guy that he does have some speed.
11:47I know.
11:47So we're talking about that.
11:48And he's a...
11:49I've been telling people, they like him because he's a pro's pro.
11:55This guy does everything well.
11:58Right.
11:59And so, like, I say that, and then I think, well, maybe not.
12:02Yeah.
12:02Because of those.
12:04Like, he does offer something that you don't have.
12:09And so you always look for those kind of guys, too.
12:11But, like, are you really going to keep eight?
12:13You know, maybe there's a trade in there at some point.
12:17I don't know.
12:18You know?
12:18Can I tell you what I threw out in the open?
12:21Sure.
12:21Yeah.
12:22San Francisco needs receivers desperately.
12:26Luke McCaffrey to San Francisco for a pick.
12:30And who's going to return kickoffs?
12:31You've got options.
12:33You've got Jeremy McNichols.
12:36You've got...
12:37Well, you've got...
12:38Listen, Rashad White.
12:39Rashad White.
12:40You've got Bill.
12:41Bill could do it.
12:42You've got Bill.
12:43You can have Antonio Williams can do it.
12:45Right.
12:45So, I mean, he hasn't...
12:46I don't think he did it in college.
12:47He did a punt.
12:48Yeah.
12:49But, you know, they're going to work him in there.
12:51Like, they're going to see...
12:53Listen, Luke can do that.
12:55We're not talking about Brian Mitchell.
12:57No.
12:58No.
12:58But he was pretty good last year.
13:00It's a different kickoff return, obviously, than we've ever...
13:03I'm not taking anything away from it.
13:04Yeah.
13:04My point is, like, we're not...
13:06We're, you know, perspective.
13:07And so, like, if he makes the team, this is what it is.
13:10But could you see value somewhere like that?
13:13Like, I mean, I think you're going to...
13:15Because I could see that.
13:17Because I think each one of these guys can make a case for belonging on the roster.
13:22You're the best.
13:23I know you're busy.
13:24I appreciate you doing this.
13:25We'll talk in a few weeks before, you know, they wrap up camp.
13:28Thanks.
13:29All right, Kevin.
13:30Look forward to it.
13:30Thanks.
13:31John Kime, everybody.
13:35John Kime, everybody.
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