00:00Nick Casario spoke to the media today.
00:02You heard it earlier on Payne and Pendergast.
00:05And he was asked about the contract situation with C.J. Stroup.
00:09Still trying to figure out what's going on there.
00:12Here was his comments with that.
00:14As it pertains to C.J., yeah, I mean, kind of similar to what I said there in training camp.
00:18You know, we've had productive discussions.
00:19I would say the reality is we'll be able to get it figured out before the season starts.
00:23And if we don't get it figured out before the season starts,
00:25then there's something we address in the offseason.
00:27So, you know, whenever it happens, it happens.
00:29All right.
00:31In his own way, he kind of put a deadline there, right?
00:34Like, in his own way, if it doesn't happen before the season,
00:38this will be something that they'll look at in the offseason, right?
00:42Well, he got pressed on it a little bit later in the press conference,
00:45and I think he kind of changed his tune a bit and said, you know,
00:48well, we've had some contracts pop in the regular season.
00:53And anyway, he kind of just talked around at the elbow and then went back to,
00:56well, when it works itself out, it'll work itself out.
00:58So, he did soften his stance on that in-season, that potential in-season negotiation
01:04or in-season contract extension.
01:07He's done it before, but I don't believe they will in-season this sucker.
01:11Well, where I was, like, I mean, maybe he can't say it,
01:14but, like, I expected Nick Cassero to say, look, guys,
01:17we're talking about a franchise quarterback here.
01:20We're talking about $50 to $60 million here.
01:23This isn't something that we just – it's a little different than your position player
01:28that's a veteran getting slightly above veteran minimum or something.
01:32You know, this is a different animal here, different decision that has to be made.
01:35This changes the course of everything else we want to do.
01:37Yeah, yeah, it's a complete – yeah, great point.
01:41It's a complete change of roster construct, if you will, moving forward.
01:45So, I don't know if that's something that can be done in-season.
01:49But, nonetheless, at least they're saying that there's conversations being had.
01:54Yeah.
01:54I don't think, Clint – I don't know – I mean, I guess you'd give it a chance
01:58saying they're having productive conversations.
02:01But I don't think they're going to get something done in the next 12 days.
02:05From his initial comments.
02:07I'll be surprised.
02:08Guys, I guess you don't say never to anything or nothing
02:13or it'll never happen to anything.
02:15The likelihood is very, very low that before Buffalo in 12 days
02:19that they get something done.
02:21I mean, it could happen that they get something done.
02:24Because to the point you're making, Clint, if you look at it, it is –
02:28I mean, he's got to jump over Josh Allen to get a deal right now.
02:33And between Mahomes, who's at $64 million a year, Dak, who's at $60 million,
02:38and then it drops to Josh, Burrow, Lawrence, Love, and Stafford,
02:43all at $55 million.
02:44He's got – he would have to go above that to even sign.
02:48And I'll be honest with you, Clint.
02:50I know you're – I think we've talked – your thought –
02:52you would think he's probably got to be at least at Dak,
02:54if not probably maybe jumping Dak at 60-61 to sign right now.
03:00Well, a lot of people balk at the conversation,
03:03and I understand when it involves Pat Mahomes or Dak Prescott
03:07or Josh Allen or Joe Burrow or Matthew Stafford.
03:11But to me, I look at the guys like Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love
03:15that are on this particular list that you have here,
03:18as well as like the Tua situation before he –
03:21the bottom fell out of that in Miami.
03:24I look at those, and we're talking two or three years ago
03:27these guys got 55, right?
03:28Right, and that's the one where –
03:31Dak is now up to two years ago when he got 60.
03:33Yeah, yeah.
03:34So, I mean, you're talking about quarterbacks that CJ –
03:39like, they don't care how much you like or dislike CJ.
03:42Like, CJ is on the same tier.
03:46Let's say this.
03:47If you get to a point where you're considering writing that big of a check
03:51or a monster check for CJ Stroud, he's going to be on the tier.
03:54They're at or above Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence and those.
04:00Damn sure at or above where those guys were two years ago, right?
04:04And so, I just – I mean, I think you're 55-plus all day, every day,
04:09and twice on Sunday, and I just don't think the organization is in a spot
04:13where they're ready to pull that trigger right now.
04:14Yeah, and I'll be honest with you, I don't know that CJ Stroud
04:18is going to play well enough or have the opportunity to play well enough
04:22in this offense for them to ever feel great about $55-60 million
04:27for a quarterback because it means changing their entire approach
04:31to building a roster.
04:32And to the point you made, if there was a potential of between 55 –
04:36I would say $56-60 million on the table, CJ had been out here
04:41just rolling every day.
04:43Absolutely.
04:44You know, he'd been on the field.
04:45He'd been a chance to get hit, hurt every day
04:48if that was realistically on the table.
04:52Right, and again, like, because I see some people talking about
04:54no way he should get over Josh Allen.
04:56Well, hell, there's no way that Dak Prescott should get $5 million
04:58more than Josh Allen.
05:00We don't even – this list I have right now is the top seven.
05:04And, I mean, Lamar's not even on the list.
05:06And then nobody thinks Trevor should get more.
05:09It's not – with the exception of – hell, Mahomes was 12th
05:13the last couple of years.
05:15Exception of that, like, it's just more about, all right,
05:18that contract was signed a couple years ago.
05:20The cap has gone up every single year, and this is your time.
05:25Bam.
05:26Right?
05:27Like, so, yeah, again, I don't – as you said,
05:30I don't see them making a 56 to 61 million per year decision
05:37over the next 12 days or over the next – if they hadn't done it by now.
05:41Yeah.
05:42Yeah, I think the bigger question, and to me the more realistic question,
05:47is as the year unfolds and CJ plays, obviously he has to have a year
05:53where there's no big moment come-aparts, obviously,
05:56and the bigger moments throughout the regular season and the playoffs.
05:58But, you know, is there a bigger – is there a one-year body of work
06:04short of winning a Super Bowl for the quarterback
06:07that can put them in a position where they're willing to –
06:10not comfortable with, but they're willing to spend that percent
06:14of the entire salary cap on one player.
06:19That's one offensive player.
06:21Anyway, that is the question.
06:22That's the bigger, probably more accurate question about CJ Stroud,
06:28is what does he have to do and can he get it done
06:31in a Nick Caley offense with this identity?
06:33Yeah.
