NFL Analyst Chris Simms | Joe Burrow Is Back and The Bengals are the Biggest Threat in the AFC

NFL Analyst Chris Simms | Joe Burrow Is Back and The Bengals are the Biggest Threat in the AFC

great decision to join in the trenches with Dave lapen brought to you by first star Logistics coming to you from outstanding new Studios and building because Chris Sims is our guest and I know you’ve probably had the opportunity to listen to and watch Chris Sims before and this guy gets it I mean he is a football fishing a his entire life has been the game of football he has something to say and says it very well and we talked to Chris Sims about Joe burrow and his recovery we also talked about OTAs mini camps uh that sort of thing uh we talked about the draft we talked about the schedule we covered a lot of ground Chris Sims can’t throw him any curveballs he’s ready for all of it Chris Sims will definitely give you some Pearls of Wisdom enjoy [Music] well you made a great decision today to join us in the trenches with Dave LA and brought to you by first star Logistics and again coming to you from our new building new digs new studio new everything got one of my all-time favorite football guys people in general his dad Phil Sims said to me where do you talk to my son this dude he knows football man so then playing at University of Texas I talked to m brown a little production meeting he goes where do you talk to my quarterback this guy knows football man this is a football guy then I meet Chris Sims and we’re talking football guy man not only a great player coach for a bit did did a little bit every now in the broadcast world I mean you’ve hit every phase of uh you can just about a football and part of that uh first family of football The Sims Family welcome my man oh thanks for having me you always been great to me Dave I appreciate that you know you said a lot of lies there to introduce me and I appreciate that I will say I’m a football guy that’s one thing for sure football knowing the game knowledge of the game talking to people I never get exhausted of that uh so that that’s real and uh enjoy doing it with you it’s a great new studio I like the look it looks great like look great background I love the white Bangals helmet there you go uh you know I was one a few years ago that was a little with the Bangals like I don’t know maybe they should change their uniforms maybe they need a new look to change the Vibes or whatever and now Joe Burrow’s there and I’m like well it’s a cool uniform I like it I don’t know it seems Championship caliber so it’s funny how one guy can change your thoughts on something like that I’m telling you it it really is and and I I just came from uh an organized team activity workout and man Chris he’s he’s throwing it pretty darn good I mean that that wrist injury I he’s putting he’s putting some zip on that football he’s putting it where he wants to put it and I think you know having played the position I think what he’s yourself I mean I mean I think what he’s looking at now is just the repetition the endurance all that kind of thing you know he hasn’t when you haven’t done anything for four months that you’ve done you know pretty much your whole life four months is a long time yeah I’ll tell you he looks sharp yeah listen like you said I don’t care what you are who you are whatever yeah you don’t do anything for yeah four or five months you know it’s not always easy to just get back doing it at a 100% and feeling that same way but you know Joe I know Joe he’s obsessive compulsive in a good way way and he’s always looking for ways to be more efficient throw the ball better better ways to train whatever I’ve had a lot of conversations about him you know he’s the perfect example of guy you talk about where hey it’s not perfect when he came out of college throwing the football but he’s a natural thrower and if he’ll work at it and maybe correct one or two things mechanically he can change and you know as you know as he’s told me his arm is much stronger now than it was when he got into the NFL there’s no doubt about that his he’s got one issue in his career because he’s almost the perfect quarterback and that’s just availability and that’s what we’re all hoping for for him this year is that he could find that right formula and get a little lucky to where something crazy doesn’t happen to him training camp and he can play that full season and have a great off season leading into a season because I feel like every year of his career is Battle through the first five or six weeks whether it’s injury bad protection whatever and then he figures it out and at the end of the year we’re going is he the best quarterback in football he might be I hope he can hit it you know full steam ahead this year yeah boy he really worked so hard uh not only rehabbing the wrist but working out in general I mean he put on about a good 10 or 15 pounds of muscle mess man he’s he’s uh he’s looking stoked there’s no question I think it’s the way to go I think it’s the way to go I I when I was doing pro football talk with Florio and the first time we got to see Joe on the you know the first phase of OTAs or workouts or whatever that was the first thing I said I said man he looks bigger and I think it’s probably the better thing for him as long as you’re doing it the right way listen he’s plenty athletic he can move well I don’t think he’s putting on bad weight I know what kind of guy he is he’s doing it the right way and he’ll still be as mobile as he needs to be and the big thing is maybe this extra weight just gives him a little armor when you know you got big Ravens and Steelers guys hitting you all the time so I know uh you know you’re a you’re a quarterback Guru and you’re a draft fishion you’re you’re a little bit of everything my man what what did you think of the Bengals draft in its entirety they had 10 picks you know teams called him and talked about making trades either up or down but they they felt like it it uh the value wasn’t there to make moves and they they felt like the best thing to do is stay and make some picks and as always everybody’s board’s different so everybody says boy from the fifth round on man do we get some value we get guys we had rated a whole round higher or two rounds higher right but but overall how do you think think they did in their draft really well like definitely one of the teams that I think won the draft you know I’m not going to say it was like the number one team but like when I had to do my Monday podcast the weekend after the draft right and it was unpack the draft team by team and give me the teams that you really thought knocked it out of the park the Bangals are one of the teams that I brought up on that short list of teams that I thought really did a great job I mean one I think is the quality of players and then when you get quality of players anded to address the need of the football team you know I you’re a guy like me a football guy I know it’s never going to be perfect but I just go damn that’s that’s two things bam bam that are big right there wait he’s a good player and you needed that position you got it and so when you go the all offensive lineman I love the Mims Mims was uh my third rated tackle I mean ready to go NFL pass protection you know whether he can play this year and they can find some way to get all these big damn tackles you got on the field somehow someway I hope so if not it’s for the future and it’s for depth this year you got Trent Brown who’s been hurt a lot right Miss time last year doesn’t always finish the season so at least even if he doesn’t if they don’t get him all on the field you got a little flexibility there Chris Jenkins Pro ready too right away right off the bat you know got a chance to be around him a little bit uh early on in the college football season because I announced the game for for uh uh peacock on Michigan Y and uh I mean you know first off Michigan guy standup kid got all his stuff together loves the game right damn good player one of my things I said about him coming out in the draft was yeah maybe not a superstar not a lot of oh my gosh wow plays wow this but there’s never bad plays and he’s very versatile in the middle there and the things he can do I think that’s what I like and then I think you got maybe one of the steals of the draft in round three and Germaine Burton I I do believe that like Burton is one of those guys where it just bad timing bad luck if he’s on Alabama three years ago with all the first round receivers and maybe a tua or Bryce young he’s goingon to be a first round receiver everyone’s gonna go oh my gosh look at this he had 1500 yards receiving he’s so awesome you know but they they weren’t very good at throwing the ball at Alabama milro is getting used to being a quarterback and not so much a runner and I think that affected you know maybe how Burton was looked at but I think instant impact there and then just unpack the rest of it the tight end from Iowa the athletic tight end from Arizona and I like that deep tackle from Texas A&M so you know not I’m always big on the first three picks because I always go those are the ones that can really have influence the first year but damn I I like the depth and some of the other guys that they got that you know are going to contribute in the future as well I’ll tell you watching uh Burton down there again today at the uh workout that I that I went to th this kid can run yes he can yeah and not only can he can he flat run he he was tutored by TJ hush bz who is a very very effective route Runner and TJ’s uh Secret Sauce was you know decelerating accelerating uh sinking the hips and coming out of cuts differently every 10 yard out was run differently you know he never had never made it look like the same route and this kid is pretty advanced in his route running and you’re like you’re talking about Alabama and Georgia to average 18 yards per uh catch during the there and 20 yards in a season in the SEC I mean yeah right this I think he’s gonna be I would be surprised if they don’t say look learn the slot first you’re gonna be in the slot and you’re gonna have Higgins and you gon have Chase and you’re GNA get opportunity in the slot and then maybe broaden the Horizon and okay kick outside and all that but man make him a slot receiver from Jump Street I think he’s going to shine do you agree I agree I agree I think you know you know one going to Alabama being there you said all the right things I mean there tons of NFL players he’s going against right big play threat didn’t get all the the the receptions you’d love because the offense wasn’t that way they ran they ran quarterback design run take a shot down the field and he can run by you to your point but yeah I think he’s the ultimate day one slot receiver one he’s got a great build right I mean you you know the legs the butt he’s got a little bit of like a running back type of body playing wide receiver that I that I love because it just it’s conducive to the physicality of the NFL in the middle of the field and breaking arm tackles and of course changing directions on a fly and I I think you’re saying it right that was the thing I liked about him in the draft not only quick route running you know can stick his foot in the ground make sharp breaks but I think he’s got plenty of pure speed and strength to thrive if Higgins does leave next year after the franchise tag year and and be a a real threat on the outside be a great one-w punch with Jamar Chase in the future was a great pick I really is I I love that pick I love Mims right uh I think Mims has a chance to be a really special pass protection offensive tackle um but yeah those two really really caught my eye when when the Bango got them and and the thing that uh I’ve heard the coaches talk about already is is Burton and Mims both of them have uh a mind that absorbs Concepts and football very very quickly they’ve got good football IQ they’re not only intelligent you know raw intelligence but they get the football intelligence and uh and Burton they say he’s he’s really really sharp uh picking things uh picking things up like that and I think you made a great point I remember you said the same thing about Jamar Chase look at the lower body in this guy he’s like a running back man and look how people fall off him you know just like you make the point there and and I just I just think man they’re gonna have they’re going to have a quality uh room in that wide receiver position as again definitely you couped that with what you got at the tight end position right hopefully the old line can hit the ground you know playing a little better quality early on in the season I’m excited about the running back you got you got there and brown and what he showed last year I I you know again I know there’s no you know Tyler Boyd and all that but in some ways I look at it with the rookie and go I don’t know with brown at running back and and uh and and our man Burton here at wide receiver I’m not sure the Bengals offense might be more explosive and more scary with this group as far as big plays are concerned and that’s no disrespect to to Joe Mixon who I think the world of and think is a hell of a player but I don’t think Joe mixon’s at the point of his career where he can catch a screen and go 70 yards for a touchdown and the BR Chase Brown can and that excites me in that offense when you especially you got a quarterback and a system and receivers that that Joe burrow can throw the ball down the field too I agree with you about Eric all the tight end they took with the 115th pick the four I mean the kid he’s he’s right now he’s recovering from that knee yeah operation he had so he’s he’s on the side in the rehab part of it but he’s looking pretty good I mean he’s doing a lot of things at a pretty high level but man I look at his lower trunk I look at his legs I look at his hind quarter man he’s put together now and I’m not saying he’s got some upper body stuff but man he’s put together the where you want to be put together in the NFL for a tight end I mean I’m impressed with this kid physically tight end you I don’t I don’t think if he has the injury he’s drafted much higher in the draft and if there was a short list of guys where I said mid- round picks or whatever that could surprise or jump out to the NFL world in the first two years because of the athleticism he has yeah it’d be it’d be this guy go oh yeah you you want a you want a fifth or sixth rounder that you think might pop off the screen here in the next two years and go where the hell did this guy come from Eric all would be on that list of guys I’d throw out there in that type of combo and they they had him the Bengals had him as a as a 3A a high third round draft pick you know so I mean they they they felt like there was tremendous value when you know they took a tight end like you said they take a couple of defensive tackles uh Chris Jenkins and McKinley Jackson one in the second round and one in the with the second third round pick that they had both of these guys you talked about Jenkins a captain at Michigan I mean he’s the cream of the cream you know definitely Captain Michigan McKinley Jackson two-time captain at Texas A&M and you know a 330 pound guy you know that uh has got some athleticism he can kind of get small when he needs to exactly and and do some things so I mean what what do you think about uh that tandem Shoring up an area where they need to address after DJ rer went to Detroit yeah yeah I mean that you knew that was going to be an issue reader as good as he is right you got some young guys and so I mean some play you got Carter right BJ Hill that are still on the inside who I think are damn good football players but Jenkins like we said is day one ready and really again I mean so was McKinley you know you kind of said it a minute to go I mean SEC guys are always ready especially in the interior part of the line I mean the SEC and the Big 10 I feel like they’re the only two conferences that play football the way you and I know to play football or grew up playing football you know so that’s what I love about that McKinley I mean 326 330 whatever he is yeah he’s pretty stout and can hold his but like you said he’s athletic he could shoot gaps he can create a little chaos right so I think with the group they got there they got a a chance to you know give you different looks different alignments situational football they got a little versatility there I think that’s what’s exciting about the group they got there let alone you know between Carter and these two guys we’re talking about right here in the draft you got young guys that you don’t got to worry about anything there at that position for a few years you know you made uh mention of the fact that Burton working working against guys in the SEC in practice is is it that’s that’s that’s a fact I mean that’s that’s you know getting pushed at a high level in practice and that’s one of the things that the Bengals organizationally liked about Mims you know he had his he only played started you know eight games uh but they looked at the tapes of him at practice and the years he was there they had five guys in their defensive line that were first round draft picks and he’s working against these guys every day in practice and holding his own more than holding his own zone so they look at that and some of these other guys from the SEC you’re talking about in the big and it’s like well I tell you what we got some football players here Jaylen Carter Jordan Davis Nolan Smith Trayvon Walker I mean damn Germaine Johnson who went to Florida State he was there at Georgia before he transferred you said it a few minutes ago you know I mean I don’t doubt those things you you know I know when it when you’re in Alabama with Sabin or a Georgia with Kirby Smart I mean yeah they’re not running a band camp there they’re not learning how to play the fluke you know it’s football on you all the time and you’re it’s as close and I think you throw Michigan in that mix there it’s as close as you get to co NFL football and the way practices are run the competition the attention to detail the physicality all of that uh you know I think those three teams probably stand Above the Rest in that department and yeah you know you’re getting something there like when I was playing right in those days days everybody of course like Nick Sabin guys but the other guy was uran Meyer right because Urban Meyer the Florida state the Florida kids were going to be tough you know bich used to love them he knew he could yell at them and practice and they’d be okay and they were going to work and do all that and the other one was Greg shano at Ruckers coaches love the Ruckers kids because shano being an old school Jersey guy got coached by a guy that got coached by Vince lardy went to my high school yeah you know know those kids are they’re ready for a little bit of you know few bumps in the road the coach yelling at them having to deal with a little adversity and turmoil and that usually translate to to good things in the NFL Alabama Sabin Michigan Harbaugh both guys have NFL head coaching experience Harbor’s back in the NFL now I mean it’s your your point is so well taken I mean th th those kids uh it won’t be like whoa they they won’t be taken back they won’t be stunned they won’t be widey they’ll be like yeah this another day at the office yes that’s right uh so uh real later a lot later in the draft in the seventh round um they or sixth round they get this Eric Johnson kid and and I’m I’m looking at him uh and he’s he’s got some size out of Old Miss he ran a 463 and a 38 inch vertical jump I mean this kid he’s got some raw athleticism I think the only thing with him as you watch him in his get off he’s a little measured you know it’s like I don’t want to screw this up it’s almost like coaches got on them so badly about look make sure you hit this Gap respon make sure you take care of your responsibility do your job you know don’t don’t uh improvise don’t and I think that athleticism maybe got you know put in the Box a little bit and I think now he has to unleash at some but I think man with with the with that kind of athletic ability this kid could turn out to be a a decent Prospect I I I don’t doubt that they’re the kind of kid you take chances on later on in the draft because you go wait you know the plays not perfect I want more I wish there was a little more intensity he’d laid it on the line a little bit more physicality whatever else but you go wait we got a defensive coach who knows how to talk to guys in lumo and kind of get that stuff out of them you know and put the old hot poker next to their butt a little bit like every player needs in their career at some point and that you know that that’s what I like about that that’s what I that’s what to me the end of the end of the draft is wait let’s find some guys here that we think have some real tangible physical tools that maybe can turn into something and I think that’s what you got here and I think you’re kind of saying it the right way it’s a guy that maybe he’s handcuffed or just doesn’t quite know what he is or what he can be and do he showed that confidence there but you see little glimmers of it here and there to go whoa you know that move oh that’s explosive and of course had a great combine to go along with it that opened up eyes so right yeah I mean again not a guy you expect to contribute maybe this year but a guy that they go you know next year in free agency we go oh man the Bengals lost some defense ends and they who who’s GNA step up and we go oh man well they know they got this guy coming up the ranks that’s maybe why they let somebody go we’ll see where it goes but he’s certainly the type of guy I would take a shot on late in the draft you know you made a great Point uh Chris as you do you know multiple times just about everything you say is a great point but I mean last year eight picks all eight made the team all eight had a role and in some cases they expanded the role they have a role in mind for all 10 of these guys that they selected maybe it’s practice squad potentially or whatever but they feel like they’ve got somebody in every single selection that like you said a need as well as boy there’s value here and and that let’s let’s develop that let’s work with that wouldn’t shock me if almost all ten of them if not all 10 you know rostered somehow and I’m talking about practice squad as well right right well you know hey there’s a reason the Bangals are who they are right now you know I I I I I think Mr Brown has a very good eye for talent I do think that and then I think when you got a guy like Zack Taylor right and and Luen aruma kind of Manning down the offense and the defense both there things are well thought out I mean they know what they want to do on both sides of the ball they know the type of player that listen to their scheme and how they can make it work and they’re realistic too about expectations I think that’s the important thing it’s not just like oh we got a new toy we got to throw him out there well sometimes you do that and that ruins guys you know you got to find a way like you know like you just talked about with the Cedric Johnson where hey we got to build him back up let’s just find one thing he’s good at at first give him a little confidence so he can feel good walking on the field and then we’ll give him a next thing and then go hey look there’s two things you’re amazing at let’s be awesome at three but that’s what the good organizations do they draft they develop and then from time to time you can’t always fill in all the holes you spend a little money in free agency and fill in the holes that way you know I the draft isn’t sexy necessarily for the Bengals it’s say you know like the one of these sexy drafts but they take an offensive lineman in the first round with their first pick they take another offensive lineman Matt Lee 51 college starts at Miami Florida yeah you know nasty yeah may not be the biggest guy in the world but he finishes man right and he’s got an anchor even though it’s a low smaller anchor he does have an anchor and he he’s athletic so they take the two linemen on on offense beginning and end they take the two defensive line we talk about in the second and and second pick in the third round and then they address you know skill positions in the middle I I tell you I just thought it was a pretty darn effective draft and I thought too I don’t know about you Chris but a lot of people that I talk to it’s like oh this uh this year’s draft that just took place from pick 70 to maybe pick 150 there’s not a huge swing man there’s a lot of talent in those picks from 70 to 150 and I think that’s where the Bengals made made a little bit of hay with some good picks made you’re right there was different phases to this draft and through there there was a lot of players to be had well what we saw in the first round is basically most of the NFL thought there was like 22 first round picks that’s really what it was and there was a drop off there that’s why we saw action because teams were like whoa whoa after this right here at this position you know it falls off a cliff here for a while it’s not the same caliber type of football player but yeah found the mix I think of need talent right well thought out for the future right that it’s all of it the offensive lines for the future the receiver you think of him with the even the tight end position right it’s kind of a a a position that’s kind of still being figured out there for lack of a better way to say it in Cincinnati I know you resigned sample you got Cassi back and all that but how long is that future there and now maybe you got some guys coming up the ranks that can be good tight end or Joe burrow for a long time when it when it comes their turn what do you think about uh the quarterback they got in college free agency Rocky Lombardi yeah you know I don’t know a lot about him okay so I I can’t I can’t speak to him a whole lot like with the with the draft like quarterbacks especially because I can spend too much time on them especially the top ones because I talk I I 15 I think I watched 15 18 of them total he would have been one of the few guys right off that I haven’t watched and he’s one of the guys I have written down where at some point in the summer you know I gotta sit down and watch him before preseason starts because I know I’m gonna have to talk about some of these guys that were a little off the radar right or farther down the draft than maybe I was willing to go all right so let’s uh we we’ve hit the draft pretty well uh let’s talk about the schedule I don’t know I I’m sure you know you you you’ve got a oh yeah I got some things to say about the schedule for sure cool cool I I I know you probably get hammered about all 32 schedules but what do you what do you think about the Bengals schedule well the Bengals were one of the team like you know the schedule comes out that night and I you know I’m biging first off let’s just look at the start of the schedule right and you don’t know where teams are going to be late in late in November December and all that you know there’s some where you can look at it and go listen even if this teams bad that’s going to be a tough game on the road I don’t care right you know like Baltimore in the middle of December I don’t care if they got a few injuries and you’re not what you think it’s still going to be tough to go in there so there’s some things you can glean from that but I’m big to the start of the season I am and Bengals I go through each team when I see you know when it comes out uh uh the night of the night of the schedule and of course you know I’m going in alphabetical order and I come on Cincinnati and I go huh okay I mean listen I know I know week two in Kansas City ain’t going to be easy but as we know if there’s one team in football that’s not scared of Kansas City it’s a Cincinnati Bengals but I the first thing I looked at I went wow the Bengals you know out of the first four opponents they’re definitely better than three of them there’s no doubt about that right they they could be sitting there three and one I found it to be favorable early on to at least be in a good position to go into Baltimore what was that week five you got Baltimore more at home right and we know that’ll be a battle but I I mean I’d almost I’d be lying to you if I’d be sitting there going I’d be shocked if they’re not three and one right there at that moment and of course that’s always a good way to start your September and you know put a few wins in the bank there because we know the season will get hard and throw a few curve balls at you so the uh the first four games like you talk about three the only the only team that is does not have a new head coach is Kansas City right new head coach Washington Carolina is that overrated or do you think that’s a factor to face new head coaches early in the season not give them time to get everything implemented to they’re liking there’s a little bit of both there because the other thing too is like right it’s a new coach well I don’t know what his spin on the team is going to be what’s what are they going to do how are they GNA approach you know schematically right to where that can scare you a little bit but you know at this with those teams right there it’s not only new coaches it’s it’s rosters that I go they need a lot of help too so these coaches better be damn good if they think they’re going to make this team that damn good in week two or three or whatever else right and I just don’t see that with this you there’s there’s sometimes where you look at it and go oh this Co this team’s kind of good and now they got a new Coach and he’s going to add a little fire and Pizzazz to the team and they’re going to take advantage of that momentum these are more like true rebuilds true like we’ve tore it down and we’re trying to figure it out I mean New England you know it’s it’s it’s maybe one of the least impressive rosters in football Washington I mean they traded away all their dn’s last year you know new coach new quarterback all of that so you know again maybe the schematics are a little scary but they’re all guys that have been in football so it’s not like Luan AR rumo is not gonna have you know Dade Canal’s uh file right he’s been coaching offensive football and Tampa last year whatever else right cliff kingsberry and Washington is the OC I’m sure there’s a file there so I don’t think anything’s going to catch him by surprise so I thought that start of the schedule was was damn good and I think the other thing that I looked at that you know I always look at gauntlets right just like little areas if I go wow that is some stretch of you know games not only the team but on the road the logistic short weeks whatever else there I didn’t see one that really was glaring I you know that would be the other thing and you know and again I know Baltimore week five giants week six Browns week seven Eagles week eight that would probably be those three out of those four there that would probably be the gauntlet I would look at there um but you get the Eagles and the Ravens at home in that one there too so that’s where it takes a little bit of the the edge off of that conversation you know I thought when I when I looked at it Chris you know as a former player it’s like all right well how many national games yeah where’s the buy you know things like that right so they’ve got uh they’ve got their share of national uh nationally televised g games five in prime time and another two at 425 you know the second game of the piggyback so almost half their schedule is you know uh in a little bit uh little bit challenging or not not your typical one o’clock on Sunday kick um I agree with you I thought the first thing that hit me was this schedule is fair because you know when you when you look at it it’s like the only thing that that I was thinking all right you Baltimore as you say uh on 8:15 Prime thday night okay and then you have 10 days off and you got to travel to La to play the Chargers but you get that you know semi bye you know definitely right with the bye right after that and with the byee so you go out west tough trip come back you have the 10 days before after playing a tough opponent another tough opponent and then a buy after that that’s fair you know I mean that that could have been a much tougher little uh area of the schedule right there if the league didn’t incorporate you know Thursday Sunday and then and then the buy um so I I thought they were more than fair and it the uh the vision games I’d always look oh we’re our division games they have three before the buy the buy is late the buy is the second latest in franchise history week 12 uh but they’ve got three division games before the buy three division games in the final six weeks after the buy the rubber’s going to meet the road there a little bit when you’ve got uh Thursday night Cleveland it is at home right and then you uh you got Denver at home then you go on the road to play at Pittsburgh two of the last three are division games three of the last six are division games you have Dallas away on a Monday night football game I mean it it’s definitely you know they’ve earned the right to to be in in prime time with a lot of these uh these good football teams but I thought the league could have stuck it to them a lot more than they did with respect to travel and logis SS and days off and all that definitely they definitely other teams that got it you know got it stuck to them worse than the Bengals that’s for sure right the Jets the 49ers those are two that jump off the the map to me right away I mean the damn 49ers they got what they got to play like seven teams who have the byee before they play them I mean the Jets with some of the short weeks they have early on in the year there’s definitely a few teams that that Drew the Short Straw in the in the uh schedule conversation but I I don’t think it’s the mangals and you know with the extra week of football now and all that you you brought up the late buy but I that’ be about around the time I’d want the buy I think if I was a player this day and age no doubt I think I want it you know again I never liked the buy early on in the year in the first five or six weeks because I was like wait we’re just getting in a Groove and now we’re going to take a break and then usually when we had those type of buys we came back and it was like oh damn we’re not in a Groove anymore we got to get going right you’re not going to have to worry about that here here with it being late you’re going to go the worry is going to be just like damn we do need a little break we’re ready for a break we’re rolling we’re good we’re all that but I think it’s a perfect time to kind of recharge and then set up for the playoff run you still got six more games left and you know by all do accounts if you made me bet money it’ll be more than six games because you go into the playoffs and right you know I think it’s the right time there to to have that buy and make that one last push yeah you look at uh Pittsburgh all six of the division games in the last eight weeks of the season six division games in the final eight weeks of the season I mean Pittsburgh’s saying what the hell what’ we do come on League that’s rough deal right there yeah yeah no it’s I wouldn’t want that job to to make these schedules in the NFL office It Ain’t Easy I know that and you know again with the money and the you know Netflix and the Christmas Day games and you know all the short weeks it’s all over the place now I will say that there’s one thing I I I wish they were I wish they could find ways to not give so many short week games to these guys that would be the one thing there’s too many teams that have you know two four day turnarounds and the NFL is going to claim you know oh the players the injury rate’s not the same well that’ be you know okay maybe in that specific day but there’s an accumulative effect and you can’t tell me you’re really worried about health and player safety when you’re like hey you just in car crashes the other day but you’re you’re just barely not sore and can get out of bed now go get some more car crashes it’s it’s probably good for your body uh I do hope they can remedy that at some point man I hear you um the Bengals for the first time in franchise history have two Thursday night games I know I so I mean that’s that’s that’s big that’s hard yeah I will say Nobody Does it Better Than You Chris Sims you are the best and how about the league I mean the draft uh the schedule presentation they both outdrew NBA and NHL playoff hockey audiences that’s how big the National Football League has gotten it’s a monster isn’t it it’s incredible I I mean I you know I I don’t remember any sport just dominating the landscape like American football is right now in our country I mean the NFL is just it’s killing it it doesn’t matter what time of the year every now and then I get somebody that comes up to me and they’re like so what are you and Florio and what are you even talking about in your PFT and I’m like do you live under a rock are you in Earth right now I mean the NFL’s still the hottest thing on TV I don’t know what to tell you buddy like there’s plenty to talk about it never ends you know and uh yeah it’s it’s great I love it of course and the NFL just got it’s got great personalities great players and of course I think more and more people are learning X’s and O’s of football and they’re starting to appreciate it for more than just being in some Gladiator match of guys knocking each other’s heads off in the middle of the ring and they’re appreciating the the chess match and the cerebral part of the game I think is really caught on with the country as well let alone we got you know fantasy football and all that crap too and I will say the X’s and O’s the presentation of the game being an ambassador for the game all those things Nobody Does it Better Than Chris Sims and I’ll tell you what your dad Phil same category Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree man The Sims family has been great for the National Football League and thank you for your time my man as always thanks Dave you’re the man go Bangles good luck I’ll talk to you soon don’t get too hot out there sunburn watching those OTAs all right you’re like me you’re real white you’ll burn in a hurry no doubt about it stud I like the advice have a great one Chris see you man be good him here and every day I am grateful for my experience to have played professional football as a player I realize self motivation leadership and appreciating your teammates are key at first star Logistics you can use those same attributes to create the life you want for you and your family build your future by working hard like I did you’ll see results both on and off the field call first star Logistics today and be part of our winning team OPP

#bengals #cincinnatibengals #nfldraft #cincinnati #whodey #joeburrow #nfl #chrissimms #davelapham #bengalsnews

Former NFL quarterback and current NBC NFL analyst Chris Simms joins us today on In the Trenches with Dave Lapham to discuss Joe Burrow’s return, the Bengals 2024 draft class, and the Bengals 2024 schedule.

Chris was one of the national media members to praise the Bengals draft, as he believes it was one of the strongest classes in the NFL this year. He thinks Jermaine Burton might be the biggest steal of the draft saying if Alabama had a better QB while he was there he would’ve been a first-round pick. Chris also loves the Bengals in the trenches picks with Mims, Jenkins, and Jackson.

Lap and Chris also discuss the Bengals 2024 schedule, and many believe it’s a favorable schedule for the Bengals. With an early matchup against the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs, it will be key for the Bengals to have a great start to the season unlike the past two seasons. Compared to the last two seasons the schedule should be in the Bengal’s favor as they play a 4th place schedule in 2024 compared to a 1st place schedule like the previous two seasons.

We want to thank Chris Simms for being a fantastic guest and for joining us today on In the Trenches with Dave Lapham brought to you by First Star Logistics. We also look forward to growing our new central channel, First Star Media Group, and having you fans follow us along the ride. A lot more content is coming soon so definitely hit that subscribe button so you never miss one of our uploads!
As always Who Dey!