00:00But let's do the bigger one first, which was Dolphins-Steelers, Adam.
00:03All right.
00:04So, Mike, first of all, it's usually the NBA that makes headlines, as you know, for a free agency.
00:10It goes crazy and usually lasts a lot longer.
00:13And NFL free agency, though it technically goes for seven or eight months, the big part of it is 48 hours and it just dies and it sprinkles and so forth.
00:21But usually, Mike, the way it works is you get your trades done right before the draft or during the draft.
00:27We were in Las Vegas when the A.J. Brown trade went down three years ago, which was great.
00:33That actually happened while we were on the air.
00:35But usually, once you get down the draft, you don't do anything until the end of training camp when you're kind of resetting your roster.
00:41You see what you need for the season to compete at a high level.
00:44But, man, this trade is fascinating.
00:46And I know it's interesting.
00:48The Steeler fans, check on social media, Steeler fans and the smart people, they like it, but they don't quite understand.
00:56Why are you doing this now?
00:58They have certain players at those positions they traded for.
01:00Ten in the corner, and we're going to get that in a minute.
01:02So why do this?
01:04And the timing is bizarre.
01:06But let me explain to people.
01:08The Dolphins were feverishly trying to trade Jalen Ramsey.
01:11They made this clear to anyone who asked, we're going to trade this player.
01:15It's going to happen soon before training camp.
01:17In fact, we want it done before training camp.
01:19We don't want to deal with it any longer.
01:20And they were going to move him.
01:22Now, the crazy thing about this is they just signed him to a three-year extension, Mike, worth just under $24 million per season.
01:32So I know people are saying, well, wait a minute.
01:34Why did they just do this less than a year ago?
01:36Well, they thought it would work out.
01:38It didn't.
01:39Both sides were done with each other.
01:41It's a very weird situation, bizarre.
01:43But let's get to the Steelers' end of it.
01:45We just gave you the Dolphins' end of it.
01:46They wanted to move Ramsey.
01:46You've got Darius Slay, who's in a one-year deal, who's the oldest star in the corner of the National Football League, at 34.
01:52Turns 35 in January, right?
01:54So he's going to start.
01:55He's making $10 million.
01:56You've got Joey Porter Jr. at the other corner spot.
01:58So they're seemingly set.
02:00And this is, we're still at France.
02:01Wait a minute.
02:02Why are we going to pay Jalen Ramsey?
02:05The Dolphins are going to pay a little bit of this.
02:08Why are they going to pay him just under $20 million for the season, right?
02:11Well, I think what fans have to understand is it's not just about the season.
02:14Yes, they want to be better, and getting Ramsey in the lineup will help.
02:18But he signed Mike through 2028.
02:20So he'll replace Slay down the road full-time.
02:23They'll make it work with the three corners.
02:26It's great in a day and age where it's about to pass the game and mixing in the run.
02:31It's great to have this flexibility.
02:33Now, they traded Micah Fitzpatrick, who we'll get to in a second.
02:38But it's not just about the season.
02:39I think what happened was people look at this deal and go, oh, wait a minute.
02:43How are they going to make this work?
02:44The coaches know this.
02:46Omar Khan, by the way, their general manager, got his contract extended for three years.
02:50He had to talk to their defensive coaches about this.
02:53And Mike Tomlin.
02:54They know the way this is going to work.
02:56Ramsey could play outside corner, which he really is.
02:59He could play inside.
03:00Vic Fangio used him inside a couple years ago before he moved to Philly to be their defense coordinator.
03:05Ramsey's been moved all around.
03:06The Rams have done this before.
03:07He's not a safety, but you could use him in certain formations as a safety to cover tight ends.
03:13So they'll make this work, Mike.
03:15I know on the surface it seems kind of strange, but they'll make this work.
03:19And, again, it's about the future as well.
03:20So why do they trade Micah Fitzpatrick?
03:23That's the one where Steeler friends are like, wait a minute.
03:26Why?
03:26Well, $15.5 million, right, is his cash number.
03:30His cap number was just under $23 million.
03:33He's only had one interception the last two seasons.
03:36Not a lot of pass breakups.
03:39He wasn't the big play safety that they were trading for years ago, Mike.
03:43He's not the same player.
03:45And the way I understand it is that the Steelers weren't trying to trade him.
03:49But if anyone called, they would take his call.
03:51They were more than willing to trade him.
03:53That's why this got done.
03:54Now, Juan Thornhill will replace him.
03:56He's got a one-year deal, as I understand it, for $3 million, formerly of the Browns, Mike.
04:00So as we just dug into this, you understand the Steelers side of it.
04:04I gave you the Ramsey side.
04:05How about John O. Smith, Mike?
04:07Now, this is one where Steeler friends say, wait a minute.
04:09We're paying Pat Frymuth over $12.5 million.
04:12We've got Darnell Washington, who's really just a blocking tight end.
04:15The third round are a couple years ago out of Georgia.
04:17So why would they trade for another tight end?
04:19Why would they add another tight end?
04:20Well, they're a heavy 12-personality, and that means two tight ends, two receivers, and one back.
04:26And when you really look at it, Mike, Pat Frymuth is a nice player.
04:30John O. Smith is actually a better football player.
04:32You can actually hand it off to him in the run game.
04:34I know that's not going to happen a lot, but you can do that.
04:36He's a runner for the catch tight end.
04:38He's a good blocker.
04:39He became one of the highest tight ends in the National Football League in 2022 when the Patriots signed him.
04:44But it didn't work out, and the Patriots move on from him.
04:48He revived his career in 23 with the Falcons, even played better with the Dolphins at 24.
04:53And here you go.
04:54You have a tight end.
04:55Yes, they gave him more money.
04:57But, Mike, as I said it back to you, and you said this off the air to me, and I totally agree, this is about going all in.
05:02And it started with the DK Metcalf trade.
05:04And, by the way, Metcalf will make $35 million, Mike, $35 million this season in cash, which is a big number.
