 What's up everybody and welcome to another edition of the Falcons Final Whistle podcast. I'm Scott Baer here with Tori McElady and Chris Riem as always and drumroll please. NFL Network senior reporter Falcons contributor Steve Weisch is on the podcast with us Steve. Thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me on. This is fun. It's about time by the way. You know, I feel he's been hurt. You guys have been like neglecting me with this. I don't want to do this for a minute. So thanks for finally having me on, Scott. I also think it's important to know that Steve Weisch is so committed to bringing you awesome Falcons content that he's up at 645 Pacific Time. Early riser or no, he's looking polished, looking fresh dressed, ready to talk sports. And I don't think any of us were up at 645 Eastern. Nobody wants to hear that. There are a lot of folks, there are a lot of folks who are up at five o'clock working a lot harder than we are. We have no time for that. So that's like Steve, so what? That's what you got to do. On the grind, man. Well, we're here to break down the Falcons eight player draft class that was just completed over the course of the weekend. They started at number eight with USC wide receiver Drake London and included seven guys after that. They address defense a lot on day two. They made five picks in the first 82. So those are what I would consider premium picks. They gave up a fourth round draft pick to go up just a little bit in the second round and draft Penn State Eddresher Arnold Ebecchiti. Sounds right. Yeah, Ebecchiti. Very good. Miracle. And then they flushed it out with some defense. They got some day three picks. I would say highlighted by BYU running back Tire Owl. Algir. Thank goodness we have at least one professional TV guy in the group. Tyler Algir, a big bowling ball covered in butcher knives is what I'd like to call him a very physical runner. And we're going to break all that down over the course of this fight, this Falcons final whistle podcast. But let's just start with overall impressions of this draft class. How do you think general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith did over the course of this three day stretch. Let's start with our guest Steve Weiss. What were your overall impressions of what the Falcons were able to do? Yeah, first I was very tactical and very focused. You know, look, you can talk best player available all you want. But they went to areas of need, which are pretty much everywhere. But the fact they got two edge rushers, right? You got a running back, it was a very productive running back. That might be my favorite pick of theirs. Tyler Algir is a hell of a player. You know, you get Drake learning the first round you had to give your quarterback a shot. And the top three edge rushers were off the board already. So the fact that they kind of stayed focused and didn't get teased by maybe a greater talent who might not fit for what they're trying to do scheme wise, playing time wise, and possibly replacing a veteran who could be off the roster next year. I think the fact that they stuck to that, again, they were very tactical. And I think, you know, the draft pick of Troy Anderson kind of shows that he was an inside linebacker. He said, why are they inside lineback? Well, Deon Jones' contract expires after the year, I believe. I think they could get out of it. That could be the successor right there. So, again, very smart, very focused. And so, and I think that's the big perception of that as well. Chris, what were your overall thoughts on this one? Yeah, I thought they kind of knocked it out of the park. I mean, I think, I think they have one of the best day twos in the league in terms of snagging Arnold Epicady and then Desmond Ritter and then D'Angelo later and Tyler Anderson who I thought was my favorite guy after talking to him that day after the draft. He just seems like a dude who loves football, a dude who hasn't scratched the surface of what he can be at that position yet, somebody who I think will grow a lot in the NFL. And I really like the Desmond Ritter pick. I think you get great value with him in the third round and it's low risk high reward. If it doesn't pan out, you can always move forward. It's not something that you're stuck at, I think there. So I thought they did a really good job. And I think after day one, I think some people, I think, especially some of the reactions that they got with the pick, I think people were worried, but I feel like after day two, everyone felt a lot better about what this class looked like when you go and get two edge rushers, a quarterback and an inside linebacker with the skills that Anderson has. Tori, what do you got? I thought it was really interesting because as good as I think this collective group is, it looks very different than what I originally thought. Terry Fawno and Arthur Smith are going to go after. I thought that they're going to put more emphasis on interior linemen and also interior. Both sides of the line of scrimmage. Inside, talking about guards and centers and then also defensive tackles. I thought they were going to put more emphasis on inside, but I read something, I guess it was yesterday or the day before where it was like they went outside in, not inside out. And I thought that was very well put because they did go after these skill positions of need. They went after water receivers, they went after edge rushers, went after a quarterback. I mean, these are all positions that don't necessarily technically help the interior of your offensive and defensive lines, but maybe in the long run do. And so I do think that that was something that was really, really interesting when you're kind of looking at where we thought the Falcons were going to go versus where they actually went. Yeah, I really look back at it and I think that they were so much of it was about helping the 22 product a little bit but really trying to keep their eye on the big picture, which is important during this draft. And so they went out and got a bunch of dudes, a bunch of tough guys, and a bunch of guys that were supremely motivated, and to kind of prove it right that you go out and you get guys on prove it deals and fragesty because you have to, because they can't afford, you know, to give out longer term contracts but then they go out and get guys with a similar attitude. But I thought I thought that was really cool as well and we're going to break all this thing down further we are going to get into greater depth about the Drake London pick and the strategy behind it. We're going to go into probably the third round pick with the most eyeballs on him throughout the entire league that Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ritter who the Falcons got at number 74, we are going to take a closer look at their last rest not only who they got but who they already have. And then, of course, we're going to go kind of big picture macro and look at the Falcons from 30,000 feet and really try to get Steve's opinion on on how the rest of the league is looking at the Falcons and their kind of reclamation project but before we get to all that a big thank you to our sponsor Microsoft Windows 11, the official operating system of the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons. All new Windows 11 is here to bring you closer to what you love like the Falcons final whistle podcast learn all about the awesome new features of Windows 11 at windows.com so as we were just saying, we're going to get into this number eight overall selection it's USC wide receiver Drake London. And Steve, as you watch the draft play out right you would kind of mentioned that the top three edge rushers this Aidan Hutchinson cave on tibido and Trevon Walker were off the board, we saw a mini run of offensive tackles with, with, with, with a key, a key one, one of these days I'm going to get one of these pronunciations right and Evan Neil easier to say off the board at six and seven. When the Falcons are on the clock kind of what were your thoughts and what were your initial reactions to the pit given who was off the board and who was left on the board. Well, don't forget to run on corners you know you had, you know, Stingley and Gardner off three and four and that was another position that they were looking at. So, when you look at their board and how they rated them, the guys that were the next rate highest rated guys wide receiver. And you know you look you look at some of the other wide receivers out there so the big homerun hitters Garrett Wilson, Chris alive a, you know, James Williams, whoa you know there's there's the game breaker you know we know Arthur Smith likes wide receiver big wide receivers right so Drake London fits the mold he's not the fastest of that group he's fast enough I mean I live in LA I saw plenty of him. You know, breaking long runs and break big plays at USC, but he can play inside he can play outside. He's good in the run game. Let's not forget that wide receivers in this offense have got to block. Sometimes a big wide receiver, like Drake London is going to be matched up on a safety who's kind of equal size or something comparable. So that's why they helped. They probably went with Drake London plus. Look you've got quarterbacks coming in. You get a bigger target for quarterback parent with Kyle pitch that gives you some options. Right. And so they got to auditate another big wide receiver they still don't have great speed a wide receiver that's something they really wanted to address throughout the team and for the most part in the draft they did. But when I saw it I was like oh that's interesting because the Tories point I thought they were trying to build a little more inside out. They went with the guy who was highest rated on their board that was a wide receiver a need position and he's a really good player, again a big guy, faster than you think, and can snatch anything that stone in his area code. I was interested in how far Florida State and former Georgia Bulldog address your Jermaine Johnson fell. Steve it seemed like maybe that the Falcons might have some interest in a player like that he seemed like a scheme fit. What have you heard about not only why he didn't go that high but why he tumbled all the way to to a 25 or 26. Yeah, I think I don't have a great authority some people said in some of his interviews and they just, they weren't great. And that's something clearly alerted a lot of teams now we know all 32 teams did not pick in the first round. So many teams and have a first round picked the second round but a lot of teams passed on this is a really good talent. So you got to dig a little deeper. And some of the things that have right there the jets end up coming get him an incredible value pick a 26. I think when it came to their board that he just did not rate as highly as Drake London and some other players that they went with. And again that's what I talk about their draft was focused state that's attempting to Apple to bite. Right that's your main Johnson edge rush tempting Apple to bite, but then they know they had Arnold even key day, possibly sitting right there for them in the second round at a better value, but they knew they had to come up and get this is someone who's going to go in the second round. So they got about a better value. And if someone who they figured could fit their scheme. Equally if not better than what they were trying to do with your main jobs. So when you look at scheme fit Chris. What do you think about Drake London kind of kind of stepping in and what were your impressions you actually had a chance to speak with him one on one, and kind of get a chance to to know his family on on on Friday afternoon. What, what were your big takeaways from that and how do you think he's going to fit into this offense. Well, I think my biggest takeaway from the first time I talked to him is that maybe they should cool off the media for the first round draft picks because by the time he got to me he was big he was done. And the next the next day I talked to him he kind of told me that like yeah I was I was so I just wanted to be with my family and there was just a lot of media going on and he seemed like a really nice nice guy good family. Good family who you know was focused on letting him be whatever he wanted to be growing up you know didn't push any sport on him which was clear because he played basketball all the way up until 2020 when it just became too hard with cove to do two sports. But overall I think with the like for all the things that Steve mentioned he obviously fits the scheme. But I think, yes, like, like we just talked about I thought that, you know, based off everything that we were hearing based off the amount of roundups, you know, my nerves that we looked at. I think we all kind of thought Jermaine Johnson was was going to go high thought he might even go before the Falcons pick, maybe even the Falcons had him rated higher on their board, but they did it and clearly, you know, many teams did it and I think what I think I understood more about the pick later on was that it was it was less about, you know, Drake versus the other robber sees it right by receivers versus like Drake was the highest player on their board at the time. And also, you know, there's different flavors for Robert receivers where you go speed or height or physicality and and Drake definitely fits Arthur Smith's flavor in terms of the guy that he's looking for so I think when you look at the pick it makes a lot a lot of sense looking back at it but I think when it happened there was a little bit of surprise I think. Yeah, if you if you go back to it as I was watching the draft in real time, you would have thought that if somehow sauce lands at eight, that's, but he was never going to land it at eight but if he lands at eight that's the pick I think came on tip it had been a difficult guy to pass up on, but ultimately as the, you know, as those three edge rushers went off in the top five I think all like all three of us that we're sitting in very close proximity on draft night, really kind of huddled up and okay it's starting to line up towards towards that white out with Johnson as the X factor ultimately Drake London is the guy and we actually had an opportunity to talk to some of the regional scouts who took a look at Drake. What were your impressions. You know, did you feel like what kind of impressions did you get about about kind of what they thought about Drake and when Drake was kind of on their radar, Tory. Yeah, I think it was really interesting. I mean there's a lot of things that have already been said that I feel like I could go down a rabbit hole and kind of each of it but when I was talking to Joel Collier, who is the area scout who essentially was the point of contact for the Falcons organization with Drake London. He said everything that everybody else has already said you know using the word scheme fit using the word build and fit I mean that word fit I think goes a very, very long way because when I was doing the draft grades of the overall League media the night after the first round. I was like, how could you go with Drake London when Garrett Wilson and James and Williams are still on the board. And everyone was saying that everyone was saying like it's, it's why have why pick Drake when you have the other ones and the reason is is because the Falcons didn't want the other ones. They didn't see them fitting the way that Drake London would in what Arthur Smith wants this offense to be that is the key here and I think that's oftentimes misconstrued when everything's happening around the first night of the draft and even talking to the area about talking to the position position coaches TJ Yates. I mean, they said that over and over it was like this is the guy that we wanted because we think that he works in this system best and I think we have to remember that when we're when we're talking about this pick and what it means for the Falcons not just in 2022 but moving forward to. As they pair him with with tight end Kyle pits. It's going to be interesting just I don't think that Arthur Smith love the, the self proclaimed twin towers nickname, I think he just said that's going to be more ammo for the meeting room. They're always looking for new ways to dig him a he actually did that right before the first press conference. He let that twin towers thing. I don't think that's going to last but nonetheless, as we move on here let's skip the second round for for just a little bit. Talk about the fact that as we saw the first round develop that that that quarterback run never materialized it was Kenny pick it at 20 and that was it for a very long time. And some of the guys in the green room never got picked I'm thinking of Atlanta native and Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was still on the board late and really the quarterback run never started until the Falcons chose the second quarterback taken at number 274 Steve I don't know if you can remember a time when there was that much of a quarterback gap there's only been a handful of times in the last 10 years, or so when you've seen so few quarterbacks go, but to go all the way to 74 and then they get a Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ritter. It's weird because if he were to get drafted at eight, you'd have a much earlier even at 38 or at 58, but but getting him at 74 his talent level, they sent, I don't know the entire organization to pro day to check out Gardner but to also check out to check out that their their their signal caller so Desmond Ritter at 74 give me the kind of big picture. Look at at that selection, how he fits when what and kind of like what your overall thoughts were about this guy at that spot. Well look I mean great value scheme fit right he he almost has the same physical specs as Marcus Mario to the starter in the fastest 40 of all the quarterbacks, you know at the combine. So, part of this speaking people in the organization is now they have Mario to they've got Desmond Ritter and I wrote about this on the column now they got people who can move the pocket right now they got quarterbacks you can scramble bootleg run game, all kind of things now that they can do stuff to protect the offensive line which was an address into the sixth round. Right now they're not as much of a static often. So, what Ritter does he comes in one he's a winner, I mean you look at what he did with Cincinnati did last year. Fairly accurate 65% completion percentage that's going to be huge yeah you got the twin towers that they're not going to call them. But you know there this is this is the NFL you got to have some people. You got to put the ball we know where it has to be in these tight windows, but this is open competition Marcus Mario to tell me he has not been promised anything. The Devin Ritter has a chance to come in and when this job and if not, he has the chance to learn more than most quality individuals in the NFL, I mean Marcus Mario to will teach him to eventually take his job, which is a crazy thing because most veterans don't do that but Marcus as much as he wants to resurrect his career is just that type of human being. So again this fits the character that's where we talked about earlier of the draft class, I mean these are people who are hungry, and they're coming into a culture where a lot of people know they're not going to be here for a while. You know so so let's help out so again Devin Ritter. I'm not going to expect anything out of him this year, other than to compete. I think he will see the field at some point. But a solid pick and you know you talk about the quarterback sliding into the third round. Once you got to do the first round and you saw other all the running backs and all these other positions still on the board and all these offensive linemen and edge guys. You knew that these quarterbacks were going to continue to drop. Again incredible value which started the run on quarterbacks here in third. They're going to have a close eye on this quarterback whether he Steve or Chris Steve whoever do you feel like he needs to play at some point during the 2022 draft over the course of this season do you feel like he needs to play so they know who they have going in going into the next draft is it's something that they're going to have to find a way to get him in there I don't know thoughts on that. I don't think he I don't think he needs to play I think if he if he wins the job or if obviously if they see an opportunity for him to play if Mary if mariota is struggling or something of that sort of happens but but I think oftentimes the best scenarios for first year quarterbacks is that time to learn if that if it's a full year if it's a few games if it's a lot of games. I'm giving him that time to learn again they chosen what the third round pick so are they invested in how long are they going to be invested in him are they still looking next year again we have to think about that. So yeah I don't think he needs needs to play next year necessarily I think it would be good for him to play but I don't I don't get the impression that. Arthur Smith and and Terry find no field rush like they need to get him on the field. I think they like what they have him and mariota. And I don't think I don't think they feel any to get him on the field right away. At some point you have to find out how he how he plays the game, because the big point like you said, is are they going to get back in the quarterback market next year. You know that that is the big issue, they're going to have the money, there's going to be some other guys that can draft maybe some of these other quarterbacks become available and free agency. They have to figure out if he can play guys can look terrible in practice, you can make man he's not ready, and then all of a sudden he gets in the game and it's something different or vice versa. But I think towards the back end of the season, depending on how Mario is playing and how the season is going. You know they're going to know, they're going to know within a couple months. And again, listen to this part not how much he can play but how his teammates respond to him. Right, if your teammates are like, this is the guy, but you're not playing him because maybe he can't read a certain defense at some point you have to give the guy an opportunity just to go out there and see, see if he can do it. I mean, I think it all depends on how the season goes, but not right away. What do you think yet just about how he's going to kind of step in here. He's a big athletic guy, I love the fact that he's won more than 40 games. I just think that that says something he seems scared of nothing which I think is good. Never lost a home game either. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, I don't think he's ever lost a home game which when I when I was talking to people in the building that was something that kept coming up is like you want someone in the locker room that is. Has that mentality of a winner. Sorry, but that's like what it was like everybody kept bringing up his record at Cincinnati and something that I do think is interesting is like when we're looking ahead, even I know everybody saw this but when Desmond Ritter is legit talking about how Marcus Mario is the guy who he models his game after and someone he's looked up to and someone who he really wants to learn from and the fact that it couldn't have been better that Marcus Mario is in that room with him. I think that is very, very interesting to hear somebody like a Desmond Ritter say that. I do think it's going to be. I'm looking forward to this year I do think that it's going to be Marcus like right off the bat just from kind of like what Arthur was saying in his post draft press conference after Desmond was taken he was like you know, Marcus is our guy and he's the veteran I think Arthur I don't I'm not I feel like I'm not putting words in his mouth but it almost felt like it was Arthur kind of being like. Let's pump the brakes on the Desmond starting day one talk like we still have Marcus in here so it's going to be it's going to be interesting and I'm looking forward to and then also thinking about the future. How can it's going to be in the market to take a quarterback next draft are they going to be in the position to are they going to be able to hit the trade market and look for somebody in that regard. I think that's going to be interesting to how can you package different players or potentially trading for a quarterback next year. I y'all know I was team don't take a quarterback this draft me to and I was very anti taking a quarterback this year. And so now that it's now that it's happened I don't want people to be like oh Tory's already packaging Desmond Ritter to whoever so that they can, the Falcons can get a veteran quarterback in there. That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that's a possibility and I think it would be interesting. And real quick real quick Tory I mean that's a great point. Desmond Ritter could be a trade asset is crazy as it sounds, because you know we're thinking about after all the trades this year about him quarterbacks it's not going to happen. Tampa Bay could be in the market for quarterback next year Green Bay could be in the market for quarterback next year Houston. There are so many Washington, almost all of the teams Philadelphia that were in the market for quarterbacks this year could be back in the market for quarterbacks next year. So the hope is that either markets or Desmond pans out because if the Falcons are back in the quarterback market they are going to have stiff competition, whether it's in the draft, or whether it's for some of these veteran quarterback so I like how you're thinking there Tory is possibly Ritter, being a nice, you know trade asset to do something. It's absolutely wacky because sometimes you try to get these podcasts outline you know what you're going to talk about you lay it out at the top and then you start recording it. It just loads, because according to NFL networks, you know rapid port the Falcons have agreed on an extension with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, giving him a three year deal with up to $51 million. I'm just reading his tweet. By the way, Jarrett caches in again atl gets a lowered cap number in 2022. We can't just ignore it. That's not that can't be a thing when it breaks. We got Steve Weiss right here. We have had no chance to really process. I'm sure everybody else's phone was doing the exact same thing. Okay, instant reaction Steve Grady Jarrett. extension. I mean no surprise. I mean I know it took it took a little bit longer, but they wanted to do this, you know they're hoping to do this earlier so they could get their cap, you know in a little bit better situation but then once they got to Ryan there was no way it was going to be a better situation with the dead cap hit. So this lowers things a little bit it gives them some flexibility in the post draft free agent market because there are going to be some veterans release there is going to be some movement, but they get more importantly, they get a player that they like. I mean they really like Grady for his on and off the field stuff he someone who's committed to this organization. So no surprises right there this is this is a nice savvy move. Tori said you thought you're going to address the defensive interior maybe a little bit more well this is one of the anchors. Of that defensive interior and they're hoping that some of those guys that they drafted last year inside can continue to develop as well and Marlon Davidson as well who's been here for a couple years. We've been able to have a guy like that a veteran locker room leader a guy who hosts film sessions during during the regular season coaches up a lot of these younger players, excuse me, on a defense that's transforming that with that that we're seeing younger edge rushers come in. We've seen a younger turn in terms of the secondary having Grady Jarrett there for whoever wants to address this having him committed to the team for a longer term. That really has to help this group that is getting a lot younger but but you've got that captain right there in the middle I think this is a big sign. Yeah, I think also to there were some questions about Grady's future he hasn't been at OTA is an agent AJ was asked on the first day of OTA is about being like kind of like the oldest guy there he started laughing like I can't even believe that you just said that that I'm the oldest guy here right now. So it's good to kind of not have those questions in the locker room about whether guys here or if he's if he's going to be here long term and and get a guy who's one of the best as position in the league on your defense. You know you can't can't ask for more than that I guess. Oh my gosh I I'm sorry I wish I could say that I've been listening to y'all over the last like two minutes but my phone is like blowing up with all these people asking about Grady and and wanting me to do like radio and stuff and I'm like all over the map but just if y'all said this I'm sorry but I do think that this is really good news for the Falcons and I as someone who I very much enjoyed watching Grady Jarrett over the last few years especially but this past year was really really something and I think it just this past year for Grady Jarrett flies so under the radar because of the lack of production. But if you turn on the tape at any point in time in any game you have Grady Jarrett going up against three offensive linemen. Yeah and that is that's a sign of respect. First of all I mean talking to offensive coordinators across the league who have to go up against Grady Jarrett. They're like you have to know where he is at all times. If you don't I mean you're screwed essentially. And so the fact that this is a guy who garners that much respect across the league and you're getting him to come back on a multi year deal multi year extension I think is really really important for I don't know just how competitive you can be in 2024 that I'm thinking about the future here and so it's I think it's really good news for the Falcons. Now what they have to do you have your guy back. Get him some freaking help. I mean and that's that was the start of the draft. I mean when you go out and you get a couple edge rushers in the draft and making sure hopefully you can get Marlon Davidson on track and the way that you want him to go and so get Grady Jarrett some help. You've got him in the building for another four years. So let's see what you can do. You got four years with him. Go and get him some guys and develop him some guys around him who can take some of that pressure off of him. It's got real quick. It's got really good. Give Grady credit because they weren't sure when they when Arthur Smith and his staff took over last year that he was going to fit their scheme. I mean it was very much of a wait and see year for him before they did anything with that contract and he plays tail office or he just said so give him a lot of credit for adjusting. Taking one for the team so to speak fight those double and triple teams all over and standing up against this extension. Yeah I talked to him back in November and he didn't have the same type of sack numbers that that he had in in recent years and 2020 especially and he said you know what man. The most important moment for me is after a game. If the opposing offensive line coach comes up to me and says it was a nightmare trying to plan for you right that and he said that that that had recently happened to him and that that that those become the more than the box score right turning on the like tape having people who have to scheme against him say hey man it was tough sled all day so again we're on complete audible here Tory has to write as fast as possible. Steve has to be on television very soon. So let's just try to kind of wrap this thing up. It's obviously less about the draft now because you have this Grady Jarrett extension. So let's just try to make a more general question right what's the national perception Steve you are talking to people across the league throughout throughout the NFC South about what the Falcons are doing how the Falcons are kind of I don't rebuild reset who cares what the term is right just that they're trying to reformulate things get back right with the cap they just finished their draft like what's the rest of the league thinking about what the Falcons are doing here. Well post drafts was kind of a nice little life preserver because after the failure to trade for the Sean Watson and then moving off from that Ryan. The perception is where the Falcons doing like what is the blueprint because you know the one thing you don't want to do when you start building your team as a new as a new organization with leadership wise and what not is to deviate from the process and Arthur Smith pretty much said that's what they did when they threw the Hail Mary attempt for the Sean Watson to the fact that they had such a rock steady draft. And again, whether you like the players or not they were very intent and very focused on sticking to their board addressing needs. This was a need addressed draft they hit needs everywhere they need a lot but and they they upgraded their speed and athleticism which are two things they said that they had to do everything I hear is it was a fantastic draft again they got really good players we didn't get a chance to talk enough about Tyler algae or that guy is a hell of a player, which is why you saw Mike Davis let go right after the draft. But it was steady and now they can eventually and I wrote about this form a nucleus because before the draft I asked Terry font know what what is your nucleus. And I got kind of the vague Terry font know answer but in other words they didn't really have one besides you know AJ Terrell and Grady Jarrett and Lindstrom. And so now hopefully from last year's draft class. You know with Kyle pits and some other guys. They have a nucleus at the end of the season so now they really know where to build once they do have that free agent money, and wherever they end up drafting next year. It's been an off season that's you're right it. There was a deviation from the plan and to have Matt Ryan get traded and go through the transition at quarterback and I think at some point, they were going to try to play through it and work their way through the salary cap and grind their way out of it eventually. And then the Watson Ryan thing happened it's like I let's just do it all now and get it's 62 something million dollars and in dead cap space that ain't good NFL high. Of course, but but they get out of it next year so it may be rough but they're still. There was a pickup there was a valley but they seem to, in my opinion, be coming out of it pretty well. This is going to have some tough choices some tough decisions some tough cuts. And that's what we've seen over the course of this off season, it's been up and down. I do think that this draft class offers a lot of optimism we have no idea how these guys are going to turn out, but it could be kind of the restart right that they got seven wins last year they may not get seven wins this year I think that would be a real good season if they got seven wins. But as they start to kind of build this thing back up just real quick from from Tory and from Chris as we wrap this thing up here, you know thoughts of where the Falcons are post draft post Jared signing post Ryan trip it's been an active off season now that I'm listing them all. What do you what do you think they are right now, and where do you think that they need to go. I think they should feel really good about brother Alex teams I think they address needs while also getting the best players available on their board I think there's a lot to be excited about on the offense I think Kyle pits and Drake London is very scary look at Drake London's film that guy is that guy is a monster in terms of like he does not avoid contact and he goes up and gets the ball. And I think that will be dynamic for the offense and a lot of help for whoever is throwing the ball, just throw it up and one of them will get it. So I think in terms of the positions of me I thought they got some also got some competition at that left guard spot late late in the draft. So I think they should feel good about where they're at and they hit a lot of places of need and I think that there's a lot of potential this year and moving forward. You can see Tory is doing like 1000 things at once. By writing a story answering a text dealing with all this breaking news. I will let you get to your actual job here just real quick wrap this thing up for us. Oh gosh okay I think I'll keep it short and sweet and simple because again I haven't been listening to you I am so sorry. But what I will say is I think you can sell if you're an organization at this point in time you're trying to sell two things you're either trying to sell hope or you're trying to sell anger. And for right now the Falcons can sell hope because there is something to be hopeful about in regards to this draft class and the moves that they're also making I think in free agency. We know that they're going to as Terry Faun said take it on the chin this year with the dead calf money and that is significant. I mean we can't talk about the Falcons and not talk about the money that dead money I mean it's tough. So that part makes it difficult but there is a certain hope that you can sell to the fan base now that you couldn't sell I think even at this time last year. And it is that they're crawling their way out of a salary cap situation that really really sucked. They're going to have money next year and they're going to have an exciting core of young players to see what the heck they can do with that group with an with Arthur Smith scheme with Dean P scheme. There's a lot looking forward that you can be excited and hopeful about now I know there are Falcons fans everywhere being like I'm jaded and I hate that you said that but it's okay. Feel a little hopeful this is the time this is the time now more than ever to feel hopeful about what direction the Falcons are going in so just sit in that just just be okay with that for the time being. And with that I'm out. I'm going to dive out. Well done to a jaded Falcons fan no way. No way. That's awesome. Well thank you all so much for downloading and listening to the latest episode of the Falcons final whistle. You know what to do. Great. Subscribe. Five stars. Nice things to say about us. Please. Steve Weish. Steve Weish in the house. Thank you so much. We kept you. I think everybody longer than we planned really appreciate your man and obviously Falcons fans stay tuned to the website for more Steve Weish columns we moved through the off season and into camp. He's part of the preseason broadcast team y'all this is big time. Steve thank you so much for the time Chris Tory you know you got to come so anyway appreciate everybody talk to you talk to you next week.