Best of the week on The Herd

Hour two on a Monday—let’s get this party started. Big salute to Pittsburgh for a great draft week, and it’s time for where I was right and where I was wrong: I nailed the Chiefs moving up for a top corner and missed on Ty Simpson going that high; Brunson’s a very good player but not in the true elite tier; Belichick’s a legend but misreads college talent; Jokic has looked human against that long, physical Wolves front; Embiid slows Philly’s pace and fit; and Harden stays a regular-season star, not a postseason pillar. Colorado’s buzzy, but there wasn’t much draft-day substance.

You worked with Ty Simpson at the combine—what did you see, and how did the Rams’ pick at thirteen land for you?

Behind the scenes, Ty was genuine, carried presence, and had early Heisman steam, but he’s only started about fifteen games, which gives teams pause. The new NIL world also kept a lot of late-round talent in school, which changed the back half of the draft board.

I can’t quite track the Niners’ draft rhythm; are they chasing Kyle’s favorites at the expense of broader needs?

Shanahan and Lynch are aligned on scheme fits, and that can look underwhelming if you wanted a splash on defense. But that wideout’s speed and edge, plus a bruising, elite pass-protecting back like Caitlin Black, plug exactly how Kyle wants to play.

Chicago leaned into 13 personnel and smart, high-character fits: a real blocking tight end, a true center, and a return-speed piece. I liked the logic.

They finally feel unified, and Sam Roush is a sleeper who can block and win games down the seam—Andrew Luck raved about him. That gives a young quarterback a versatile security blanket.

Dallas seems to be signaling, we’re deep enough not to need Micah. I saw a plan.

I loved it—Caleb Downs can be the back-end quarterback, and they’ve got multiple edges and interior beef for a Vic Fangio-style unit. If the offense stays on schedule, that defense has real answers for run and pass.

The Raiders feel newly intentional—center for the rookie, QB-friendly staff, veteran mentorship, and even Brady in the room. That’s how you protect a first-overall investment.

Center–quarterback chemistry is a proven formula, and they’ve stacked the building with teachers and leaders so the kid isn’t guessing. Fans should be excited.

What didn’t you love?

Ty Simpson to the Rams is perfect for the franchise long-term, but if you’re Stafford you wanted a tackle or corner to chase a ring now. The press conference tone matters too—sensitivity keeps the room together.

Coach McVay, that so-called secret meeting with Ty—what actually happened?

It was a standard private visit to watch tape and get to know him, and we kept it quiet out of respect for the process. More important, we were transparent with Matthew about our thinking, because trust and clarity sit at the core of how we operate.

Was there an aha moment that made you say, if he’s there, we’re taking him?

No single spark—his tape showed real translation to what we do, from protections to play-action to off-schedule creation. We looped in Matthew before the pick, and we’re trying to win now while planning responsibly for later, even when leadership means making hard calls.

How do you keep the Stafford relationship strong while you’re working an extension?

Comfort in conflict comes from truth and love—we’ve had tough talks that actually deepened our trust. If you can’t be honest, it won’t last an NFL season, let alone a run.

You keep finding receivers late; I liked the Miami kid, CJ Daniels—were you surprised he lasted?

Yes—he adds real depth and toughness to a competitive room, and his body of work popped from Liberty to that opener versus Notre Dame.

Your body language became a two-day headline—did that catch you off guard?

I’d handle the optics differently so we don’t create noise; the intent was honoring Matthew’s timeline while being clear on succession. Learn from it and move on—the game’s about execution.

Quick reset: secret visits are normal, and when you’re on the mountaintop, every glance gets magnified. Bigger picture—coaching and personnel are different crafts, and giving coaches too much draft sway can backfire; strong GMs keep balance.

Robert, is part of the Niners’ draft story simply a lack of bites at the apple?

Yes—trading for Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey thinned their early picks, and injuries have skewed results. Add a heavy coaching imprint, and the outcomes look choppy for reasons beyond just evaluation.

I defended the Rams taking Ty Simpson as future-proofing instead of overpaying later. Fair?

I get it—avoiding the quarterback wilderness is priceless—but there’s a case for more tackle depth to protect a win-now run. It’s a real tradeoff between this season’s contingencies and tomorrow’s certainty.

The Cowboys feel flexible and identity-strong after this draft.

Their ceiling is high: a top-tier offense if healthy and a defense coordinated by Christian Parker with the right back-end pieces and a true front-line disrupter. If it coalesces, they can push into the elite.

On Aaron Rodgers, I’m all for boundaries—your read?

I don’t see the value for Pittsburgh; last year’s tape showed a conservative, box-shrinking approach. I’d have chased a more creative unknown rather than a diminished known.

Buffalo and Chicago took heat, but I thought both addressed rooms with fit and intent.

The Bears prioritized a special safety and a scheme-fit center, and edge options in that range didn’t meet their thresholds; I only question spending a third on a pure returner over interior line depth.

The draft’s staying power is wild, and I love where the Raiders are headed. That’s the show.