Season 4
Episode 88
"NFL Preseason is here"
August 8, 2026
- Draymond Green re-signed to $27.5 million with the Warriors after opting out to see if LeBron James would join; when he didn’t, they resigned him to basically the same deal. Speakers debate whether he’s worth it, concluding his locker room value, coaching on the floor, and defensive presence are invaluable and can’t be quantified in stats alone.
- Warriors’ main issues last season were turnovers (averaging close to 20 per game) and inconsistent execution; if they could reduce turnovers, they could have won 10 more games. Speakers note that when Steph and Draymond try to make spectacular plays instead of sticking to fundamentals, the team struggles.
- New rookie Yaxel will pair with Draymond for defensive mentorship; Draymond as a vocal leader both on and off the court can teach him technique, positioning, and the intangibles that don’t show up on stat sheets. His leadership extends to the bench when he’s not playing.
- Warriors won the Summer League championship; Boozer’s kid (a top-3 draft pick) and Jack competed for MVP, with Jack taking it after dominating against the higher pick. Jack feels slighted being picked 11th overall and carries a chip on his shoulder, believing 10 other teams made a mistake.
- Draymond was drafted 37th (third round) in 2012 alongside Harrison Barnes (first pick) and Festus; despite late draft positioning, he maximized his opportunity when David Lee got injured and became a cornerstone player.
- Deebo Samuel signed a 1-year, $7 million deal with the 49ers after Ricky Peerson’s PCL injury (out for season). Kittle and CMC were waiting for him; he likely would have gone elsewhere if Peerson stayed healthy.
- 49ers red zone weapons now include Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, Deebo Samuel, CMC in motion, Juice Block, and George Kittle—creating a 7-on-7 matchup nightmare for defenses with no clear coverage options.
- 49ers draft pick Stribling (second round) is showing out; he’s 6’2″, 220-230 pounds, ran 4.2-something, led all receivers in College Football Playoff receiving yards, and is being called a steal despite being drafted relatively high. Some teams think he could have gone later; others believe he should have been first round.
- 49ers preseason roster includes Deebo (back from injury), steady improvements in run defense, and solid backup depth from players like Tatum and Petun who have experience from last season when the team was 12-5 despite injuries and run defense struggles.
- 49ers were vulnerable on run defense last season (teams would start fantasy running backs against them automatically); this year they added Mikel Williams, Bosa returning, and a defensive end from Dallas to shore things up.
- Seahawks lost Kenneth Walker (running back) and their offensive coordinator to the Raiders; despite this, they’re projected as the second-best team in the NFC West behind the Rams, with 49ers third.
- Hall of Fame Class 2026 includes Roger Craig, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, and Adam Vinatieri. Roger Craig was the first running back to get 1,000 yards receiving and rushing; his career was shorter than expected (drafted 1983, retired 1993 after a year with Minnesota).
- Roger Craig played one year with the Raiders (1991) during the three-headed monster era with Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson before Bo’s devastating hip injury ended his multi-sport career.
- Philip Rivers’ decision to play one more season last year pushed him back from this year’s Hall of Fame eligibility; he could have been first ballot when eligible given his career numbers and recent performance at age 42.
- Raiders hosting Kirk Cousins as starter with rookie Mendoza learning; preseason will feature 2s and 3s mostly with starters getting limited snaps except in final preseason game, which is an audition for fringe players and other teams.
- Raiders defense remains questionable; they haven’t made significant defensive upgrades despite addressing wide receiver issues. Trey Tucker is their number-one receiver; they may pursue Brandon Aiyuk if he gets reinstated after suspension.
- Brandon Aiyuk situation: he’d need to reinstate, show up to facility, then likely get released; his agent status unclear, making resolution complicated. Speakers compare his headcase behavior to Antonio Brown, noting Aiyuk has elite talent but early-career dysfunction.
- Antonio Brown’s career trajectory was historically great until he became a headcase late; he was always open, could break tackles, had elite YAC ability, and was on pace for Jerry Rice numbers before his mental decline. His Patriots exit (shirtless jersey-swinging) and various incidents including alleged CTE suspected by speakers.
- Broncos added Jalen Waddle from Miami; Miami is in total rebuild without Tua, Tyreek Hill, or A.J. Cheetah. Tua now with Atlanta alongside Marcus Pennecks; Malik Willis is Miami’s number-one with Quinn Ewers backing up.
- Malik Willis reminds speakers of a more athletic, taller Kyler Murray; he’s around 6’1″ (vs. Kyler’s listed 6′ but actual 5’10”), faster, stronger, and more versatile as a scrambler and deep thrower from his Packers stint.
- Giants hired John Harbaugh (Jim’s brother); Ravens getting full season of Saquon Barkley and Malik Nabers returning from injury. Jackson Dart (Ravens backup) needs to become a thrower rather than just a runner.
- Rams backup QB is Ty Simpson (drafted from Alabama); Lions with Daniel Jones now at Colts (where Rivers also signed). Colts’ Anthony Richardson hasn’t developed as expected despite high draft position.
- 49ers preseason schedule: home vs. Titans on Thursday August 13th, away at Chargers in LA next Thursday, away at Raiders August 27th (preseason). Regular season will feature AFC West division play (Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos).
- Preseason format: teams play Thursday-Saturday next week; starters get limited snaps (1-2 series or a quarter) in early games, full quarter in last preseason game. All 32 teams play across the three days.
- Speakers excited about 49ers season prospects but want to hold judgment until seeing actual football; they’ll evaluate after Thursday’s first preseason game before declaring “truth or not truth” about team trajectory.