Why familiar faces Mike Vrabel, Pete Carroll and Ben Johnson have lofty expectations for 2025

Scoop City returns with another packed episode! The Athletic’s senior NFL insider Dianna Russini details the trade that sent WR Adam Thielen back to the Minnesota Vikings. In return, the Carolina Panthers received two draft picks. Thielen returns to the place he called home for the first nine seasons of his NFL career.

Elsewhere around the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs will be without star WR Rashee Rice for the first six games of the 2025 season. Rice was handed a six-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy. He will be eligible to play his first game of the 2025 regular season in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

With roster cuts finalized, 53-man rosters and depth charts took shape around the league, including in Cleveland. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Dillon Gabriel will back up Joe Flacco. Fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders made the 53-man roster and will open the season as the third-string QB.

In other QB news, the New Orleans Saints have named their starter for the 2025 season. Former fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler has won the job in The Big Easy. Rattler beat out second-round pick Tyler Shough.

Plus, Russini and James Palmer dive into several other topics, including why some new coaches have lofty expectations and which team could go from the basement to the top of their respective division. All that and more on this episode of Scoop City!

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00:00 - Intro
04:30 - Kyle Hamilton extension
06:35 - Rashee Rice suspension
10:13 - Adam Theilen traded to Vikings
15:20 - Saints name starting quarterback
19:00 - Browns name Dillon Gabriel backup QB
24:20 - Sean Payton tells a Chase Daniel story
26:50 - New Head Coaches and TV Shows Chat
28:40 - Jets Coach Aaron Glenn
31:50 - Cowboys Coach Brian Schottenheimer
36:15 - Bears Coach Ben Johnson
41:20 - Raiders Coach Pete Carroll
43:05 - Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel
46:50- Jaguars Coach Liam Coen
48:15 - Saints Coach Kellen Moore
51:00 - Turnaround Teams


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