Hey guys, I'm catching up on The Last Dance doc and I'm wondering, since you guys have been around the team a long time, if there's a player on this team whose contributions you feel are highly underrated or overlooked by the outside world, sort of in the Scottie Pippen mold? — MATTHEW K / PLANO, TX
Nick: Yeah, it's always fun to compare but I'm not really seeing it. To have a Scottie Pippen, you really need a Michael Jordan. However, I'll play along. If you want a guy that is highly underrated and overlooked, what about La'el Collins? Here's a guy that is on an offensive line filled with Pro Bowlers but he hasn't ever made it. Still, he had a really good season after getting a big contract, something that doesn't always happen. Collins might be overshadowed by Zack Martin and Tyron Smith but to me, he's one of the anchors on this line.
Jonny: To me, that guy is Zack Martin. Martin was drafted into an already talented offensive line, so he's always sort of been thought of as one part of a larger group, which is of course true, but that undermines just how great of a player he is. Since he was drafted in 2014, he's been an All-Pro selection every single season. That can't be said of any Dallas Cowboys and very few players in the NFL.
Like the MLB's proposal, could you see the NFL making a season change for 2020 which allows NFL teams to keep more "roster" players given the changes to the offseason this year? Do you think the NFL may consider increasing roster to 60 to allow teams to keep bubble players that they haven't been able to adequately review? — MICHAEL HENDRIX / DUBLIN, CA
Nick: While that sounds easy enough, don't forget that larger rosters also means more paid out by the owners. And it seems inevitable that they're going to make much less money this year. So yes, I could see that happening, but it wouldn't be a slam dunk because the profits won't be the same this year.
Jonny: I won't pretend to know what changes the NFL might make to accommodate an unprecedented situation. That could certainly be a scenario, but my guess is that they won't expand the roster size. I just think that with all the concerns of safely implementing an NFL season, the goal is probably to keep the number of people gathered together in locker rooms smaller, not bigger. And while the teams might appreciate an extra five players, I'm not sure it would do anything to really improve the quality of the game.
