# Tom Pelissero: Pelicero expects Christian Gonzalez to eventually sign his extension with New England, thinks CJ Stroud may end up playing out his contract without a new deal, believes Patrick Mahomes will be on the field for the Chiefs' week one opener, and named Seattle, Minnesota and Washington as teams being overlooked that will be in the mix. **Claimed:** Sep 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Tom Pelissero — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/tom-pelissero **Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP6509155923.mp3 6 checkable claims — 3 surprise team calls, 2 trade and signing calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > I think that Seattle isn't being talked about enough even though contextually, I understand why. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **C.J. Stroud to move to Houston Texans** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Washington Commanders to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Washington Commanders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Gonzalez to move to New England Patriots** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Patrick Mahomes to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - C.J. Stroud — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/c-j-stroud - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/commanders - Christian Gonzalez — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-gonzalez - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Patrick Mahomes — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/patrick-mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs ## What others said about the same people - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback and to be one of the better quarterback values in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he likewise likes Tyler Shough as New Orleans' entrenched starter with an easy schedule. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/18bf77c0-c921-4593-997e-8405355274e9 (scored 100) - Seth Walder on Kayshon Boutte: Walder proposes five trades he believes should happen before Week 1 of the 2026 season: Jessie Bates III to the 49ers, Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Patriots, Keon Coleman to the Colts, Walker Little to the Cardinals, and Kayshon Boutte to the Commanders, where he says Boutte would immediately be Washington's No. 2 receiver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0263bd78-6c5c-41c5-8615-0467d8ef521a (scored 0) - Matt Okada on Kyler Murray: In a PPR-framed fantasy draft guide, Okada makes a few non-fantasy claims: rookie Jeremiyah Love will be Arizona's featured back despite being listed as RB2, Tua Tagovailoa will be Atlanta's Week 1 starter, and Kyler Murray will open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8ada4169-6627-4730-a98d-6869382735d2 (scored 100) ## More surprise team calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pete Prisco on Arizona Cardinals: An unsigned Week 2 NFL power rankings column places the Seahawks first and the Dolphins last, with the 49ers rising six spots after beating the Rams and the Cowboys falling 12 after losing to the Giants. It also suggests the Cardinals and Jets could be better than expected. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c5b3ea52-abec-4709-9830-c2d0c3016f61 (not settled) - Rich Eisen on New Orleans Saints: Eisen accepted that the Giants can be the best team in the NFC East (while pumping the brakes on NFC contender talk), restated his preseason Josh Allen MVP pick, insisted the Rams are too talented to miss the playoffs, and put his marker on the Saints as the NFC South team that can beat expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c97509bf-62f7-4680-9786-5ec11688175a (not settled) - Steve Hartman on Cincinnati Bengals: Hartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/419294f8-3232-424c-8913-448c91b6a31f (not settled) - Fox Sports on New Orleans Saints: Relaying anonymous NFL executives and scouts, the piece names Saints QB Tyler Shough as this season's breakout star whose numbers could pop, suggests New Orleans could surprise people in a weak division, and says Bears youngsters Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland will become elite — with Burden taking over as Chicago's No. 1 receiver ahead of Rome Odunze. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4a5acd69-ba40-4b2c-b159-d5ac40adfa8f (not settled) - Bill Cowher on Pittsburgh Steelers: Cowher said the Steelers are flying under the radar entering the season and will have a better identity, framing them as a team that beats expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9d5aa196-bf81-47c2-aacf-4ee04d5eb84f (not settled) - JJ Watt on Jacksonville Jaguars: Watt gave Seattle's defensive front the edge over New England's, said the Jaguars remain underrated and under-discussed, and described USC product Lloyd as the Packers' bell-cow starting back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a0b8cdf2-fac3-4496-a7cf-c7592d7d82ea (not settled) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=tom-pelissero