VSiN By The Books | September 8, 2026 | Hour 1

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

This is VSiN By The Books on VSiN, the eSports betting network.

Dave Ross (0:13)

It is the Tuesday edition of VSiN By The Books, Dave Ross right here at the Mint Gaming Hall, Franklin, Kentucky, our closer, Jensen Lewis, back home in Cleveland, Ohio, just for the day's sake. And again, we'll get to some of this time travel over there in Melbourne on Thursday. But for tomorrow, Jensen, we know we've got NFL football here one day away from the start of the brand new season.

Jensen Lewis (0:35)

It is already tomorrow for some of you tuning in halfway around the world. We do appreciate that. And we will get the right day of the week for people that want to travel back in time. So you understand what happens with San Francisco and LA and Melbourne. But we are excited buddy Christmas Eve here for the NFL season. A little Monday night football appetizer last night that was delayed.

I know your sleep schedule and circadian rhythm is already off. So I know you don't care, but we've got, we've, we've got football back in, in, in earnest tomorrow full 100% go.

Dave Ross (1:12)

And we have power knock on wood for all three hours of this program today. There will be no delays in the making of VSiN By The Books here on a Tuesday. Matt Youmans is going to join us from Sin City here in just a little bit later on this hour. Greg Peterson, get his baseball plays on the docket today. And if you've not had your fantasy football drafts, we're going to give you the last opportunity to make sure you're ready for the regular season with Paul Kelly joining us later on today. But Jensen, that's where we are, right? We're just 24 hours away. Cannot wait for the start of the NFL season in earnest. And that's where we begin today's edition of our highlights and headlines.

SPEAKER_1 (1:49)

Help your bottom line with today's highlights and headlines.

Dave Ross (1:59)

A lot of these teams, Jensen, like to make some deals before the season starts. And if you don't get those deals done before they start, sometimes they say there will be no deal. And we know there are certain teams and certain players dealing with that. But with this countdown on to just one day away from a rematch of the Super Bowl, and then just two days away, but we'll hear from Kyle Shanahan. Maybe it's one or three, depending on your outlook here, from Melbourne in Australia. A deal is done, a rather significant one last night as well, with Christian Gonzalez, now the highest paid cornerback in the NFL at almost $34 million per season. And Jensen, it is somewhat of a surprise in that sometimes the Patriots don't do this, but they locked up their guy, made sure they got him in the fold here before we get to week one, which is tomorrow.

Jensen Lewis (2:49)

Yeah, that's good. It now is one of those spots where you don't have to worry. And again, we looked at Devin Witherspoon there for the Seattle Seahawks, had reset the market. He was $33 million per year. Well, come on down now with Christian Gonzalez at 33.75. So if you're thinking of it and Adam Schefter pointing this out on social media, Gonzalez, now the top paid at 33.75, Witherspoon at 33, Trent Mcduffey. Don't forget about him. Remember the extension after the trade to get over to LA $31 million. Sauce Gardner, of course, now with the Colts, 30.1 million and Derek Stingley Jr. at 30 million. So it's not major league baseball money, Dave, as far as total value, but at least 102 million guaranteed there for Mr. Gonzalez. Well done.

Good job, because a guy that can really, we hope have a big time impact. What a one-on-one matchup we will potentially see tomorrow between he, Jackson Smith and Jigba in Seattle.

Dave Ross (3:49)

Oh, that'll be worth it to watch that isolation matchup right there. And when I say that this is not normally something the Patriots do, Jensen, how about this?

It's the first Patriots first round pick to sign an extension with the team since 2012, 14 years ago. So, they go through the draft process a little bit differently, and here they have finally re-signed one of their own, Christian Gonzalez. By the way, Trevion Henderson still did not practice, another DMP with that ankle. Nick Bosa, by the way, making that trip across the world there to Melbourne, says he will play on Thursday. We'll talk about that game coming up in just a little bit as well. But how about Circuit Survivor as well, Jensen? We're getting past $20 million now with sign-up still five days to go. But I'm sure Mike Palm, Derek Stevens and company are very, very excited about that. We'll talk more about that a little bit later on as well. But Michael Pennex, we know he's going to be inactive on Sunday for the Falcons against the Steelers here, Jensen.