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The BIGPLAY Cleveland Show 08/17/26 · BIGPLAY Cleveland

0:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the Big Play Cleveland Show, presented by Fandel.
0:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm Gabriella Cruz alongside Chris McNeill, Nick Padoen, and a shout out to our producer, Ryan Smith, as always.
0:09
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a nice Monday out here, a little less muggy here in Cleveland, and we're still dissecting this browns quarterback battle.
0:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Watson's still in front after week one of the preseason.
0:19
[SPEAKER_01]: We weren't expecting this preseason game with the bears to completely settle the quarterback competition, but it was our first chance to see Deshawn Watson and Shador Sanders out there in real game action, and there were positives and negatives for both.
0:33
[SPEAKER_01]: So what was everybody's first takeaways?
0:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I know I was seeing some highlights from you guys on Twitter or lowlights, if you will.
0:40
[SPEAKER_01]: I was working back to back Rock and Blast and in a long guard's game yesterday.
0:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Chris, what'd you think?
0:46
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought the rookie receivers look good.
0:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Spencer Fano look good.
0:50
[SPEAKER_02]: No thoughts on the quarterbacks.
0:52
[SPEAKER_02]: That's what this year is going to be though, right?
0:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Like if they could just develop this young talent, I think that's really the reason to continue to watch these last two pre-season games and then 17 of these bad boys in the regular season.
1:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I really wasn't thrilled with what I saw out of any other quarterbacks that's been what this quarterback competition has been a competition between a couple options that just might not be too great, but I was impressed with the young players, which is really all you can ask for out of a preseason opener, I guess.
1:26
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, that's what you want to look for.
1:28
[SPEAKER_04]: I tell you what, and a lot of it.
1:30
[SPEAKER_04]: Obviously, the buildup for this thing has been the quarterbacks and you look at to Sean Watson, it was his turn in this game to get the first reps with the first team against, you know, a lot of second teamers there for the bears.
1:42
[SPEAKER_04]: Let's be frank.
1:42
[SPEAKER_04]: They didn't roll out a whole lot of their defensive starters, at least initially in that ball game and throughout the ball game.
1:48
[SPEAKER_04]: Actually,
1:49
[SPEAKER_04]: Um, but you know, for what I saw he was efficient, right, and I felt walking away from that game.
1:55
[SPEAKER_04]: Okay.
1:55
[SPEAKER_04]: That's not too bad of an effort out of Dishon Watson.
1:58
[SPEAKER_04]: Then I went back and I started looking at some of the game film and you started looking at some of the reads and the fact that he didn't throw it down field.
2:05
[SPEAKER_04]: We knew that right.
2:06
[SPEAKER_04]: He was averaging like 4.4 or something like that yards per attempt.
2:10
[SPEAKER_04]: But then you looked at the game film, and you saw that there were opportunities, Nick.
2:14
[SPEAKER_04]: There were multiple opportunities to Boston, to conception, even the bond.
2:19
[SPEAKER_04]: There was a big one to bond there that he completely whipped on, where he's kind of looking down field, and he's just looking, and he's not seeing it, and other times where his heads down, and he's not quite seeing the field.
2:30
[SPEAKER_04]: So it's frustrating in that way, because I think that a guy who's been at the top in terms
2:39
[SPEAKER_04]: still he doesn't look like he's going to send anywhere close to that once again so that leaves you thinking shoulder sanders shoulder once again you know he had a bad interception that famously you know everybody's seen all of the highlights of that one or lowlights as it were of that that interception but
2:56
[SPEAKER_04]: You know, his footwork looked pretty good.
2:58
[SPEAKER_04]: I thought yesterday for Shidorah, a little bit better than what I've seen before.
3:01
[SPEAKER_04]: You know, when he got rattled a little bit in the pocket, he was able to maintain his composure and get the ball out when he needed to.
3:09
[SPEAKER_04]: He had that nice third down conversion.
3:11
[SPEAKER_04]: You know, he dropped back a little bit farther than I think a lot of offensive lineman would have, would have liked before he chucked that ball.
3:18
[SPEAKER_04]: So, I mean, it's a mixed bag for all these quarterbacks right now.
3:22
[SPEAKER_04]: Dylan didn't look great, didn't have a very good throw there, had a bad interception.
3:26
[SPEAKER_04]: So it mixed back across the board, I thought, you know, to Sean probably looked the best of any of the quarterbacks, but nothing that makes me sit here right now and go, man, we are set at the quarterback position, forget about that draft next year.
3:40
[SPEAKER_04]: I really like what we got, but it's early in preseason, we weren't showing a whole lot.
3:45
[SPEAKER_04]: The bears weren't showing a whole lot.
3:47
[SPEAKER_04]: We were really looking at, like you said, the young guys, what's conception going to do, what's Boston going to do?
3:53
[SPEAKER_04]: I really, really like those guys, especially early on there, man, those guys look like players.
3:58
[SPEAKER_04]: And to for them to hit the field and just write off the bat, make an impact, that to me says a lot about these guys.
4:05
[SPEAKER_04]: And I'm really excited about the prospects of what they could do for this offense this season.
4:11
[SPEAKER_01]: So you guys are excited about some of these other pieces outside of the quarterback.
4:14
[SPEAKER_01]: So you want, do you want to dive in a little more on QB competition and expectations or kind of highlight that knows, knows dive into one piece that isn't a quarterback that you're really excited about.
4:27
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think with this quarterback competition, this is going to be a big week coming up because if there's going to be a change in this quarterback competition, it's going to be this week.
4:38
[SPEAKER_02]: I right now I'm of the belief that the Sean Watson is the leader in this quarterback competition.
4:43
[SPEAKER_02]: He's gotten more reps with the starters over these last couple of weeks and now he's started Cleveland's loan freeseason game.
4:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Coming up this week, the Browns will host the Buffalo Bill's joint practices in Brea on Thursday.
4:59
[SPEAKER_02]: That's a huge day because Watson and Sanders both will have opportunities to work with the ones in that setting against the Buffalo Bill's starting defense.
5:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously, that's not something fans are going to be able to see, but that's going to be a big day for this competition.
5:16
[SPEAKER_02]: That's going to be a big day for this evaluation.
5:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Then,
5:19
[SPEAKER_02]: preseason game number two this week against those buffalo bills.
5:25
[SPEAKER_02]: It's going to be should or starter Sanders as the starting quarterback, how many starters will play with him though is going to be the big question because so many of the starters are going to get so much work against buffalo on Thursday and that joint practice.
5:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think many starters will play alongside Shidorah during the preseason game number two against Buffalo.
5:49
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's a big week for this competition with the sample size and the opportunity in front of Shidorah Sanders.
5:57
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he's going to have to be night and day better than to Sean Watson in order for the Browns to seriously consider starting Shidorah week one.
6:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I also don't believe we'll get an announcement this week.
6:10
[SPEAKER_02]: I think we'll probably be back here on Monday's episode of Big Clay Cleveland Live on YouTube.
6:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Talking about winter the Browns going to make an announcement because I really don't think they're in a rush to make this official even though they probably should be with their regular season less than one month away.
6:29
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, and I think that first preseason game was kind of set up the way that the coaching staff wanted it in that they had to Sean Watson go out there and basically not make many mistakes.
6:40
[SPEAKER_04]: Yep.
6:41
[SPEAKER_04]: You wanted to keep it kind of right in front of you.
6:43
[SPEAKER_04]: Keep it short.
6:44
[SPEAKER_04]: and then not make a mistake downfield.
6:46
[SPEAKER_04]: I mentioned before how he really wasn't looking downfield.
6:49
[SPEAKER_04]: There were opportunities there and that's disappointing.
6:52
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm sure he wasn't coached that way.
6:54
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm sure he was probably supposed to hit those receivers that were right open.
6:58
[SPEAKER_04]: But at the end of the day, he was erroring on the side of making no mistakes.
7:02
[SPEAKER_04]: And that's basically what he did.
7:04
[SPEAKER_04]: And for Shader,
7:05
[SPEAKER_04]: He was going out there and he was trying to show what he could do, you know, his athleticism, the way he can move in the pocket, the way he can create.
7:12
[SPEAKER_04]: So he was trying to do a little bit of that ultimately everybody's going to go back to the bad pick and say, well, there, there you go.
7:19
[SPEAKER_04]: That's what you get.
7:20
[SPEAKER_04]: But at the end of the day, that is what you get.
7:22
[SPEAKER_04]: And the more that he plays and the more experience he gets, hopefully you can hone those those mistakes and his athleticism will take over and really his instincts because I think he does have some good instincts Nick from what I saw when he can move around in the pocket he doesn't look to run.
7:38
[SPEAKER_04]: he looks to throw he will move around he'll have a he'll deal with the rush fairly well and set his feet to throw not set his feet going okay where am I going next and we've seen a lot of court facts the johnny man's else and everybody who get really skittish in the pocket really fast and he seems to have a better composure than what i've seen specially out of younger quarterbacks
8:00
[SPEAKER_02]: yeah he's got a knack he definitely has a knack for navigating it the one thing that he has to continue to improve upon and one thing that was really nice to see that he did not do in that preseason opener he wasn't drifting back as much he drifted back on that throw to loop floria the big throw the day don't feel to the former golden floor
8:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Flash, but he was able to get rid of that ball on time on the money even with a couple of defenders right up in his face.
8:28
[SPEAKER_02]: He got crushed on that throw and it was still right on the money.
8:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So there is still so much promise there with Shidorah that you can see in real time.
8:37
[SPEAKER_02]: could see some of their improvements even based on what he did last year.
8:41
[SPEAKER_02]: You could see areas of his game where he is really developing and is really improving.
8:47
[SPEAKER_02]: I wonder if these next couple of days though will be enough.
8:51
[SPEAKER_02]: Will he have enough?
8:53
[SPEAKER_02]: of a sample size to prove to Todd Munkin Travis Schweitzer in this coaching staff, hey, I can handle everything that comes with being the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns because I do think a reason why they're taking the time on this decision, when they name a starter, they don't want this to be like last year.
9:10
[SPEAKER_02]: We don't want to get to week three or week four, week five, and already feel like we have to make a change at the quarterback spot.
9:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Whoever they name the starting quarterback, their hope is that that's going to be the guy throughout the, you know, throughout the whole way barring injury, of course.
9:25
[SPEAKER_04]: I think shaders got to go out there and basically look like prime Tom Brady for them to make a change, though.
9:31
[SPEAKER_04]: Nick, I'm being honest with you.
9:33
[SPEAKER_04]: I think to Sean is already locked and loaded, they're going to have him as this starter.
9:37
[SPEAKER_04]: And unless there's a huge fall down by the Sean Watson and a huge ascension by shader Sanders, I just don't see it happening.
9:44
[SPEAKER_04]: And I'm on record.
9:45
[SPEAKER_04]: I don't want to Sean Watson.
9:46
[SPEAKER_04]: I think that he is really a bridge to know where for this team.
9:50
[SPEAKER_04]: And I think we should give Shader a shot.
9:52
[SPEAKER_04]: I just don't think this organization is going to do it.
9:54
[SPEAKER_04]: Unless he goes out and does something completely incredible.
9:57
[SPEAKER_04]: Right.
9:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Right.
9:59
[SPEAKER_02]: And I mean, it's possible.
10:00
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, if you're looking for a little hope to hold on to it is right there like this quarterback competition has been that bad where it is possible that Watson just melts down over the next week and should or really does take the opportunity and run with it, it just hasn't happened yet.
10:16
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's had all throughout the spring.
10:19
[SPEAKER_02]: He's had about a dozen training camp practices now to date and the preseason opener.
10:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And he just has not been able to separate himself from a player in Dishon Watson that has not been a good quarterback in six years.
10:31
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's the state of affairs right now.
10:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Chris, you mentioned Dishon being a bridge to nowhere.
10:37
[SPEAKER_02]: that's what this entire thing is a bridge to know where it's a bridge to you know where April Washington D.C.
10:44
[SPEAKER_02]: The 2027 NFL draft, which is thought to be this great quarterback class, I really think that's where this thing steers for our Browns.
10:52
[SPEAKER_02]: I know that's going to have set a lot of short people that wanted to see Shoulder Sanders be the franchise quarterback in Cleveland.
10:59
[SPEAKER_02]: We all wanted it too, but for whatever reason their actions are telling us that we might just not get that.
11:05
[SPEAKER_04]: But Nick, let me tell you for Shidur and for everybody who likes Shidur and wants to see him as a starter.
11:11
[SPEAKER_04]: If he does go out and ball out against the bills on Saturday, the drum beat not only here locally, but nationally for him to be the starting quarterback is going to be deafening.
11:23
[SPEAKER_04]: I can tell you, I talked about it a little bit before the show.
11:26
[SPEAKER_04]: I put out a poll.
11:27
[SPEAKER_04]: of which quarterback do you want to start for the Cleveland Browns out of our four right now?
11:33
[SPEAKER_04]: And Nick, out of those four, we've had 9,000 over 9,000 people in the Cleveland area.
11:38
[SPEAKER_04]: Well, really, across the nation who have voted in this thing.
11:42
[SPEAKER_04]: 47% I believe said Shader Sanders, then it's split right now.
11:46
[SPEAKER_04]: Second,
11:47
[SPEAKER_04]: between to Sean Watson and tail and green, tail and green, who hasn't we haven't seen in any action at all in terms of a preseason game yet.
11:55
[SPEAKER_04]: He's number two tied with to Sean Watson and then bringing up the rear with 5% is dealing Gabriel.
12:02
[SPEAKER_04]: So the people want Shoulder Sanders right now.
12:06
[SPEAKER_04]: They want to see what he can do.
12:08
[SPEAKER_04]: So if he does ball out on Saturday, it's going to be awful
12:14
[SPEAKER_04]: They may be ripping those bad boys up there in Beria, because everybody's going to be wanting Shader.
12:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Chris, do you think it'll force Munkins' hand if Shader really does ball out, not just plays well, but he's got to have, as you mentioned, kind of a prime Tom Brady-esque game.
12:30
[SPEAKER_04]: That's going to be hard too because this is a first time head coach right rookie head coach who has got to show hey I'm going to assert myself this is my team this is my direction and then right off the bat you're going okay I was going to go this direction but the fans are kind of pushing me that way.
12:49
[SPEAKER_04]: I think ultimately, if we're going to see Shader, it will be Monk in his decision, right?
12:54
[SPEAKER_04]: He's going to look at it objectively, all the noise in the background, and he's going to say, this is the guy I want to go with, because ultimately, he's not going to stick around, unless he finds a quarterback very quickly.
13:05
[SPEAKER_04]: either now or in that draft right you'll get a year you'll get a couple of years without a quarterback then you got to find him and boy it'd be a lot easier on Monk and if he's got that guy right now and we know that guy going forward isn't going to be just Sean Watson so Shudder gives him the best shot outside and maybe a tail and green down the down the line but I think he would like to see that but I don't think he's going to be listening to the fans necessarily over who he's going to put on the field come week one.
13:30
[SPEAKER_02]: what you know, because that's the old football guy added just a not Chris that when you start listening to the fans before you're going to be sitting next to them, you know, is the old football guy thing that gets said, but in this case, it does feel embarrassing, doesn't not.
13:47
[SPEAKER_02]: that nobody wants to see Deshawnlots and play.
13:50
[SPEAKER_02]: We all know what it looks like.
13:52
[SPEAKER_02]: There is no upside.
13:54
[SPEAKER_02]: It's another coach and another era that's going to be plagued with what was the worst trait in the history of professional sports.
14:01
[SPEAKER_02]: It's actually unbelievable that the browns are going to allow the Todd Munkin era.
14:06
[SPEAKER_02]: This guy that's supposed to be this breath of fresh air and how different everything feels from the Kevin Stefanzky days will
14:13
[SPEAKER_02]: let it truly be a breath of fresh air.
14:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Let it truly be something new and turn the page on what was one of the worst mistakes in the history of professional sports and that's trading for and handing to Sean Watson $230 million guaranteed.
14:29
[SPEAKER_02]: It's sunk the franchise in 2022, yet some reason still
14:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Even though nobody wants to see it, they seem steadfast with putting that guy back on the field for this team again.
14:41
[SPEAKER_02]: It's embarrassing, it's nonsensical, and the fact that a fifth offensive coordinator is going to be plagued with working with the stench of that trade is just another embarrassing footnote for what has been this entire trade and the fallout from it.
14:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, as messy as it is, finding our quarterback, the flip side, the positive thing here is the Brown's offense is taking shape and the rookies are making the mark.
15:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's look at who they'd be throwing too, because it looks like we've got some bright spots here.
15:13
[SPEAKER_01]: And when we look at the rookie wide receivers, already showing that this could be a completely different offence from what we saw last year, do you think that that's what's gonna happen barring that we can throw them the ball accurately?
15:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that is, that's coming out new concern for me, Chris here here this, you know, this season.
15:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Look, we know we're not going, this thing's not going to englwood, right?
15:37
[SPEAKER_02]: This thing's not going to the Super Bowl unless the Sean Watson finds whatever he was in 2019.
15:43
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that player is long gone.
15:45
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think when you look at this season and what you could actually take away from it, you need to develop these young players and these young past catchers, and so far, Denzel Boston has been my offensive player of the off season.
15:58
[SPEAKER_02]: He has completely wowed me throughout the spring, throughout these camp sessions, he's been really good, and then you see what Casey Concepts you don't can do, and some of his
16:13
[SPEAKER_02]: He rushes for a touchdown on an end-around.
16:16
[SPEAKER_02]: He catches a couple nice passes from the Sean Watson and you could see, okay I've got not just one, but two really good young promising receivers that could be a part of this thing for years to come The key is though you got to develop those guys this year.
16:30
[SPEAKER_02]: You don't want to waste the first year of their NFL careers For KC you've got the cushion of the fifth year
16:38
[SPEAKER_02]: But for a wide receiver, we know how expensive those players get when they're drafted in the first round.
16:44
[SPEAKER_02]: And for Dunzel Boston, you won't have the luxury of that fifth year option, because he was a second-round pick.
16:50
[SPEAKER_02]: So you don't want to waste a year of evaluation when it comes to these young receivers because at some point down the road, you would hope that your panom autonomy.
16:59
[SPEAKER_02]: because that means that they're really good and you don't want them to go elsewhere.
17:03
[SPEAKER_02]: But before you can do that, you want to get a real read on them.
17:07
[SPEAKER_02]: So you're not paying somebody like Jerry Judy, a lot of money, and then you learn that they're not the receiver that you thought you were getting.
17:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Does that make sense?
17:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I'll throw into the mix, too.
17:16
[SPEAKER_04]: I say a bond, right?
17:18
[SPEAKER_04]: The guy we got last year who's got just a tremendous upside and I saw him open.
17:24
[SPEAKER_04]: And I think if we, if we can find him in the secondary there, I think he could be a tremendous weapon for us, too.
17:30
[SPEAKER_04]: You put him along those other two.
17:32
[SPEAKER_04]: And then you've got the tight end Harold Fannon.
17:34
[SPEAKER_04]: He's got, he's got on third down.
17:36
[SPEAKER_04]: He cannot make that drop.
17:38
[SPEAKER_04]: I'll give him
17:39
[SPEAKER_04]: to Sean Watson had a really nice play on that and Harold fan and dropped that medium third down drop had that's what it tightens therefore is to make those kind of catches you know and Harold fan has got to make those catches he's a young guy who I think's going to be fantastic for us so he works on things like that you've got the elements there with Dylan Samson we saw him make some plays quinshon judgekins you've got some pieces there all the sudden neck that you say this offense could be good but once again
18:07
[SPEAKER_04]: We come back to the quarterbacks, can somebody get them to the ball?
18:10
[SPEAKER_01]: You went, oh, I was going to say you mentioned Samson Chris and, you know, he had the Brown's biggest offensive play against Chicago with that 43-yard screen reception.
18:19
[SPEAKER_01]: The plan has been, Juddkins, to be the lead runner-all Samson contributes heavily in the passing game.
18:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you think that Samson could become a big weapon for whoever wins the quarterback job?
18:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, Gab, he has had an absolute monster camp.
18:33
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that is a player on this offense that just hasn't gotten talked enough about.
18:38
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's a player from last year's rookie class.
18:41
[SPEAKER_02]: When you see all the guys that made huge contributions as a rookie with Mason Graham and Carson Sweson drawn the defense and then obviously fan and and judkins offensively, Dylan Samson had a quieter year from a stats perspective because he's a smaller back, he's a change of pace back.
18:56
[SPEAKER_02]: And that offensive line was awful.
18:58
[SPEAKER_02]: like at the end of last year, you literally had KT Leviston, which by the way, the tape wasn't great on KT Leviston in in preseason game number one in Corn Lucas at your tackle spot.
19:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So when everything broke down as did Dylan Samson and as did those opportunities for Dylan Samson to break big runs.
19:17
[SPEAKER_02]: But
19:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Behind what should be an improved offence of line, regardless of who the quarterback is, I do think having somebody with Samson's past catching ability to do exactly what you said Chris with Harold Fanon just be there, just be around, be a security blanket and be an option that these quarterbacks could dump the ball off to.
19:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I think that's going to be really good for the Browns.
19:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I think that has the potential to be really maddening for the people that draft
19:47
[SPEAKER_02]: a big time roll coming up for himself in this upcoming year's offense.
19:52
[SPEAKER_04]: Unlike a quarterback though, with running back, if you have two running backs, you have two running backs, right?
19:59
[SPEAKER_04]: With quarterback, you have two quarterbacks, you have zero quarterbacks.
20:01
[SPEAKER_04]: So I like the fact that we've got a couple that I think are young that are going to be just fantastic for us, you know, having one year, both of those guys under their belt.
20:11
[SPEAKER_04]: Now this year, I really
20:15
[SPEAKER_01]: What about as we continue dissecting here?
20:17
[SPEAKER_01]: If we look at the tight ends, the Browns have sort of a numbers problem at tight end.
20:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Blake Whitehart was the clear number two against Chicago, Jack Stold and in play, Brendan Bates was injured, Joe Royer still away from the team.
20:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Carson Ryan trying to make the roster as a hybrid fullback tight end.
20:32
[SPEAKER_01]: If the Browns had to play a meaningful game right now, I guess how concerned are you about the tight ends group?
20:38
[SPEAKER_02]: behind Harold fan and there's there's not much else and and the issue with this group is I don't know where the reinforcements are exactly coming from like Blake Whiteheart was on the roster last year we you know have a little bit of familiarity with him whatever if he's the backup Titan he's been around but there are certainly better Titan twos in football um Jack Stoll was signed in free agency to be a blocking Titan for the team but didn't play in the preseason opener
21:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Joel Royer, who is your fifth round pick, being away from the teams since training camp up, and that doesn't vote well for him to make this roster, because if you are going to carry a fullback, which I believe Todd Munkin wants to, and it's probably going to be up to Carson Ryan to just throw in Michael Burton, the veteran fullback for that position, you're probably only carrying three tight ends.
21:30
[SPEAKER_02]: So if it's going to be, you know,
21:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Harold fan of juniors not go anywhere obviously he led the team and receiving yards last year and Blake Whitehart is the one to That makes it an interesting third to watch between Brendan Bates, Jack Stoll and Joe Royer and Carson Ryan if Joe Royer could even return to this thing by the time the regular season gets going so it's a very
21:52
[SPEAKER_02]: using room to break down.
21:54
[SPEAKER_02]: We obviously know Harold Fan in his going to be the starting Titan.
21:58
[SPEAKER_02]: That's really what matters, but say Harold has a tour three week span where he can't go if he can't play.
22:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Man, you don't have much else going on in this room.
22:08
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, that'll be interesting when we drafted Roy or two out of Cincinnati, Ryan or producer Ryan's school there.
22:15
[SPEAKER_04]: I really thought this guy could be something and obviously he's got off the field stuff once again.
22:20
[SPEAKER_04]: And I don't know, it should be interesting, you know, the thing is with the Titan, though, I think if Harold Fanon can get it going, it doesn't matter too much the depth as long as he's going to be top end and out there, then I'm not as concerned at the Titan position.
22:35
[SPEAKER_04]: as I am other positions on the field because that can be massed a little bit.
22:39
[SPEAKER_04]: It's a tremendous help if you've got a guy who can really go out there.
22:43
[SPEAKER_04]: Allah, Azi Newsom, who can be a huge playmaker for you.
22:47
[SPEAKER_04]: But if you're a little bit, you know, with the wide receivers that we've got, the running backs that we've got, there's a lot that we can cloak right now.
22:56
[SPEAKER_04]: It wasn't always that way.
22:57
[SPEAKER_04]: You'd depend more on the tight ends and on the wide receivers coming out of the backfield.
23:02
[SPEAKER_04]: Now I think we've got a little bit more in terms of weapons, actually, a lot more in terms of weapons.
23:07
[SPEAKER_04]: So I don't know that it's as critical having that tight end depth as it was in the past.
23:11
[SPEAKER_04]: But boy, it is nice if you do have somebody you can rely upon when you're looking at third down, even fourth down, and really to make those game breakers.
23:20
[SPEAKER_02]: And when you're looking at, you know, just like the couple of openings that this team really does have on this roster, there aren't a ton of them, but tight end is certainly one spot that I think fans should be watching for in the second and third preseason games because.
23:36
[SPEAKER_02]: These guys could, you know, earn themselves a roster spot in the preseason if they have a good showing at the tight end position, because the Browns just have a need there and eightly and if somebody could separate themselves that would do wonders same thing with that RB3 Chris, you mentioned, you feel really good about Quintion Jodkins and Dylan Samson that third spot.
23:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Surprised me when Amani Marshall moved ahead of Rocket Sanders on the depth chart.
24:04
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought Rocket Sanders showed a couple of flashes during his first year with the Browns last season.
24:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously it was a really small sample size.
24:11
[SPEAKER_02]: It was in the games after Judd Kinsey had gotten injured, so the season was lost and we knew what it was.
24:16
[SPEAKER_02]: But Amani Marshall has been somebody that's been around this organization, been a priest isn't here up before, been kind of a guy that hangs around the practice squad.
24:24
[SPEAKER_02]: He'll have an opportunity to make this roster as behind Juggkins and Samson.
24:28
[SPEAKER_02]: You do have a depth question market RB3 also.
24:32
[SPEAKER_04]: That's one where you do want to have debts because like we see these with a 17 game schedule Yeah, these running bags get beat up and so you want to be able to send somebody else out there So you've got to have some debt that that running bag position.
24:46
[SPEAKER_04]: So that's something we'll be watching really Through the rest of this preseason to see if anybody sets themselves apart from the rest of the rest of the field at running back
24:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Guys, before we wrap this segment, I did want to ask what you thought of a Spencer Fano, the rookie tackle, showing some good stuff.
25:01
[SPEAKER_01]: I know Nick, you kind of briefly mentioned it at the beginning of the show, but were you, are you starting to be impressed by him starting to blossom here on the team?
25:09
[SPEAKER_02]: It looked good, it did not, it looked really good, and my understanding, because I saw some of the social media outrage that, you know, they had him playing into the third quarter.
25:19
[SPEAKER_02]: And so, you know, people obviously tried to read into that.
25:22
[SPEAKER_02]: And if he's played it in the third corner, that means he's really competing for a starting spot.
25:28
[SPEAKER_02]: They want to get this guy looks against all different types of past rushers.
25:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Guys that could bull rush, guys that have good spid moves.
25:37
[SPEAKER_02]: They want the note to see it all because, come week one, he's going to see it all in real game action as a rookie.
25:45
[SPEAKER_02]: So don't be scared, don't be scared.
25:47
[SPEAKER_02]: be alarmed.
25:48
[SPEAKER_02]: If you do see more phenode than some of the other rookies or some of the other starters, on the offensive line, they're just trying to make sure that he's all the way ready for regular season action come week one against Jacksville, nothing to be alarmed with there.
26:03
[SPEAKER_02]: On the offensive line, though, on the theme of position battles, was that to one Jones that I saw in at Tackle during the fourth quarter,
26:12
[SPEAKER_02]: that does signal somebody that is fighting for a job on this roster if you're playing into the fourth quarter into the preseason opener.
26:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So something to watch there with DeWan, obviously not trying to sound any alarm bells yet.
26:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Austin Barber went down, was holding his ankle, we'll get it, you know, status report on him too, but I was super impressed with what I saw from Spencer Chris.
26:33
[SPEAKER_02]: How about you?
26:34
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, so as I now barber on the other side, he had really bad play when to Sean was out there, let the player through and there are times in their rookies.
26:45
[SPEAKER_04]: There's your young guys.
26:46
[SPEAKER_04]: There are times where you just kind of pull your hair out because you're going to get our quarterback killed back there.
26:50
[SPEAKER_04]: But it's all part of the learning process, right?
26:53
[SPEAKER_04]: And I thought, Fano, he did well.
26:55
[SPEAKER_04]: He did well.
26:55
[SPEAKER_04]: He really did.
26:56
[SPEAKER_04]: And I'm excited to see how this offensive line comes together.
27:00
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm concerned.
27:01
[SPEAKER_04]: that after the pieces that we've lost and we really in an off season had to recreate this whole offensive line.
27:07
[SPEAKER_04]: And that concerns me, but at the same time we did get the young pieces and hopefully they can come together because the quarterback's not going to do much if he can't throw the ball because he's under a pressure.
27:18
[SPEAKER_04]: So these guys are going to have to step up pretty quickly.
27:22
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27:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the Big Play Cleveland show.
27:50
[SPEAKER_01]: We're bringing the heat with Jensen Lewis.
27:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for joining us today, and Jensen.
27:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, first of all, I'm exhausted after the weekend, from, from emotionally and physically.
28:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Rock and bless is quite a production as you know.
28:02
[SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, Cleveland now 60 and 65 since the all-star break, and they've gone just one and seven and one in their nine series.
28:10
[SPEAKER_01]: We've lost series to the race, Diamondbacks, Metz, White Sox, Tigers, Padre's,
28:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, well, the white, or the white socks continue to create that separation in the AL central.
28:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you think that there's still time to turn this around?
28:24
[SPEAKER_01]: And I know fans are starting to grow a little bit impatient, but knowing this team and this franchise, what are your thoughts when you materialize that data and take a look at the rest of the season?
28:34
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, again, let's start since the all-star break, right?
28:37
[SPEAKER_03]: It's the second worst record of Major League Baseball at 9 and 19.
28:41
[SPEAKER_03]: The pitching has been pretty pedestrian since then, as well.
28:43
[SPEAKER_03]: A TVRA of 432, which is 23rd of Major League Baseball.
28:48
[SPEAKER_03]: But it's in that bullpennier array that I know we've talked about the last couple of weeks that has really deteriorated a 471, which is tied for 24th of Major League Baseball.
28:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Off it's not much better here.
29:00
[SPEAKER_03]: 100 nine runs and 28 games that's 20 second, a major league baseball.
29:04
[SPEAKER_03]: And then what I just kind of want to take a little more at the advanced look on batting average of balls in play or a rabbit is a lot of our analytics friends like to call it for short 285 in that category tie for 20 if.
29:16
[SPEAKER_03]: in MLB.
29:16
[SPEAKER_03]: So again, a lot of things that are below league average, but to round a ballet into your question with all of that being said, I feel like we're saying this every single week, your game game and how half out of a playoff spot.
29:28
[SPEAKER_03]: Now, the division, you know, the division may be a lost cause if they're not able to win this series against the giants.
29:35
[SPEAKER_03]: And then
29:35
[SPEAKER_03]: be able to win the road trip against Colorado in the angels.
29:38
[SPEAKER_03]: If you got to find some momentum somewhere and with what the white socks just did to Detroit sweeping them in Motown, you're right, it's created a ton of separation.
29:47
[SPEAKER_03]: So I don't even think they can worry about what's going on ahead of them.
29:51
[SPEAKER_03]: They need this off day Monday to kind of recalibrate and be able to get back at it on Tuesday and really be able to take the fight to this opponent.
30:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Jensen, when you look at this upcoming series against San Francisco, you mentioned just how important that is for the Guardians and their playoff race.
30:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Where the division stands right now, five games back.
30:14
[SPEAKER_02]: You're also five games below 500.
30:16
[SPEAKER_02]: That could be tough.
30:17
[SPEAKER_02]: The wild card race, though, is still open.
30:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Should that be what Guardians fans watch for during what should be a
30:29
[SPEAKER_03]: the fans can worry about the standings.
30:31
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think the players can.
30:32
[SPEAKER_03]: I think your goal at this point is get back to 500.
30:35
[SPEAKER_03]: That's got to be the goal first and foremost.
30:37
[SPEAKER_03]: If you can get your head above water, now the sudden things become a lot clearer and more reasonable.
30:45
[SPEAKER_03]: to achieve as far as a playoff spot.
30:47
[SPEAKER_03]: So again, you got to hold serve at home.
30:49
[SPEAKER_03]: We know the giants aren't going anywhere this year, Nick.
30:51
[SPEAKER_03]: And to be fair, this road trip is a little tricky because when you look at what Colorado has done, they are much improved from a year ago.
30:59
[SPEAKER_03]: The angels have got a couple of hurlers there that are far better than what they've had in their rotation the last couple of years.
31:06
[SPEAKER_03]: And just kind of looking ahead at some of the pitching
31:12
[SPEAKER_03]: for the angels, at least on paper right now.
31:14
[SPEAKER_03]: That's Walbert, Aranya, against what looks like Parker Messick in the series opener, and then Redetmer's, of course, talked about so much of the trade deadline, potentially being on the move, the angels end up keeping him.
31:25
[SPEAKER_03]: But first things first, let's get a good start from Foster Griffin, get off to a great start with him, get some early offense, and just kind of take the pressure off, right?
31:34
[SPEAKER_03]: listen, take nothing away from the weekend because San Diego's red hot, right?
31:37
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, it is what it is.
31:38
[SPEAKER_03]: This is baseball.
31:40
[SPEAKER_03]: When things aren't going well, it feels like you run into the best teams playing at the highest level at those times.
31:46
[SPEAKER_03]: So again, maybe the off day coming at the perfect time to reset get away from the ballpark, kind of flush everything out.
31:53
[SPEAKER_03]: Be ready to rock and roll on Tuesday night.
31:55
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, Jensen, we did get a little bit of breaking news on the program as it pertains to this series as the San Francisco Giants are promoting Matt Tugboat Wilkinson a name that a lot of Cleveland fans might remember from our farm system was moved in that Patrick Bailey trade.
32:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, the left hand or right, but what a moniker to get and of course earning that during his time in the lower levels of the Cleveland minor league system.
32:34
[SPEAKER_03]: But that just kind of tells you not only what San Francisco thought of him to trade, they're starting catcher and arguably the best defensive catcher in the league.
32:42
[SPEAKER_03]: four tugboat as part of that package, but you know, again, a 10th round pick out a junior college.
32:47
[SPEAKER_03]: He's just given up and just reading the Jeff Pass and, you know, post word for word here, 59 hits and 90 innings while striking out 96.
32:54
[SPEAKER_03]: I think we kind of knew early on that the swinging miss was a big part of his game and maybe more advanced than people realize outside of this Cleveland farm system.
33:04
[SPEAKER_03]: So, hey, look, look no further than where the giants are trying to infuse.
33:10
[SPEAKER_03]: you know this group with as many arms as possible and especially in the rotation where basically outside of Logan Webb and what Adrian Housers put together has been pretty pedestrian so you know you think about Tony Vitello and trying to win games to save face here in year one of his tenure not sure where they will put him but if indeed you know it is a starter if he's out of the bullpen we'll wait and see what happens here but well deserved I mean you ask players to force
33:40
[SPEAKER_03]: it looks like on paper he is certainly earned that especially in their farm system.
33:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, Jensen, what do you think we can attribute maybe some of the struggles we've had since the trade deadline, you know, thinking that these new pieces are going to help us and we've had a little bit of a lackluster time jelling.
33:58
[SPEAKER_01]: What would you point to as the reason for that?
34:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Gabby honest you know Joe Dell's actually been a nice little breath of fresh air he's he's actually performed pretty well and and when you get a guy coming over and it's an instant impact bad which he pretty much has been for his body of work I think it's exactly what you hope for it not that Nathaniel low hasn't really hit much You know, but you're you're still getting those guys acclimated to this order right I think the hard part has been
34:26
[SPEAKER_03]: Maybe some frustrating lineup decisions, you know, when Steven vote puts together a lineup and you've got a couple of hot hitters that all of a sudden are on the bench and I get where, you know, some of the, the platoon advantages are some of the advanced numbers that maybe they see, but by sometimes when you're off into struggling, you just got to leave the hot hands in.
34:43
[SPEAKER_03]: You got to let guys just rock and roll.
34:45
[SPEAKER_03]: And so over the weekend, some puzzling lineup decisions in the starting lineup, but you, you can't, you can't
34:50
[SPEAKER_03]: you know, really go back in and adjusts anything now.
34:54
[SPEAKER_03]: It's, you know, eyes through the front windshield and into your point gab, you know, when we hope that the lotter's going to be fine, you know, with what quantities been able to do now, this is that table set or really have yet as far as yelling goes, you have really yet to get clawing.
35:09
[SPEAKER_03]: CDL and Jose rolling at the same time.
35:12
[SPEAKER_03]: If you can do that to finish out this homestand and again, a bowl pitching staff, as far as what you're up against in the, the probable is in the back end bullpen for the San Francisco Giants, then you get to a really outstanding hitting it, atmosphere, at course, field, begin that next road trip.
35:30
[SPEAKER_03]: Hopefully this is the elixir for the offense because God, we've been just hoping and praying that they can put something together to really help out this pitching staff.
35:38
[SPEAKER_01]: I think you pointed out the key there is that it's just everybody at the same time.
35:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
35:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
35:43
[SPEAKER_01]: We have seen some really big bright spots, some flashes, if you will.
35:47
[SPEAKER_01]: And where we're playing the guard's ball, I'm thinking the other night I think it was Saturday, a Dell was at the plate.
35:53
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a swing and a miss, but DeLater was stealing second.
35:56
[SPEAKER_01]: There was a Boblet second.
35:57
[SPEAKER_01]: They take advantage of that.
35:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Meanwhile, Quan was stealing home.
36:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Um,
36:01
[SPEAKER_01]: CDL races the third.
36:03
[SPEAKER_01]: It's another bubble instant decision pops up racist home.
36:05
[SPEAKER_01]: There's some excitement at that of flashes of you see them doing and even just athletic plays Bazana.
36:11
[SPEAKER_01]: There's amazing things that this team does, but to your point of just getting everybody aligned at the same time from your experience and your observations.
36:21
[SPEAKER_01]: What does that take or is this just baseball?
36:23
[SPEAKER_01]: This is the story of baseball.
36:26
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, you got a lot of young hitters to still and remember some of the names that you read off there, you know, Chase has been, you know, up and down and spurred, I mean, statistically he's been the best hitter.
36:35
[SPEAKER_03]: There's no, there's no arguing that.
36:37
[SPEAKER_03]: He went healthy and went on the field this year.
36:40
[SPEAKER_03]: That's been the offense and, you know, we used to say that about, or we're used to saying that about Jose, but of course, the Hamade injury derailing his season early and unfortunate to not be able to get those two going early and off the, you wonder how different this season
36:56
[SPEAKER_03]: if it is a healthy season from day one all the way through this point with what Chase was able to do out of the gates with what Jose is usually done in the back of his baseball card.
37:05
[SPEAKER_03]: And if Steven doesn't struggle as mightalists he did in the first half, maybe we were looking at a different season to that end and all kind of continue to be glass half full because it kind of goes back to exactly what you're you're harping on Gavis.
37:19
[SPEAKER_03]: Boy, for four
37:24
[SPEAKER_03]: you're playing meaningful baseball with about six weeks left to go.
37:27
[SPEAKER_03]: So the sprint is still there.
37:29
[SPEAKER_03]: And it's going to be young players, especially offensively, that are getting baptized into what penidinnings are like, what leverage it bats are like, and having to perform.
37:39
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, you are at a point of the schedule where you absolutely must take advantage.
37:44
[SPEAKER_03]: San Francisco's not going to the postseason.
37:46
[SPEAKER_03]: Neither are Colorado or the LA Angels.
37:49
[SPEAKER_03]: These are series.
37:50
[SPEAKER_03]: If you're a true playoff team,
37:53
[SPEAKER_03]: absolutely unequivocally have to win.
37:56
[SPEAKER_03]: If you don't, then you only look yourself in the mirror.
37:59
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, everything in front of you, you have control of it.
38:02
[SPEAKER_03]: One day at a time as close shades it sounds, you got to win Tuesday night, get it started and really be able to create some momentum.
38:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Jensen, when you look at this bullpen, people have obviously just been so critical of them rip this thing to shreds and they've had a rough year as a group.
38:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I did want to ask about Kate Smith though because he's thrown the ball really hard, he hit 100 miles an hour.
38:25
[SPEAKER_02]: in August.
38:25
[SPEAKER_02]: I think his average fastball velocity was in the high 99s in the month of August as well.
38:31
[SPEAKER_02]: What have you seen from him because it certainly feels like the Guardians have got the version of Kate Smith that they were expecting in life after a manual class say it just would be nice to have the rest of the bullpen follow suit.
38:43
[SPEAKER_03]: uh... in no question uh... i mean the the uh... just looking at at some of the baseball savant numbers uh... as we talk this out loud you're right just looking at uh... uh... some of the uh... you know the average exit uh... a viola that he's had or the lack thereof uh... the high-end velocity the triple digits with regularity it just looking at his with for him in these are all excellent if you're a baseball savant person uh... to be in the ninety six ninety eight ninety nine percent
39:12
[SPEAKER_03]: strike out percentage 98.
39:14
[SPEAKER_03]: His extension is a 99% out.
39:16
[SPEAKER_03]: And what does that do?
39:18
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, if you're releasing the ball closer to the plate, then the average pitcher does, you're going to create that perceived velocity.
39:25
[SPEAKER_03]: And hey, when 100 is 100, that is what it is.
39:28
[SPEAKER_03]: But then it even feels harder and faster than what the actual radar gun is telling you because he has as a lead extension as anybody in the game.
39:38
[SPEAKER_03]: So the added extra Velo will take that, but man, the perception is really causing havoc on hitters being able to aim a contact, be trying to square it up, and then just
39:49
[SPEAKER_03]: you know, him being really great with his command.
39:52
[SPEAKER_03]: He had kind of a speler to where he lost it for a bit, but boy, you come back and you look at it 77 strikeouts and 55 innings.
40:00
[SPEAKER_03]: He's got 31 saves a whip of what one 11 right now.
40:04
[SPEAKER_03]: It's a lead stuff.
40:05
[SPEAKER_03]: It's top end and and Nick, you're so right.
40:08
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, we don't even think about a manual class anymore because of how dominant you know, Kate Smith, he's been seamless heading into this closing roll and really taking it by
40:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Alright, Jensen, last one for you, the Guardians do have some legitimate reasons for optimism.
40:24
[SPEAKER_02]: And we've talked about him, Kate Smith, Parker Messick, Stephen Quann, all playing so well, but the team as a whole continues to drop these important series, what needs to change first for you in order to believe that this is a team that can have an actual postseason run.
40:42
[SPEAKER_03]: you need traffic on the base past Nick it I know it's it's easier said than done and and you again to to their credit I mean they've had to go up against some elite pitching over the weekend you got a front row seat as to why San Diego has been the best team in the month of August their pitching start to finish is absolutely ridiculous right now what I hope is that you get guys that that really kind of
41:04
[SPEAKER_03]: have emphasis early on trying to hang a crooked number create as much traffic as possible like making a posing pitching staff feel you go beat somebody 12 the nothing and then back it up the next day with an eight to one you know we we don't have that regularity of guys just being able to do it and that's also predicated off so many young kids that are still learning how to play and how to hit and
41:27
[SPEAKER_03]: at the big league level.
41:28
[SPEAKER_03]: So you hope that they can kind of put everything behind them that's happened to this point that's been a negative offensively and be able to get back to what really made them great towards the end of last year, right?
41:39
[SPEAKER_03]: Great situational hitting.
41:41
[SPEAKER_03]: They were almost automatic with runners in scoring position throughout the month of September.
41:45
[SPEAKER_03]: Big reason why they made the epic comeback that they did in the division.
41:49
[SPEAKER_03]: So that's what you got to get back to.
41:51
[SPEAKER_03]: Early offense, what's been successful for this franchise the last half
41:55
[SPEAKER_03]: When you get this starting rotation in early lead, chances are you're winning the game because they've been that efficient, they've been that reliable, but really making opponent finally feel you from the first couple of innings.
42:07
[SPEAKER_02]: He is Jensen Lewis, you could follow him on X at J. Lou 50, you could listen to him and all of his great baseball analysis plus bore, Vsin, by the books.
42:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Jensen's thanks so much for joining us, bringing the heat, one of the great segments on Big Play Cleveland Live.
42:22
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll do it again next Monday.
42:24
[SPEAKER_03]: You got it.
42:24
[SPEAKER_03]: Thanks guys.
42:25
[SPEAKER_03]: All right.
42:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Before we bring in the top dog hand for Dixon to talk about what he saw in the Browns preseason to talk about what he saw from his guy Shoulder Sanders in this competition.
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43:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the Big Play Cleveland Show, we're continuing Brown's pre-season takeaways by this time we're joined by the top dog.
44:04
[SPEAKER_00]: That bark is getting louder.
44:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Ooh, it's getting louder.
44:06
[SPEAKER_00]: It's getting louder.
44:07
[SPEAKER_01]: It's in comes, and it's funny because we'll probably have to pick your brain a lot about Guardians too, because we know that there's not a bigger Guardians fan in the studio as much as you.
44:18
[SPEAKER_01]: But we've got to start with the Browns here.
44:20
[SPEAKER_01]: And one of the things that I actually
44:22
[SPEAKER_01]: jog back was taking you back to your preseason days now.
44:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I know that you weren't somebody fighting for your roster spot because you were the top dog.
44:31
[SPEAKER_01]: But surely you can empathize with dudes who are out there, feel in the pressure.
44:35
[SPEAKER_01]: What is that like for guys coming in and having to prove themselves?
44:39
[SPEAKER_00]: uh... first of all you exactly right because uh... obviously i came in i was there uh... first round draft pick and uh... you know i i felt like i had to approve myself to the players especially the uh... veteran players because i don't want them to think that uh... i i want them to see that i was worthy
44:59
[SPEAKER_00]: of that first round draft pick, but yeah, there was a lot of guys on the football team like for us as I can remember one guy guy by the name of a layer Friday who you guys want to remember him, but he played in the defensive backfield.
45:13
[SPEAKER_00]: He was a safety and guys like that, but
45:17
[SPEAKER_00]: you know like a lot of the walk-ons and guys like that they really have to fight for roster spotted and these guys uh they go out there and they practically they want to make a good showing.
45:29
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean when the there was those saying when the coach didn't know your name you really are uh in trouble and I think uh
45:37
[SPEAKER_00]: That's going to be very interesting because I think when you look at Todd, I think somebody asked about Florio, I mean, the wire receiver, and he called the guy his number, he didn't call his name, even though he's playing pretty well right now, and this one of the wire receivers, even though he's playing pretty well right now, I just think when a coach doesn't call you about your name, you could be maybe in a little trouble, but yeah, but I also had a lot of respect for those guys.
46:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, a lot of respect for those guys.
46:05
[SPEAKER_00]: I was just lucky and good enough
46:08
[SPEAKER_00]: to be taken pretty high in the draft, but when those guys go out and they're fighting for their job, and you know what, guys, it's really good to see, once those players like that make the team, just to see the joy on their faces, I really enjoyed that, but yeah, a lot of those guys, they're really, really fighting for a spot right now.
46:30
[SPEAKER_00]: And back then, when I played, we had four pieces of game.
46:33
[SPEAKER_00]: You look at it right now, they only have,
46:35
[SPEAKER_00]: three games in order to get this thing done.
46:37
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, we got one up out of the way.
46:40
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see what's getting ready to happen right now.
46:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, hand for back in those, you know, back in those days, you know, when when you were first entering the league, were you looking at veterans that were maybe in the defense of backfield with you and thinking like, hey, I'm a young player in this league, like, I've got to beat this guy out, you know, I've got to show the coaching staff that, you know,
47:02
[SPEAKER_02]: dog obviously, you know, before the dog pound was even invented as a young player was that kind of your mentality just that you had to take down the veterans on the roster or what were your thoughts coming in as a rookie?
47:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, not really.
47:15
[SPEAKER_00]: You're right.
47:16
[SPEAKER_00]: I agree with you to a certain extent.
47:17
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it wasn't like the mentality like I had to take down the veterans, but just the ones that was in my way.
47:25
[SPEAKER_00]: just the ones that were at the right corner.
47:30
[SPEAKER_00]: I remember there's a guy Lawrence Johnson.
47:34
[SPEAKER_00]: When I came in we had guys like Claire Scott at Free Safety Tom Dorton was playing safety Ron Bolton who was
47:44
[SPEAKER_00]: at one corner and then they had Lawrence Johnson at the other corner and I came in and these guys thought I was crazy, but I said, you know, I made the statement.
47:52
[SPEAKER_00]: I said, I don't know who, which one of you corners are going to give up a spot, but I'm going to take one of those corners spots and they looked at me.
48:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I was absolutely crazy.
48:02
[SPEAKER_00]: They said, who the hell do you think he is?
48:03
[SPEAKER_00]: You
48:04
[SPEAKER_00]: this young kid coming in here talking about he's going to take over spot but that's how confident I was I mean I was I've always that's why me and and verse will get along really really good because you know I listen to verse talk and and and obviously
48:24
[SPEAKER_00]: He, uh, right now we could say he's no mild scary, but who knows the way this, the way he talks and the way he's, all the confidence that he has and his ability of what he could do on the field and how he tried to get everybody else going on the field.
48:37
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that was a lot like me.
48:39
[SPEAKER_01]: So, uh, how viral would you be hand for it if we got you miced up back in the day?
48:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Just your trash talking and your confidence, you know?
48:47
[SPEAKER_01]: People, you'd be, you'd be such a polarizing figure.
48:51
[SPEAKER_00]: It was crazy because I was watching.
48:52
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I don't know whether it was after game.
48:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it was halftime Or during the game we had one of the players that was miced up, and that was the I was like this is like really sad He's going around.
49:04
[SPEAKER_00]: He's trying to get Jared Judy to talk to him.
49:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Jared Judy wouldn't talk to him
49:08
[SPEAKER_00]: And he was he was asking him what would what was your walk-out zone if you had a walk-out zone And you know, and it was just weird I mean if you have me mic'd up.
49:17
[SPEAKER_00]: I would be scared because some of the shit that would come out of my box We'd have to cut a lot of it.
49:22
[SPEAKER_00]: We would have to we would have to cut a lot of it, but back then, you know, and in my days it would just be nonstop Please it would it would be nonstop
49:33
[SPEAKER_04]: Things have changed a lot over the years here, hamford.
49:37
[SPEAKER_04]: And we got to report out.
49:38
[SPEAKER_04]: I just just seen come across Dale Riders saying, lots of first team reps versus the bills on Thursday, per Todd Monk and in the joint practice.
49:47
[SPEAKER_04]: They get in the work.
49:48
[SPEAKER_04]: They need no ones on Saturday for the preseason game.
49:52
[SPEAKER_04]: So it looks like we may not be seeing a lot of starters on Saturday.
49:56
[SPEAKER_04]: Was it that way back in your day?
49:58
[SPEAKER_04]: And what do you think about this shift?
49:59
[SPEAKER_04]: And what do you think about the Browns are doing here?
50:02
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I think that's crazy.
50:03
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I really do, you know, when you look at, just say for instance, the first preseason game and you look at the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen was in there.
50:14
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he played.
50:17
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he played like three plays and that was it during the ball game.
50:23
[SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to play because, you know, because the preseason is a way to measure yourself where you are on your journey getting ready for the regular season.
50:37
[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, I don't know where we get this, where guys think that they don't have to play in preseason.
50:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's just absolutely crazy.
50:46
[SPEAKER_00]: And they worry, I guess they worry about whether or not they're going to get hurt.
50:50
[SPEAKER_00]: But hell, you can get hurt on the first play of the regular season.
50:53
[SPEAKER_00]: But you gotta be ready to go.
50:55
[SPEAKER_00]: You got to have a contact.
50:58
[SPEAKER_00]: And I always wanted, guys, and those four preseason games, you know, I tried to talk to the coach, you know, I wanted to play as much as they would let me play, but we played a lot of the game, but that last preseason game, I wanted to play pretty much the whole game, because I knew right after that, I have to start the regular season.
51:18
[SPEAKER_00]: So, and then I know I'll be ready for the season, but I just don't get it today when you got all these guys
51:25
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's so called superstars where they don't play in the preseason, they don't want to play in the preseason, but they're going to play.
51:32
[SPEAKER_00]: What's the difference between practicing against these guys on Thursday, you know, going all out and, and in the game, I just think you have to play both.
51:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, we'll see, but I also like the ideal of you having a different team and someone else, you know, guys come in and you play it, go against those guys because you want those reps and you want someone else you could beat up on other than your players.
51:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, top dog, what do you think this means for the quarterback competition?
52:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Is obviously we know Shador Sanders is starting preseason week number two against Buffalo, but now we understand he's not going to have many starters out there with him.
52:13
[SPEAKER_02]: What do you think that means for how this coaching staff is going to have to evaluate Shador?
52:17
[SPEAKER_02]: He's not going to be playing with the whole day.
52:19
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think if you should do or you can't worry about that, Nick, you have to just go about your business.
52:28
[SPEAKER_00]: You have to, with whoever's out there, you've got to, you just got to worry about your job and taking care of your,
52:36
[SPEAKER_00]: of your business, this is Shadour's chance to shine, this is his chance to go out and play.
52:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought guys, when you look at, I know this is one of the questions you guys were going to get to him, but I'm going to jump right into it, talk about Shadour and Watson.
52:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought Watson played good, and I didn't think it was great.
52:59
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I thought he played, I thought he played, you know, good.
53:02
[SPEAKER_00]: And when you look at it, I thought should do a play, good.
53:06
[SPEAKER_00]: I think you take away the one throw that got away from him other than Anne.
53:11
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought he made some great throws.
53:13
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I really did.
53:14
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we seem to forget.
53:18
[SPEAKER_00]: Should doer this is a second year in the lead.
53:21
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean a second year.
53:23
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean the kid is is going to get better if he plays and if he doesn't I mean that's I mean maybe he's not the guy that we that we think that he is but he can't worry about that when he's got to do is the guys that are out there with them.
53:37
[SPEAKER_00]: He's got to take those guys and he's got to he's got to play well.
53:43
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's already, uh, a lot of people already against him as far as in this, I, I'll say this.
53:52
[SPEAKER_00]: If I thought.
53:54
[SPEAKER_00]: the competition was over.
53:56
[SPEAKER_00]: If I thought Watson was already going to be the starter, I don't see any sense and given should do it this start.
54:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't see any sense and given him the reps with the number ones on Thursday.
54:10
[SPEAKER_00]: If Watson is already the starter, hell, let's go ahead and play him because we need to throw him in there and let him get all the reps that he can get.
54:16
[SPEAKER_00]: But I don't think this competition by any way is over.
54:20
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that Todd has made up his mind yet.
54:23
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's still weighing which quarterback that he's going to start.
54:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Hanford, would you rather see a quarterback playing to be perfect at this point or see someone like Shador who is willing to show off all that he has at the risk of making a mistake, having an interception or something, but having other flashes that look good.
54:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I would much rather see the latter with this whole thing because, you know, and she didn't know he made a mistake.
54:50
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, the ball just sailed on him, and a lot of people don't know why that ball sailed on him.
54:55
[SPEAKER_00]: I knew why, because right at the right before he got ready to throw that ball, you could kind of see
55:00
[SPEAKER_00]: a defensive back kind of coming into the screen a little bit and as a result, the ball went a little higher than what he, than what he wanted.
55:09
[SPEAKER_00]: But you could tell the kid has got talent.
55:12
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you could tell he's got talent and he's young.
55:14
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he's young.
55:16
[SPEAKER_00]: There's room to grow with him with Watson.
55:19
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, and again, I'm not, I'm not against Watson because one thing for sure,
55:29
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to jump right behind them.
55:31
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't care.
55:32
[SPEAKER_00]: All I care about is to Cleveland Browns winning games, whether that's what you do or whether that's what's what's.
55:37
[SPEAKER_00]: And I would use to say whether or not that's what they're dealing with.
55:42
[SPEAKER_00]: You forged me to say that.
55:44
[SPEAKER_01]: But you're not wishing him the best.
55:47
[SPEAKER_00]: I wish him the best, you know, it's coming, you know, I wish him the best, but you guys let's just face it talking about Dylan.
55:55
[SPEAKER_02]: What was that?
55:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Hadford, where was he going with that football?
55:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I could say it if you can.
56:00
[SPEAKER_02]: Where was he even going with that football?
56:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Should doors, you know, he said it was the right read, monkey had his back on that, which I actually thought was really nice.
56:09
[SPEAKER_02]: That, you know, first time had coach came right out and had the back of his quarterback and said, Look, it was the right read, a ball just slipped.
56:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, with Dylan though, I mean, boy, that would have been quite a slip.
56:19
[SPEAKER_02]: If that's what happened to Dylan, there was not even a receiver in the vicinity.
56:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Are you a big Dylan fan?
56:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Come on, Hanford.
56:27
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought you knew me a little bit better than that.
56:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Now he's trolling me.
56:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Are we talking Bob Dylan?
56:35
[SPEAKER_00]: which no, but but I just don't see Dylan.
56:40
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I just don't see it.
56:41
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I watched him again guys and all he's going to do, he's going to check it down pretty much.
56:47
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think he took a sack and you know, ducking and high.
56:52
[SPEAKER_02]: here's what's alarming to me with that Hanford is you know when they drafted them there was a lot of outrage you know you you drafted them in the top 100 yeah but but the spin was they sold it as this is a sharp kid that we really like we want him to be around the organization and if he's a 10 year backup for us as a third round pick 10 year backup investment we're making
57:15
[SPEAKER_02]: The more that I watch him, the more I'm starting to doubt that he can even be a backup quarterback in this league.
57:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Just because he looks so physically over match, he's a nice kid.
57:25
[SPEAKER_02]: He really is.
57:26
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just like, it's a tough position to play.
57:29
[SPEAKER_00]: Who does next sound like saying that?
57:31
[SPEAKER_00]: That sound like me saying he's a nice kid?
57:34
[SPEAKER_01]: He's a nice kid.
57:34
[SPEAKER_01]: We wish him well.
57:35
[SPEAKER_00]: We wish him well.
57:36
[SPEAKER_01]: But I guys, I agree with you.
57:39
[SPEAKER_04]: He's supposed to be a super computer.
57:41
[SPEAKER_04]: I haven't seen the super computer.
57:42
[SPEAKER_04]: There's some kind of a virus on it.
57:44
[SPEAKER_04]: I don't grow.
57:45
[SPEAKER_04]: It doesn't like he's processing any faster than anyone else.
57:48
[SPEAKER_04]: Amber, am I missing some?
57:50
[SPEAKER_00]: No, you're not missing a damn thing.
57:52
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you're not missing nothing with you talking about it I mean, he's like I said he's a good kid, but he's not the kid for us because when you look at it If we're gonna keep three quarterbacks, what do you much rather keep Taylor Green?
58:06
[SPEAKER_00]: It's some guy that we you know we think is we know this got some upside.
58:11
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean when you look at dealing man I mean I just don't see it.
58:14
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean I just don't see it.
58:17
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, I think he could be a backup in the league somewhere else and we we wish him well Because I mean this Well worry when you look at this football team I mean why I worry because you know we've always had a strong defense.
58:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
58:33
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean when you look at
58:35
[SPEAKER_00]: I think Rudy's defense has got some work to do, I mean, because you look at the bears and what they were able to do to our defense, I mean, they were marching up and down the filling.
58:47
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, again, we know the starters and everybody was not in there.
58:51
[SPEAKER_00]: But still, you know, we got to get that defense, we got to get that defense straight now.
58:57
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm sure we will and I hope we will.
59:00
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, this was just the first preseason game, but I'm just so excited about football right now.
59:06
[SPEAKER_00]: I get beside myself right now, man.
59:08
[SPEAKER_00]: I just love it right now, week away.
59:10
[SPEAKER_00]: And then we, here's the thing.
59:11
[SPEAKER_00]: We got them coming in on, we got Buffalo coming in on Thursday, and then we got another game on Saturday.
59:16
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm just happy and I know you guys looking at you guys, you guys just as happy as I am about this whole thing.
59:22
[SPEAKER_02]: It feels like an increase energy in here in our footballers back and especially because Hanford like, you know, we're playing the hits here on the quarterback situation and they might just not have a great option for us, but there are a lot of promising young pieces that I wanted to ask you about on this football team.
59:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, obviously everybody knows about these two younger severs with concepcion and Boston and you know, Chris would continue to include Isaiah Bond in that conversation, but these two young running backs, I liked what I saw from Dylan Samson and Quenchon, Judd, Ken's both.
59:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Even though the quarterback is going to get a lot of attention and a lot of coverage this season, this is an offense that has a lot of young promising pieces, isn't it?
1:00:07
[SPEAKER_00]: Well when you look at Samson now don't forget now where do you go to school what conference what conference come on
1:00:16
[SPEAKER_04]: What do you say, Grant?
1:00:17
[SPEAKER_04]: What do you say it?
1:00:19
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm just saying I know you're a Homer for the SEC.
1:00:22
[SPEAKER_04]: You love SEC football.
1:00:24
[SPEAKER_04]: It's a superior brand of football in your eyes.
1:00:27
[SPEAKER_04]: I know.
1:00:27
[SPEAKER_04]: I know.
1:00:28
[SPEAKER_04]: Hey, by the way, the AP Top 25 just came out.
1:00:31
[SPEAKER_04]: You know who's number one?
1:00:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, here we go.
1:00:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Isn't a real estate?
1:00:34
[SPEAKER_04]: Ohio State University, Hanford.
1:00:37
[SPEAKER_04]: What do you think of that map?
1:00:38
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I've got to tell you this yesterday.
1:00:41
[SPEAKER_00]: I was, uh, I was in Cincinnati.
1:00:44
[SPEAKER_00]: And uh, I was sitting down and I was talking to um, is it Archie?
1:00:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Is that, is he with all you stay bunk guys?
1:00:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
1:00:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
1:00:53
[SPEAKER_00]: I was telling Archie.
1:00:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I said, I just want to tell you something big doubt that SCC is not happy with what you guys said about the big T and he was, he's still right of his tongue.
1:01:03
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just I don't know.
1:01:05
[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't want to hear it, but I agree with you get back to the question about those running bags.
1:01:11
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're pretty set in that area.
1:01:14
[SPEAKER_00]: I like the talent that we have there, and I think between the two of those guys, I think they're going to do big things, and we're not going to have to worry about that position.
1:01:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Now the offensive line, here's a question, I was hoping you guys can help me with.
1:01:34
[SPEAKER_00]: The one Jones go from probably being a starter where now he's fighting guys.
1:01:41
[SPEAKER_00]: He's fighting to make this ball club.
1:01:44
[SPEAKER_00]: That's crazy to me.
1:01:45
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you got a guy as big as he is.
1:01:48
[SPEAKER_00]: How can he not Chris, maybe you could take that when it helped me.
1:01:51
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.
1:01:53
[SPEAKER_04]: Well, I was going to get your thoughts.
1:01:55
[SPEAKER_04]: If he's playing deep into the fourth quarter, you're sitting there handford watching that game going, that's not a good thing, right?
1:02:03
[SPEAKER_04]: I mean, he's right on that cut line.
1:02:04
[SPEAKER_04]: Some of you's that big who was sold with that much talent that you thought eventually the lights would go on.
1:02:10
[SPEAKER_04]: And now we're still working on a project with him and in that project may not be a lot around much longer.
1:02:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I wonder if, you know, he went to a higher state talk.
1:02:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I wonder if some of the handwriting was on the wall, all kidding aside when the Browns and the third round drafted Austin Barber from the SEC from Florida.
1:02:33
[SPEAKER_02]: to be kind of that swing tackle just because you know for no is going to be the left tackle.
1:02:39
[SPEAKER_02]: The right tackle is going to be tight as Howard.
1:02:42
[SPEAKER_02]: I do wonder if Austin Barber who is a third row pick and he's a big guy himself.
1:02:46
[SPEAKER_02]: A lot of Florida is really going to take to Juan's spot as that first guy up in the swing tackle position.
1:02:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Cutting all jokes aside.
1:02:53
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I like Barber too.
1:02:55
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I really do.
1:02:56
[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's, I think he's going to be a good player.
1:02:59
[SPEAKER_00]: But for some reason, I was
1:03:02
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean I was pulling for him to take over that tackle spot.
1:03:06
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought he just fit right in especially as big as he is, but I just don't know how it's it's mind boggling to me how I got as big as he is can go from almost pretty much being pencil in at the starter and now he's
1:03:20
[SPEAKER_00]: barely making a team.
1:03:22
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he guys he played in the fourth quarter and like Chris said, I mean, that's that's crazy for that to happen, but you know, it is what it is.
1:03:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Couple more questions with the top dog hand for Dixon.
1:03:33
[SPEAKER_02]: You mentioned Rudy's defense.
1:03:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously, no Denzel Ward, very limited Tyson Campbell.
1:03:39
[SPEAKER_02]: It was a
1:03:39
[SPEAKER_02]: kind of, you know, death, Swesinger didn't play the entire defensive line is, you know, still dealing with nagging injuries.
1:03:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Top dog, how much does having good death matter on a team?
1:03:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Because I think we might have learned in the preseason opener, maybe some of the guys behind Ward, Campbell, Swesinger are defensive linemen.
1:04:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe they're not up to snuff with competing against the good team like Chicago.
1:04:05
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, but, you know, the thing about it, you got to have those good backups just like you talked about because, for instance, we know Denzel Ward, that's been the knock against him.
1:04:16
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he hasn't been able to stay healthy.
1:04:18
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, we know when he's healthy.
1:04:19
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, there's no one better.
1:04:21
[SPEAKER_00]: And obviously, we got Campbell, so we need that, we need that other corner.
1:04:25
[SPEAKER_00]: And I just don't.
1:04:26
[SPEAKER_00]: And then it, it all, you know,
1:04:29
[SPEAKER_00]: comes around that defensive line because that's why it was just so great we got spoiled having miles carried because again with miles carried the quarterback has got to get rid of the ball but it's going to be interesting to see what happens with that deep and with that front defensive line and those linebackers.
1:04:45
[SPEAKER_00]: Swesinger.
1:04:46
[SPEAKER_00]: Swesinger didn't play.
1:04:47
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean.
1:04:48
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, do we know what's wrong with him?
1:04:50
[SPEAKER_02]: He's gonna be back in.
1:04:51
[SPEAKER_02]: It sounds like he's got there being cautious with a monkey said today They're hoping that they have them back for the joint practice with the girls on Thursday That'll be big for Carson.
1:05:00
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, back out there because yeah, he's been shelved for a minute here Yeah, yeah, and you know because obviously we got to have him back and we won him healthy But I can't wait to see how that whole defense is gonna look once
1:05:13
[SPEAKER_00]: once Rudy get all his pieces back and in the in the right place because obviously we were hurting because we looked at them I mean one of they do they had Huge numbers as far as going up and down the field what the score I think ended up like 34 to 10 I think 34 unanswered points We were at 10 nothing and now But but still I mean it's still preseason and we got we got another one to go this weekend so we'll we'll get it going
1:05:41
[SPEAKER_04]: Hanford from what you know about the defense and from Mike Rutenberg's what he's going to bring to the table here is there anything different that the fans can expect from a scheme standpoint or anything that you think that maybe he'll throw in a little bit of kind of a zag into the into the defense that maybe we haven't seen before or is it going to be hey we're going to build on
1:06:05
[SPEAKER_04]: What we've had is success here in the last few years defensively for the Browns.
1:06:09
[SPEAKER_04]: Take those same personnel, plug and play and keep doing what we've been doing.
1:06:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, you hit it right there on the head.
1:06:15
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to build on what they've had because they don't really want to change that.
1:06:20
[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to keep everything pretty much like it was because you guys know our defense has been pretty successful.
1:06:26
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, our defense has been the one that's pretty much been holding this whole thing together.
1:06:31
[SPEAKER_00]: They've been holding the offense together.
1:06:33
[SPEAKER_00]: That's why I said that we're going to really probably need our offense to really step up right now because with everybody, you know, the new pieces that we have in place, we're going to need our offense to help the defense out a little bit now.
1:06:48
[SPEAKER_00]: But to answer your question, what he's going to do is he's going to pretty much, we're going to do pretty much what we've been doing.
1:06:54
[SPEAKER_00]: He may throw a wrinkle in here and there, but you know what I like about Rudy though, guys?
1:06:59
[SPEAKER_00]: he just brings so much uh... he's just he's just one of those energetic guys in time yeah he's intense i mean he's one of those guys that uh... he's he's he's like verse i mean he's he's got a challenge shows guys but uh... i think we're going to be okay uh... defensively wise but uh... it's that was a good question gris
1:07:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Top Dog, we appreciate your veteran perspective.
1:07:23
[SPEAKER_01]: And before we get out of here, we do have to pick your brain about the guards, because I know you're a big baseball head and you've been watching, and we need to know what, how have you been doing it?
1:07:31
[SPEAKER_02]: I watch the twinkle fade out of hand for a time.
1:07:34
[SPEAKER_00]: By the way, from when we were talking football to Guardian's baseball, can somebody tell me, can one of you guys tell me?
1:07:42
[SPEAKER_00]: How can we go through a whole series like what was the three games we just had?
1:07:47
[SPEAKER_00]: And we don't get a, not one home run.
1:07:50
[SPEAKER_00]: not one home run and here they go back to back and you know back to back but I mean guys do they know that we haven't what is it about 30 some games of 40 games left we need to stay right where we are we have to start winning series right now we can't I think the last we've lost the last five series that we've played against teams so I'm just
1:08:15
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm so it would be funny to watch a game with me at home because I'm so superstitious.
1:08:21
[SPEAKER_01]: I know you turn you be turning the TV off.
1:08:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Turn the TV off.
1:08:24
[SPEAKER_00]: Hope it I can come back and here I am.
1:08:26
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm watching like in my turn and off and you know how sport center who are one of the sports stations running, running down at the bottom wall.
1:08:36
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, hoping I see the party is a name, you know, in lights over there.
1:08:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Because you know, I mean, down for a long time, it was three nothing.
1:08:46
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I'm just, and then we can't get the big hit when we need, like, the two out hit or anything like that.
1:08:54
[SPEAKER_00]: So you would bring that up.
1:08:56
[SPEAKER_01]: I would raise your blood pressure before I get out of here.
1:08:58
[SPEAKER_01]: We had to end on a little chaotic note for you.
1:09:01
[SPEAKER_00]: Go Browse, go Go!
1:09:02
[SPEAKER_00]: It was a bark.
1:09:05
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be back with more Big Play Cleveland right after this.
1:09:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the Big Play Cleveland show.
1:09:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's talk a little calves here.
1:09:10
[SPEAKER_01]: We have another move in the making this off season.
1:09:14
[SPEAKER_01]: And it might be more about what's coming next and not necessarily what we're losing, but the calves are trading veteran point guard, Dennis Schroeder and Cash to the Charlotte Hornets portray man according to reports.
1:09:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Shooter only spent 30 games with us.
1:09:27
[SPEAKER_01]: He averaged 8.2 points in 4.3 assists per game.
1:09:32
[SPEAKER_01]: What kind of financial flexibility is this creating for the calves?
1:09:36
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, is this about the thing that's coming next?
1:09:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think a lot of people are reading this as that way as the calves were trying to break up with Dennis Schroeder really right after they were swept out of the conference finals against the New York next they were leaking to everybody who had listened, you know ESPN's David Wettman, Shams, Trania, Annie and every NBA insider was reporting that the calves were searching for a trade partner for Dennis Schroeder and obviously we know why.
1:10:04
[SPEAKER_02]: you know it's because he had a big dollar amount associated with him and the calves need to get under this second apron.
1:10:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Dan Gilbert said he'd be willing to pay whatever it took for a championship contending team no longer a championship contending team.
1:10:18
[SPEAKER_02]: So we are seeing the calves start to scale it back
1:10:21
[SPEAKER_02]: this off season.
1:10:22
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that's notable as to where they stand in this Eastern conference.
1:10:26
[SPEAKER_02]: But we also know James Hardin has not signed yet.
1:10:29
[SPEAKER_02]: We understand that this Dennis Schroeder move is probably the precursor to executing a sign in trade with the Denver Nuggets for somebody like Peyton Watts in their small forward or somebody with like a Jonathan Kominga.
1:10:43
[SPEAKER_02]: They have still have not addressed
1:10:46
[SPEAKER_02]: their wing position.
1:10:47
[SPEAKER_02]: They've got Mario Hisonia and they've got Max Strauss who will continue to be mentioned in some of these trade reports and trade rumors, but they got nothing on the wing guys.
1:10:58
[SPEAKER_02]: The current state of Cavs basketball really up in the air because that wing position is so vital around the NBA.
1:11:06
[SPEAKER_02]: You've got the clippers are going to be able to finalize that trade with the Toronto Raptors after the league found no wrong doing.
1:11:15
[SPEAKER_02]: in the circumvention of the salary cap so quies come into the eastern conference now that's another championship level wing in this east a while we're trading denest rotor for trade man which seems like a meddling move for an organization that really does seem to kind of be stuck in the middle here.
1:11:34
[SPEAKER_04]: the other term of meddling, the other definition of that.
1:11:37
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, in this case, but Nick, what do you think?
1:11:41
[SPEAKER_04]: Who do you like better out of those two, Peyton Watson, Jonathan Kominga?
1:11:45
[SPEAKER_04]: I got a like Watson.
1:11:46
[SPEAKER_04]: It seems like a guy who might fit us better.
1:11:50
[SPEAKER_04]: This is a big athletic wing who I think is not as bald dominant as Kominga would be.
1:11:56
[SPEAKER_04]: So he seems to fit better with the heart.
1:11:59
[SPEAKER_04]: We've already got hardened.
1:12:00
[SPEAKER_04]: We've already got Donovan Mitchell.
1:12:02
[SPEAKER_04]: You know, we got Evan Moby, we want to step up even more offensively.
1:12:06
[SPEAKER_04]: So we're looking for somebody who can play some D get some rebounds, play physically, and doesn't necessarily need the ball as much.
1:12:14
[SPEAKER_04]: And it seems like Watson fits the bill for the calves.
1:12:17
[SPEAKER_04]: That's kind of my thought, but I don't watch this as much as you do.
1:12:20
[SPEAKER_04]: Nick, what are your thoughts?
1:12:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
1:12:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I agree with you.
1:12:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I think Peyton Watson's the better fit.
1:12:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I think Peyton Watson's the better player.
1:12:28
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, candidly between the two, um, with that in mind, there's a reason why they're both available.
1:12:34
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, there's a reason why two guys that are still in their early 20s are available.
1:12:38
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's just because their teams don't warrant, you know, don't believe that they warrant that big time investment.
1:12:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Now the calves are desperate.
1:12:45
[SPEAKER_02]: because Kauai is going to be in Toronto, because LeBron is in Philly with Jalen Brown, because Yannis is in Miami with the heat, because the rest of this Eastern conference improves so much at that wing position that Cavs are in a place of sheer desperation, where they're going to have to try anything and everything, and that's why you saw them trade shooter for Trayman.
1:13:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know that I really love that,
1:13:09
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, Schroeder is a guy that you know has had a roller coaster NBA career.
1:13:14
[SPEAKER_02]: He's been passed around pretty much every single team And he had as a highs in lows in Cleveland, but he had he was one of the lone players that on a team that sometimes lacks toughness Sure certainly brought you know a different attitude a different you know mentality towards each and every game that he played in where his trait man is more of that finesse scoring type smaller guard
1:13:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, so very fascinating, but when when when you're a desperate team, you have to make desperate moves.
1:13:42
[SPEAKER_02]: They are a desperate team, and I think they probably have to get desperate and try to get somebody like a Peyton Watson, or a Jonathan Kominga in here, and then you're going to have to commit significant dollars to a player that has not, you know, confirmed proven results in the NBA yet.
1:13:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So the calves are in a maddening spot.
1:13:59
[SPEAKER_02]: I know I'm lower on them than a lot of people are, but I really think this off season was just,
1:14:05
[SPEAKER_04]: awful about as bad as it really could have gone for them and it is disappointing because they were on the doorstep right last year at the last four teams yeah and what what does it look like now from a time frame standpoint because you know nothing seems to be happening on then these little dribble deals for the Cleveland Cavaliers and you know after we missed out on the bra and it was like okay what are we going to do what's planned be and right now we're sitting
1:14:31
[SPEAKER_04]: what's going to happen?
1:14:32
[SPEAKER_04]: What does it look like?
1:14:33
[SPEAKER_04]: Nick, when is the other shoe going to drop?
1:14:35
[SPEAKER_04]: When are we going to do something?
1:14:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's a good question.
1:14:38
[SPEAKER_02]: I gagled because the headline came across my phone after that Dennis Schroeder trade.
1:14:42
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's red.
1:14:43
[SPEAKER_02]: Caves wake up from offseason slumber trade, Dennis Schroeder.
1:14:48
[SPEAKER_02]: I was like, okay, maybe they woke up like stretch took a piss, got some water and went back to sleep because like that's news that's what they did they rolled over it is like what is that you know you you shed some salary which is important because they're you know a team that's got to try to save did not go over that second apron and they got to bring back hard in and they're trying to do this sign and trade for a wing but due to it's anybody's guess at this point like the GMs should be coming back you know from there
1:15:15
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, summer vacations in early, uh, you know, early September late August.
1:15:19
[SPEAKER_02]: You see that last wave where, you know, your veterans are going to sign your draws and they'll put pen to paper somewhere, you know, Kevin love his probably going to sign somewhere in that time frame as well.
1:15:30
[SPEAKER_02]: And then, you know, any remaining trades that could happen would happen at that venture.
1:15:35
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, the last week of August, first week of September because the NBA training camp and preseason does get
1:15:42
[SPEAKER_02]: going here in the fall.
1:15:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So like you do want to really put rubber to the road on any potential moves that need to be made because it has just been a summer of inactivity and this Dennis Schroeder trait like really is a blip in the news.
1:15:56
[SPEAKER_02]: It's a reason why we're talking about it third on a show where we lead with the browns and they're preseason NFL opener in the Guardians regular season which is spiraling out of control.
1:16:06
[SPEAKER_02]: The calves finally do something and
1:16:11
[SPEAKER_04]: and arguably the calves are the closest of anybody right now and really not even arguably when you look at where they are at in the playoffs and just don't seem like we're able to make the move this offseason that would bring us to the next level and that's just incredibly frustrating as a fan.
1:16:27
[SPEAKER_02]: very curious to see where they go from here.
1:16:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Cleveland, we also have to tell you guys.
1:16:32
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1:16:56
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1:17:00
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, that's wrap on our big plate Cleveland show.
1:17:03
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1:17:05
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1:17:11
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1:17:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for watching everybody.
1:17:19
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see you tomorrow.