- 2 days ago
Scott Petrak joined Baskin and Phelps ahead of the NFL Combine and shared what he'll be looking out for in Indianapolis and which players he's keeping an eye on for the Browns. He discussed whether or not he expects Andrew Berry to have an active off season, whether or not the Browns will look to add another quarterback to the roster, and where he can fill the team's offensive needs. Scott also goes through all of the offensive linemen, which ones he thinks the Browns will retain and which will walk.
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00:00Get ready. Thursday on the field, but all the activity starting at Lucas Oil Stadium coming up tomorrow as the
00:09NFL scouting combine gets rolling.
00:12And it's really, after you get done with all the coaching hires, this is the start of the new football
00:17season.
00:18Welcome back. I'm Jeff Phelps. Dan Mennegan in for Andy. Today we go to the Make It Right Call Kyle
00:23Wright hotline.
00:24A gentleman who would love to throw his golf clubs in the car, but he's going to be too busy
00:27to play golf in Indianapolis.
00:29He'll be driving out today. He's ready to roll. You can read all of his coverage in the Chronicle Telegram
00:34at brownzone.com.
00:36He's Mr. Scott Petrack. Hello, Scott. Scott, how are you?
00:40I'm close.
00:42There's no golf to be played in Indy.
00:45No?
00:46I don't think.
00:46I'd take some room in the trunk then.
00:49I'd take him anyway. You're a little farther south, you know. You might end up getting some sunshine.
00:53Well, you might. You never know. What the heck?
00:55I got no time at the combine, fellas. It's all work.
00:57That's what I said.
00:59All right, so then the better thing. Do you have the reservation set for St. Elmo's?
01:04You know what? I'm not in charge of that. I think somebody does, though.
01:07Oh, yeah, baby.
01:09Good man. Just make sure your priorities are in order.
01:11Their onion ring appetizer, it's like a mound of onion rings that no four people could ever eat in one
01:18sitting.
01:20I ordered it with two. It didn't work.
01:22Wow, that is a lot of onion rings.
01:24Yeah, we left like two-thirds of it on the plate. It was unbelievable.
01:27So the Browns are going. They're going to be there. They're going to be scouting.
01:32Where are they going to be looking the most, Scott?
01:35Will they be looking at offensive linemen, more than wide receivers?
01:38Are they going to sneak over and look at quarterbacks just for giggles?
01:42What are they going to do?
01:44I think you've got to look at all three of those spots.
01:47We won't know who they're going to draft in what position gets most of the attention until free agency is
01:54over.
01:55If they trade for or sign a number one receiver, then that probably takes the receiver out of the equation
02:02at six.
02:03But right now, given the state of the roster as it is, I think at six, it's all about receivers
02:09and offensive line.
02:10Probably not in that order. Probably offensive line and then receivers.
02:13I do think quarterback is in place somewhere.
02:16I don't know if that's at 24 or 39 or not into the third round.
02:21Again, that depends on if they sign Malik Willis or trade for Mac Jones or whatever that veteran quarterback option
02:28is.
02:28But I think this week, everything's on the table.
02:31It's going to be heavily slanted toward offense.
02:33And when you're talking about the offensive needs, it's line, receiver, and add a quarterback.
02:39It's just a matter of a guy that they – as a starter, they add just somebody to the depth
02:45chart to handle that.
02:49Scott, do you see them during this combine week setting up – put it this way – putting out the
02:55breadcrumbs of any kind of a trade that we may see coming up shortly?
02:59Or do you see this as merely being them out there looking at the prospects to come?
03:05Oh, no.
03:06The combine is all about – not all about, but it's a lot about what goes on behind the scenes.
03:11And whether that is talking to your own free agents-to-be and deciding whether or not a contract might
03:17be able to get done.
03:18Whether it's laying the foundation for the negotiations that can start, quote-unquote, legally on March 9th.
03:27Or whether it's talking trade with, you know, GMs and personnel people across the league.
03:32Because this is the perfect spot to do that.
03:35You know, trades can get agreed to at any time.
03:37Now, they can't be executed until March 11th when the league year starts.
03:40But we've seen plenty of times where trades come out ahead of it.
03:45And agreements are reached, and it's just a matter of wait until the league year starts.
03:50So, I think all that stuff is getting done in Indy, you know, behind the backdrop of there's 300-plus
03:56college kids working out.
03:58I get the feeling.
04:00You tell me.
04:01This could be a real busy trade time for Andrew Barry.
04:04He has three fifth-round picks.
04:07You want to take three fifth-round players?
04:10If you could package, move up, if you could just trade a fifth for a veteran on another team who's
04:16looking for a different deal
04:17and the team's had enough of them, I would think you could bring in a couple of vets there, Scott.
04:22And I hope that that's the path he takes.
04:25Yeah, we've certainly seen him use those fifth-round picks in that capacity before.
04:29And I'm with you.
04:31You don't need to draft ten guys, and you don't need three fifth-rounders.
04:35Whether it's he trades those for veterans or trades them to move up in the draft or get an extra
04:40pick next year,
04:43you know, you would assume he's going to use at least a couple of those picks in a trade.
04:47It's going to be interesting, Jeff and Dan, to see, you know, do they pursue a veteran offensive lineman?
04:54I mean, those guys are hard to come by in trades, right, because nobody wants to give away their starting
04:59center or starting left tackle.
05:01Now, receivers, there seems to be a more healthy market for receivers, you know, when you're talking about trades.
05:08And we've seen Andrew Barry trade for Amari Cooper and Jerry Judy.
05:11So I would certainly not rule that out.
05:13And if you find a team that's not willing to pay, a guy that's coming up on a contract,
05:17they're not willing to pay what he's making already, or a guy that's a little disgruntled looking for a fresh
05:22start,
05:22I mean, that's where these trades happen.
05:25So I think Andrew Barry will be active.
05:28He's shown the history of being active.
05:30And, you know, it kind of feels like receiver when you're talking about that.
05:34Maybe there's a quarterback out there, you know, Mack Jones, Anthony Richardson.
05:39You know, that's another position in play there.
05:42Again, it's all so heavily slanted toward the offense.
05:46I think you can narrow your focus.
05:47And that doesn't mean they're not going to sign any, you know, any defensive players.
05:51You know, they might need a linebacker if Devin Butch leaves in free agency.
05:54What happens with Ronnie Hickman in free agency?
05:56You know, they're probably not going to draft.
05:58However, if they pick eight players, they're not probably all going to be on offense.
06:01But you can focus, I think, most of your attention on offense.
06:05Scott Patrick joining us on the Make It Right Call Kyle Wright hotline.
06:09You can read them at brownzone.com.
06:12So it came out a little bit last week that Jaguars coach Liam Cohen and GM James Gladstone
06:17were skipping the combine.
06:19So we know the Rams have done this in the past as well, where they've skipped the combine.
06:23Do you think we're going to see more and more teams skipping this opportunity to talk to
06:27these players and get official measurements while they're there?
06:30You know, you could see, I don't think it's going to be widespread.
06:35I think you could see some teams, whether it's a handful, maybe up to eight, say, you know
06:41what, we're good.
06:42We don't need to go there.
06:42I still think it's incredibly valuable.
06:45I know when you talk to people in the Browns organization, they do too.
06:48And it's an easy travel for the Browns, right?
06:51They could drive over or it's a quick flight.
06:53You know, it's different from L.A.
06:55So I think it makes sense for the Browns.
06:57I know so much of this information nowadays is available to teams.
07:01And that's the main reason they don't, they feel like they don't have to take their whole
07:06team to Indy.
07:07But I think even those teams probably have to have some people on site, right, whether
07:12it's medical people or just some scouts or some assistant coaches, because you get face
07:17time with all these players, whether it's the formal interviews or the informal interviews
07:23in the hotel rooms at night and during the day.
07:25Like, there is so much to be gained at the Combine that I think, personally, I think it's
07:29short-sighted for these teams to withdraw from it.
07:34Scott, I look at the quarterback situation, and we know Fernando Mendoza is all set to
07:39be a Raider.
07:40And after that, it would appear that Ty Simpson's the next guy to go, the guy from Alabama.
07:47And I don't know that, you know, if the Browns think he's phenomenal and can be the guy, okay,
07:53they're in a position they could just take him probably at six, if they think that.
07:57And I think we'd all be stunned.
07:59Other than that, the idea of drafting a quarterback makes no sense in this draft to me.
08:05Does it make any sense to you?
08:07Like, if they bring in another guy in the second or third or fourth round while they're sitting
08:11there with Shadour and with Dylan Gabriel and with Deshaun Watson for another year?
08:17Yeah, that's interesting, Jeff.
08:19I would lean personally toward trying to find someone more established.
08:25And I keep coming back to Malik Willis, who, in my opinion, is, you know, the number one
08:30free agent quarterback.
08:31I don't think you're going to have to break the bank to get him.
08:33I know the sample size is small, but I went back and watched what he did in his, you know,
08:38he played a bunch against the Bears, and then he started against the Ravens toward the end
08:41of the season for Green Bay this year.
08:43And I was really impressed by what he did.
08:45So, if you said, okay, here's your two options, go get a guy that you think comes in and day
08:50one is the starter and see if he's any good, right?
08:53It's a short-term contract.
08:54See if he can be your guy.
08:56It feels like he's the kind of guy Malik or Todd Munkin would like.
09:00He's a dual-threat quarterback.
09:02I think that makes more sense than adding just another guy to the pile who you don't
09:07know is going to be ready to go week one.
09:09And, you know, how do you divide the reps with three young guys?
09:12Or, you know, even if you kind of push Dylan Gable to the side, let's say, how do you
09:16handle the reps with Sugar Sanders and Deshaun Watson and quarterback X from the draft?
09:20So, I get what you're saying, Jeff, but they need to add a quarterback.
09:24And if it doesn't come through free agency or trade, then, yeah, I think they draft somebody.
09:28Now, I don't know if that guy is at 24.
09:31Let's say Ty Simpson falls at 24.
09:33They had him graded at 15, and they say, hey, we think he can come in and be a long
09:38-term
09:38starter, whether it's 20, 26, or beyond.
09:40You know, you can't rule that out.
09:42Do they take a flyer on a guy like Drew Aller or Garrett Nussmeyer in the third round and
09:47say, hey, we think this guy has potential.
09:50There's nothing wrong with adding another young guy to the group.
09:53I think all that's on the table.
09:55But I do get your premise that it just confuses what could be a confusing situation already.
10:02But, you know, if you don't, we don't have final determinations on Dylan Gabriel.
10:08I mean, maybe people do.
10:09But let's assume you don't have him on Dylan Gabriel and Chudur San.
10:12You know, one way or the other, if they're the guy or they're not going to be the guy,
10:16I just don't think that precludes you from adding someone else, whether it's a veteran or a young guy,
10:23because you have to figure out the most important position in the game.
10:27So, Wyatt Teller penned a really nice letter thanking the fans for their time.
10:30Or did he ever.
10:31Yeah.
10:32As he is moving on from the – or the Cleveland Browns have announced that they are moving –
10:36well, will be, I should say, moving on from Wyatt Teller.
10:39Do you see any other names on the horizon that Browns fans should keep an eye on,
10:43who maybe – the next one who will write a very nice letter about their time in Cleveland?
10:48A very nice letter.
10:49Yeah, right.
10:51How else would you write?
10:52No, you're right.
10:53Yeah, David Njoku did the same.
10:55It was a really nice letter by David Njoku, too.
10:57Yeah, I mean, they wrote the letters.
10:59The Browns haven't, you know, ruled them out coming back.
11:01But what that means is they had talks with the Browns.
11:05The Browns said, we're not going to meet your demands,
11:06or we're just going to let you go to free agency so the guy's okay.
11:09I'm going to tell everybody that I'm leaving, which is appreciated.
11:13And guys that have been here a long time.
11:14So, yeah, I think we're going to see a lot of guys leave.
11:18I can't tell you who's going to write the letters or not.
11:21I mean, Joe Batonio has a couple weeks now to decide whether or not he's going to retire.
11:25They extended the deadline on when the contract voids.
11:29So, he hasn't made that decision yet, and that's a big one.
11:32And, you know, you met Njoku and Teller have been here a long time.
11:36They haven't been here as long as Joe Batonio, right?
11:402014, one of the best guys ever to cover, to be around, to play for this franchise.
11:43So, he's the big one.
11:45And if he retires, there's going to be a letter.
11:48And it'll probably be some kind of news conference, too.
11:50So, he's one to keep your eye on.
11:52It's a little bit different situation because the Browns would welcome him back if he wants to keep playing,
11:57where I think the Browns were done with Njoku and Teller.
12:01You know, Jack Conklin's going to be gone.
12:04You know, you look at the free agency.
12:05I mentioned Devin Bush, the linebacker, earlier.
12:07He might have played himself out of Cleveland because he had a really solid year.
12:11He had three interceptions, a couple of sacks, a couple of forced fumbles, like 125 tackles.
12:16And, you know, the Browns already have Carson Swessinger.
12:19I don't know if they're going to pay a number two linebacker what Devin Bush might get on the market.
12:24So, I think he's a strong cannon to leave in free agency.
12:27I think the punter, Corey Bohorquez, could leave.
12:30And the Browns could choose to go younger at that position and cheaper at punter.
12:34You know, a guy like Shelby Harris or Rayshon Jenkins.
12:37Like, there could be some movement here.
12:39A couple of guys to watch are the restricted free agents.
12:41Ronnie Hickman and Mamu Diabadi on defense.
12:45Both guys are restricted.
12:46The Browns have to decide if they're going to place a tender on them, what kind of tender.
12:49Do they want both guys back?
12:52You know, Ronnie Hickman is your starting free safety.
12:54So, if he gets away, then they don't have anybody right now on the roster, I don't think, to step
12:59in.
12:59So, that creates a hole on, you know, the defense, which they're relying on to carry this team once again.
13:05Scott, from what you just said, you don't expect Jack Conklin back?
13:09No.
13:10You know, I mean, he didn't play hardly at all last year.
13:12He was dealing with, you know, injuries at the beginning of the season.
13:15Then he had a couple of concussions that sideline him.
13:18I think Jack will hit the market.
13:21I think he has a question to whether or not he retires or tries to continue playing somewhere else.
13:26But I do not see him coming back here.
13:28Miles Garrett had a chat with that well-known news source, Casino Guru, which I thought was just great.
13:39But he came out and he said his big goal is to break the all-time sack record, which is
13:46kind of nice.
13:47You get that.
13:48But he basically said, I want to do it, and I want to do it in the next five years.
13:53And was asked, you know, are you going to play late in your career and everything else?
13:57And his answer was, hell no.
13:59Ain't no way.
14:01I get that.
14:02Don't you?
14:03From Miles?
14:04Yeah.
14:05It's really interesting with Miles because he's got five more years on the contract.
14:09I think he's 75.
14:10He needs 75 sacks to break Bruce Smith's record.
14:13So that's 15 a year, which is doable.
14:17It's a lot, though.
14:18Yeah, it's still a lot, though.
14:19But it's a lot, right?
14:20And you would think it's a lot when you get to be 34 or 35.
14:23You just turn 30.
14:25You probably hit the front low of those, although Miles is a freak.
14:28So maybe he's playing this well at 34 or 35.
14:32I wouldn't put it past him one bit.
14:35But the bigger picture, I remember talking to Miles early on when he was drafted, and
14:41it felt like, or I think he said it, that he was going to have a short career, that he
14:46wasn't going to be a guy that played 10 years and hung around for a while.
14:50And then I sat down with him before one of these seasons, maybe three or four years ago.
14:55And I said, Miles, you know, do you expect, like, to keep playing for a while?
14:59And he's like, yeah.
15:00And we had to talk about how that had changed.
15:02You know, and he settles into life in the NFL, and it's everything you hoped it would
15:06be, and he's not looking to get out and do other things.
15:08So he probably means it, and this is probably his last contract, and at 35, he walks away.
15:14But I certainly think there's wiggle room there, because he's changed his position on that
15:19from 2019, or 2017, when he entered the league, where he thought he'd be quick, you know,
15:26one of those short careers.
15:27He's already changed that, so I wouldn't rule him out, you know, signing one more deal,
15:32or extending this.
15:33I'm not guaranteeing he's walking away after his contract's over.
15:37Scott Petrack joining us on the hotline.
15:39All right, Scott, I have kind of a dark question for you, and I apologize now.
15:42It's always fun.
15:45So the Jordan Addison situation that took place in Minnesota is burnt into my brain,
15:49which was that he was busted for an off-the-field event.
15:52They went the whole season without laying down any kind of a punishment, the NFL being they.
15:57And then the next season, they punished him for that.
15:59Is there a chance we see anything like that for Isaiah Bond, Quinshawn Judkins, or Devin Bush?
16:07Well, Devin Bush, I believe, I know that it's not only based on what the legal system decides,
16:15but I'm pretty sure he's found not guilty.
16:18I feel like that's run its course.
16:20That's been in the system for a while.
16:21Well, those don't feel like those type of cases to me.
16:30You know, Quinshawn, I just don't think so.
16:33I think that's something you don't have to worry about.
16:36I feel like Addison's was more, serious isn't the right word, right,
16:40because they're all serious allegations and things.
16:42But I think from a legal perspective, it might have been more there.
16:47So I don't think that that's something that should keep fans up at night,
16:51or I don't think the Browns are too concerned about that.
16:53But, you know, the league hasn't given, like, final resolution,
16:56but it also gets off their radar.
17:00So I think that's definitely a backburner type thing.
17:03So, okay, we'll see where that goes.
17:06I'm anxious to read your stuff at brownzone.com.
17:10You're heading out for the Combine.
17:12We'll hear from Todd Munkin.
17:14We'll hear from Andrew Barry.
17:15And Todd Munkin will be talking about, I hope, Scott,
17:20here's what I'm looking for out of the offense.
17:22And I'll bet he says nothing about any of the quarterbacks
17:24other than I'm intrigued by all of them.
17:27I bet he gets asked about them, Mocha.
17:29I'll bet he does.
17:29And I know who's going to do it.
17:31Thank you for being that guy.
17:33And also, we'll take that moment to point out
17:35Scott Patrick available at a nominal service fee
17:37to write any goodbye letters to the fans.
17:39There you go.
17:41Ghost writer, Scott Patrick.
17:42Exactly, I can do that.
17:43Yeah, I can handle it.
17:44Thanks, buddy.
17:44Have fun.
17:45Thanks, dude.
17:45All right.
17:46Thanks, guys.
17:46Scott Patrick on the Make It Right Call Kyle Wright Hotline.
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