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SportsTranscript
00:00Albert Breer of the MMQB joins us now.
00:02Albert, welcome back to the show, buddy.
00:06Hey, what's up, guys?
00:07Oh, dude, we're living the dream here.
00:09Legal tampering is good.
00:10We got real news after a barren February.
00:13I know you and Conor Orr just put out your pod for today
00:18and covered winners and losers from the first 24 hours of the negotiating period.
00:24If you had to pick one of the extremes there,
00:26do you put the Browns more in the winner category or the loser category?
00:35You know, I actually, like, look at what they did
00:38and shoring up the guard position and bringing in Zion Johnson,
00:41Tevin Jenkins, and, you know, I think they did fine.
00:46You know, I don't know that I would lean one way or the other.
00:50I just, like, I think they've got a long way to go from a roster standpoint.
00:55They're trying to get younger, clearly.
00:58You know, so to take care of the guard position and, you know,
01:03obviously they've gotten older there,
01:04but they were really good there over the years.
01:08And sort of keep their powder dry in a lot of other areas.
01:12And you have two first-round picks.
01:14I don't mind where they are,
01:15but I could also understand where people probably aren't over the moon excited.
01:19Yeah, and it seems like they're going to try to stay aggressive
01:21with guards in particular.
01:22Does that signal the end of Joel Batonio with the Browns?
01:26It feels like it.
01:28I mean, I don't, like, you know, you never know for sure,
01:32but it does, it sort of feels like both he and Wyatt Teller
01:35are probably moving on now.
01:39And, I mean, what, maybe part of that's mutual, I don't know.
01:42But obviously Batonio has been a great, great Brown over the years, you know.
01:45And I think he's sort of one of the bellwethers through some pretty stormy years.
01:51Would be one of the guys that kept everything together.
01:54And so I certainly think, like, he's one you don't want to lose.
01:58But, you know, I guess it would be, yeah, he'd be gone.
02:03Albert Breer on the Make It Right Call Kyle Wright hotline.
02:06We obviously have vested interest in talking any quarterback that comes available.
02:12Let's start with the Kyler Murray market.
02:14A lot of people have earmarked him for Minnesota.
02:18Is that where your current expectation is,
02:20or do you think there's more of a market for him?
02:24Yeah, I think it's trending that way now.
02:26Like, I went through the two quarterbacks that were in the mix in Minnesota
02:30were probably Geno and Kyler.
02:32And now that Geno's off the market,
02:34it does feel like Minnesota might be the place for Kyler.
02:38And, look, like, the cool thing for him is that because, you know,
02:42like he got cut and because Arizona's going to be paying everything minus the
02:47minimum off of his guarantee for this year,
02:50he can make this a purely football decision.
02:54And, you know, the way I look at it, like, there's nowhere close, you know,
02:58like, to be in the sort of football situation for a quarterback that Minnesota's
03:02going to be.
03:02And so, you know, Kevin O'Connell has, you know,
03:06I know has done his research into potential reclamation projects.
03:09They obviously had great success with one, you know,
03:13a couple of years ago and winning 14 games with Sam Darnold.
03:16And so, if I had to guess right now, I'd see Kyler Murray get thrown into a
03:22competition with J.J. McCarthy.
03:24And we'll see if that brings out something different than they've already seen in
03:28J.J. or if they're looking to work Kyler and having the sort of year that Sam had
03:34two years ago, which, by the way, I think completely changed the way that the league
03:38looked at him.
03:40Yeah, I would imagine so.
03:41Let me ask you about Mac Jones.
03:43What do you think the price is going to be?
03:44I know some reports are saying it's going to be astronomical.
03:46I get that.
03:47But what do you think the cost is there for Mac Jones?
03:49And should the Browns be interested?
03:53Yeah, I ultimately think, like, you're probably, and astronomical is an
03:56interesting word because it could mean a lot of different things.
03:59Is that relatively astronomical?
04:00Is that astronomical?
04:02Astronomical?
04:04I would think if you dangle a second-round pick, you'd probably get him.
04:11A third, I would have to think the manager at least have to think about.
04:14You know, because the reality is they only have him under contract for one more year
04:18now.
04:19His value is that he, like, has starting experience now with two different teams, played well
04:26last year in San Francisco, fits most teams, and you have him at a pretty affordable rate.
04:33I believe it's something like $4.67 million.
04:37So, yeah, the opportunity is out there, like, I think, for someone to go and get him, but
04:42it's not going to be cheap.
04:43And I think the Niners know what they have, and they also know, like, how important it
04:47is to have an insurance policy as a position.
04:50And, you know, it's smart of them to get a second year on that deal, and now they're
04:53reaping the benefits.
04:54It's, I think, sort of looking back for them at the Sam Darnold situation a couple years
04:59ago, where they were able to kind of change who he was as a player in certain ways.
05:06And, you know, then, like, you know, his contract expired, so he was able to go, you know, sign
05:12with the Vikings, and they didn't get, you know, anything back but a comp pick for him.
05:18You know, I didn't want him to listen on that one, was getting that second year on
05:22Max so they could at least control his rights for another year.
05:25Albert, it seems like the Browns have done a really good job of normalizing the idea of
05:31Shador versus Deshaun as the quarterback battle.
05:34My thing is, I don't honestly know any other team that would try to pull this off.
05:41The idea of a fifth-round pick who had some success but ultimately not great numbers last
05:46year versus a quarterback that hasn't played since 2024, I know he has to be on the roster
05:53financially, but really hasn't played any good football for any amount of time since 2020.
05:59It just feels like because it's the Browns, people are normalizing it more and maybe legitimizing
06:05it in a way that it still feels bananas to me.
06:09Yeah, well, we're 24 hours, a little more than 24 hours in, right?
06:13So, it's hard to say with any of this is going to, like, that we're at any sort of final
06:21point
06:21here.
06:21And I would remind everybody what Andrew Barry did last year, you know, which was completely
06:28repurpose the quarterback room.
06:29And he did it, like, with four different options.
06:34And so, they have two options right now, the three if you count Dale and Gabriel.
06:40But, like, last year, Andrew Barry gave Kevin Stefanski and the coaching staff more options
06:45than even that, you know?
06:47Like, so, you know, I wouldn't close the book on them acquiring someone else, whether it's
06:55through the draft, a trade, free agency, whatever.
06:58You know, obviously, the free agent options are going to come off the table here the next
07:01few days.
07:01There are still guys out there like Kyler Murray, like Kirk Cousins.
07:07But, I wouldn't talk with any sort of certainty on where they are at quarterback versus where
07:16they're going to be in a week or a month or two months.
07:18So, wait, why do you feel like it's important to remind people what happened last offseason?
07:22Do you feel like there is a scenario out there that exists where we just have an abundance
07:25of quarterbacks or a four-quarterback room again?
07:30I mean, I think, like, yeah, I think it is.
07:32I think it is possible, like, whether there is somebody else coming in.
07:36And, like, you know, if you understand the makeup of the draft class, it's really Fernando
07:41Mendoza and then a big drop.
07:43And so, like, there's going to be a lot of different opinions on Ty Simpson and Garrett
07:48Nussmeyer and Drew Aller and all the guys who are available in this year's class.
07:52So, I think it would be silly to look at it and say, well, you know, like, they're not
07:58going to take someone to draft.
08:00They took two last year.
08:02I certainly wouldn't rule out them taking another one this year.
08:05And then, I mean, you know, like, there have been a couple guys already in other positions
08:11where you see the bottom falling out of their market.
08:13There's going to be opportunity in that, too.
08:15You know, if the bottom first falls down on Kirk Cousins' market today, you see an opportunity
08:19and go sign him, you know.
08:22Those sorts of things can always happen, you know.
08:24Like, so, I can't, but I just don't think it's over the point yet.
08:30Albert, one of the big names out there in free agency that is yet to be legally tampered
08:34with is Rasheed Walker, the left tackle from Green Bay.
08:39I'm actually surprised he hasn't signed yet, given stupid money comes off the books very
08:43early here.
08:44What's the latest on him and his market?
08:46And is there maybe a reason why we don't have a spot for him yet?
08:51I think part of it is, like, where you're shooting, if you're one of these free agents
08:54and how high you're shooting.
08:57And then, like, sort of incomparable if there are out there to you.
09:01Like, I think Trey Hendrickson maybe overshot his market a little bit, but he's still out
09:05there.
09:06Romeo Dots last night until it's afternoon.
09:08Maybe he overshot his market a little bit.
09:10Isaiah Pacheco signed for the Lions.
09:13He overshoot his mark on day one.
09:16Those sorts of things happen all the time, you know.
09:19And I know Rasheed Walker was aiming for over $20 million a year, so is it there for
09:25him, you know?
09:26And if it's not there for him, is he more comfortable waiting it out?
09:32Because there isn't another, like, starting left tackle that's comparable to him really
09:37out there, you know?
09:38I guess Taylor Decker would really still want it.
09:42So, like, the price of those guys typically comes down a little bit.
09:45And sometimes you'll see a deal done where, you know, a guy takes a lower month number
09:50with a chance to get back to the number he wanted to get to with incentives.
09:53All that stuff can happen, you know?
09:55And so I would say, like, a huge part of it is kind of where you are and where you're
10:01expected to be.
10:10Albert, I feel like two names Browns fans get excited about in talking about wide receivers.
10:15And you talked about, you know, Romeo Dobbs, obviously, and what happened there with the
10:18wide receiver market.
10:19But the two names are Marvin Harrison Jr. and then Brian Thomas Jr.
10:22is there any likelihood or chance that either one of them actually become available in a
10:26trade?
10:28Yeah, I looked into the Brian Thomas Jr. thing over the weekend and again yesterday, and I
10:35was emphatically told he is not available.
10:39You know, I would just say this on that one, that, you know, as I see it right now, they
10:49like, they look at him as somebody who can help their quarterback on court.
10:53They obviously just paid Jacoby Myers.
10:56Travis Jr. is going to be playing more defense than he did a year ago.
11:00So, like, I mean, like, just beyond what I've been told, again, that he's not available,
11:06it doesn't make sense to sell low on a guy like that, does it?
11:10Like, because right now he's at a low point.
11:12If people think he's available, like, they're going to be lower offers coming in.
11:17And it wouldn't make any sense to do that.
11:21So, he's not available, nor do I think it would make much sense for the Jaguars to make
11:25him available, you know, unless there was some sort of godfather offer that came in.
11:30And then, like, I'm Marvin Harrison.
11:33I need to check on that.
11:35I haven't lately.
11:36But I never got the sense that he was available.
11:40It sounds to me like Michael Flores starting to build a relationship with the guy.
11:44But I think it would make sense to sell on him now.
11:52You know, if you're thinking, like, down the line, all right, maybe this is the guy we pay.
11:57We still think he's a really good player.
11:59Wouldn't you want to, like, get him out there and build his value up a little bit?
12:03But sometimes these things don't make a lot of sense to me.
12:06And there's to be a case like that.
12:08But it's not like he's a bad guy or a malcontent.
12:11It's just I think he was in a little bit of a difficult situation for a number of different
12:16reasons the last couple of years.
12:19And maybe he's not what everybody thought he was going to be yet.
12:23But, you know, selling a guy who you took forth overall when his value is at a low point
12:30doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
12:32Albert, the Tua thing to Atlanta is interesting.
12:35I know the Falcons have publicly said the right things about Michael Penix Jr.
12:41It's a different regime.
12:42They didn't draft him.
12:43And even if he kind of fits what they want to do, I think Tua makes more sense to start
12:47week one than Penix does.
12:49What's your kind of read on this move?
12:51And who's truly the leader in the clubhouse there for the starting quarterback job in
12:55Kevin Stefanski's first year in Atlanta?
12:57I think it's Penix, although the nuance here, of course, is that if you really look at it,
13:05how many people are left in that building now that had a real investment in Penix?
13:11Not a lot, right?
13:13Matt Ryan didn't draft him.
13:15Ian Cunningham didn't draft him.
13:19Obviously, Kevin Stefanski didn't draft him.
13:22So, the beauty of the position Tua is in is that he has to spring and summer to take all
13:29the starter reps.
13:32And if he looks really good, I mean, maybe he forces himself into the conversation.
13:37And if he forces himself into the conversation, then you're talking a bit about a bigger picture
13:41thing.
13:42And I mean, for the team, then, it would be all right.
13:44Well, I could see what this looks like when it's in the paddocks going head-to-head.
13:49It's a really interesting scenario that way.
13:52Because Penix, again, probably won't be available until some point in the summer.
13:58And I don't know if he's sure a thing to be back week one now.
14:01He's got a lot of injury history.
14:03This isn't his first torn ACL.
14:05And so, I think Tua is in a position now to develop under Kevin Stefanski, to build chemistry
14:12with his teammates, and to learn a new system, and get a leg up if there is going to be
14:18a
14:18competition, and if there isn't, and if Penix is still, in their opinion, the best choice,
14:24well, even then, like, you know, he'll have made a good impression on his coaches.
14:27And then, if there is an injury or Patsby's missed time at all in the regular season, well,
14:32then you're in an advantageous place to go and succeed, because you've got a lot of time
14:37to task over the summer.
14:38Albert, was the Max Crosby deal, was that a gift to the new head coach there and Jesse
14:44Minner, or was that them trying to make, like, an all-in move for Lamar Jackson?
14:48Is it all of the above?
14:49I thought the price on that ended up being really interesting, considering for 90% of
14:54Max Crosby, you could have just paid Hendrickson.
14:58Yeah, and I don't think Hendrickson's a player that Max is, so, like, that's kind of, like,
15:02where I put that.
15:04I think for the Ravens, a huge piece of it was kind of where they are right now, and they've
15:10invested a lot, the more that they've got, and so they've paid not only Lamar, but Ronnie
15:15Stanley on offense, you know, and then you flip it over to the defensive side, you see,
15:21you know, Nami Matabouke, and Roquan Smith, and Kyle Hamilton, and Bruce Humphrey, all
15:27big contracts.
15:29They've got some young guys who are going to be coming up over the next few years, and
15:32Dave Flowers, and Nate Wiggins, and so, I think for where they are right now, and the
15:39four players, even though it is a first-year coach, you're sort of in this window of opportunity,
15:44you know, where it's like, okay, like, we are in a position where we can compete for a
15:49championship right now, and we need to maximize what we've got left of this window with this
15:54group of players, and with Lamar, who's been more injury-prone lately.
15:59I like it from that perspective.
16:01Like, I think it's a very unraven-like move.
16:05It's a high pick to give up.
16:07You know, like, the 14th pick is not the same as, say, you know, the 26th pick of Buffalo
16:12is trading for him, or the 31st pick of New England was trading for him.
16:17So, you know, but the gamble is kind of going all in on the court that you've got right
16:21now, and just last year, we saw, you know, a team with a first-year head coach make a
16:26Super Bowl run, so who's to say that Jesse Minter can't do that with the Ravens?
16:31Albert, great stuff as always, buddy.
16:33May we both, may all of us, have as good a year as Matt Patricia's had with that new
16:37raise.
16:37We appreciate you, bud.
16:39How about that?
16:40How about that, right?
16:41Like, see, we'll have more of this if Jim Trestle is the next university president.
16:47I'm hopeful, I'm hopeful that, I'm hopeful we'll get the sweater vest in there, if he
16:52wants it, of course.
16:53But I don't know if you guys would get that same reaction from around there.
16:57I think we'd be pretty damn excited if Trestle was there.
17:00It makes a lot of sense.
17:01We also can trust him.
17:03I was going to go scandal-free, but the tattoo's thing, and that was dumb.
17:06All right, be good, buddy.
17:07No, I mean, honestly, his scandal looks pretty tame compared to what's going on up north right
17:14now, right?
17:15So, again, take that into account.
17:17I think we did.
17:18All right, buddy.
17:18Appreciate you.
17:20All right, later, guys.
17:21Albert Breer, MMQB.
17:23Yeah.
17:24Keith Britton's Michigan Wolverines.
17:26What a shame.
17:27What a shame.
17:27Michigan, man.
17:29We got to the spot where you could potentially hire a new president because, you know, maybe
17:34not the greatest.
17:34What happened?
17:35Maybe not the greatest situation.
17:36I don't pay attention to presidents.
17:38I don't like coaches.
17:39Well, page six tells me, okay?
17:40Page six tells me.
17:41It was with a podcast host that gets very few listens.
17:43Is that her name?
17:44Page six?
17:44No, that's a reputable magazine is what that is, Nick.
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