00:00Mary Kay Cabot from Cleveland.com is on the Make It Right, Call Kyle Wright hotline.
00:04Mary Kay, happy St. Patrick's Day, happy Meteor Day, happy Welcome Back Winter Day.
00:10How are you?
00:11I'm doing great.
00:12Didn't have the meteor boom on my bingo card today, but here we are.
00:17I did hear it.
00:19I'm in Rocky River, and I heard it loud and clear, and I went to the window to see if
00:24a
00:24truck hit something out in front of my house.
00:26But then, of course, I jumped on the bandwagon like everyone else, and here we are.
00:31A lot of people thought their houses were splitting in half.
00:35I know.
00:36It was so bizarre.
00:37Really, really absolutely bizarre.
00:40And I was listening to Ken and Anthony and didn't realize anything.
00:42I was just locked in on what they were saying.
00:44And then, you know, Ken said he didn't hear anything.
00:46I didn't hear anything.
00:47But JJ downstairs, who's like directly below us in the convenience store, he's like, man,
00:52did you hear that?
00:52I was like, no.
00:55I know.
00:55Well, it's bizarre.
00:56I've talked to a few people that didn't hear anything, but mostly everybody that I've
01:01talked to today heard the same thing.
01:03What I thought it might have been was the signing of Kirk Cousins, but apparently that
01:07didn't make much noise, huh?
01:10Oh, my goodness.
01:11That's a good one.
01:12Thanks.
01:16Is that guy going to sign anywhere, and is he going to be anybody's starter?
01:19Arizona?
01:20He's not coming here, is he?
01:22No.
01:23I don't think he's coming here.
01:24I think if they add a quarterback at this point, it will be a young developmental quarterback.
01:30I don't even really think that they're in the market anymore, if they even really were
01:36in the market for a veteran.
01:38I don't really think that's in the cards right now.
01:40I think we're at the point now where if they add a quarterback to the room, that it will
01:47be a developmental player from the draft.
01:49Why do you think that they were both so adamant, Andrew Barry and Todd Munkin, when they talked
01:54about the external veteran options and adding one?
02:00Well, you have to explore every avenue when you're trying to upgrade the most important
02:04position on the team.
02:05So they have to say that, and they have to do that.
02:08But when push came to shove in this free agency period, Malik Willis wasn't coming here, and
02:17that wasn't going to happen.
02:18He was always destined to go to Miami.
02:21The price tag was going to be too high.
02:24And then there were extenuating circumstances.
02:26And the biggest one was the fact that his agent also represents Deshaun, and his agent understands
02:33that this is Deshaun's big chance to get his career back on track, to try to go out and
02:37win this starting job here in Cleveland.
02:40And I don't think he wanted to pit those two guys against each other.
02:44Do they make a move here?
02:46Do they get a...
02:46Jeff went through the list of when Andrew Barry normally makes his...
02:51when he makes his trades for wide receivers.
02:53And we're right in that window right now.
02:57Well, Andrew will do whatever it takes to upgrade the roster.
03:02So he will continue to look for opportunities.
03:05I don't know whether or not something will actually come to fruition before the draft.
03:10But he will definitely continue to look for chances to bolster the offense.
03:15So, you know, we'll have to see how that goes.
03:17But I don't think anything is imminent right now.
03:19Mary Kay, are you still thinking they add a veteran wide receiver of some sort?
03:24There's still some guys in free agency.
03:27You know, Jawan Jennings is out there, Stefan Diggs, Tyreek Hill.
03:30If you're looking to add a guy who's got a resume, you can do that.
03:34Or a trade along with somebody they'll draft?
03:38I don't know about that.
03:39I really don't know if that's what they're thinking.
03:42I think more so than anything right now, they're probably more focused on the draft.
03:47And then you just look for opportunities that might arise in the veteran market.
03:53But I think at this point, they would probably be more interested in a draft eligible receiver.
04:00Not both?
04:03Not at this point.
04:04But, again, I'm not 100% sure about that.
04:08But I don't get the sense that they're rushing out and clamoring to sign a veteran receiver that's going to
04:14cost them a lot of money.
04:19I'm curious to think about what they're going to do with those first three picks, Mary Kay.
04:23Because somebody asked me this yesterday, I go, offensive line, offensive line, wide receiver, wide receiver, wide receiver, offensive line.
04:30If you could do the perfect picking right now based on what the roster is, what would those positions look
04:36like in those first three picks?
04:39Well, I probably would go offensive line, wide receiver.
04:44And then I can't honestly say that I would go offensive line again after that, after everything that they've done
04:50in free agency.
04:50Yeah, that was the other part of it that was interesting.
04:53Yeah, so, I mean, I probably would be going for the biggest impact, the pack, the biggest wallop that you
05:02possibly can with that third pick.
05:04And they were able to do that last year when they acquired Carson Swessinger at number 33 overall.
05:13So I would be looking for a game-changing guy like that on either side of the ball.
05:18Mary Kay Cabot joining us, plaindealercleveland.com.
05:21The signings on the offensive line, I think, are solid, Mary Kay.
05:25But I wonder about where they're going to play.
05:28And I like the versatility.
05:30But I wonder, okay, did you just sign versatile guys or did you sign good guys who are going to
05:34step in there?
05:35With that thought in mind, do you think Elton Jenkins ends up playing center?
05:40Or do you think Luke Whipler has a chance to be the starting center and maybe Elton Jenkins ends up
05:46playing right guard?
05:48Well, I think you have some options there.
05:51And I do think that Elton Jenkins, he is a Pro Bowl guard and he is a newer center.
05:57But he does have the option to do both.
06:00So I think you can kind of take a look at it and also then see where things go with
06:05Luke Whipler.
06:05And do you maybe think about bringing back Ethan Posick at the right price and see if we can plug
06:11him back in at center?
06:12Do you draft a center of the future?
06:15So they have some options.
06:17But if they had to go field an offensive line tomorrow and have a center, they have some options there.
06:23Is Zion your left guard or is a gentleman named Joel still on the radar?
06:29I think he's on the radar.
06:30But the further we get away from the end of the season, the more I think that he's not coming
06:39back.
06:39But, you know, it's just I don't know.
06:41I cannot honestly say.
06:42I don't know if he's just kind of taking his time or if he's made his decision and just isn't
06:48ready to announce it yet.
06:50Jeff and I have had this conversation a couple times.
06:52I think we disagree on this.
06:53I just I wonder.
06:54He always says, what does Todd Munkin think?
06:56What does Todd Munkin, right?
06:57That's I'm not.
06:58Well, I think so many of the offensive decisions have to come down to that, at least his input.
07:04I mean, I would think it's vital.
07:06And I wonder how much, you know, Andrew going through everything he's gone through.
07:09How much is Andrew's like, I think this is the right fit and we maybe we should do this.
07:14How lock sync do you think these guys are at an early point?
07:18Well, I think that they are going to collaborate on things just the same way that Andrew and Kevin did.
07:23But they have pretty defined roles.
07:27You're trying to stock the roster with the kinds of players that your coaching staff wants and needs.
07:34But the personnel department has the expertise.
07:38They watch the film.
07:39They talk to people.
07:41So you're not going to put that in the hands of your coaching staff, but you will run things by
07:47them.
07:47You will have them study some of the film that you've already poured over.
07:52You will get input from them.
07:54But your personnel decisions largely will be made by the personnel staff and Andrew Barry.
08:00Mary Kay, what does and I think it could be wildly entertaining.
08:04What does a Shador Sanders, Deshaun Watson quarterback battle look like?
08:11I think it will be wildly entertaining and very heated and very animated.
08:15And I think it will bring out the best in both of them.
08:18I think the fact that they both have to learn a brand new offense levels the playing field a little
08:24bit.
08:25And, you know, the fact that Shador started the final seven games, that gives him a little bit of a
08:31boost.
08:31And then Deshaun having three Pro Bowls on his resume, you know, that gives him a little bit of an
08:38edge.
08:39So I think they both bring some really fascinating things to the table.
08:44And in the final analysis, it's just going to be a matter of it will come down to what Todd
08:49Munkin thinks
08:50when it comes to choosing the starting quarterback and who he thinks will give his team the best chance to
08:55win.
08:56Does Dylan Gabriel factor into this?
08:58Is he even on the team by the time they get to training camp?
09:03We'll have to see about that.
09:04If they decide to go with another younger developmental quarterback in the draft,
09:08or if they find one somewhere else, then I think they would be open to trading Dylan Gabriel.
09:12And, of course, everyone on the roster has a chance to compete for a starting job at their position.
09:17But realistically, I don't think he is necessarily in the mix for the starting job right now.
09:23When they called it an open competition, I think it's an open competition between Deshaun and Shador
09:29with Dylan having an opportunity to go out there and compete and show what he can do as best he
09:34can.
09:35But I think that they would be open to trading him if they find someone else.
09:39I know this is weird to say in a guy's second year, but is it, for Shador, is it starter
09:44or bust?
09:45Or I would say starter or trade?
09:49I don't think so.
09:50I don't think everything has to be so black and white right now.
09:53If he doesn't happen to win the starting job, sometimes you get in there in week three.
09:58He was patient last year.
10:00He was the fifth quarterback on the roster, or he was the fourth quarterback in the quarterback competition.
10:07And then, lo and behold, he started the final seven games of the season.
10:10So I don't think it has to be start or bust.
10:12And I think whoever does not win the starting job will probably get some playing time.
10:20Quinchon Chudkins' health is an issue, I would think, Mary Kay.
10:25Do they need to add to the running back group before they go to training camp?
10:31We'll have to see about that.
10:33I think they fully expect him to be ready for the season and healthy for that.
10:37So I don't know if they really feel a great and pressing need to add depth to the room.
10:44But, you know, they probably will.
10:45I mean, you want to make sure that you have insurance against your workhorse back.
10:49So I'm sure that they will add someone.
10:52All right, Mary Kay.
10:53I think we feel good.
10:54I'm glad you're safe from the meteor and the big boom.
10:57Your house is fine.
10:58That's all we really care about.
11:00So is the truck in front of your house.
11:01That's good.
11:03All right.
11:04Happy St. Paddy's Day, too, guys.
11:05You got it.
11:06Thank you, Mary Kay.
11:06Have fun today.
11:06Talk to you later.
11:08Bye, Mary Kay.
11:08Bye-bye.
11:09Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland.com.
11:11And, of course, The Plain Dealer.
11:13Read her every day.
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