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00:00Ashley Bastock on the Make It Right Call, Kyle, Right Hotline.
00:02Don't get me started on 220.
00:04And if we ever talk about 440, don't even.
00:08Ashley, welcome to the show.
00:10Thanks for having me, guys.
00:11I know we joked last week was probably my flu game,
00:14but, I mean, I've been in the trenches since then, illness-wise.
00:18So, today I think is actually my flu game.
00:22Okay.
00:22You can't have multiple flu games.
00:24Is this like Rocky 1 where they didn't give people what they wanted,
00:27so they're like, and Rocky 2 will do better this time?
00:30This feels like you're trying to create a sequel for a flu game,
00:32and there can only be one flu game, Ashley.
00:34No.
00:35I mean, I've had – I was at a primary care appointment, like,
00:39less than 48 hours ago.
00:41I have medicine prescribed to me now.
00:45Like, it's been a whole ordeal.
00:47That's what I'll say.
00:48I think my voice sounds worse today than it did this time last week,
00:51but I don't know.
00:52I'll have to listen back, and you guys can maybe be the judge.
00:55Now, do you get babied when you're sick, or do you just power through it?
00:59No.
01:00My joke is I never get sick.
01:02When I start to feel sick, I tell myself, no, you're not,
01:05and try to ignore it for as long as possible.
01:08But we got, you know, out of the ignoring stage with this one,
01:13which is how you know it's serious with me.
01:15All right.
01:16Well, stop being sick.
01:18We like you when you're feeling better there.
01:20That actually sounded like I was mad at you.
01:22What I meant was we don't like it when you don't feel well.
01:24I meant it in, like, a nice way, not in a, suck it up.
01:28That being said, a little NFL news to pass along here.
01:31The Panthers are trading Andy Dalton to the Eagles for a 2027 seventh-round pick.
01:37Maybe Tanner McKee could be available.
01:39Why would we do that?
01:41Hey, played a good game once, and that seems to matter if you're an Eagles quarterback.
01:44All right, Ashley, let's go with the initial thought here.
01:48There have been multiple people nationally and locally who have said,
01:51one week plus into free agency, the Browns aren't any better now than they were before
01:57free agency started.
01:59Do you concur with that assessment about the Browns offseason?
02:03No, just because they put so much into that offensive line, and, like, three weeks ago,
02:10I had no idea who would be playing basically any position truly on the line.
02:16And now I feel like we have some more answers with that.
02:21So, look, I think, unfortunately, like, the offensive line in Cleveland was such a key staple
02:28of this team during most of Kevin Stefanski's tenure.
02:32And over the last couple of years, they got more injured, they got older.
02:38Look, I think left tackle is still a big question that hopefully they are able to answer in the
02:45draft.
02:45And the caveat to all of this is we have to see what it looks like come September, right?
02:50Like, there's been so many things this front office has done over the years that have looked
02:55good on paper or looked better on paper than they turn out to look on the field.
03:00But I think they've done a good job of taking the panic out of this O-line rebuild, which
03:06is how I termed it in a column I wrote, I think, last week or so.
03:10So that, to me, is a good step.
03:14It's like the kind of thing I wanted to see them do was devote significant offseason resources
03:21to this line.
03:22And so far, they've done that.
03:24They're at least trying to do that.
03:25And I think that's a really good start.
03:27Yeah, was it a good enough attempt, I guess would be the question I have for you, because
03:31they didn't get Walker, they didn't get Linderbaum, they didn't get the top of the market, but
03:35they also didn't get five guys that are just existing either.
03:38Yeah, I think so.
03:40And I think, like, look, they probably couldn't cap-wise, like, afford to pull off a Tyler Linderbaum
03:46deal.
03:47Like, maybe they would have.
03:48I mean, Andrew Berry and this front office are really good at the cap.
03:50But, like you said, I think landing somewhere in the middle, like, that's going to be key
03:55with where they are right now.
03:57They're not, like, one key piece away from having an amazing line.
04:01You have to devote multiple resources.
04:05And I think, like, you don't want to obviously be starting three rookies.
04:09Like, Todd Munkin joked about that.
04:11I know Andrew Berry at the Combine wouldn't give an answer on how rookies, how many rookies
04:15are too many rookies, essentially.
04:17And Andrew said, well, it depends on the rookies.
04:20Todd Munkin certainly did not sound like he wanted to be a coach starting, like, more
04:25than three rookies on his offensive line.
04:28He knows the challenge that would be.
04:30So I think they did a good job with getting guys who have played.
04:34And I think when you have a veteran coach, position coach, like George Warhop in that
04:40room, you need those veteran guys who know what the deal is.
04:44You know, Titus Howard has even played for him before.
04:46Or you need guys to kind of help keep everything in check and keep things going who have that
04:52veteran experience.
04:53So I think that's why I like addressing a lot of these needs in free agency here.
04:59All right, Ashley.
05:00What's the earliest you think the Browns draft a quarterback this year?
05:04The earliest they would draft a quarterback.
05:07I mean, if they really like, like, Ty Simpson, is it out of the question taking him at 24?
05:13I don't know that they do, though.
05:15So I would say my best guess right now, the earliest would be the third round.
05:23Like, genuinely.
05:24Like, and that's, I think it gets earlier than that.
05:28Not if there is somebody that we are not accounting for right now who they think has franchise quarterback
05:33ability.
05:34But I didn't leave the combine, like, feeling super, like, oh, yeah, they're definitely going
05:41to be chasing somebody in the first round.
05:43I just didn't get that vibe.
05:45And I think a lot of times with these things, with the quarterbacks in the draft, there's a
05:50vibe.
05:50There's a feel to it that you start to get when, oh, yeah, they're chasing somebody here.
05:55And I didn't have it last year.
05:56I don't really have it this year.
05:58So that's sort of my gut feeling right now.
06:00We had Cynthia Freeland on, and she had mentioned, like, conversations she had at the draft.
06:04She thought the Browns were in on quarterback.
06:06But she'd also then mentioned Carson Beck as a name.
06:08She's like, that kid from Miami.
06:10Keep an eye on that.
06:11Do you find someone like that maybe as something you consider them third round, the area you're
06:17talking about?
06:18Yeah, like, second, maybe second round for Beck.
06:20But, like, I don't know that I feel like they're going to be a first-round quarterback
06:26team.
06:26Like, it wouldn't surprise me to see them add another body to that room via the draft.
06:31But I don't know, given all their other offensive needs.
06:35And I think we're going to get a definitive answer on this on the Thursday night of the
06:42draft this year.
06:42And it's, do they feel better about the 2027 quarterback class than the 2026 one?
06:48Because we got that definitive answer very early, actually, immediately after they made
06:53the Mason-Gram pick, I think, was when Andrew Berry came out there and talked how, look,
06:58projecting across the board, they thought that the 2026 draft was going to be better than
07:03the 2025 draft.
07:04And that was a big part of their reasoning to make that trade.
07:07So I think we're going to kind of get a similar feel this year as well in how they feel
07:14about
07:14the future and any moves they make.
07:16Are they really setting it up for next year's draft?
07:18All right, Ashley, because we talk about literally any quarterback that could be available and
07:23has a pulse.
07:25What would your reaction be, now that Andy Dalton is going to the Eagles, what would your reaction
07:29be if the Browns traded for Tanner McKee today?
07:33Guys, I don't, I don't know that I would have a reaction to that.
07:37Like, I think it would be like, oh, okay.
07:39Like, I don't think Tanner McKee is going to be a franchise quarterback, but you've added
07:44another body to the room.
07:46I guess great.
07:48But I would be pretty surprised in the sense, like, everything we're hearing from the Browns
07:53seems to be so focused on Shador Sanders and Deshaun Watson.
07:59And look, this time of year, you obviously, you have to be careful with messaging coming
08:05from anyone.
08:07Like, this is prime times of year for smoke screens.
08:10We all know that.
08:12I think fans have gotten savvier over the years and know that as well.
08:16But right now, I mean, I definitely don't feel like it's going to be a significant resource
08:25devoted to the quarterback position outside of those two when it comes to the starting
08:29quarterback position on this team in 2026.
08:32All right.
08:33You said smoke screen season.
08:34Are the Browns trying to throw everybody off with the amount of wide receivers they have
08:38coming for these 30 visits?
08:40Or is it, or are they being very upfront?
08:42Like, no, we need wide receivers and this is how we're going about doing it.
08:46Well, look, I think the top 30 visits aren't necessarily the place for a smoke screen just
08:51because, like, teams actually do only have 30 of them, right?
08:54Like, you don't typically want to waste them with gamesmanship.
08:58There are people you are inviting on those that you do genuinely like.
09:02And look, I think there's not much smoke screen you could do with that position because, like,
09:08everyone knows you need more pass catchers anyway.
09:10They know they need that.
09:12They've been honest about that.
09:14They've been honest about knowing the amount of resources they need to devote to the offensive
09:19side of the football.
09:20So, I definitely think there's genuine interest in those guys.
09:24I think most people are anticipating they take someone at some point in the first round,
09:30whether it's, I've seen it mostly in mock drafts at 24.
09:34Some people have been bolder and have them going at six.
09:37But, for me, like, they are probably going to take someone.
09:42It makes sense that these visits are happening, for sure.
09:46All right, Ashley.
09:47And I'm going to blame this on Jeff Phelps because he had quite the spicy take earlier
09:52today that the Browns at six could be reaching for a wide receiver.
09:56So, we had a conversation about Monroe Freeling.
10:00Monroe Freeling.
10:01I know.
10:02Now I've corrected everybody else.
10:03Now I'm doing it to myself.
10:04Now, Monroe Freeling at six being a bit of a reach, what is a bigger reach with a number
10:09six pick?
10:10Monroe Freeling or a wide receiver?
10:13Well, who's the wide receiver?
10:15Because, I mean, again, these mock drafts, Monroe Freeling has been the most popular name
10:22at six.
10:22But, look, I know Daniel Jeremiah's draft came up and he had them taking Carnell Tate at
10:27six.
10:28Like, I don't feel like Carnell Tate would be a reach at six at all.
10:33But the problem is, like, I don't know.
10:36It's like, how are you weighing the needs and the value of the left tackle position?
10:42And, you know, I think Monroe Freeling has become such a more popular name for them because
10:50he was one of those guys, I think, when he got in the combine, did the testing, did the
10:53measurements, you saw his stock rise.
10:55But also, he is a guy that people are, like, for sure talking about as a left tackle versus
11:02a Maui Noah or, oh my gosh, I'm blanking Spencer Fano.
11:08I was going to say the kid from Utah, but there's two kids from Utah.
11:12Like, Fano and Maui Noah, people are talking about as more versatile options, as guys who
11:17maybe could be better suited playing at guard.
11:21And I think the Browns more so need a surefire left tackle.
11:25I think that's why he's become more popular.
11:27I don't think either position would really be a reach at six.
11:30I, quite honestly, like either option there right now for them.
11:36I mean, these are deep tackle and deep receiver classes.
11:40I think outside of Freeling, though, I'd be really curious to hear their own evaluations.
11:45Like, that's what it's going to come down to of a Maui Noah or a Caden Proctor out of
11:51Alabama or a Fano, but specifically Fano and Maui Noah, if they view them as more of an
11:57interior lineman or better at tackle, because I think that's what it would come down to.
12:02Is there any tell you can get into trying to figure out whether or not the Browns are
12:06taking 2026 serious or not, or whether they're just trying to play for the 2027 draft?
12:10And in theory with that, they're trying to lose as many games as possible.
12:15Well, I think like no team is ever going to admit that, like if they are, if a front
12:20office, because that's like the problem with, with tanking in general.
12:24And we talk about this all the time.
12:26You can't tank when your coaches are players in the NFL.
12:29It just doesn't work.
12:30Like the game is too violent.
12:32You would have serious injuries if you were actively going out there and trying not to
12:36win.
12:36But we know all the time in the NFL, when teams in the past have tried to lose, it's like
12:41via roster decisions, right?
12:42So I don't know that there's any real tell.
12:47Like, I think, I think by now the tell would be, oh, they've done nothing to try to fix
12:51their line.
12:52And I don't think they've done that.
12:54Right.
12:55Like that, that to me, and the problem is for the Browns, like if they did want to do
13:01that, which I still am not convinced they do want to do that, they are actively going
13:04to be trying to lose games or the front office hopes they lose games.
13:07Uh, like this defense is just kind of too good to do that.
13:11Like even this past year, they still won five games.
13:15That was too many to get the first overall pick.
13:17Like it, it has put them in this interesting position that I think has made that very difficult,
13:22even if they didn't want to do it.
13:24Ashley, yeah.
13:25Get on the mend.
13:26We appreciate you did a great job despite feeling under the weather.
13:29The second, I will say as sequels go, it's pretty strong.
13:34It's like Godfather two level.
13:37And no, again, the second straight week, things have been kept on the rails.
13:41And I think it's because you guys are trying to get better faster.
13:44We know you've been battling.
13:45Don't leave it off the rails further.
13:47Yeah.
13:47But don't tempt us, you know, cause we will.
13:50We'll go there for the sake of going there.
13:51I do feel like you kind of poked the bear a little bit at the end.
13:53Like, oh, you guys didn't even let us go off the rails here.
13:56It sounds like I think you miss us going off the rails.
13:58I think you'll like it.
14:00I, I maybe guys, maybe I miss it a little bit.
14:02I don't know.
14:03We're going to have to wait until next week.
14:04I'm going to hang up now.
14:05That's true.
14:06Ashley Bastock there.
14:07Cleveland.com with the make it right.
14:09Call Kyle Wright hotline.
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