00:00We're obviously thinking, how good a quarterback do the Browns need in 2026?
00:04Mina Kimes is already fast-forwarding to 2027.
00:09This is Mina on ESPN about the March for Arch.
00:12It's the Cleveland Browns that really caught my attention.
00:15You start with the receivers, Casey Concepcion, Denzel Boston.
00:19To me, if you're building a receiver group like a basketball team,
00:21that's a great combination of receivers getting size from Boston,
00:25speed from Concepcion, paired with Jerry Judy and Harold Fannin Jr.
00:28And then the offensive line, the first pick, Spencer Fano,
00:31who I think can play a multitude of positions.
00:34That offensive line was a real problem.
00:37But they have invested heavily this offseason in that group,
00:41not only with the draft pick, but also bringing in Titus Howard, Elton Jenkins.
00:45So if I'm Arch Manning, and we all know this is going to be a conversation,
00:49given the family's history with Eli Manning, crazy enough to say,
00:53I think I want to play for the Cleveland Browns,
00:55who, by the way, already have a great defense.
00:57Now, the March for Arch is going to be talked about incessantly
01:00because Jimmy Haslam is a Tennessee booster.
01:02He's got relations to the Manning family and friendships there.
01:07There's a lot of reasons why this is going to be a real conversation,
01:11especially if the Browns come out and start one and four this season.
01:15What I did not have on my post-draft bingo card was anyone,
01:20because Andrew Barry's had two good drafts, saying,
01:23you know, a year from now, Arch Manning could really want to be,
01:26would want to choose his path to the Cleveland Browns the way Eli did with the Giants 20 years ago.
01:32All we've ever had is people avoiding the Browns or wanting to avoid the Browns.
01:35It's never been the other story where all of a sudden it's like,
01:38hey, maneuver your way to get there.
01:40So I don't know.
01:41I'll believe it when I see it as the end result there.
01:43So we are simpatico on this.
01:46In a year, let's say in eight months, if the Browns are in the running
01:51and they're the heavy favorites to get the number one pick,
01:54I will do you one better.
01:56I think the entirety of the conversation from the national media will be,
02:01will Arch try and navigate his way out of Cleveland?
02:04I think it's much more likely that that's the talking point eight months from now
02:07than, hey, the Browns only have two wins.
02:12But I bet you Arch wants to go there.
02:13I'll tell you what it is.
02:15And it's a laughable franchise, all things considered.
02:18But I think the conversation is going to be get Arch Manning to New York for the Jets
02:22because their offense shows a lot of signs.
02:24And I think Geno is going to be all right, all things considered.
02:27But you have Garrett Wilson.
02:28You have Brees Hall.
02:29They drafted Cooper.
02:30They have a good offensive line.
02:31I could see the appetite of New York calling for Arch Manning
02:36and that trying to be what they end up maneuvering for.
02:38I mean, in fairness, half of get up is former Jets.
02:42Failed Jets, I might add.
02:43So that makes sense.
02:44Is that out or does that hurt it?
02:45I don't know.
02:45Is it like a...
02:46Oh, no, because they flip into Jets homerism at the weirdest points.
02:50Because it's going to happen.
02:51That's what I...
02:52When I think of offenses that don't have a quarterback that are pretty good,
02:55there's one we'll mention coming up in like 10 minutes or so.
02:58But like the Jets stand out to me.
02:59And playing in New York is something that people always aspire for,
03:03for whatever...
03:03I mean, we know why the reasons.
03:05But like, yeah, I could see that being the narrative more than the Browns.
03:09So I think Browns...
03:10You also get to pick your head coach more likely than not?
03:12Browns versus Jets is very dubious.
03:14Browns versus Steelers is not a conversation, I hope,
03:18if those are two teams vying for that.
03:21Browns versus pretty much anybody but the Jets or Giants,
03:25I just don't...
03:26Like, you're not going to win that, the perceptional battle
03:30eight months from now if that's the conversation.
03:32I just like...
03:33This is the type of thing, I just like to be involved in the convo.
03:35Because if you're involved in the convo,
03:36it means that people don't think of you as a laughingstock in many ways.
03:41Are the Browns the most attractive team?
03:43I guess inherently the convo is being in a laughingstock situation, though.
03:47Which I don't think people realize.
03:48He's got to be really good this year.
03:49If he's the same guy he was last year,
03:51I would really struggle to see him being the number one pick in the draft.
03:54No, he would still get a number one because of the final...
03:56What was it, like four or five games that he played
03:58where he seemed like he turned it around and had it?
03:59You do this against Vandy, you get whatever you want.
04:01It's all people want.
04:02They just want to feel like it's real.
04:05And if he plays like he did down the stretch late in last year,
04:09then he'll get the Arch Manning treatment that he's been given so far.
04:12So listen, if Arch Manning could come out
04:15and just be something in between his uncles,
04:17like in terms of his NFL career,
04:20it'd be the best pick you've made in 60 years.
04:23And that includes Joe Thomas and Miles Garrett
04:25because it's at the most important position, right?
04:28You know me, though.
04:29I hate when we have a quarterback who's anointed years out.
04:35Well, how about getting a Manning and having it now work out?
04:37Yeah.
04:38You want to talk about just completely deflating a fan base
04:41and thinking that you're never going to have a quarterback to work out
04:44if you get a Manning and he doesn't work out?
04:45It really is.
04:46And I looked at Trevor Lawrence as one of these guys.
04:50Andrew Luck's a little unfair because of the injuries,
04:52but you can't say Andrew Luck fulfilled the prophecy
04:55of a generational quarterback.
04:57I do think that Bryce Young is another guy.
05:00Months out, people were saying, number one pick.
05:03Everyone slept on C.J. Stroud.
05:06Verdict's still a little bit out on C.J.
05:08I'd still rather have him than Bryce Young.
05:09Oh, definitely.
05:10That convo today, by the way, was just off the rails.
05:13Which convo?
05:14The NFL exec that said he wouldn't pay C.J. Stroud
05:17and then the convo that ensued off of that,
05:19where then people are then debating whether or not they'd actually pay C.J.
05:22You'd pay C.J. Stroud.
05:23There's like seven teams that would give their left arm in order.
05:26I shouldn't say teams.
05:29Seven GMs that would give their left arm to have C.J. Stroud
05:31be their quarterback.
05:33He has a demand for a reason.
05:35People want him as their QB.
05:38Wild to me.
05:38I think paying C.J. Stroud is very similar to paying Baker Mayfield.
05:43But the idea that – so you wouldn't pay him at all?
05:46No, I would.
05:47Because you and I both would have paid Baker five years ago.
05:50Okay, good.
05:50I just got so used to being the only person that would have paid Baker.
05:53Yeah, no, no, no.
05:54At the station is what I'm saying.
05:55There's a lot of fans that wanted that as well.
05:56So I look at C.J. and I'm like, yeah, I don't care that his numbers have plateaued
06:02since his – or have never grown since his first year.
06:05His numbers are really, really good, and it's hard to find a better player than that.
06:08Meanwhile, their offensive line has gotten worse and worse in each successive season
06:12as they've gotten all – like Laramie Tunzel just said, okay, go, be gone.
06:15And then he hasn't had healthy wide receivers.
06:17You know, like when Nico Collins was healthy, it was a different story.
06:20When he had those guys that were healthy, it was a different story.
06:22I really think he's – I think he's more the track of one of these guys
06:29where it's like if you gave him everything Jalen Hurts has,
06:31it would be a completely different story for C.J. Stroud,
06:33all the while still winning playoff games each year.
06:36I think that's fair.
06:38And I also think, like, if I'm going to give D'Amico Ryan's credit
06:42for taking this team from you were tanking for three straight years
06:46or two straight years after the Deshaun trade
06:48to you've been to the playoffs three straight years
06:52and you've done something in the playoffs every year,
06:55can I really be upset if you haven't gotten over that hump yet
06:59when – I mean, you resurrected the franchise.
07:02Yeah, no question.
07:03I just don't think the offense is his fault.
07:05And I feel like – I feel like if you gave him a –
07:07if you gave him a solid roster around him,
07:10they just kept taking away pieces and adding to the defense
07:12and thinking that C.J. Stroud would overcome that.
07:14And he's just not going to – he's not going to be the guy to overcome that.
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