00:00Mary Kay Cabot covers the Browns for the Plain Dealer in Cleveland.com.
00:04Mary Kay, welcome to the show.
00:07Thanks for having me, guys.
00:08Hello, Mary Kay.
00:08Twelve hours ago, you went to what used to be Twitter, now called X.
00:13Updated, Browns unlikely to bid on Brendan Sourceby in the supplemental draft,
00:17but they will add to the work they did on him for the 26 draft in case he came out.
00:23That's interesting.
00:24What do you think?
00:25Why will they not go for him?
00:29Well, things can always change, but right now, I think that the thinking is that he is so fresh out
00:38of rehab
00:38or maybe even still in rehab for his gambling addiction that I think the feeling is you just really don't
00:45have any evidence
00:46or any insider knowledge into the notion that he can stay clean and sober as it relates to gambling.
00:54It's probably a very, very difficult thing to do, and nobody's going to really know the answer to that
01:00when they actually have to make this decision on whether or not to bid on him.
01:04So I think at this moment in time, they probably don't want to add another log onto the quarterback fire.
01:11But let me just say this.
01:13When I say they are going to continue to do their work on him and complete their due diligence, they
01:18will do that.
01:18And things can change as you go through that process.
01:22At the golf outing, Mary Kay, Todd Munkin was, I mean, very straightforward and really did not hide his feelings
01:29when it came to Brendan Sorsby.
01:31How much say do you think that guy might have in a Sorsby decision with Andrew Barry, Todd Munkin being
01:36that guy?
01:37Well, I think he'll have some.
01:40I mean, he's the offensive-minded head coach.
01:42He has, I think, a huge voice in who they acquire at the quarterback position.
01:49So I do think the fact that at that point in time that he was not interested in adding this
01:56person to the mix,
01:57I think that's significant.
01:59Once again, I think that they will go through the process, and they will make a final determination
02:05once they probably attend his workout, talk to enough people about the gambling addiction,
02:11maybe have an opportunity to talk to Brendan himself, and then things can change.
02:16So even though you feel a certain way in one period of time, this is a football team that is
02:22always ready to pivot.
02:24Would they want to add a guy who could be a distraction to what has already been a quarterback room
02:32full of distractions?
02:34And what kind of talent do you think it would take for them to want to do that, Mary Kay?
02:40This is not a team that really concerns itself with distractions.
02:45That was well said, Mary Kay.
02:47That was well said.
02:49And accurate.
02:50Not as blunt as you'll get.
02:53They're not that worried about the distraction piece.
02:55They're not.
02:56They feel like they can block out the outside noise in situations like this.
03:01They feel that they have the infrastructure to handle, potentially difficult situations.
03:07So I don't think they're going to be worried about that part of it.
03:10I think the part that would concern them the most would be whether or not Brendan Sorsby can stay clean.
03:17And that should be the primary focus of every single football team that decides whether or not to bid on
03:22him.
03:23He threw passes to Brown's rookie tight end, Joe Royer.
03:27And at the end of rookie minicamp, Joe gave this quote.
03:31I firmly believe that he's a first-round talent.
03:35Sorsby.
03:36He's got all the tools to make up a successful quarterback.
03:38He's a hell of a player.
03:40He's big.
03:40He's quick.
03:41He's got the arm strength.
03:42He's smart as well.
03:43Mary Kay, I read that because if the Browns drafted Royer, you know they saw a lot of Sorsby.
03:49Right?
03:50If you're scouting the tight end, who threw him the passes?
03:53So I would think they're pretty familiar with his skill level.
03:58Right.
03:58I mean, they may have ended up with Joe Royer because they were watching so much of Brendan Sorsby.
04:03That could be too.
04:04And they did plenty.
04:05Right.
04:06They did plenty of work on him for the 2026 draft in the event that he came out in this
04:12past draft.
04:12So they did as much work on him as they did every other quarterback in this draft.
04:17Ty Simpson, you name it.
04:19They did that kind of work on Brendan Sorsby, you know, the Dante Moores, all the guys who contemplated coming
04:26out.
04:26They put extensive work into them.
04:28So all they really have to do now is update their book on him.
04:34And it's a big, huge chunk that they have to do because it involves the whole gambling addiction, where he
04:39stands with that now.
04:40They'll have to talk to some experts about, you know, the relapse rates and things like that.
04:48But suffice it to say, this will not be their first homework on Brendan Sorsby.
04:54Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer joining us on the Wise Heart Right, We Make It
04:59Right call, Kyle Wright hotline.
05:01Of course, you can listen to her and Dan Lobby and Ashley Baystock on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast
05:07as well.
05:08Make sure you give that a listen along the way.
05:09Good stuff.
05:10Mary Kay, it does seem, though, and maybe it's just Jory Epstein's piece from her being inside of the Browns
05:16draft room on day one, sticking with me.
05:18It does seem like they've made a concerted effort to get better character guys inside of the building.
05:24And a Brendan Sorsby would be a bit of a right turn from that.
05:27Do you see that being the case, that they've made a right turn from that philosophy of, you know, bring
05:33us in and we can help these guys become better players and less of a distraction?
05:38No, I think they've always had the same philosophy.
05:41And I think Andrew Barry has been very vocal about this, that he will evaluate each player for the indiscretion
05:49that they had in the past and determine, was it a good guy that made a bad mistake or a
05:56bad guy that made a bad mistake?
05:58If it's a good guy that made a bad mistake, he always tries to give that player the benefit of
06:04the doubt.
06:05And it worked to his advantage last year with some of the players that they brought in.
06:09So as recently as last offseason, they brought in a number of players that had legal issues.
06:16You know, Isaiah Bond, Quinshaw Dutton, some of those guys had things going on.
06:22And it's been something that has been sort of a pattern with the Browns to give guys a second chance
06:29that have had some kind of a mistake, an indiscretion, a legal issue in their past,
06:35and see if they can't get them into the fold, get them on the right track, and help them become
06:40a productive citizen as well as a good player.
06:43Mary Kay Cabot joining us, PlainDealerCleven.com.
06:46Do you think that if the Browns – Mary Kay, I have the feeling – let me rephrase.
06:53I have the feeling that they're looking at 2027 for their quarterback unless something drastic happens this year,
06:59and we all hope something drastic in a good way happens.
07:03If that's the case, do you think that it would – they'd have to be over the moon about Soresby
07:09to even think about it?
07:10Because after the miles trade, they certainly are set up to get a quarterback next year.
07:16Well, they are.
07:17But if that quarterback is available this year and you don't even have to use a first-round pick on
07:22him,
07:23it's something that you have to give some serious consideration to.
07:27Once again, you have to weigh that against the possibility of him going off the reservation a little bit and
07:34ending up not being able to play at all.
07:36So there are extenuating circumstances here, but if you feel that he has the talent to be your franchise quarterback,
07:44you do have to take a look at it.
07:46Now, having said that, again, it seems to me at this moment in time that they're not going to bid
07:52on him,
07:53or at least they probably wouldn't bid a super high pick on him.
07:57But I always say you can never say never, right?
08:00I mean, we didn't really think they were going to trade Miles Garrett, and they did.
08:04Because when things change, they're ready to change along with it.
08:10Mary Kay, if let's say – we've hit the offseason, we're going to begin training camp in a couple of
08:17weeks.
08:17If Deshaun Watson were to come out and win that job for the Cleveland Browns,
08:22does that put Shador Sanders on the trade block?
08:24Would the Browns look to move off of him?
08:28You know, I don't know about that.
08:30I don't think that you would necessarily have to do that.
08:33I think that the Browns have demonstrated in recent years that they use two, three, four,
08:39sometimes five quarterbacks in a season.
08:42And maybe they want to see what Deshaun Watson can do.
08:45Maybe they want to see if he can stay healthy.
08:47And if he can't, then you move over to Shador.
08:50Or maybe it's vice versa.
08:51Maybe you want to see what Shador can do for you.
08:53And if that doesn't work out, then you can go to Deshaun.
08:56So I have a feeling right now that both of these guys will be on the roster when the season
09:01begins.
09:02And that both of them will probably ultimately get playing time.
09:06So even if the inverse direction of Shador wins this job, is there a chance Deshaun Watson gets cut?
09:10Or do you think he's still on this roster no matter what?
09:14He'll still be on this roster.
09:16There are financial considerations and cap considerations there.
09:19And then, once again, you never know exactly when you're going to need your second quarterback to step in there.
09:26So I wouldn't see that happening.
09:29What's your gut tell you?
09:30You watched mandatory minicamp.
09:32You watched all the OTAs and everything.
09:34Who looked good?
09:35Who looks the most promising at that spot right now?
09:40Well, I mean, it's hard to say right now because I think Shador did a really nice job of keeping
09:47himself in the conversation for this starting job.
09:49And I do think that he came from behind to put himself in this position.
09:55I think he worked really, really hard, and he earned it.
09:57And now he's got to go out and prove it when the fur is flying, the lights are on, the
10:02rush is on, the pads are on.
10:04And that will be the true test.
10:06And I honestly don't think they're going to know the answer to that until they see him, not only against
10:12the Bills in joint practices, but in some preseason games.
10:16And same thing for Deshaun.
10:17I think they want to see how these guys operate in something closer to real football competition.
10:24And then they will go from there.
10:26I don't see it, even though the quarterback's coach said he thinks it could reveal itself early on in training
10:32camp.
10:33I see Todd Munkin taking this into some preseason games, maybe all of them.
10:37Mary Kay, you and I have been kindred spirits for years.
10:42Please bring in some talent at wide receiver.
10:45It appears they've brought in some talent at wide receiver, and I'm trying not to be giddy.
10:51How did Denzel Boston look?
10:53How's Casey Concepcion look?
10:55And can you and I relax and let these guys go a little bit?
11:00Well, I do think they have the best receiving core that we've seen since Odell Beckham Jr.
11:05and Jarvis Landry were here together.
11:07Those guys had a really nice offseason and minicamp.
11:11And Denzel Boston, he's got amazing hands.
11:14He's got really super sure, strong hands.
11:16So he's going to be fine when it comes to catching the ball.
11:19And he's got to work on his other issues, getting in and out of his breaks quickly and things like
11:24that.
11:24But he had a really, really nice and very strong offseason and minicamp.
11:29And Casey, in the early going, he dropped a few passes.
11:33That's been his issue is that he has to maintain his concentration at all times.
11:37But he got better at that as he went along.
11:40And I thought he finished on a very, very high note.
11:43Both of those guys look really good.
11:44And I think it's a good receiving core.
11:47And I do believe that for the most part, they have what they need on the receiving core right now.
11:53Isaiah Bond has gotten a lot better.
11:55So they should be so, so much better in that department.
11:59Mary Kay, thank you.
12:00And great insight into everything going on with Soresby.
12:04I love your thought.
12:05They don't shy away from drama.
12:07It might make you think, hmm, here comes the fifth round pick.
12:11Here comes the fourth round pick.
12:12Enjoy the weather, Mary Kay, as well.
12:14It is awesome outside.
12:15And on top of everything, enjoy the weather.
12:18I will do that.
12:19It is awesome outside.
12:20I'm sorry.
12:22See you, Mary Kay.
12:22All right.
12:23Take care, guys.
12:23Mary Kay Cabot.
12:25Bye-bye.
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