Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 18 hours ago
Transcript
00:01Mary Kay Cabot, Plain Dealer, Cleveland.com.
00:05So excited to join us on the Wiseheart Right.
00:07We Make It Right call.
00:08Kyle Wright hotline.
00:10Anthony Lima, Nick Padone in for Ken Carman today.
00:13And I saw the charts yesterday.
00:17I saw all the breakdowns.
00:19We heard from Daryl Ryder earlier in the show.
00:23Mary Kay, is this quarterback competition over?
00:26Is Shador Sanders the winner after one day?
00:29No, that is such a gross overreaction to one day of football practice.
00:34And I think you really have to break it down and keep in mind what goes on during a certain
00:40practice
00:41and what the philosophy is for your quarterbacks.
00:44And right now, and I even wrote this heading into training camp,
00:48that is the fact that you've got to let your quarterbacks make mistakes, air it out a little bit,
00:55be aggressive, and that was the number one assignment that when I wrote some things heading in
01:00that I thought that Deshaun needed to do.
01:03I felt he was afraid to make mistakes in spring ball, and you can't play that way,
01:07especially when you're trying to find out where you are coming off of some injuries and things like that.
01:12So you've got to do that.
01:14And they were also working on some things yesterday that don't necessarily lend themselves to a big explosive practice.
01:23That was quick game and third and mediums.
01:26And then another factor is Denzel Ward.
01:30Denzel Ward did not practice in spring ball, and he just made a great play on that ball yesterday.
01:37So these are all factors, but this is the time and this is the place to push the limits
01:43and to see what you're capable of.
01:46All right, Mary Kay, we know yesterday was Deshaun Watson day.
01:51Everybody online, I'll self-report as well, kind of jumped on Deshaun because he threw the back-to-back interceptions.
01:58What did you see from Deshaun yesterday?
02:02You know, we obviously know the interceptions were thrown.
02:06There's obviously context around those.
02:09What did you make of his first training camp back?
02:12Kind of as like QB1 of the Browns for yesterday before Shador gets his opportunity today.
02:18Once again, you can make of it as much as you want or as little as you want.
02:23And I just don't think that in a non-padded practice on the first day of training camp
02:29that you can read way too much into what you're seeing out there.
02:32We've seen phenomenal training camp performances and great, great training camp preseason games by quarterbacks.
02:40And they haven't turned out to be anything.
02:42So what's happening right now, it's installation.
02:45They were installing those things that we talked about before, quick game, third and medium.
02:50And then once again, I did hear Aaron Rodgers say the other day, now is the time to make some
02:55mistakes
02:56and to push a little bit and see what you can do.
02:59Then you also have to consider who you're throwing it to and maybe their performance on the other end of
03:04your path.
03:05So it's not that I'm making excuses.
03:06It's just that this is a training camp practice.
03:09That's why they're calling it camp.
03:10That's why they're calling it practice.
03:12This is not a game.
03:13And I think there is an overreaction to those back-to-back picks.
03:18Did you notice anything about the way that they were working in the second team, you know, the rookies, the
03:28young guys, the offensive line?
03:30And obviously, they're going to probably flip the script for today.
03:33Yeah, it was very interesting.
03:35I actually did expect that Spencer Fano especially would be working with the first team at left tackle because, once
03:43again, that opener is coming at them fast, September 13th in Jacksonville.
03:47And I watched Joe Thomas practice as a rookie, and he was not alternating days, if I recall correctly.
03:54It was a long time ago, but I think he was the left tackle right from the start, and, you
04:00know, they weren't alternating him with anybody.
04:02But lo and behold, we get out there, and DeJuan Jones was that left tackle.
04:06And now we come to find out that those guys, Spencer Fano and DeJuan Jones, are going to be alternating
04:12days, at least in the early going of camp.
04:14So I think that's very interesting.
04:16I think it's good for DeJuan.
04:18It gives him a chance to say, hey, I should be out here as one of your starting five.
04:22I think he's in the mix for that.
04:25And it also gives Spencer a little bit of time to get his seed legs.
04:30But that was unexpected as far as I was concerned.
04:33Mary Kay, with that offensive line and trying to identify the fifth starter, I guess I didn't personally factor DeJuan
04:40Jones into that math just because I kind of assumed, you know,
04:45Fano was going to be the left tackle, Titus Howard was going to be the right tackle, and we were
04:50kind of looking at that starting center spot.
04:53How is that going to come along?
04:55Obviously, Elton Jenkins could play center or guard.
04:58Parker Brailsford, the fifth-round pick, is going to compete to play a little bit of center, too.
05:03How do you think that fifth offensive line spot could come along here?
05:06Well, the puzzle pieces have to fit together correctly.
05:10That's what has to happen.
05:11And in this camp, you know, nobody has seen these guys with pads on yet.
05:16So you can have a good offensive line on paper and think it's going to work out a certain kind
05:21of way, and it might not be that.
05:23And I think that's what you're seeing right now with DeJuan.
05:25He came on so strong in spring ball that I think they might try to find a place for him
05:31in the starting lineup, or at least he's a candidate for that.
05:34So, you know, good for him.
05:36He's worked hard.
05:37He's had some injuries.
05:38And now he still has a chance to go out and be a starter, whether it's early in the season
05:42or somewhere else in the season.
05:45As far as the other places, like center and right guard, those are still up for grabs depending on what
05:52happens at some of the other spots.
05:54I mean, if you're going to be starting Shador Sanders, you have to ask yourself, do you want a rookie
05:58left tackle and a rookie center, or do you want to go with more of a veteran presence there, someone
06:02who could help slide the protections and do certain things that maybe a second-year quarterback, one who's only started
06:10seven games, might not be up for some of that responsibility.
06:14So that would then inform or dictate what happens at right guard.
06:18If Elton Jenkins doesn't start at center, then he's a candidate to start at right guard.
06:22So they have to figure out how it all goes.
06:25And even when they do, even when they settle upon what they believe is their starting five, then they have
06:32to put it out on the grass in a real game and see how it holds up.
06:36So I've been saying I think there's a world in which the starting five in week one might not be
06:41the starting five in week four.
06:43Mary Kay Cabot joined us on the hotline.
06:46I remember when Kevin Stefanski took over the first few practices, the thought from the reporters, the people who go
06:55to this stuff every year, was that it was very professional-like.
06:59It was orderly.
07:00Now we remember what happened in the very first game.
07:03It didn't go so well for Kevin.
07:04But by and large, I think that was what people thought early on.
07:08What did you think of the very first Todd Munkin practice, including what did you think of his demeanor?
07:14Well, we've been watching him in OTAs and minicamps, so nothing was a surprise to us.
07:21He's very vocal in practice.
07:23He's very animated.
07:24He wears his emotions on his sleeve.
07:27The practice, a lot of people will talk about, oh, this practice, this guy runs this kind of practice, and
07:31this guy runs that kind of practice.
07:33For the most part, they all look a lot alike.
07:36These guys are all in the same business.
07:38They've coached together in some cases in other places, and there's only so much you can do with an 11
07:45-on-11 drill or a football practice.
07:47So you will see differences and nuances.
07:50But for the most part, it's a well-run, organized, intense football practice.
07:56But I felt like Kevin's were the same.
07:59Mary Kay, off the field, we've gotten some huge Browns news over the last two days.
08:06Obviously, Denzel Ward a couple days ago, Grant Delpit yesterday, and you reported yesterday that the Cleveland Browns could have
08:14some serious interest in a reunion with Jadavian Clowney.
08:18Now, we obviously remember how poorly Clowney's time with the Browns ended back in 2022, even that season bled over
08:26into 2023 when he was upset with his usage and Joe Wood's scheme and all of that stuff.
08:32How do you think a reunion with Jadavian Clowney could potentially work for the Browns?
08:38Well, I actually think it would be a really great signing for the Browns if they can make it happen.
08:42There are other teams interested.
08:45I think Seattle is in the mix.
08:47I think Houston, where Jadavian lives and played before, is still in the mix.
08:52But we know Todd Munkin likes him.
08:54They were together in 2023 in Baltimore.
08:57That's when he saw firsthand Jadavian Clowney notch nine and a half stacks over there.
09:01That came after he had only two in 2022 here, which, of course, as you guys might remember, you know,
09:08he told me in a one-on-one interview in the locker room that year that he felt that that
09:13was in part because of how he was used
09:16and sometimes Miles would get the favorable matchup, including once in a in a Ravens game where they flip flop
09:22them.
09:23And Jadavian had to go against Ronnie Stanley instead of Miles doing that.
09:26So he was upset and he wanted people to know why he only had two sacks that year.
09:32He wanted people to know that he still had plenty left in the tank.
09:36And he went out and showed that in his next three stops.
09:39He had nine and a half, five and a half with Carolina.
09:41And then he had a Cowboys leading eight and a half last year.
09:45So he's had 23 and a half sacks since he's left here.
09:49He worked out hard in the offseason.
09:50I think he would be a great compliment to Jared Burst.
09:54Now, it might not be as easy as it sounds to try to get him wrapped up.
09:58There are other considerations that these guys have to think about.
10:01There are family considerations where people want to live and all of that.
10:05But I think they're going to try.
10:07I think they're going to try to get this done.
10:08And, of course, if they can, they'd like to have it done sooner than later.
10:13Well, I think LeBron James shows us you don't necessarily have to live and work in the same place.
10:19I mean, Jadavian Clowney could come in every day from somewhere else, maybe helicopter in.
10:23I do wonder, Mary Kay, we know how it ended with Jadavian Clowney.
10:27I was a little surprised that there could be a potential reunion just based on some of, I don't know,
10:35controversy.
10:36You know, they want the culture to be a certain way with Miles out, new defensive coordinator.
10:43Is this the type of guy you want to bring in when he's basically been a mercenary, new team every
10:49year?
10:50Well, the thing to remember with Jadavian is that he got along with all the guys when he was here
10:56back in 2021 and 2022.
10:59He got along with everyone.
11:00He was, you know, somebody that you would see a bunch of different guys huddled around during training camp.
11:06They'd be laughing and yucking it up.
11:09His issue, of course, was mostly with Miles Garrett.
11:13He felt like, you know, the vibe was to make sure that Miles was getting his production at the expense
11:19of him and others.
11:21And so, he did not like that, and he finally just spoke up about it leading into that final game
11:28of the season.
11:29But other than that, now that Miles is gone, that opens the door for Jadavian to come back.
11:34That was really the only issue that year.
11:37Mary Kay, when you look at the new contracts, the extensions that Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit signed,
11:43what do you think that says?
11:45The Browns keep telling us that they're not rebuilding.
11:48Trading Miles Garrett kind of signaled to a lot of people, okay, maybe they are rebuilding.
11:53It's a lot of draft picks, Jared, versus a young player.
11:56But they took care of two of their own guys for the second time in their Browns careers with Ward
12:02and Delpit.
12:02What do you think that message says?
12:04Well, first of all, I do think that it says that, no, we are not messing around here.
12:09We're not throwing in any towel.
12:10We are going out and trying to win this year as many games as we possibly can.
12:14And we're trying to keep this defense at a very, very high level for the foreseeable future.
12:20These guys are under contract through 2029.
12:22And in that time frame, the Browns are hoping to win a lot of football games.
12:27In fact, they're opening a new stadium in 2029.
12:30They need some goodwill amongst their fan base.
12:33They need to get to the playoffs.
12:35They need some victories.
12:36And they feel that these two guys are still cornerstones of their defense, of their secondary, their leaders, their draft
12:42picks.
12:43Denzel Ward is obviously from here.
12:46And when you lose guys like Joel Batonio over the years, you know, face of the franchise kind of guys
12:53like that, you know, Nick Chubb was in that category.
12:56You want to keep those kinds of guys that are ingrained in the fabric of your fan base.
13:01And these two guys certainly fit the bill on that.
13:04And I think it says, look, we brought Jared Burse here this year.
13:09We wrapped up these two guys.
13:11We are going out there to try to maintain our standards on defense.
13:15I already saw yesterday, right after practice, you, Lima, and the media won't bring up that Shador was taking the
13:25time after practice to work with Taylor Green.
13:27So, Mary-Kate, you're in the media.
13:29I'm in the media.
13:30I thought it was a cool moment.
13:32I thought it demonstrated some leadership.
13:35And I have nothing to criticize there, Mary-Kate.
13:39Wasn't that a pretty cool thing to see?
13:42Yeah, it was a cool thing to see.
13:44And those little snapshots that you see of a player doing things like that, you can find out a lot
13:49about a person and a player when you see some of the off-camera or off-book things like that.
13:55And I think it's important to note those things and bring those things up.
13:59I actually didn't see it going on live.
14:01We have some immediate post-practice responsibilities, and so I didn't actually see it happening.
14:08But I did see it going on on social media, and I did think it was pretty cool.
14:14And I've seen a number of things like that from Shador that you don't necessarily see in the course of
14:21a practice, or maybe you see some things through some binoculars that you wouldn't have otherwise seen or noticed.
14:26But I did think it was a cool moment, and I'm sure very much appreciated by Taylor and Green.
14:30All right, Mary Kay, we appreciate it.
14:33Enjoy life out there as the transformation has been.
14:37I don't think I'm going to see you walking around on the west side anymore.
14:40You've got to be at practice every day and getting those reports in.
14:43So thank you very much.
14:44Thank you, guys.
14:45Thanks for having me.
14:46All right, Mary Kay Cabot on the Y-Star-Right.
14:48We make it right.
14:49Call Kyle Wright hotline.
14:51Boy, very interesting.
14:53I mocked Nick Padone earlier for a headline that he may or may not have been responsible for.
14:58But Mary Kay echoing the sentiments, no rebuild here.
Comments

Recommended