00:00of the MMQB, the always resplendent Albert Breer. Albert, welcome to the show, bud.
00:05Hey guys, what's happening?
00:07Oh, just another day in Brea. You know how that goes. I do, I'm curious here. Kyler Murray gets
00:13named the Vikings starting quarterback today, and one of the first things I saw was somebody
00:18in Cleveland media jump to, it's an awful sign that the Browns can't do the same thing with
00:24either quarterback right now. Should we be concerned a winner of the quarterback competition
00:30hasn't been announced or named yet? Well, I guess that would be the premise that if you
00:35have two, you don't have one, right? I don't know. I mean, I think we kind of know what
00:42we're dealing with with Cleveland right now. I don't think anybody has a great idea of what
00:49it's going to look like with either a quarterback. The difference to me in Minnesota is whether
00:53you like Kyler Murray as a player or not, there's just a ton of recent track record there, you
00:58know, and they know exactly what they're getting into, and they know exactly what they have
01:04to build for now. And, you know, I think for Cleveland, it's still part of it is figuring
01:07that out. Now, I think part of the premise in Minnesota doing what they did today was there's
01:14a month left till a season, and if it's clear who the quarterback is, well, then we should
01:19let the team know, and we should start building for that quarterback. So, eventually, the
01:24Browns are going to have to get to that point, but obviously, they haven't reached it there
01:26yet. Although, I have really enjoyed Todd Munkin's press conferences, I will say that.
01:31Well, he's definitely outspoken. It's funny, actually, this weekend, Albert, I feel like
01:35it's the first time fans have been like, maybe we don't like Todd Munkin's press conferences
01:40with Saturday, and then him coming out on Monday being like, I'll tell you guys when I want
01:45to tell you guys anything that I want to tell you, and this is how this is going to go,
01:48which is a good reminder, I guess, that these guys don't ever have to tell the truth.
01:53Yeah, I mean, it's like a little bit of like a, I don't know, I said on Rich Eisen's show
01:58earlier, like that he's got kind of like a Clint Eastwood and El Camino vibe going on right
02:03now. It's like, I think like a piece of it is like, you know, if you're not getting the
02:14result that you want as fast as you want, and you're being asked about it over and over again,
02:18I can see where that probably would be a little aggravating, you know. And look, like I think
02:24there, again, there is going to come a point where you do have to make a decision, you know,
02:29and like whether that's after the second preseason game, the third preseason game,
02:34that time's coming, you know. So I'm going to be interested to get out there tomorrow to see it
02:39for myself. Albert, beyond the question, I'm sorry, beyond the question, beyond the quarterback,
02:44what's the biggest question you have about the Browns?
02:49Oh, um,
02:55a decent idea of what the line looks like. You know, replacing David Njoku is obviously a question.
03:03You know, we know what the running back situation is going to look like. You know, I think like how
03:07the rookie receivers fit in is a big one for me. So, you know, I've heard the same stuff that
03:12everybody has about Denzel Boston getting off to a nice start. So what did Boston and Concepcion look
03:18like within the offense? I think it's going to be, and with Jerry Judy, it's going to be like
03:22something that's, you know, obviously going to be a key for them to come out of the summer with.
03:26And then defensively, I guess it's just like kind of where the pass rush is going to come from
03:35and what sort of impact Jared first is going to make on that group as a whole. Um, I really
03:40do
03:41like some of the things they've done. I think Mason Graham's got a chance to be a really good
03:45player. Carson Swessinger, obviously, um, he was all pro for me last year as a rookie. Um, so you've
03:51got some nice pieces on defense, um, you know, but you're losing Jim Schwartz and, um, you know,
03:57obviously like there's been a big advantage that the team's had over the course of the last,
04:03um, you know, nine years and having miles Garrett as a, as a centerpiece of the pass rush. And that
04:08being gone, I think the other big question would be, how are they going to generate pass rush? And
04:12is what they've done, you know, bringing in Jared verse and having Mason Graham in year two,
04:18um, you know, and sort of the centerpieces, is that going to be enough?
04:22Are you surprised that it seems like this quarterback battle is as close and as tight as it is,
04:26at least the perception that they're giving us, it is.
04:30I can't say I'm stunned because I don't know if there was like a clear cut answer
04:34going into the spring, going into the summer, like, and I, and, and look, like, I, I just think
04:40like if you're in a situation like that, it's just going to be kind of up to the players to
04:45separate
04:46one from the other, you know? And I felt all along that Deshaun was probably the likely pick
04:51just because, you know, in my mind, you know, if you're the organization, you sunk $230 million
04:56and three first round picks into the guy you want to see. And what you don't want is to have
05:01him go somewhere else. And, you know, after you put them on ice for a year, ball out, you know,
05:06and I've, I've said that to you guys before. So, um, yeah, I, I, I, you know, I, I, but
05:13I think
05:13it's like pretty clear too, like that, you know, if you, if you, if you look what's coming out of
05:18Berea, it doesn't seem like one has separated himself from the other. So we'll see what happens.
05:24Albert, uh, Kyle Whittingham has stepped in at multiple times because he refused to say he hates
05:30Ohio state. It seems like Michigan fans are a little frustrated by this. I think Whittingham
05:36by his press conference yesterday seems upset by this is Kyle Whittingham already blowing it at
05:41Michigan. Well, you know, so I'm not talking about this as a reporter anymore. I'm talking about this
05:47citizen alum of the, of the arrival. Um, I thought Jeremiah Smith handled himself better
05:53than Kyle Whittingham. And I like Whittingham, you know, but when talking about the rivalry and I
05:57just, I mean, guys, I, I, I've been around it enough. John Cooper was the head coach when I was
06:01there. And, um, you know, I remember like, and this is my first three years at Ohio state trust.
06:07I got the job my senior year. Um, and I just, I remember like, like there was always this feeling
06:14like he doesn't quite fit, you know what I mean? Like, and he isn't quite like, he's a good coach,
06:19but is he really, you know, is he, is he, is he really cut out to be the Ohio state
06:24coach?
06:24And a huge part of that was the handling of the rivalry, right? Like, it's how do you handle the
06:28rivalry? Well, like what I remember was every year they would be doing something different.
06:34And one year it would be, we're taking this head on. It's the most important thing in the world.
06:38And then the next year it would be, uh, we're going to treat it like any other game.
06:42And I just think it kind of built up in the heads of everybody in that program,
06:48you know, and got the heads of everybody in that program. So, you know, what Kyle Whittingham
06:52is going to learn if he doesn't know it already is that he, everything that he says now will
06:58come back to him if he loses the game in November. Uh, Albert, going back to the NFL, I saw
07:04you were
07:04just at the Packers camp recently. Uh, Jordan love expected to start and they don't know how
07:09many snaps yet, but it's going to be in the opener against the Steelers on Thursday.
07:12Are you seeing this as you're going camp to camp to camp? Obviously it varies greatly.
07:16Uh, but the idea that even someone with like Jordan love, who's been the minor thumb injury
07:21in last year's exhibition opener, uh, are you seeing more and more teams wanting to throw
07:25their guys out there or is there still a pullback more of like the Sean McVay line of thinking?
07:30I mean, I think it can kind of depend, you know what I mean? Like there's been a lot of
07:33injuries
07:33now, so it'll be interesting to see if there's a reaction to that, um, you know, across the
07:37league with individual injuries that are happening with individual teams. Um, so that that's part of it.
07:42You know, I think the other piece like that, you really, um, you really have to pay attention
07:47to is who's doing the joint practices and how many, like how many are each team doing,
07:52you know, I, I, I'd have to look, but the Packers are doing one, but I think it might
07:57be the last week of the preseason. So like, you know, I, they can generate game like reps
08:03there, but then where else are they going to get them? You know? So I, I think too often
08:08we look at these things as one-offs like, Oh yeah, is he going to play them in this game
08:11or not? I understand that. Like, that's what everybody's paying attention to. I think more
08:16often what you have is like a team looking at it and saying, okay, how many quality reps
08:20can we get them? How many game-like reps can we get them? And a lot of that relates back
08:24to, you know, the, the, how many joint practices you had, like the, the chiefs are a great example.
08:29Andy Reid philosophically does not do joint practices and that's, and his starters play in the
08:34games a lot, you know? So I think one thing oftentimes does relate to the other and trying
08:39to get guys ready for the season. Albert, uh, one of the big, uh, talking points so far
08:45in Pittsburgh's camp and around the Pittsburgh camp is that Aaron Rogers in his final, uh, final
08:51season here. And it's interesting. The first day I heard him talk, I was like, Oh, this sounds like
08:56a guy that might be campaigning for a future job on like in the CBS booth. And then the next
09:03day
09:03he was on McAfee and he sounded like somebody who might be angling for a different kind of TV job.
09:09How do you think that the NFL is going to handle the Aaron Rogers retirement, uh, party simply
09:14because, you know, Aaron Rogers is still Aaron Rogers. Yeah. Um, I don't know. I mean, that's a
09:22tough question to answer. I, I think it's, I mean, I think it's good for the league. I think Aaron's
09:27in
09:28a good place. I, I, you know, from what I understand, he loved the locker room last year and really
09:32was
09:33able to achieve like what he wanted to part of what he wanted to achieve, which was like,
09:37you know, going back and falling back in love with football and getting a great year. Um, you know,
09:43and, and this isn't even as much about the on-field thing, but just having, having fun playing the
09:48game again, you know, and, um, and his fit in that locker room was really good. It's an older locker
09:53room. Um, you know, and so I think that piece of it's like really, I don't know. I think it's
09:58important to Aaron, you know, like that, that, uh, and, and now I think he feels a little bit
10:02more comfortable talking about all of it. Um, I don't know what he's doing next guys. I'm I I've,
10:08I've wasted too much time trying to climb in his head over the years. Um, I know you're often not
10:13successful if you try to do that, but, um, you know, I, I think he is, I think, I, I,
10:20like, I think
10:21he's a guy who, you know, is always subject to change his mind. And, you know, I don't know if
10:26he
10:26knows exactly what he's going to do after he's done playing. I know he said that maybe you won't
10:30see him, you know, maybe that's true. Um, but you know, I, I've always known him as somebody who
10:35his thoughts are, are, are fluid a lot of the times and he can't change his mind. And I think
10:40he'd be really good in the booth, whatever it's worth. Oh, why do you say that?
10:46Because I've talked to him enough. Um, I, I, I think his, his, his knowledge of the game is off
10:52the
10:52charts. That's what anybody who has been around him would tell you. Um,
10:56I think he's got personality and he's got an ability, um, to deliver, um, you know, and
11:03like, look, like I think for all these guys, the best players, right. You know, I think for
11:07a lot of them, um, the challenge is actually like, I think in some cases it can be motivation,
11:12right? Cause sometimes you look at it and like, there's a guy who was a second tier player,
11:19player, maybe not as famous, not a quarterback, whatever. And that guy had to work harder to
11:24get in a position to call games period and then work his way up the ladder. And, you
11:29know, a lot of times when you've got a guy who is, this is what I give Brady credit for,
11:32right. It's like Brady. I don't think Brady was great his first year, but he really worked
11:36at it. He got a lot better, you know? And, um, I, I think the temptation for some of the,
11:41the, the, the greatest players and Aaron's obviously in that category is okay. Like, well,
11:46I'm, I'm landing on the number one team right away. And then after a year or two, they take
11:52their foot off the gas. And then, you know, now they don't have the connections in the league that
11:57maybe they had a couple of years prior or knowledge of the teams the way that they did when they
12:01first
12:01got done playing. And I think that can make it unravel sometimes, but if he was motivated to do
12:05it, I think he'd be really, really good at it. Again, that's an open question with, I would,
12:09I would say that about any great player, not just Aaron specifically is like, you know, okay,
12:13how motivated is he going to be to truly be great at it? Albert. Um, I'm, I'm going to ask
12:19you to
12:20keep the journalist hat on this one, even though I'm going to ask you about an Ohio state player.
12:25Uh, Julian saying, I think it's one of the most interesting guys, not necessarily from the
12:29college side of things. Cause I think he's going to be great this year, but how the NFL is going
12:33to
12:33perceive him if he has another really nice season at Ohio state for the people you've talked to.
12:39Do you, do you think after another strong season from Julian standard Ohio state, a very successful
12:46Ohio state season, do you expect him to factor into the first round conversation next year?
12:52I don't know. Um, you know, I haven't done enough work on like what the scouts actually think about
12:57him. So I guess I'd be TBD on that, like just watching him. Um, he's hyperproductive. I think he's
13:04got to walk that like drew breeze line. That's kind of interesting. Cause he's from San Diego.
13:09He wore nine in high school, all of that. Um, you know, he's kind of got to walk that, that,
13:15that, that, like a little bit of a narrow path. Cause you know, guys like that, like that are
13:20shorter, um, that may not have like the unbelievable, like eye popping arm strength. A lot of those
13:27guys, it's just, you know, you have to be really great in a lot of other areas to make it
13:31work.
13:32So, you know, I, whether or not he becomes that, I don't know. Um, but he does have, I mean,
13:37great feel, great accuracy, great vision. Um, you know, he can get the ball down the field. Um,
13:44you know, I, by all accounts are really intelligent kids. So he's definitely got some of the things
13:49that you would want. I saw you recently in Chicago and the bears are one of those teams
13:54that pop up is in a two year stretch. Uh, they went from, and this includes them having
13:58Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson already, uh, going from a four or five win team to then
14:02a double digit win team and also winning playoff games. Same way Jacksonville didn't win the
14:06playoff game, but you know what I mean? Jacksonville's there. And obviously the Patriots
14:09and go to the Superbowl last year, four win team to then the Superbowl. It happened quick.
14:14You, you've been to, I think you said 14 straight bears, uh, training camps. What, what have you
14:19noticed that is different in now this evolution and how quickly they have assembled a team that
14:24went from, well, one of the, the bad ones in the NFL to now one of the really good ones.
14:30I mean, yeah, I think it's just, I mean, first of all, like having the quarterback helps,
14:35you know, and like the Caleb had the year he had last year really helps to accelerate all of it.
14:40Um, so that's number one, you know, I think the coaching helps too, you know, and Ben Johnson
14:45was sought after for a couple of years. Obviously that looks justified now by the results in year one.
14:52Um, you know, and I, I think like they weren't devoid of talent before this, you know? So,
14:58I mean, they had guys in the roster like Roma Dunze and Jalen Johnson and, and, and, um, you know,
15:04and, and, and Cole Komet and I mean, go on down the line, you know, that there were a lot
15:09of guys
15:09that were already there. And so they weren't building from zero when Ben got there. Um, so I think it's
15:16all of those things, you know, sort of put together and we'll see if they can, they can do it
15:20again.
15:20I mean, they're one of the three teams that really took off last year in our first year
15:24coach, you know, Jacksonville and New England being the two others. So we'll see if they can sustain it.
15:29Albert, always great catching up with you, man. Can't wait to see you out here in Berea tomorrow.
15:35I will bug you for your thoughts then as well off the air, but a really great stuff, buddy.
15:39Appreciate you.
15:40All right. Thanks guys.
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