00:00You want the lowdown on what's going on in the NFL, you need to turn to the NFLbluebook.com.
00:05That's where Charles Robinson is hanging out these days.
00:07And, of course, he's on the Wise Heart Right.
00:09We make it right.
00:10Call Kyle Wright Hotline.
00:12Charles, always a pleasure to talk to you, my friend.
00:13How are you?
00:14Hi, Charles.
00:15I'm doing well, gents.
00:16How are you doing going into the weekend?
00:17We are good.
00:19A lot of stuff to talk about for us here.
00:20We're puzzled.
00:21We're puzzled, Charles.
00:22One of the questions we came up with today is, is this an audition game?
00:25It's one of the stories in the paper today, too.
00:27Is it an audition game for Deshaun Watson before the bye?
00:31What do you think?
00:35I mean, it's certainly an interesting concept.
00:38I think from seeing what Shador was able to do against New Orleans without the running game,
00:48I think it certainly opened the conversation when it comes to,
00:54what are you going to access here from here on out?
00:57Like, I understand, like, here's the thing.
01:00You've got to weigh, you have to weigh this potential, right, to make the playoffs
01:07and to kind of, you know, set this stone in the ground and build the culture out
01:15versus you've probably got to get a look at Shador.
01:18I feel like we've talked about this going all the way to camp where, like, at some point, right,
01:23you've got to get a look at him.
01:25And I would agree that, you know, if Deshaun plays poorly,
01:31then you're probably looking at the bye week as being something where you're like,
01:35all right, we're going to shift this and let's get Shador up and running
01:39and, you know, ready to take over this team.
01:42I would ask you guys, do you feel like, what did you feel like you saw in that game
01:48that made you feel like, all right, we're going to have to shift, we need to shift to this.
01:53We need to get a better look at this guy.
01:55Was it just because of the fact that, you know, he, clearly the aggression was there.
01:58I mean, there's no doubt.
01:59Like, he certainly, I think he had the right downfield mentality.
02:05I think he showed up in spots when it was called for.
02:12But I guess, you know, how would you weigh that against?
02:16We didn't feel that way.
02:18Monday morning, I felt it was shampoo.
02:21Like, it didn't matter between the two quarterbacks.
02:23It's the same thing.
02:24It's rinse, wash, repeat.
02:26A little different style of play, but, you know, okay, you didn't start well.
02:29You finished strong.
02:31And Deshaun didn't do anything to lose his job.
02:35And I don't think Shanoor went nutso to win it.
02:38So let me ask you this, though.
02:39Wouldn't you, how do you weigh, weigh out the age difference, right?
02:44Weigh out what you've seen versus what you haven't seen.
02:47And that's where we're having our conversations, Charles.
02:50That's because we don't think Deshaun's going to be here next year.
02:54But the thing that keeps, the thing that gets in the way of changing quarterbacks,
03:00five come from behind wins and in contention.
03:04Yeah.
03:05And I think that's fair.
03:06I mean, I don't think there's, you can't ignore that.
03:09You can't ignore.
03:10Success.
03:12The mentality.
03:13I mean, I think the whole kind of the air around the team is so different than it has been
03:20in past years, right?
03:21Like, I feel like there's optimism.
03:24Some externally.
03:25I certainly think internally.
03:27There's some optimism about, you know, how the roster looks, how it's built, the contributions come from younger players.
03:34I just think between those two quarterbacks, it's, you know, what have you seen, what do you know about one
03:41guy versus what have you not seen and what don't you know about the other guy, which is Shador, right?
03:46I still think there's the reality that we have not seen what he looks like with Todd Munkin calling the
03:54plays, with some of the surrounding talent that's been added this year.
03:59However, it's interesting that I kind of, I felt as that game progressed, particularly down the stretch, I felt a
04:07little more optimistic about him than maybe you guys did.
04:09I'm surprised that we're a little off on that.
04:13I think we want to see him only because of the questions of 2027 at quarterback.
04:19But right now, the other guy has been the quarterback in five wins, and I don't know that you lose
04:26your job because of that.
04:27If Todd makes the move, then they're seeing things, you know, from a different level than we are, and you
04:35make that move.
04:36And I would get it completely.
04:39But if you're a coach and you're trying to win games, because no matter what they say, you know, if
04:44you're rebuilding, okay, great, are you going to be the guy leading the rebuild?
04:47Munkin needs to win games.
04:49He wants to win games.
04:50Right.
04:50He said that.
04:52Right now, he's thinking Deshaun's the guy.
04:54So I would think it's a big, bold move, Charles, if he changes quarterbacks after this next game.
05:02It's seismic, for sure.
05:03Like, it's because you don't – the last thing I think you want as an organization is to make a
05:09move and then to go, okay, you know, this isn't working.
05:13Like, first off, if it goes wrong, that's horrible, right?
05:16Like, that becomes what the conversation this season is about, right?
05:20The coach's decision and why did you make this move and it threw a wrench and everything.
05:26And then secondly, I think it's like if it goes poorly and then you move back, right, to Deshaun, then
05:34you're just flip-flopping.
05:35Then it's the same deal.
05:37You're talking about lack of direction, you know, poor decision-making, and Munkin going all the way back to the
05:47beginning of camp and probably even before that.
05:49But at least the first time I talked, I mean, he was just clear.
05:51He was like, I want to win games.
05:52It's not about 2027, 2028.
05:56It's about 2026 and winning games.
05:59So making the change would certainly be significant.
06:05But I guess in my mind, I'm like – and this is what a lot of teams dealt with with
06:10the trade deadline.
06:12So I'll just pose it to you guys.
06:14What are you focused on right now?
06:16Are you focused on let's just get to the playoffs, even if they lose a game in the playoffs, even
06:21if they don't advance in the playoffs?
06:24Just getting to the playoffs, that's the benchmark.
06:26That's what's important right now versus are you figuring out where you're at in court back in 2027?
06:35For me personally, I do this goal every year.
06:38I'm like when December 1st rolls around and the later you get in December, I want to look up at
06:42the TV and see that the Browns are in the hunt.
06:46There it is!
06:46That's all I care about.
06:47I just want to make sure they're in the –
06:49He wants to be on the graphic.
06:50Please be playing competitive football late in the season so that the fans have a chance to want to strive
06:58for postseason.
06:59And by the way, I think if we were in another city that expects to win, I would want more.
07:03But we don't expect to win.
07:05So I'm like – I've lowered the standards for myself by saying just be in the hunt as December rolls
07:12in and please give me some meaningful football down the stretch.
07:17Yeah, and I mean I think – you know, I get that.
07:19I understand the sentiment, absolutely.
07:21And I think every fan base feels that way.
07:23No one's like, hey, yay December, let's prepare for next year.
07:28But we are – we're the home of the draft.
07:32Welcome to Cleveland.
07:33How many – and there's a countdown like most places have a countdown to the Super Bowl.
07:36Ours has a countdown to the draft.
07:37Yeah.
07:38Yeah.
07:38I mean I told you guys when I started out covering the league in 2001 with the Lions, I'll never
07:45forget they started 0-2.
07:46And immediately there was somebody in the fan base who said, I hate all this downtime before the draft.
07:52That's a great line.
07:53It's true.
07:53It's a great line.
07:54I am very curious.
07:57To me, the playoffs idea is all well and good.
08:00That's great.
08:01To me, a bigger thing for the franchise, Charles, is figuring out who the quarterback is.
08:07In big, big picture, you want to win, you want to improve and everything else.
08:12But if you don't have that quarterback, you're probably not going to get to where you want to get.
08:16So I understand what you're talking about there.
08:19I just don't know that that guy's on this team right now.
08:22Okay.
08:22So I guess my question to you would be, do you feel like to get to the answer in 2027,
08:28who that quarterback is going to be, maybe he's not on the roster, do you need resolution on Shador?
08:34Do you need some kind of – I wonder if fans feel that way.
08:37Do you need to feel like you at least have that tied in a bow?
08:41Like you know what he is, you know what he isn't.
08:44I would suggest that right now it's not a finished conversation because the truth is it's a different staff, it's
08:53a different offense.
08:53There are some different pieces available to him that were not there last year.
09:02I don't think – I would argue we don't have a definitive answer one way or another what should or
09:07could look like with, you know – and I'm not just saying like a one-game audition.
09:12I'm saying like, you know, give him some sustain.
09:14Finish the season.
09:15Yeah.
09:16You know, stack up starting reps, you know, weeks in a row.
09:20Stack up the extra walkthroughs, all the different things that you need to do that Todd's going to do to
09:26prepare him.
09:27Let's see what this guy ultimately looks like.
09:32Me personally – and I get it.
09:33I totally understand the sentiment of wanting playoffs and wanting to feel like organizationally you've taken a stride forward.
09:39And I get where Todd's coming from.
09:41Like it's about winning now.
09:42He's not looking for his next job.
09:44This is his last job if you ask Todd.
09:48But I just feel like the quarterback question is – it transcends the season.
09:53Like it's – you're talking about calculating the next – and we've talked about this for years with the Browns.
09:59You're talking about calculating the next 10, 15 years.
10:04So in my mind, I feel like you've got to have an answer.
10:06Like you don't – what happens if you get to the end of the season and Shedore never really got
10:10a shot and you really never had an understanding of what he would look like?
10:14And then on top of it, what if the offseason doesn't go the way – we're all presuming, the three
10:20of us right now on the phone, we're presuming that the offseason is going to unfold in a way that
10:25the Browns want it to unfold, right?
10:29That they're going to have these options available.
10:31But can you really – can you really expect that?
10:35Can you really expect there's going to be the quarterback options available out there in the offseason that are going
10:41to make you feel like, okay, it all fell into place?
10:45I don't feel like that's the league anymore.
10:47I don't think any team knows for sure anymore whether or not they're going to have the options on the
10:52table if they want a quarterback.
10:53Let's talk about the AFC North for a second.
10:55I'm just curious your thoughts on the way this shakes out.
10:58Pittsburgh, you know, is – Pittsburgh, but the Bengals keep playing better and better, I think, as we watch them
11:03– as we watch the season progress.
11:05What do you think?
11:08I just think – I tend to think when we get into, you know, November, December, you start to think
11:16in terms of, like, units.
11:18And is there a better unit?
11:21I mean, overall, whether it's offensively, defensively, whatever, is there a better overall unit than the Bengals' offense?
11:27Is there?
11:28I don't know what there is.
11:29I don't think there is.
11:31Yeah.
11:31And so, you know, not only are they healthy, but you're getting top-line performances from all the guys that
11:39are getting paid the money.
11:40You know, I mean, T. Higgins, he's having a wild season right now, and it's like, I feel like no
11:45one's even really talking about the guy.
11:47And I'm like, is anyone paying attention to what he has turned into?
11:52Yeah.
11:52So, I don't – when I look at the AFC North and I think of, you know, the team to
11:57beat, it's – it just – my mind goes to who is – like, who has a unit out there
12:01that is – it's almost like Minnesota in that defense in the NFC North.
12:06It's like, who has the unit that just absolutely is dragging a franchise forward regardless of any other mistakes?
12:14And to me, that's the Cincinnati offense right now.
12:17As long as Burrow stays healthy and the surrounding skill pieces stay healthy, you're going to have to score –
12:24you might have to score 30 consistently to beat the Bengals.
12:28I just don't know that there are other teams in the AFC North that can do that.
12:30Last question, who do you like on Sunday?
12:34Who do you like?
12:36I like the Browns at home, I'll be honest with you.
12:39The home has been pretty good to them so far this year.
12:41I like the fact they're home four out of the next five weeks, too.
12:44Yeah.
12:44It's a good stretch for them.
12:45I mean, this to me is kind of the season – don't you feel like this is sort of the
12:48season-deciding stretch?
12:49This is it.
12:50You've got to get it done now.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Yeah, and we're talking right now about the quarterback.
12:54Like, what's going to happen?
12:55Like, is this a – you know, is Deshaun fighting for his job right now?
12:58I'm with you.
12:59I like the Browns at home.
13:00I like that edge that they have.
13:01But I'm also with you in that I doubt that this is a Deshaun one game.
13:08As much as I would like to see what Shador looks like, I just don't – it's hard for me
13:14to imagine them reversing or even putting in jeopardy where they're kind of at as an organization.
13:19And the positive gains that they've made at this point, it's just such a risk, you know, to make a
13:25change at quarterback at this point in the season to see, you know, what another guy has to offer.
13:32And so it goes against my nature in the long-term planning, but I get it in the short term.
13:39It's an organization that needs to, I think, finish in the playoffs, whether they win or lose in the playoffs,
13:45would just be such a huge positive for the Browns.
13:48Especially for Todd and believing in a coach.
13:51Thank you, Charles.
13:52We'll talk to you soon.
13:52Make sure you're reading NFLBlueBook.com all the time.
13:56Sign up for his newsletter as well.
13:58Thanks, Charles.
13:58Appreciate it, guys.
13:59Have a good weekend.
13:59Talk to you soon.
14:00Charles Robinson, super friend of the show.
14:02On the Wiseheart Right, we make it right.
14:03Call Kyle Right.
14:05Hotline.
14:05They are home.
14:06They are home.
14:07And does that make a difference?
14:08I'll ask you that when we come back.
14:10Plus, we are going to talk about the Cavaliers coming up here in a little bit.
14:12Tim May, Ohio State football, and, of course, Todd Munkin's press conference coming up at 1.20.
14:18It's all on Baskin and Phelps right here, 92.3 The Fan.
