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August 13, 2025 • 33 mins

Colin can’t believe the Browns listed Shedeur Sanders last on their depth chart despite his impressive performance in their preseason game vs the Panthers. He shares his latest NFL predictions for the upcoming season and why the Chiefs are going to regress this year. Plus, Browns insider Tony Grossi joins the show to explain why the Browns are keeping Sanders at the bottom of the depth chart and how owner Jimmy Haslam has changed over the years.

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to
noone Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
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or FSR.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Here we go. It is Wednesday, A lot going on.
We are live.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
It is the Herd. And wherever you may be, and
however you may be listening, always appreciate you making us
part of your day. A lot of choices out there.
Funds today, Tony Grossi, who was I mean, let's be honest,
virtually attacked by Shador Sanders after that funny season game.
Tony Grossey has the courage to not only go back

(00:53):
on here in Cleveland, He'll come on our show today.
I'm here to the fand America's journalist Tony Grosey calling
it like he sees it. Hey, listen, these talk show hosts,
you got to defend them. Yeah, you basically need.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
A bodyguard at this point. I mean, goodness, if you.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Were to go to the Cowboys at the Backward at Saga.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, a lot of dramas.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
So it is interesting when I show up for work
in the morning, what's on my desk? And this was interesting?
It was the PFF grades for preseason Week one rookie quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Oh look, Shador Sanders.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
According to PFF, easily the highest greded quarterback. Jackson Dart
was good, Jalen Milroe, cam Ward struggled, Tyler Schuck and
Quinn Yours were bad. This is, by the way, exactly
what you saw. This is what we will e all guessed. Right,
Jackson Dart better than I thought. Shador looked like he

(01:52):
did in college. But here's the other thing, because I've
said this all week, I think he needs to grow up,
and maybe he never will. But you could argue, of
all the rookie quarterbacks, he was throwing to the weakest
receiving corps. This morning, I went and found the ten
guys who made a catch for the Cleveland Browns in
this game.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
Eight are undrafted.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
One of them is sal Kanella, who honestly is my
favorite Sopranos character. Ever, one of them is toa Tua
Jamary Thrash. Now I remember James Thrash, no relation to
Jamari Thrash. Gauge Larva, Dan Larva Dan. I thought it

(02:37):
was a headache medication. The point being is eight of
the ten are undrafted. And this is what he did,
with the exception of Travis Hunter. This is what he
did at Colorado. He had to outscore teams. He had
to carry a team. I mean, Colorado had the forty
second best defense. His biggest win at Colorado was arguably
TCU forty five forty two shootout or something like that.

(03:00):
He also had the worst rushing offense in college football,
not bad, the worst one thirty four FBS bad online.
It was always on shore Sanders. And when I looked
at that receiving car this morning, I went, this is
Colorado all over again. That basically he's having to carry it.
By the way, this is the opposite of JJ McCarthy's experience.

(03:21):
When he was at Michigan, they had the number one defense,
never had to win by shootout. He had the number
five FBS. Run game could rely on others throwing on
play action. Yeah, Snower didn't get to throw on play
action because no linebacker bit on Colorado's run game and
the offensive line couldn't block it anyway. So what it
says is JJ McCarthy had a very comfortable college experience,

(03:45):
and he has struggled kind of finding his groove right
and building his confidence, because how could he. When you
go to school, you know it's the old trust fund kid.
I've met trust fund kids before, never that impressive. There's
no grit to them. Schnor Sanders may have had a
famous dad, but basically he went to a trade school

(04:05):
and JJ McCarthy got a Liberal arts degree. One looks
really impressive on a resume. The other actually gets you
ready for the workforce. And so when I look at
Shanur in that receiving corp in that PFF grade, yes
he needs to grow up. There's no question Miles Garrett
got a speeding ticket.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
He can.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
He's arguably the best player in football. Shnor Sanders, a
fifth round quarterback, can have two of them, but he
is clearly comfortable being uncomfortable throwing to a bunch of
no name guys. One guy played at Scottsdale Community College,
so he's fourth. Remarkably, he's fourth on the Browns quarterback
depth chart, but number one on PFF's rookie opening week

(04:49):
quarterback performance.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
I don't know. Here's Kevin Stefanski and all Cleveland quarterbacks.

Speaker 4 (04:55):
It's an all encompassing evaluation. Obviously, I know Week one
is coming and we'll make a decision there.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
But we're very, very.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
Obsessed with player development and the development of our quarterbacks.
So that's really been something that we've worked hard at.
Whether it's reps in practice or the meeting rooms or
the walkthroughs. We want to make sure that we're doing
everything in our power to get these guys better.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
For the record.

Speaker 1 (05:21):
Shador Sanders today injured his oblique at practice. He may
or may not play in the next game. Cleveland's quarterbacks
are all banged up, so he's the latest. Apparently this
comes down from Ian Rapaport. He got banged up in
practice today, so we'll see what transpires. So the other
part of the best football dynasty of my life was

(05:42):
New England, Kansas City, the Niners, Bill Walsh, Mountana was
pretty special. Jimmy and the Cowboys was certainly memorable. New
England blew everybody out of the water. They had, like
you know, it felt like two different dynasties early and late.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
But in the middle.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
They went ten years and didn't get a trophy, it
does not mean they were bad during that time. They
got to five NFC championships and won eight division titles.
Those were in the years and Britty and Moss shattered
NFL records. Those were in the years they didn't win
the super Bowl. So when everybody, myself included, says the
dynasty is over in Kansas City starting this year, it

(06:17):
doesn't mean they're not going to be great. It doesn't
mean they won't get to another super Bowl. It doesn't
mean it doesn't mean winning is over. But they only
hoist one, and Mahomes is older and more expensive. There
is one Travis Kelcey and he's probably in his last year.
Chris Jones isn't getting any younger. And the truth is

(06:41):
Mahomes's coach is sixty seven, and I love Andy, but
the chance of him lasting six to seven more years
physically is probably very small. The other thing is, when
Brady was dominating his division, the Jets were a circus.
Very briefly, Rex Ryan got it together and beat them.
Great team, but the Rex Ryan team beat them. Miami's

(07:04):
a perpetual average franchise, never terrible, not Carolina where they're
you know, intermittently exceptional or awful.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Miami's always kind of eight.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
And nine, nine and eight, that's just kind of what
they feel like, always interesting, never great. And then the
Buffalo at the time, I don't remember what it was,
but it didn't Brady go like thirty two and three
against Buffalo. I mean, he just dominated him until Josh
Allen got there. But that's not what Kansas City's facing.
And I talked about it this week. The reason Lebron
was so dominant in the East wasn't that he was
just great. It was that the East was terrible. I

(07:35):
mean even the and it's been like that for thirty years.
Go look at the NBA's Christmas schedule and Opening Day schedule.
It's all Western teams and it's been mostly like this
forever except when Lebron was there. So he was running
through the Raptors and the Pacers, and Nick Saban was
dominating when Tennessee couldn't get the coach right, and Ole
Miss couldn't get the coach right, and Georgie couldn't get

(07:56):
the coach right. The minute Sarkin, Texas came into the
conference and Georgia got Herbie Smart. The dynasty ended by
the way Urban's dynasty ended when Nick Saban came into
the SEC. So dynasties just don't happen when you've got
a stack division because you're gonna lose some close games.
Last year, the Chiefs were eleventh in point differential, eleventh

(08:16):
in the league, eleventh, so they dominated the margins and
they deserve it. But now Bo Nicks, Wish, Sean Payton
is in year two and Herbert and Harbaugh is year
two and the Raiders Chip Kelly, Geno Smith, Pete Carroll,
Max Crosby, Brock Bauers. That is a really good fourth
place team. Ashton genty could end up being what are

(08:39):
the odds on him being Rookie of the Year at
running back. So my point is when you start looking
at dynasties, Lebron dominating the East, Saban dominating the SEC.
You know, I mean, for the record, the Dodgers with
all that money have just dominated their division, but the
San Francisco Giants have been down a lot of it,
and the pot shouldn't be able to compete and haven't

(09:02):
been able to beat them in the postseason because it's
a much smaller market. In market sized matters in baseball.
This is not a shot at Kansas City. It's the
reality of Now you've got Hall of Fame coaches in
the division. Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, now the
one of one. Travis Kelsey probably has a year left.
Chris Jones and Andy are not getting easier. And you know,
let's be honest about Mahomes. He's already got blown out

(09:24):
in two Super Bowls. He's been blown out in two
Super Bowls. Why stop because of a bad quarterback. It's
because they unraveled, because the old line, which by the way,
is getting rebuilt for a third time, let him down.
So you go look at Brady. Brady had the advantage
over Mahomes because they both have great coaches in great ownership.

(09:45):
Brady had an advantage. Everybody in his division was dysfunctional
for a majority of his run. It wasn't until Josh
Allen arrived at the very end you're like, oh, oh,
there's a challenge.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
This division's not.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
This division that Mahomes isn't is the opposite that it's
incredibly functional.

Speaker 3 (10:01):
Now.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
Peyton, Harbaugh, Herbert bow Nicks and the Raiders are the
best coaching staff and star power fashion genty is what
we think that they've ever had, so Andy Reid. Andy
Reid always says the right stuff was on with Kay
Adams this week talking about people like myself who say
the dynasty part of their winning is over.

Speaker 5 (10:23):
When it's all said, it's winning the game and we
have winners, and they figured it out and so I
was proud of them for that. And we don't listen
all the noise. I mean, you know, if you do that,
you're gonna go crazy. Then you're not gonna have fun, right.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
And it's been fun so far. So again, the Patriots
in the decade long, they didn't win a super Bowl.
That's the Moss Brady Space, five and five AFC championships,
eight division titles, set records. They were still great. But
it just you're not going to do another twenty year dynasty.
It's just not gonna happen with the that good.

Speaker 3 (11:01):
By the way.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
Brady was, I was almost right. Brady was thirty and
three against the Bills, and by the way Mahomes is
like thirty five and five against his division. That's not
going to remain the same of the next forty games.
He's not winning thirty five. I'd be surprised if he
won thirty. And that's not a knock on Mahomes or

(11:22):
Andy Reid j Mac. Sometimes I read these stories, Wait, hold.

Speaker 3 (11:28):
On that Tom Brady's that thirty and three again.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
But the Bills were dysfunctional, the Dolphins are always average,
and the Jets were mostly dysfunctional.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
And that's not a knock.

Speaker 1 (11:38):
But remember when years ago the Colts were in the
Patriots Division. Oh, had that move not transpired to remove them,
he may only win half as many divisions of Peyton
Manning and his primes in that division. So it's like
Drew Brees and Sean Payton.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
It did help.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
They were in a dysfunctional division and Lebron was in
the East and Saban nobody in the SEC. See all
the powerhouses, the Tennessees, the Georgia's, they couldn't get their
coaches right. Auburn still trying to figure out who's the
absolute next great coach there. So it's it's that's the
reality of dynasties.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nn am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app. Hi, This is Jay.

Speaker 6 (12:22):
I'm the producer of the Paula and Toni Fusco Show.
Usually in these promos they asked you to listen to
the show. I'm here to ask you please don't listen
to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who
have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to
the show so it can get camps.

Speaker 4 (12:36):
What the hell are you doing in our studio?

Speaker 2 (12:37):
Get him, Paul, Ignore that fool.

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Listen to the Paula and Tony Fusco Show on the
iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

Speaker 2 (12:47):
He's still moving.

Speaker 3 (12:52):
All right, here we go. It's our two.

Speaker 1 (12:55):
It's the herd wherever you may be, however you may
be listening. Brian Baldinger going to be joining us from
the Jets and Giants camp today. They're having a joint
practices with the Jets and the Giants. Both teams have
some real talent on the defensive side. We don't know
what Transpler is a quarterback. So J Mack likes one
of them and has disdained for the other. Jackson Dart

(13:19):
pretty promising justin fields.

Speaker 3 (13:20):
We'll see so J Mack.

Speaker 1 (13:24):
Once the NFL season ends, I give myself four opportunities
to make predictions for the following year. Last year I
went four for four in the AFC Division Champions, two
for four in the NFC. I did get Washington was
my surprise team in the NFL nailed.

Speaker 3 (13:40):
It to make the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (13:41):
I predicted Denver was the easiest team to double their
win total. I don't think they quite did, but they
were much better. They made the playoffs, so I felt
pretty good about last year. It's hard you're not going
eight for eight. AFC is much easier than the NFC.
But I do think now that you watch OTAs and
rookie camp and you get consensus opinion from camps on

(14:01):
what rookies are crushing, who's hurt, who's injured.

Speaker 3 (14:05):
See you ready to go? Fire away, buddy, Here we go.

Speaker 1 (14:08):
This is my final big tweek my NFL predictions. We
start in the AFC, and most of what I am
predicting will stay the same. AFC East Bills are gonna
win it. Patriots are my most improved team in the NFL.
Will be a wild card team. They've had a very
good camp. Dolphins coming out now, as we've predicted the culture,

(14:32):
the accountability, Mike McDaniels saying it must improve.

Speaker 3 (14:35):
We said that and we got nothing.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
But you know what from Dolphin fans, the coach says it,
and everybody says, well, of course, the Jets. I just structurally,
I have no idea therefourth we go to the AFC North,
it's gonna stay the same. Bengals, Joe Burrows had a
great camp. That's promising because they've been a slow starting team.
Ravens are the best operation, arguably in the sport. Steelers

(14:57):
have not been impressive once again. Can't run the ball
in camp or in the season. Cleveland's trying to get
a number one pick next year. Schader is going to start.
Mark my word, probably finished fourth, but there'll be an
interesting fourth place team that stays the same. My first
change not a major one. I am going to move
the Jags into the second spot. They've had a very

(15:19):
good camp. Travis Hunter has been effective on both sides.
Trevor Lawrence has had a very good camp. Lee and
Coleman and him are on the same page. Brian Thomas
year or two and this has mostly been about the Titans,
who I think they have the quarterback and the coach
for the future. But they've acknowledged both the quarterback and
the coach are acknowledging the offense is struggling. They probably

(15:42):
have the worst receiving core in the league. So I
think Tennessee will be a fun watch. And I really
like cam Ward, but I Trevor Lawrence is healthy offensive coach.
Between Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter. In the camp, they've
upgraded their own line. I'm gonna put them at second, Titan, third, Colts, fourth,
and AFC West. I am flipping the Broncos and the Chargers.

(16:08):
Mackai Beckton has banged up Rashaun Slater out for the year.
On the offensive line, Joe Alt's gonna have to change positions.
Offensive line, which was a concern, is now once again
a bigger concern than last year. They still also have
a couple of receivers that are young that can't consistently catch.
I think all of these are legitimate concerns. Denver maybe

(16:31):
has the best camp so far in the league.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
Every report that's been there. Wow.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
Also, they picked up a running back R. J. Harvey
in the second round. He's had a great camp. Sean
Payton is raving about him, So I'm I think Kansas
City's a good team. I think they're not gonna go
eleven and oh in one score games. So Bill's Ravens, Texans,
Broncos now winning their divisions. Patriots, Ingles, Chiefs are playoff teams.

(17:01):
Patriots Bingals new playoff teams. We go to the NFC.
The East remains the same. Eagles, Commanders, Giants, Cowboys. I
just don't think. I don't think the Cowboys are very good.
I don't like the staff. I do think they'll be interesting,
but that's an Eagles division. I know everybody says, well
at flip Flumps, I wouldn't be shocked if the Commanders

(17:22):
won the division, but they've been noisy. Terry McLaurin hold
out noisy. Don't love that. But Jaden Daniels, in my opinion,
and the staff are too good to fall to third.
So that stays the same. NFC North Major change, Green Bay,
Quiet Camp. I don't worry about Jordan Love's non throwing

(17:46):
hand injury yesterday. The Lions, I'm dropping them to second.
I think they're roster and o line and quarterback and
culture's too good not to be a playoff team in
the NFC Bears have been the noisiest. I don't trust it,
but I know more about the Bears than I do
JJ McCarthy and the Viking. So I am taking the
Bears from second to third, the Lions from first to second.

Speaker 3 (18:09):
And the more I look at Green Bay.

Speaker 1 (18:11):
They love their first round pick, the more I like
the Packers. Do not worry about Jordan Love's non throwing hand.
He will start Week one and then in the NFC
South it stays the same. You know, Falcons, Bucks are
both teams capable of making the playoff. I think the
best quarterback in division is Baker Mayfield. It's a workable schedule.

(18:35):
I love their GM. They can make a move of
the trade deadline. Overall, the Saints are one of the
worst teams. The Bucks throw was feisty, Baker Mayfield playing
with more maturity. I'm gonna take them to win the
division again and then I have a change. The Rams
have had a bumpy camp. Matt Stafford's not practicing, I know,

(18:56):
and they're left tackle their best offensive lineman or second best,
Alaric not practicing. Blood clots well with an old quarterback
in Matt Stafford. Yeah, I'm concerned that the left tackle
again has blood clots and is not practicing. Rob Havenstein
could be playing his last year at right tackle, so

(19:17):
that worries me. It has been a bumpy, bumpy camp
with a left tackle and a quarterback not practicing. I'm
not saying not playing, not practicing. I'll move the Niners
from fourth to third, even though they've got massive wide
receiver grouping injuries, and I'm gonna put Seattle. This is

(19:38):
my shocker. I think Seattle is gonna win the division.
Gray Zabel, that offensive lineman their first pick has been
a dog in practice. So the Eagles, Packers, Bucks, and
Seahawks are the division winners. Commanders, Lions and Rams are
the playoff teams, so it matters. I'm sorry if your
quarterback who's old, and your left tackle or not practicing,

(20:00):
especially the left tackle.

Speaker 3 (20:02):
Issue, it worries me.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
And remember of all the good teams in the league
last year, go look at point differential for the Rams.
Ravens blew a lot of people out, Bills blew a
lot of people out, Lions blew a lot of people out.
Eagles blew a lot of people out. Rams won a
lot of close games. Left tackle not practicing Stafford banged up,

(20:24):
bad back.

Speaker 3 (20:25):
It worries me. J mac quick thoughts on that.

Speaker 1 (20:30):
Oh my gosh, I have all these notes for your
Patriots pick that are not good. But then this Seahawks
nonsense just has me totally rattled.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
I mean, I'm shaken to the core. What are you doing,
my friend, Colin?

Speaker 1 (20:43):
Seahawks new offensive lineman, the new offensive court.

Speaker 3 (20:48):
Had a very very, very very good camp, Sam Darnold,
I'm Colin. I'm looking at their Do you want to
guess how many times their favorite in their first six games?

Speaker 1 (20:59):
I'm sorry, for six games they're favored once there are
there underdogs most of the How many times was Washington
favored in their first six games last year?

Speaker 3 (21:10):
Done? How many games? How many times was bo Nicks
favored in his first A games?

Speaker 1 (21:15):
Collin?

Speaker 3 (21:16):
Oh, this is a setback.

Speaker 2 (21:18):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Easter non a em Pacific.

Speaker 1 (21:23):
Franchises are just not interesting, But there are two. The
Chicago Cubs for years and years and the Cleveland Browns
that even when they're losing and dysfunctional, they're kind of fascinating.
And I was joking with our next guest is I
think I've outside of maybe the Patriots with Brady and
the Chiefs with Mahomes, I talked more Cleveland Browns than

(21:45):
almost any other NFL franchise, maybe maybe the Bills now
over the last seven eight years with Josh Allen. But
Tony Grossy's been covering this team in the NFL since
the early eighties. Host of the Daily Grossy and former
plane dealer, kind of a legendary Midwest newspaper.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
So Tony, first of all, you have endured for sure.
That is.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
Let's start with Jimmy Haslam. So I've been very critical
of Haslam. Where I think and I was of jim Ersa.
I think there's at any one time there's six great quarterbacks,
six great left tackles, and six great owners.

Speaker 3 (22:22):
There's a lot more.

Speaker 1 (22:24):
Impulsive dysfunctional owners than fans realize. Is that you know
Robert Kraft, but Jerry Jones has moved into sort of
impulsive odd category. I'm not a huge Haslam fan based
on some things I've heard and seen. How is he

(22:44):
viewed not by you, but by Cleveland fans as he
viewed as part of the problem.

Speaker 7 (22:51):
Well, the record speaks for itself. He's in his thirteenth
season of owning the Browns. That has some family, and
the record has been on full and he had a
lot of growing pains early. I actually think he's maturing
as an owner, you know, the Kevin Stefanski Andrew Berry partnership,
the coach gm are now in their sixth season. They've

(23:14):
outlasted any other combination under the half of ownership, and
I think he's learned to be patient and trust his
football people a lot more than previously. But he still
has that reputation and until they win. I mean, they've
never won a division title since they've been back as
an expansion team. So the record, you know, precludes him.

(23:40):
It's what he's known for. But I think he's maturing.

Speaker 1 (23:43):
Okay that listen, we all grow. So I said, I
thought Shador Sanders was underdrafted, Jackson Dart a little overdrafted,
and I've been there. I have been very positive with him.
I thought he played great Friday. I think he's got
matured issues. I hated the legendary draft room nonsense, the
speeding tickets rolled me nuts. I did not love him

(24:06):
coming up to you. So let's go to that moment.
You're outspoken, you don't last as long as you do.
You've got to be credible in the market. So what
did you say that it had them a whole riled up?

Speaker 8 (24:21):
You know, I don't know if there's anything specific.

Speaker 7 (24:24):
It's just that since he arrived, I've treated him as
just one of the ninety players. He's got these lesion,
these incredible legion of fans who think the Cleveland brown
season is all about Shador Sanders this year, and I haven't.
I've stayed away from that mentality, although although we talked

(24:46):
Shudor constantly on our ear, I have to be fair
to you know, what else is going on with the team.
And there have been a few things I questioned the
first time at Rooking mini camps, say, Dylan Gabriel and
Shudur Sanders on the field together that first day. I
came away and said, I understand why the Browns took

(25:08):
Dylan Gabriel ahead of Shuder Sanders. I thought Gabriel did
some things that Sanders at that time didn't do. I'm
not sure there's one smoking gun thing that I said
to get him riled up. And that was the first time.
You know, we've been in this camp for three going
on four weeks, and after that game was the first

(25:31):
time he said anything to me.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
Fourth on the depth chart after that performance, you know,
I don't know. It's like the depth chart should be
based on performance. Everybody else is hurt staying healthy as
a skill. Were you surprised he was still fourth?

Speaker 7 (25:50):
The reason I say no, Colin, is because I think
the Browns are following their script of their training camp
and one performance wasn't going to affect the next day.
That performance will probably well, obviously will affect his whole
body of work when they evaluate everything. But the thing is,

(26:11):
Dylan Gabriel hasn't had his opportunity yet. They evaluated Gabriel,
you know what, the forty spots fifty spots higher in
the draft, and they want to be fair to their
own evaluation of them, and they want to see Gabriel
on the field before they make any adjustment to the
depth chart. I think that's coming after this week. They're

(26:32):
here in Philadelphia practicing against the Eagles. Gabriel is scheduled
to start that game in all likelihood, and the coach
said today finally for the first time, the plan was
to have each of the rookies start one game in
pre season, so I think that's why they haven't adjusted
his either snap counts in practice or the rotation.

Speaker 3 (26:56):
Do you think they'll keep four quarterbacks.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
I've speculated they'll move Kenny Pickett at the d end
of camp or trade deadline or someone. What do you
make about keeping four quarterbacks?

Speaker 8 (27:05):
I think it's very possible.

Speaker 7 (27:07):
You know, with sixteen guys on the practice squad, that
they can keep four quarterbacks on the fifty three and
accommodate the positions that they sacrifice then on the practice squad.
I think they're very disappointed and frustrated that Pickett has
not gotten on tape during game action to show everybody
what they might see in him that they think highly

(27:28):
of them. But his hamstring problems have set back any
idea of trading him or a market for him. But
I can see them going into the season with all
four and just seeing what happens around the rest of
the league. You know, Pickett does have some redeeming qualities
for the right team. I mean, he's in his fourth year,
he's been with two other teams, He's been a first

(27:50):
round pick. He just hasn't been able to show this
camp what the Browns saw in him.

Speaker 1 (27:58):
So I've said through the year, I don't like my
quarterbacks to be too light and unserious. Johnny Manziel was
too goofy, Baker was too cocky. But I like confidence,
and I get a lot of pushback on that, but
I always say I've been pretty good at seeing it.
And I didn't like Will Levis and the Gun Show.
I thought it was arrogant again, confidence, arrogance and silly.

(28:20):
There are times I've said with Shade or he's a
little unseerious for me, A little playful?

Speaker 3 (28:26):
Is that?

Speaker 1 (28:26):
I mean, that's my take is that history shows you
that serious, driven, focused, almost obsessed guys do well in
this league. What do you make of that comment that
he's a bit unseerious.

Speaker 7 (28:39):
I think he's got a playful personality.

Speaker 8 (28:42):
You know, he's brilli.

Speaker 7 (28:45):
I've constantly said this since I met him at the Combine.
You cannot leave a conversation with Shador without smiling. I mean,
he is a very positive and playful guy. I don't
think that gets into a the way of his job.
I think that endears him to teammates. He's it's a
it's a different kind of charisma about him, So I

(29:08):
find him really charming as a as a young young person.
Actually I have Okay, I have not had confrontations with him.
You know, that was an interaction and that was the
only time he said anything to me that he was
even hearing things or reading things.

Speaker 1 (29:24):
Yeah, it really is interesting. The obviously they have two
first round picks. They want to get a quarterback. Boy,
it's a good quarterback class Cade club Nick at Clemson
and Drew Aller and nuss Meyer and obviously Arch Manning,
and I mean they Cleveland's looking for a quarterback and
it's the year to be looking for a quarterback. Finally,

(29:46):
Tony Groci for the radio audience, a very very very
popular and renowned Cleveland host and former newspaper guy. It
looks like to me in this division they're like a
four win team. It's a it's not an easy schedule.
It's not any division. But I've said before, like when
Peyton Manning left, there are years in a franchise when
four wins is okay. And this is the year for Cleveland.

(30:09):
Let's say they go four and thirteen. I worry about
Haslam being impulsive. Is Stefanski held in high enough regard
that if they're really bad and get the number two pick,
that Stefanski maintains this job. It seems obvious he would.
But the history of.

Speaker 3 (30:26):
Cleveland and Haslam is they make moves that surprises.

Speaker 1 (30:30):
So let's say there three and fourteen, does Stefanski retain it?

Speaker 7 (30:38):
Yeah, this is where I think Haslam's maturity comes in.
I think that decision has already been made. I think
both Stefanski and Andrew Berry are part of the solution
of bringing the Browns out of the Deshaun Watson era.
You know, they still have a few years of salary
cap ramifications no matter what happens with Watson from here

(30:59):
on out, So they need to go to the young
rookie quarterback contract way to get out of this thing.
And I think HASLM is relying on this partnership to
see it through. In effect, he's not holding them accountable
for the mistake that the Deshaun Wathington trade has been.

Speaker 8 (31:20):
And I don't have any doubt that.

Speaker 7 (31:24):
The scenario you're describing will not be the end of
this partnership. It's really they're the guys that are going
to lead them into the next quarterback era. Whether that's
the Dylan Gabriel or Shoulder Sanders era, or the Leonora
Sellers or that next crop era. I think HASLM is
determined that this is this is the plan, and he

(31:45):
said before the draft, if we don't find the guy
this year, we'll keep looking for him.

Speaker 8 (31:50):
And you know, people want.

Speaker 7 (31:52):
To do to start and they got to find out
about him.

Speaker 8 (31:56):
You know, it's a long season.

Speaker 7 (31:57):
The Browns had played nine starting ports the last two years.
Both of these guys are going to get there, you
know their tress rehearsals.

Speaker 8 (32:06):
So we'll see how it plays out. But I agree
with you.

Speaker 7 (32:09):
I don't think you can let that quarterback class next
year pass you by, no matter what happens this year.

Speaker 8 (32:15):
To be honest with you.

Speaker 3 (32:16):
No, it's it is a great one.

Speaker 1 (32:18):
So we have Jalen Hurts gave Shadu a ride in
a golf cart today joint practices, which is good to see.
Apparently they had they had a long conversation.

Speaker 3 (32:25):
We got to run. Tony Grossi has been kind enough
to take time. He's a busy guy. There we go.

Speaker 1 (32:29):
By the way, if you're going to take advice from
any young quarterback, take it from Jalen Hurts, who's twenty
seven going on forty seven. It might as well bring
a briefcase to the podium. He's one of the most
mature young men that is. I don't know if I've
ever seen a guy who is better at the podium
in a loud, relentless market in Philadelphia's media is brutal,
and Hurts has mastered it. Tony, thank you for stopping

(32:51):
by your great.

Speaker 3 (32:54):
Tony G.

Speaker 8 (32:55):
Thanks Colin, thanks for having me.

Speaker 3 (32:57):
Of course, support those radio guys seen him.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Mark
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