Looking ahead to free agency and recapping the Combine in this episode of Best Podcast Available! Andrew Siciliano and Jason Gibbs are taking a look at some of the top performers at the Combine and highlighting potential free agency moves as focus shifts to who the Browns will pick in the Draft!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is the best podcast available. You are not trading
down no matter how many times the phone rings. Welcome
to another show, everybody. I believe this is episode three.
We had two in Indianapolis, and this one is from
the home office. Although Jason Gibbs, the star of Cleveland
Browns Daily, is back at the Cross Country Mortgage campus,
(00:23):
I am merely Andrews Siciliano sitting here at the home office. Gibbey,
it is great to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Are you past the indie hangover?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, although you're putting expectations on me now, expectations like
star power, not star power. I appreciate it, but eh,
let's manage the expectations.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, as I like to roll the carpet out for you.
You're the play by play voice of the Cleveland Browns. Okay,
but as we and I thank you for that. Absolute
titles are just titles. But as we, as we record
this today, full disclosure. It is the Wednesday after the
combine and before.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Free agency, at least, I think today's Wednesday. You did
do the show today CBD with Bo because the girl
is on the baby moon, right. I think you were
good for him. As he said, I don't think I'm
talking out of school. Hey man, I'm having a drink
for three God bless. I mean, you were the star
(01:22):
of the show today.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I don't know if I was the star of the
show today, but there were three people in this building
that were the stars of the show. And there were
a lot of things moving around, a lot of visits
going on here today, some big luminaries on the college
football front whose names we might call at the end
of April.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Well, let's get to that before we wrap up the
combine and look aat to free agency and free agency.
The negotiation period opens on Monday the tenth at four
pm Eastern, and then you could actually sign guys at
four pm on Wednesday. This is after the combined time
for your top thirty visits. What does that mean. It
does not mean these are the top thirty players on
(02:06):
the Browns draft board. There's no such thing as draft board.
We will not acknowledge draft board. No, this is thirty
visits for all thirty two teams. You're allowed to bring
thirty players in for official visits in your building. During
these visits, you cannot work out. You can do medical,
but there's no football activities basically, it's dinner. It's handshakes,
(02:30):
it's talking to coaches, it's getting on the board, it's
touring the facility, it's meeting. It's kind of, as they say,
doing the car wash meeting with everyone shaking a lot
of hands. It is notable that the Browns have three
guys in the building today that could be that number
two overall pick. They include Penn State's Abdul Carter, Colorado's
(02:55):
Travis Hunter, and his teammate at Coloradoor Sanders. All of
them in the building Wednesday, and we're told, Gibbe, they
had dinner Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What have you seen? What are you know? I do?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I'd am aware that they had dinner Tuesday night with
the coaches. I heard it was at a steakhouse. Not
sure where that was, Steak.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Red Steakhouse, Fahrenheit, could be Marble.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Room, Yeah, any any one of those. I'm not really sure.
But they had dinner on Tuesday night, bright and early
at the facility Wednesday morning, a little after eight am.
You know something's a little different in the off season
when you walk down to our cafe and our cafe
staff is unbelievable. Love the great that they take care
(03:45):
of you. But in the off season, you know there
aren't as many mouths to feed, so the food is
dialed back a little bit. You don't have fourteen different options.
You only have five different options for breakfast. When I
walk downstairs and there is a buffet Schmrgesborg, not just
for breakfast, but for lunch as well, and then all
of a sudden, the times are changed when the staff
(04:08):
can eat and when the staff can be downstairs. You
kind of know something's going on, and some other people
are in the building and the guys got in I
think around eight am this morning and been a full
day at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Here in Burria.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Now people might say, well, why are you having three
players in at once? Why don't you do these one
by one by one. Sometimes it's just aligning schedules. Especially
with these three players, they're gonna want to or they're
going to be requested by a whole bunch of teams,
not just in the top ten. I mean, not to
(04:43):
go back to Kevin Costner and draft day. You never
know what a trade might happen, So they're going to
be plenty of teams that want to have thirty visits
from these three who are all expected to go in
the top ten, if not even the top five. So
sometimes this is just a scheduling thing. Sometimes it is strategic,
and I'm not speaking in this instance for the Browns,
(05:04):
I don't know, but sometimes you bring guys in to
see how they interact together, to see who's the loud
one at dinner, right, who's polite to the waiter. So, yeah,
they're having them all three in here. Cam Ward this
week was in Tennessee as well. Cam Ward will eventually
get to Cleveland. They'll eventually have that thirty visit as.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, sooner rather than later, my friends.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Oh, okay, Gibbe with inside information, you're suggesting cam Ward's
going to be in by the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think that might be a possibility.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Okay, well, stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
I think you're going to get a lot of the
top ones in prior to free agency.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Starting here next week.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Interesting, which is not that big of a deal. You
want to get a lot of them over with, and
free agency does begin, as mentioned on the tenth, and
it's really hard to do a mock draft until you
get through free agency, until you see where the veterans land,
especially with the veteran quarterbacks land. There are so many variables,
not only here for the Browns, but for other teams
as well. By the way the Browns are allowed all
(06:03):
as are the other teams allowed what we call local visits,
meaning players from your city. Denzel Ward, for example, could
have been a local visit years ago before he was
the fourth overall pick by the Browns in twenty eighteen
because he grew up in the Cleveland burbs. So you
could bring those guys in as well, and those are
unlimited as many of those workouts as you can those in.
Those players can actually work out. And the Browns have
(06:26):
three schools designated Ohio State, Akron, and Kent State. Right
those three schools you can get unlimited local visits from,
so if they want to work out a Buckeye and
we could have fourteen buck Eyes drafted, they can actually
bring a buck guye in. So that is to their
advantage certainly, as they have the defending national champions just
(06:48):
a couple of hours down the road. Those are the
thirty visits. Don't read too much into him. Clearly, all
of those guys are in play at number two. Gibby,
we mentioned we're what we're back from the Indianapolis hangover.
A lot of it is just kind of taking a
breath and trying to process what it was we saw.
And I think a big question mark with cam Ward
(07:10):
and should or Sanders not throwing, is who is quarterback?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Three?
Speaker 1 (07:14):
From the people that I talked to, it's really down
to two people. It's down to Jackson Dart and it's
down to Tyler Shuck, one of the previous from Ole
Miss the other from three different schools, Oregon and then
Texas Tech and Louisville. Shuck is going to be twenty
six in mid September. But of the quarterbacks here who threw,
(07:36):
he probably looked the best. He ran like a four
to six four. He was one of only two quarterbacks
that did run. When he ran, and the crowd went
while and at a decent time. He really hammed it
up with the crowd there in Indianapolis talking to people
they were down on the field. He was kind of
the alpha, and that's always what you look for, whether
it's the Senior Bowl or any of the All Star
(07:56):
Games or at the combine, like which quarterback kind of
stands out as the leader. Now, not all leaders are loud,
and he wasn't loud, but he had a swagger to him,
partly because he's married. He's an older guy. He played
seven years. I mean, for Pete's sake, he had two
years with Justin Herbert, won a red shirt year in
which he got in for a couple of games at
another year in which he actually played a little bit
(08:18):
behind Herbert in mop up duty. But he played two
years with Justin Herbert at Oregon. And now Tyler Schuck
is going to get drafted in Justin Herbert's sixth year
in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
That's alright, that's all right.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Age is just a number. Let's go go live. If
the guy gives you four or five great years and
then he's thirty one, Okay, I got four or five
great years. I think he's a good quarterback. Loved his
I love what he had to say at the combine,
at the podium. I thought he did really well. I
(08:57):
think sometimes we think about guy is whether they perform
at the combine or if they choose to sit out.
Not sure how much it can help you, but I
think that it can hurt you if you don't do well.
I'll be interested to see what a lot of these
mock drafts coming out have to say about Will Howard
going forward, given everything that has gone on with him.
(09:18):
He didn't have the greatest combine, but Chuck an outstanding effort,
and Jackson Dart appears to be the number three guy.
Now the question becomes how many quarterbacks go off the
board on Night one in Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
I'm going to tell you right now, I think it's
going to be three. I think Jackson Darty is that
third pick. And I think the question is where does
he go. Is it a quarterback needy team that just
takes him, say in the middle of the first round,
or is it a team that much like in twenty
eighteen when the Ravens traded back up to thirty two
to get the fifth year, which is what you get
on a first round contract. Is it a team trading
(09:54):
back up into the twenties when there's a team willing
to get out for more draft picks. Say the Vikings,
for example, that only have three draft picks. They're going
to get a fourth, maybe a fifth, but definitely going
to get a fourth, a fourth pick and a third
rounder at that for Kirk Cousins in a couple of weeks.
But someone trades back in. I think and takes Jackson
(10:15):
Dart and I think he's the third. I don't think
Tyler Shuck goes in the first round because I do
think the age and the relative starting inexperience is probably
held against him. But I'll guarantee you this, someone's going
to take him probably Night two, and Tyler Shuck will
start multiple games next year.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
You can write it down hot take all right, all right,
I like it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Again.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I think he's a really solid quarterback and I think
deserves a shot. And I think everybody needs to stop
talking about his age. We get it. It is what
it is. Can he play? Can he throw the football?
Can he make plays? Can he lead a team? It
appears that he can do all of those things. Can
he do it on the NFL stage?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We're going to find just.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Some quick takeaways here. You are going to see three
tight ends take into the first round. I think Mason Taylor,
the son of Jason, the nephew of Zach Thomas, is
going to be that third tight end. Really not a
bad thing to say about him. He's athletic, he's a
polished pro seemingly already as a rookie out of LSU.
I think He is the number three tight end. DK
(11:22):
Metcalf is in the news today as the Seahawks wide
receivers officially asked for a trade. Seattle also has released
the veteran Tyler Lockett, one of my favorite guys in
the NFL. If you want to make an athletic comparison
in this draft to DK Metcalf, it's a guy named
Nick Amminwari who is a safety from South Carolina. He
(11:43):
is basically DK Metcalf playing safety. He and Metcalf are
the only guys at the combine in twenty plus years
to be six to three or higher, to run a
sub four four forty, and to have an eleven foot
broad jump and a forty inch vertical He is DK
(12:05):
Metcalf playing safety. And while I think there was some question,
you know, is the athletic ability always equal to the
tape on game day? And maybe he goes in the
second there is no way he gets out of the
first round. He's likely going middle of the first.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Six three or taller, good speed. I like him to
play safety for US.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I wouldn't. I wouldn't, but it wouldn't be a bad thing.
He won't be.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
There, No, he well he's he'll be there too. There
is no way he is going to be there at
thirty three. And athletically overall, this combine class is as
tall and as fast two things that I am not
as tall and as fast as any group of players
at the combine in over twenty years. So whether it's
(12:56):
college football weight rooms or strength programs or training tables,
whatever it is, or whether it's just the way we
as a species have grown bigger and taller and faster
and stronger, this is a freakishly athletic group here, as
there were twenty two sub four four forties collectively at
(13:17):
the twenty twenty five NFL scouting Combine. Now, with all
that said, I think there's some big questions at offensive line.
Like Will Campbell does have shorter arms. Some people think
he's a guard. I can tell you that he played
twenty seven consecutive games mostly SEC competition without allowing a sack.
I think that means something. But you know, where do
(13:38):
you play him? Is Texas a guard? Is Josh Simmons
recovered from the knee injury? What do you think of
Josh connerly Membos probably going to be the first offensive
tackle off the board. I think maybe ahead, well, maybe
not a problem. It's either him or Will Campbell. But
if you're asking, can the Browns just go blue chip
(14:00):
O line at two, I would almost definitively say right
now that answer, regardless of what you think of the quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Is now, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I think I think you would have to move back.
I think you're training back. Yeah, I think that eight
to twelve spot, maybe maybe as high as six. You
can make the argument. The Campbell combine stuff was interesting.
It's coming out of the combine. Some of these guys
(14:29):
just fell and you and I were talking about it.
It's kind of silly season. Maybe it's teams trying to
take you away from their guy. Maybe there's something there
that you know is an alarm bell at the Michigan
the Michigan corner who I thought was one of the
Will John probably not one of the top four, top
four players, but definitely one of the top eight overall players.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I mean he's now in the teams. I mean, we've
even seen Shador move down into the twenties. I don't
see that happening. But Austin Jenny skyrocketed up. I've seen
him as high as six now. To the Raiders, which
would be a very Raider thing to do. There's some
guys moving all over the board here, but offensive lineman,
(15:12):
I mean, I still think you're gonna and you're gonna
have a run on offensive lineman. I think you're probably
gonna have five offensive linemen go on Night one.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And I think you could have as many as three
running backs go. I don't want to predict night number
one for the run because it is fluid, but I
can say this confidently. I think there are six legitimate,
very good starting running backs in this draft. I think
(15:44):
you could see between eight and ten eventual starting running
backs come out of this draft. Now, what is a
starting running back? Is that a guy that is clearly
the number two when you break camp, but to take
over week ten when a veteran inevitably gets hurt, and
then that rookie puts in a couple of nice performances
(16:07):
and we head into next year's training camp saying that
guy is the league guy. Maybe, but I think there
legitimately are five, six, seven, as many as ten starting
running backs in this league in this draft, to beg
your pardon, and it's not just Ashton Genty at the top.
(16:28):
It's North Carolina, it's Iowa, it's Tennessee, it's I mean,
you can go down the list here. You are going
to be able to find a starting running back at
thirty three if that's where you want to take him,
or with either of the two third round picks that
the Browns have, you might not even have to take
(16:48):
one in the third round. You might be able to wait.
Jerome Ford was a fifth round pick. Pierre Strong was actually,
if you remember, picked ahead of Jerad picked by the Patriots,
but taking ahead of Jerome Ford after he had drum
did two great years at Cincinnati, after starting in a
(17:09):
stacked running back room at Alabama, but deciding to leave
so that he could get to the Bearcats and actually,
you know, show some people what he could do and
why he was a blue chip recruit at one point
at Alabama. All Right, what else am I missing here
from the combine?
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You want to get to the shador thing. Let's just
talk about the quarterbacks a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, Like, the guy doesn't perform at the combine. He
doesn't throw, he doesn't go through drills or anything. He
does his combine press conference, he meets with teams and
what are we doing? Why is he dropping? What's going on?
Tell me you're you are plugged in from a national perspective,
You have lots of friends in high places.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
What why?
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Why is a guy like that who you know, again
didn't do anything? Did he really harm himself in the
interview process.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
There's a lot to unpack here.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Let me let me offer this first, and I'm gonna
just push back a little bit when you say he's dropping,
what do you mean.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
In a lot of these mock drafts, there are plenty
that still have him in the top three, in the
top six, But now you're seeing a couple that are like, well,
it's in the late teens, maybe it's in the twenties,
and maybe there's some clickbaits that don't even have him
in the first round, which I'm kind of like, Okay,
silly season is officially here.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
That's not going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
But the scuttle but that maybe he's rubbed some people
the wrong way and how he's handled himself in some
of these one in some of these team meetings at
the combine or whatnot. I just I don't really is
it that bad that you know, people would drop him
(18:52):
the way that they're dropping him down.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
This is the time of the year where I always
want to caution people and gibbe, you know this, not
believe everything you hear and read, and that you have
to connect dots where stories are coming from. So I
get asked sometimes and you do as well. Hey would
(19:16):
would a team or would an agent, or would anyone
actually put something out there into the ether to try
to influence good or bad where the player ends up. Yes,
the answer is yes. People do it all the time.
Would a team that wants to draft a player get
into the ether, into the internet, into the Twitter's information
(19:40):
or maybe hang I heard that guy didn't do well
the meeting to have him fall to them. Yes, that
is real. That's not the only explanation. There are sometimes
other explanations. Look full disclosure. You and I were there
on Friday. We heard shador. I didn't speak to him personally.
(20:01):
I didn't you know. I wasn't part of the car
wash he went through afterwards. I've never heard a bad
word about him. He has a quiet you want to say,
aloof I don't think it's a bad thing. Sometimes he
has a big smile and a confidence too him.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
He jousted with the media.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
You and I talked about this on the pod last week.
I don't I didn't get a bad impression of him
at all. However, it doesn't mean others can't. Not everyone
has to like everyone. And yes, I'm sure that there
were teams. Now, I have not heard this personally. I
want to make it very clear. I am not one
of the people writing a column that says I heard
(20:38):
Team X didn't like the kid. I am not that person.
I'm not, but I will say that, like pump the brakes,
it is possible that a room full of human beings,
that in a room full of human beings meeting with
a prospective job applicant or the job applicant, that not
everyone in the room liked the job applicant. I mean,
(21:00):
that's called human nature. Somebody applies for a job, Okay,
meet the hiring committee. You come in, you sit down.
There are ten people in the hiring committee. If eight
of them liked the applicant and two of them didn't,
that sounds like the guy did the job right. And
if the two decided to tell their friends that I
(21:21):
didn't like the guy, where's where's the crime. It's human nature.
Now we're sensitive to this, and a lot of people
are sensitive to this because over the years there have
been tropes and reasons for disliking a player that don't
(21:42):
seem fair. I don't know that this is the case,
but I do know this, most importantly, whether it's Bill
Musgrave's connection to Dion Sanders and they were teammates with
the forty nine ers, or whether it's Kevin Stefanski's connection
with Pat Schrmer not only friends but former co workers.
Together with the Vikings, the Browns will have the information,
(22:03):
and more importantly, they have him Gibby in the building
in which you're sitting right now, and it's about what
they think, not about what other people think.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
It's going to be fascinating to see here over the
next few days, and that leads into legal tampering and
free agency. A very busy offseason already in the last
seventy two hours for the National Football League.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, let's get something out of the way first here
when it comes to legal tampering. Not you, Gibbe, but
I hate that phrase. There is no such thing as
legal tamper. Okay, at four o'clock on Monday, So when
your favorite talking headshow on television talks about legal tampering,
just hit mute. They don't know what they're talking about.
At four pm Eastern time on Monday, teams are allowed
(22:50):
to negotiate. It is legal, It is kosher, It is encouraged.
They just can't officially shake hands on a deal or
write their name on a docu sign. Okay, they can't
Wednesday till Wednesday at four pm Eastern time, but it
is not legal tampering. You're allowed to negotiate. It's legal.
(23:10):
Take the tampering out of it.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Now.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
If a deal gets done Sunday, wink wink, nudge, nudge
behind the scenes via text message on a burner phone,
that is illegal tampering and for that there could be
sanctions also.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
By the way, who we fooling?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
That probably happens because at one oh one Eastern time
on Monday, you will have deals announced or one oh
four or one oh eight. And to think that in
an eight minute window, Team X and player Y could
work out a deal if they hadn't at least kind
(23:52):
of walk through the parameters of what that deal might
look like at an Indianapolis coffee shop or steakhouse last week,
it's hard to believe they could get that deal done
that quickly. But come Monday, it's legal negotiations.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Exactly, and things will move quickly.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
And this free agency class that we thought, there's some
good pieces and there's some good players. But is it
one of the better free agent classes that we've seen
in the last few years. No, But given all the
guys that have been cut or people that are now
find themselves in need of a job, this class is
(24:38):
quickly moving up the charts. Now, if you're cut, you're
allowed to start negotiating. If I'm speaking wrong, let me know,
but you're allowed to start negotiating now. If you've been cut,
you don't have to wait till the.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Noon.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
How are on Monday?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
You can start now and have a deal done by Monday.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Correct, although you have to you absolutely correctly.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Ee, you need to.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
And I caution fans read the fine print on the
reporting because sometimes you know, one of the insiders will say, hey,
the team informs player that he will be released at
the start of the new league year to avoid paying
a bonus due on the third day of the new
league year, and sometimes those transactions are held until Wednesday.
(25:24):
But if you're just flat out cut and the team
announces that you are free to go, and the wide
receiver class is getting more interesting. Christian Kirk was cut today.
DK Metcalf, not a free agent, has at least asked
to be traded in Seattle. Gardner Minshew in Vegas. He's
been informed that he's going to be released. So there's
another quarterback out there. Max Crosby coincidentally or not coincidentally,
(25:48):
on the same day at least is going to get
a big new deal worth about thirty five ap y
with the Raiders. Miles Garrett, T. J. Watts certainly look
at that. But Gibe, you want to run down here?
I got the list of the Brown free agents you
want me to run down?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
It?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Run them down, my friends? Some names worth watching here.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Okay, so let's do it in alphabetical order. A Chemidenergy
got hurt last year. I mean sure, if you liked
him last year and he's healthy, you could bring him
back as a as a swing piece on the offensive line.
Jordan Nakens, Yeah, I liked his contributions. Love that he's
a former baseball.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
His best year is a Brown.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
This past year, Blake Whiteheart had his tender the Browns
Game of Tender. So he's going to be back. Jordan Akins,
I have no idea Tony Brown, key special teams guy
before he had a foot injury late in the year.
Devin Bushall wouldn't mind back Jaron Christian They had to
pick him up late in the season again for depth.
Don't know that he's going to be back. The big
one here is Nick Chubb. Obviously I want Nick Chubb back.
(26:47):
Let's say, let's say it right now. I want Nick
Chubb back. The issue is at what price and in
what role?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
It goes?
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Without saying the Browns with right now, there are eleven
picks they should be drafting a running back, one that
they should expect to contribute next year with Jerome Ford,
maybe Pierre Strong as well. Is their room in that
backfield for.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Nick Chubb?
Speaker 1 (27:13):
And at what price? I know Browns fans are a
gass that they would let him hit free agency. It
is tough out there for a veteran running back coming
back off another major injury. Now the foot's not a
major injury, but you know what I'm saying, I would
like it back. It depends on the price, and it
depends on the role, and honestly, it depends on what
(27:34):
else Nick finds out there. If someone's going to give
him one year and ten million, which I highly doubt
is going to happen, then the Browns simply can't do.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
That, correct, I mean, that's it's got to be. Unfortunately,
it's a team friendly deal, it's not so much a
player friendly deal. And I hope he's back. We'll see
if he's part of this first wave of free agents.
Free agency comes in waves. If not, with every wave
that comes that doesn't include a Nick Chubb's signing, I
(28:02):
feel better about him coming back.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Yeah, I would love to have him back, and I
think this one is going to be a wait and see,
ye man. I don't mean wait and see for a
couple of days. I mean wait and see for multiple
weeks to see if Nick Chubb is back. Michael Dunn
valuable piece on the offensive line. Don't mind that he's back,
Mike Ford. Same thing when it comes to special teams.
Deonta Foreman. I'd be surprised if he was back. Nick Harris,
(28:27):
if he's healthy, would welcoming back. James Hudson. You know,
he started a lot of games when needed. He never
really established himself as a starter, so to speak. You know,
he's a guy that Bill Callahan took under his wing.
And remember he started in college as a defensive tackle.
They moved him to offensive tackle. I think he still
work in progress. I don't know that he's going to
(28:48):
go find a starting job elsewhere. Khalik Hudson, nice special
teams player. Moe Hurst would love him back. That's a
great Andrew Berry find. By the way, for a former
Day two pick a couple of years ago who had
some health issues, Jermaina Fetti, Hey, he played tackle well
when they needed him down the stretch. I don't think
Elijah Moore is going to be back. James proshe I'd
be surprised. Jeff Swain came in and helped out when
(29:10):
they needed him. They shut him down last year with
a concussion mid season. Then there's Jedrick Wilson and Jameis Winston. Look,
we'd all love to have Jamis back. I don't think
it's going to happen. I would like to see Jamis
go somewhere and at least get a chance to start.
I don't know that that is going to be in Cleveland.
It was fun while it lasted, and I wish Jamis
(29:30):
well I told him in person in New Orleans a
couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Give me that.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
I could not be happier for his last couple of months,
just how he has taken America by storm and really
set himself up whenever he decides to stop playing football
for the rest of his post football life.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
He should have been Fox. Should have had him at
the combine last week. Missed opportunity.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I should have.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Kept that ball roll. And because Super Bowl Week was
amazing content.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
I agree, and I love the guy and thank you
Jamis for everything it did for the Jim. Last year,
there weren't many happy, joyous, like fun, punch your buddy
on the shoulder kind of, you know, hug your neighbor moments.
This year, Jamis gave us a bunch of those. Jedrick
Wills give you with me. I'd be surprised if you were,
I would.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I would be too.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
I know that the Browns have a need at that
tackle position, but I just I don't. It definitely looks
like it's trending towards Will's hitting free agency.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Yeah, and that's that's what it looks like. Winston Reid,
Blake Whitehart I mentioned tender love Winston Reed. Another good
Andrew Berry find last year at a weaber restricted free agency.
Anthony Bell good story, Sure if you want to bring
it back. James Houston was a late in the season
acquisition off Detroit's practice squad. Bailey's Appy enjoyed getting to
(30:52):
know him. I think Bailey's going to go somewhere and
try to battle for at least a chance to be
a number two. Who knows, maybe surprise somebody in train
to camp, although odds are stacked against him. But I
like Bailey Zappi a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Do we have some news before we sign off? We
have any news from the organization? Yes, been a quiet week,
but maybe maybe there's a little something out there.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Okay, so you are there at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
By the time this hits, there should be news that
rout of applause, the longest tenured Brown, Joel Buttonio, is
not going to retire, and that Joel Patonio is coming back.
(31:39):
It's not over. He ain't leaving. Joel Betonio Gibbe. I
think everyone's happy for this. Joel Bottonio is coming back.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Seven time Pro bowler, two time first team All Pro,
three times second team All Pro. We'll be back for
season number twelve. Let's go. I love it. I'm happy
he's coming back. Joe Thomas told us the longer that
this kind of dragged out here. He felt like Joel
would eventually becoming ear and come back for a year
(32:10):
number twelve, And that is indeed the case and something
to remember. Joel Botonio second round pick pick number thirty
five in the twenty fourteen NFL Draft out of Nevada.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah, I believe Zach Martin was in that draft, right,
call this Amy Live googling here, Zach Martin.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
There you go, drafted.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
And so on the day in which Zach Martin holds
his Yeah, twenty fourteen, on the day in which Zach
Martin holds his retirement, zoom if you will with Cowboys
beat Writers there in Dallas is the day that we
find out that Joel Buttonio is coming back. Aaron Donald
(32:55):
retired last year. Same draft class. So that was a
pretty darn good draft class. I mean, just among those
three in the interior of the line, I think it's
good news for the Browns on a number of levels.
Number one, he could still play. I think once they
figured out whatever was ailing the offensive line. The first
six weeks of the season, we saw Joel Buttonio return
to form absolutely and I think I think that speaks
(33:17):
well for the prospects of him playing well next season.
And as we sit here, by the way, it's official,
Joel Patonio is coming back for a twelfth season. Give
a The Browns just announced it on the twitters.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
We broke it before let's go. We're one to know.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Hey, no, seriously, and thanks for remind I me. We
were going to talk about it before we started. We're
laying out the calendar here, guys again. The tenth next Monday,
free agency window opens. The twelfth is when deals could
be done. By the time we record this podcast next
we very well may know who the Browns veteran quarterback
is because they've got to sign or acquire a veteran quarterback.
(34:03):
Who will that be? We could have listed names, we
could have thrown out. Joe Flacco. That's what Adam Schefter
mentioned on his pod this week. I mean, I wouldn't mind,
right if you draft a rookie. You tell Joe it's
not gonna be like Kirk Cousins from a year ago
in to Atlanta, where they can catch him by surprise
when they draft a quarterback in the top ten. Right,
(34:25):
it wouldn't be like that. You'd have full disclosure and
you tell Joe it is what it is. He'd still
be the mayor and I wouldn't mind it.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Now.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
I don't know that for certain. It's just a name
schefter through out there. But my point being a week
from now we could know who that Brown's veteran QB is.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Schefter threw it out there, which means someone said it,
so he doesn't just throw things out there.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
That's it. That is.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I appreciate you, Bubba ben Trone. Thanks for giving me
the idea on this hoodie. I saw Bubble wearing one
during the season. I like that.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
I'm gonna get one of them too.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Thanks for listening and subscribing and telling your friends about this,
which is the best podcast available. Also known as Andrew
just rambling and Gibbe looking at his watch going hey man,
can I be trafficking?
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Go no way.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
I'm looking at Fela the Birthday Boy Jeff like it's
his birth week, like it's a celebration of celebrations.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's McDaniel's birthday.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Yes, Sunday Sunday or last Sunday, this coming Sunday.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Jeff McDaniel, Happy thirtieth birthday again for Jason Gibbs and
the aforementioned Jeff behind door number three which is not
currently visible on your screen. Thanks for listening and watching.
This is the best podcast available. Enjoy Free Agency, Everybody,
It is the best podcast available. You are not trading
down no matter how many times the phone rings. Welcome
to another show, everybody. I believe this is episode three.
We had two in Indianapolis, and this one is from
the home office. Although Jason Gibbs, the star of Cleveland
Browns Daily, is back at the Cross Country Mortgage campus,
(00:23):
I am merely Andrews Siciliano sitting here at the home office. Gibbey,
it is great to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Are you past the indie hangover?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, although you're putting expectations on me now, expectations like
star power, not star power. I appreciate it, but eh,
let's manage the expectations.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, as I like to roll the carpet out for you.
You're the play by play voice of the Cleveland Browns. Okay,
but as we and I thank you for that. Absolute
titles are just titles. But as we, as we record
this today, full disclosure. It is the Wednesday after the
combine and before.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Free agency, at least, I think today's Wednesday. You did
do the show today CBD with Bo because the girl
is on the baby moon, right. I think you were
good for him. As he said, I don't think I'm
talking out of school. Hey man, I'm having a drink
for three God bless. I mean, you were the star
(01:22):
of the show today.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I don't know if I was the star of the
show today, but there were three people in this building
that were the stars of the show. And there were
a lot of things moving around, a lot of visits
going on here today, some big luminaries on the college
football front whose names we might call at the end
of April.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Well, let's get to that before we wrap up the
combine and look aat to free agency and free agency.
The negotiation period opens on Monday the tenth at four
pm Eastern, and then you could actually sign guys at
four pm on Wednesday. This is after the combined time
for your top thirty visits. What does that mean. It
does not mean these are the top thirty players on
(02:06):
the Browns draft board. There's no such thing as draft board.
We will not acknowledge draft board. No, this is thirty
visits for all thirty two teams. You're allowed to bring
thirty players in for official visits in your building. During
these visits, you cannot work out. You can do medical,
but there's no football activities basically, it's dinner. It's handshakes,
(02:30):
it's talking to coaches, it's getting on the board, it's
touring the facility, it's meeting. It's kind of, as they say,
doing the car wash meeting with everyone shaking a lot
of hands. It is notable that the Browns have three
guys in the building today that could be that number
two overall pick. They include Penn State's Abdul Carter, Colorado's
(02:55):
Travis Hunter, and his teammate at Coloradoor Sanders. All of
them in the building Wednesday, and we're told, Gibbe, they
had dinner Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What have you seen? What are you know? I do?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I'd am aware that they had dinner Tuesday night with
the coaches. I heard it was at a steakhouse. Not
sure where that was, Steak.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Red Steakhouse, Fahrenheit, could be Marble.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Room, Yeah, any any one of those. I'm not really sure.
But they had dinner on Tuesday night, bright and early
at the facility Wednesday morning, a little after eight am.
You know something's a little different in the off season
when you walk down to our cafe and our cafe
staff is unbelievable. Love the great that they take care
(03:45):
of you. But in the off season, you know there
aren't as many mouths to feed, so the food is
dialed back a little bit. You don't have fourteen different options.
You only have five different options for breakfast. When I
walk downstairs and there is a buffet Schmrgesborg, not just
for breakfast, but for lunch as well, and then all
of a sudden, the times are changed when the staff
(04:08):
can eat and when the staff can be downstairs. You
kind of know something's going on, and some other people
are in the building and the guys got in I
think around eight am this morning and been a full
day at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Here in Burria.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Now people might say, well, why are you having three
players in at once? Why don't you do these one
by one by one. Sometimes it's just aligning schedules. Especially
with these three players, they're gonna want to or they're
going to be requested by a whole bunch of teams,
not just in the top ten. I mean, not to
(04:43):
go back to Kevin Costner and draft day. You never
know what a trade might happen, So they're going to
be plenty of teams that want to have thirty visits
from these three who are all expected to go in
the top ten, if not even the top five. So
sometimes this is just a scheduling thing. Sometimes it is strategic,
and I'm not speaking in this instance for the Browns,
(05:04):
I don't know, but sometimes you bring guys in to
see how they interact together, to see who's the loud
one at dinner, right, who's polite to the waiter. So, yeah,
they're having them all three in here. Cam Ward this
week was in Tennessee as well. Cam Ward will eventually
get to Cleveland. They'll eventually have that thirty visit as.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, sooner rather than later, my friends.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Oh, okay, Gibbe with inside information, you're suggesting cam Ward's
going to be in by the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think that might be a possibility.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Okay, well, stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
I think you're going to get a lot of the
top ones in prior to free agency.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Starting here next week.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Interesting, which is not that big of a deal. You
want to get a lot of them over with, and
free agency does begin, as mentioned on the tenth, and
it's really hard to do a mock draft until you
get through free agency, until you see where the veterans land,
especially with the veteran quarterbacks land. There are so many variables,
not only here for the Browns, but for other teams
as well. By the way the Browns are allowed all
(06:03):
as are the other teams allowed what we call local visits,
meaning players from your city. Denzel Ward, for example, could
have been a local visit years ago before he was
the fourth overall pick by the Browns in twenty eighteen
because he grew up in the Cleveland burbs. So you
could bring those guys in as well, and those are
unlimited as many of those workouts as you can those in.
Those players can actually work out. And the Browns have
(06:26):
three schools designated Ohio State, Akron, and Kent State. Right
those three schools you can get unlimited local visits from,
so if they want to work out a Buckeye and
we could have fourteen buck Eyes drafted, they can actually
bring a buck guye in. So that is to their
advantage certainly, as they have the defending national champions just
(06:48):
a couple of hours down the road. Those are the
thirty visits. Don't read too much into him. Clearly, all
of those guys are in play at number two. Gibby,
we mentioned we're what we're back from the Indianapolis hangover.
A lot of it is just kind of taking a
breath and trying to process what it was we saw.
And I think a big question mark with cam Ward
(07:10):
and should or Sanders not throwing, is who is quarterback?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Three?
Speaker 1 (07:14):
From the people that I talked to, it's really down
to two people. It's down to Jackson Dart and it's
down to Tyler Shuck, one of the previous from Ole
Miss the other from three different schools, Oregon and then
Texas Tech and Louisville. Shuck is going to be twenty
six in mid September. But of the quarterbacks here who threw,
(07:36):
he probably looked the best. He ran like a four
to six four. He was one of only two quarterbacks
that did run. When he ran, and the crowd went
while and at a decent time. He really hammed it
up with the crowd there in Indianapolis talking to people
they were down on the field. He was kind of
the alpha, and that's always what you look for, whether
it's the Senior Bowl or any of the All Star
(07:56):
Games or at the combine, like which quarterback kind of
stands out as the leader. Now, not all leaders are loud,
and he wasn't loud, but he had a swagger to him,
partly because he's married. He's an older guy. He played
seven years. I mean, for Pete's sake, he had two
years with Justin Herbert, won a red shirt year in
which he got in for a couple of games at
another year in which he actually played a little bit
(08:18):
behind Herbert in mop up duty. But he played two
years with Justin Herbert at Oregon. And now Tyler Schuck
is going to get drafted in Justin Herbert's sixth year
in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
That's alright, that's all right.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Age is just a number. Let's go go live. If
the guy gives you four or five great years and
then he's thirty one, Okay, I got four or five
great years. I think he's a good quarterback. Loved his
I love what he had to say at the combine,
at the podium. I thought he did really well. I
(08:57):
think sometimes we think about guy is whether they perform
at the combine or if they choose to sit out.
Not sure how much it can help you, but I
think that it can hurt you if you don't do well.
I'll be interested to see what a lot of these
mock drafts coming out have to say about Will Howard
going forward, given everything that has gone on with him.
(09:18):
He didn't have the greatest combine, but Chuck an outstanding effort,
and Jackson Dart appears to be the number three guy.
Now the question becomes how many quarterbacks go off the
board on Night one in Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
I'm going to tell you right now, I think it's
going to be three. I think Jackson Darty is that
third pick. And I think the question is where does
he go. Is it a quarterback needy team that just
takes him, say in the middle of the first round,
or is it a team that much like in twenty
eighteen when the Ravens traded back up to thirty two
to get the fifth year, which is what you get
on a first round contract. Is it a team trading
(09:54):
back up into the twenties when there's a team willing
to get out for more draft picks. Say the Vikings,
for example, that only have three draft picks. They're going
to get a fourth, maybe a fifth, but definitely going
to get a fourth, a fourth pick and a third
rounder at that for Kirk Cousins in a couple of weeks.
But someone trades back in. I think and takes Jackson
(10:15):
Dart and I think he's the third. I don't think
Tyler Shuck goes in the first round because I do
think the age and the relative starting inexperience is probably
held against him. But I'll guarantee you this, someone's going
to take him probably Night two, and Tyler Shuck will
start multiple games next year.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
You can write it down hot take all right, all right,
I like it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Again.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I think he's a really solid quarterback and I think
deserves a shot. And I think everybody needs to stop
talking about his age. We get it. It is what
it is. Can he play? Can he throw the football?
Can he make plays? Can he lead a team? It
appears that he can do all of those things. Can
he do it on the NFL stage?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We're going to find just.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Some quick takeaways here. You are going to see three
tight ends take into the first round. I think Mason Taylor,
the son of Jason, the nephew of Zach Thomas, is
going to be that third tight end. Really not a
bad thing to say about him. He's athletic, he's a
polished pro seemingly already as a rookie out of LSU.
I think He is the number three tight end. DK
(11:22):
Metcalf is in the news today as the Seahawks wide
receivers officially asked for a trade. Seattle also has released
the veteran Tyler Lockett, one of my favorite guys in
the NFL. If you want to make an athletic comparison
in this draft to DK Metcalf, it's a guy named
Nick Amminwari who is a safety from South Carolina. He
(11:43):
is basically DK Metcalf playing safety. He and Metcalf are
the only guys at the combine in twenty plus years
to be six to three or higher, to run a
sub four four forty, and to have an eleven foot
broad jump and a forty inch vertical He is DK
(12:05):
Metcalf playing safety. And while I think there was some question,
you know, is the athletic ability always equal to the
tape on game day? And maybe he goes in the
second there is no way he gets out of the
first round. He's likely going middle of the first.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Six three or taller, good speed. I like him to
play safety for US.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I wouldn't. I wouldn't, but it wouldn't be a bad thing.
He won't be.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
There, No, he well he's he'll be there too. There
is no way he is going to be there at
thirty three. And athletically overall, this combine class is as
tall and as fast two things that I am not
as tall and as fast as any group of players
at the combine in over twenty years. So whether it's
(12:56):
college football weight rooms or strength programs or training tables,
whatever it is, or whether it's just the way we
as a species have grown bigger and taller and faster
and stronger, this is a freakishly athletic group here, as
there were twenty two sub four four forties collectively at
(13:17):
the twenty twenty five NFL scouting Combine. Now, with all
that said, I think there's some big questions at offensive line.
Like Will Campbell does have shorter arms. Some people think
he's a guard. I can tell you that he played
twenty seven consecutive games mostly SEC competition without allowing a sack.
I think that means something. But you know, where do
(13:38):
you play him? Is Texas a guard? Is Josh Simmons
recovered from the knee injury? What do you think of
Josh connerly Membos probably going to be the first offensive
tackle off the board. I think maybe ahead, well, maybe
not a problem. It's either him or Will Campbell. But
if you're asking, can the Browns just go blue chip
(14:00):
O line at two, I would almost definitively say right
now that answer, regardless of what you think of the quarterbacks.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Is now, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I think I think you would have to move back.
I think you're training back. Yeah, I think that eight
to twelve spot, maybe maybe as high as six. You
can make the argument. The Campbell combine stuff was interesting.
It's coming out of the combine. Some of these guys
(14:29):
just fell and you and I were talking about it.
It's kind of silly season. Maybe it's teams trying to
take you away from their guy. Maybe there's something there
that you know is an alarm bell at the Michigan
the Michigan corner who I thought was one of the
Will John probably not one of the top four, top
four players, but definitely one of the top eight overall players.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I mean he's now in the teams. I mean, we've
even seen Shador move down into the twenties. I don't
see that happening. But Austin Jenny skyrocketed up. I've seen
him as high as six now. To the Raiders, which
would be a very Raider thing to do. There's some
guys moving all over the board here, but offensive lineman,
(15:12):
I mean, I still think you're gonna and you're gonna
have a run on offensive lineman. I think you're probably
gonna have five offensive linemen go on Night one.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
And I think you could have as many as three
running backs go. I don't want to predict night number
one for the run because it is fluid, but I
can say this confidently. I think there are six legitimate,
very good starting running backs in this draft. I think
(15:44):
you could see between eight and ten eventual starting running
backs come out of this draft. Now, what is a
starting running back? Is that a guy that is clearly
the number two when you break camp, but to take
over week ten when a veteran inevitably gets hurt, and
then that rookie puts in a couple of nice performances
(16:07):
and we head into next year's training camp saying that
guy is the league guy. Maybe, but I think there
legitimately are five, six, seven, as many as ten starting
running backs in this league in this draft, to beg
your pardon, and it's not just Ashton Genty at the top.
(16:28):
It's North Carolina, it's Iowa, it's Tennessee, it's I mean,
you can go down the list here. You are going
to be able to find a starting running back at
thirty three if that's where you want to take him,
or with either of the two third round picks that
the Browns have, you might not even have to take
(16:48):
one in the third round. You might be able to wait.
Jerome Ford was a fifth round pick. Pierre Strong was actually,
if you remember, picked ahead of Jerad picked by the Patriots,
but taking ahead of Jerome Ford after he had drum
did two great years at Cincinnati, after starting in a
(17:09):
stacked running back room at Alabama, but deciding to leave
so that he could get to the Bearcats and actually,
you know, show some people what he could do and
why he was a blue chip recruit at one point
at Alabama. All Right, what else am I missing here
from the combine?
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You want to get to the shador thing. Let's just
talk about the quarterbacks a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, Like, the guy doesn't perform at the combine. He
doesn't throw, he doesn't go through drills or anything. He
does his combine press conference, he meets with teams and
what are we doing? Why is he dropping? What's going on?
Tell me you're you are plugged in from a national perspective,
You have lots of friends in high places.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
What why?
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Why is a guy like that who you know, again
didn't do anything? Did he really harm himself in the
interview process.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
There's a lot to unpack here.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Let me let me offer this first, and I'm gonna
just push back a little bit when you say he's dropping,
what do you mean.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
In a lot of these mock drafts, there are plenty
that still have him in the top three, in the
top six, But now you're seeing a couple that are like, well,
it's in the late teens, maybe it's in the twenties,
and maybe there's some clickbaits that don't even have him
in the first round, which I'm kind of like, Okay,
silly season is officially here.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
That's not going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
But the scuttle but that maybe he's rubbed some people
the wrong way and how he's handled himself in some
of these one in some of these team meetings at
the combine or whatnot. I just I don't really is
it that bad that you know, people would drop him
(18:52):
the way that they're dropping him down.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
This is the time of the year where I always
want to caution people and gibbe, you know this, not
believe everything you hear and read, and that you have
to connect dots where stories are coming from. So I
get asked sometimes and you do as well. Hey would
(19:16):
would a team or would an agent, or would anyone
actually put something out there into the ether to try
to influence good or bad where the player ends up. Yes,
the answer is yes. People do it all the time.
Would a team that wants to draft a player get
into the ether, into the internet, into the Twitter's information
(19:40):
or maybe hang I heard that guy didn't do well
the meeting to have him fall to them. Yes, that
is real. That's not the only explanation. There are sometimes
other explanations. Look full disclosure. You and I were there
on Friday. We heard shador. I didn't speak to him personally.
(20:01):
I didn't you know. I wasn't part of the car
wash he went through afterwards. I've never heard a bad
word about him. He has a quiet you want to say,
aloof I don't think it's a bad thing. Sometimes he
has a big smile and a confidence too him.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
He jousted with the media.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
You and I talked about this on the pod last week.
I don't I didn't get a bad impression of him
at all. However, it doesn't mean others can't. Not everyone
has to like everyone. And yes, I'm sure that there
were teams. Now, I have not heard this personally. I
want to make it very clear. I am not one
of the people writing a column that says I heard
(20:38):
Team X didn't like the kid. I am not that person.
I'm not, but I will say that, like pump the brakes,
it is possible that a room full of human beings,
that in a room full of human beings meeting with
a prospective job applicant or the job applicant, that not
everyone in the room liked the job applicant. I mean,
(21:00):
that's called human nature. Somebody applies for a job, Okay,
meet the hiring committee. You come in, you sit down.
There are ten people in the hiring committee. If eight
of them liked the applicant and two of them didn't,
that sounds like the guy did the job right. And
if the two decided to tell their friends that I
(21:21):
didn't like the guy, where's where's the crime. It's human nature.
Now we're sensitive to this, and a lot of people
are sensitive to this because over the years there have
been tropes and reasons for disliking a player that don't
(21:42):
seem fair. I don't know that this is the case,
but I do know this, most importantly, whether it's Bill
Musgrave's connection to Dion Sanders and they were teammates with
the forty nine ers, or whether it's Kevin Stefanski's connection
with Pat Schrmer not only friends but former co workers.
Together with the Vikings, the Browns will have the information,
(22:03):
and more importantly, they have him Gibby in the building
in which you're sitting right now, and it's about what
they think, not about what other people think.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
It's going to be fascinating to see here over the
next few days, and that leads into legal tampering and
free agency. A very busy offseason already in the last
seventy two hours for the National Football League.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, let's get something out of the way first here
when it comes to legal tampering. Not you, Gibbe, but
I hate that phrase. There is no such thing as
legal tamper. Okay, at four o'clock on Monday, So when
your favorite talking headshow on television talks about legal tampering,
just hit mute. They don't know what they're talking about.
At four pm Eastern time on Monday, teams are allowed
(22:50):
to negotiate. It is legal, It is kosher, It is encouraged.
They just can't officially shake hands on a deal or
write their name on a docu sign. Okay, they can't
Wednesday till Wednesday at four pm Eastern time, but it
is not legal tampering. You're allowed to negotiate. It's legal.
(23:10):
Take the tampering out of it.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Now.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
If a deal gets done Sunday, wink wink, nudge, nudge
behind the scenes via text message on a burner phone,
that is illegal tampering and for that there could be
sanctions also.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
By the way, who we fooling?
Speaker 1 (23:29):
That probably happens because at one oh one Eastern time
on Monday, you will have deals announced or one oh
four or one oh eight. And to think that in
an eight minute window, Team X and player Y could
work out a deal if they hadn't at least kind
(23:52):
of walk through the parameters of what that deal might
look like at an Indianapolis coffee shop or steakhouse last week,
it's hard to believe they could get that deal done
that quickly. But come Monday, it's legal negotiations.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Exactly, and things will move quickly.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
And this free agency class that we thought, there's some
good pieces and there's some good players. But is it
one of the better free agent classes that we've seen
in the last few years. No, But given all the
guys that have been cut or people that are now
find themselves in need of a job, this class is
(24:38):
quickly moving up the charts. Now, if you're cut, you're
allowed to start negotiating. If I'm speaking wrong, let me know,
but you're allowed to start negotiating now. If you've been cut,
you don't have to wait till the.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Noon.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
How are on Monday?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
You can start now and have a deal done by Monday.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Correct, although you have to you absolutely correctly.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Ee, you need to.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
And I caution fans read the fine print on the
reporting because sometimes you know, one of the insiders will say, hey,
the team informs player that he will be released at
the start of the new league year to avoid paying
a bonus due on the third day of the new
league year, and sometimes those transactions are held until Wednesday.
(25:24):
But if you're just flat out cut and the team
announces that you are free to go, and the wide
receiver class is getting more interesting. Christian Kirk was cut today.
DK Metcalf, not a free agent, has at least asked
to be traded in Seattle. Gardner Minshew in Vegas. He's
been informed that he's going to be released. So there's
another quarterback out there. Max Crosby coincidentally or not coincidentally,
(25:48):
on the same day at least is going to get
a big new deal worth about thirty five ap y
with the Raiders. Miles Garrett, T. J. Watts certainly look
at that. But Gibe, you want to run down here?
I got the list of the Brown free agents you
want me to run down?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
It?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Run them down, my friends? Some names worth watching here.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Okay, so let's do it in alphabetical order. A Chemidenergy
got hurt last year. I mean sure, if you liked
him last year and he's healthy, you could bring him
back as a as a swing piece on the offensive line.
Jordan Nakens, Yeah, I liked his contributions. Love that he's
a former baseball.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
His best year is a Brown.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
This past year, Blake Whiteheart had his tender the Browns
Game of Tender. So he's going to be back. Jordan Akins,
I have no idea Tony Brown, key special teams guy
before he had a foot injury late in the year.
Devin Bushall wouldn't mind back Jaron Christian They had to
pick him up late in the season again for depth.
Don't know that he's going to be back. The big
one here is Nick Chubb. Obviously I want Nick Chubb back.
(26:47):
Let's say, let's say it right now. I want Nick
Chubb back. The issue is at what price and in
what role?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
It goes?
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Without saying the Browns with right now, there are eleven
picks they should be drafting a running back, one that
they should expect to contribute next year with Jerome Ford,
maybe Pierre Strong as well. Is their room in that
backfield for.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Nick Chubb?
Speaker 1 (27:13):
And at what price? I know Browns fans are a
gass that they would let him hit free agency. It
is tough out there for a veteran running back coming
back off another major injury. Now the foot's not a
major injury, but you know what I'm saying, I would
like it back. It depends on the price, and it
depends on the role, and honestly, it depends on what
(27:34):
else Nick finds out there. If someone's going to give
him one year and ten million, which I highly doubt
is going to happen, then the Browns simply can't do.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
That, correct, I mean, that's it's got to be. Unfortunately,
it's a team friendly deal, it's not so much a
player friendly deal. And I hope he's back. We'll see
if he's part of this first wave of free agents.
Free agency comes in waves. If not, with every wave
that comes that doesn't include a Nick Chubb's signing, I
(28:02):
feel better about him coming back.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Yeah, I would love to have him back, and I
think this one is going to be a wait and see,
ye man. I don't mean wait and see for a
couple of days. I mean wait and see for multiple
weeks to see if Nick Chubb is back. Michael Dunn
valuable piece on the offensive line. Don't mind that he's back,
Mike Ford. Same thing when it comes to special teams.
Deonta Foreman. I'd be surprised if he was back. Nick Harris,
(28:27):
if he's healthy, would welcoming back. James Hudson. You know,
he started a lot of games when needed. He never
really established himself as a starter, so to speak. You know,
he's a guy that Bill Callahan took under his wing.
And remember he started in college as a defensive tackle.
They moved him to offensive tackle. I think he still
work in progress. I don't know that he's going to
(28:48):
go find a starting job elsewhere. Khalik Hudson, nice special
teams player. Moe Hurst would love him back. That's a
great Andrew Berry find. By the way, for a former
Day two pick a couple of years ago who had
some health issues, Jermaina Fetti, Hey, he played tackle well
when they needed him down the stretch. I don't think
Elijah Moore is going to be back. James proshe I'd
be surprised. Jeff Swain came in and helped out when
(29:10):
they needed him. They shut him down last year with
a concussion mid season. Then there's Jedrick Wilson and Jameis Winston. Look,
we'd all love to have Jamis back. I don't think
it's going to happen. I would like to see Jamis
go somewhere and at least get a chance to start.
I don't know that that is going to be in Cleveland.
It was fun while it lasted, and I wish Jamis
(29:30):
well I told him in person in New Orleans a
couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Give me that.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
I could not be happier for his last couple of months,
just how he has taken America by storm and really
set himself up whenever he decides to stop playing football
for the rest of his post football life.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
He should have been Fox. Should have had him at
the combine last week. Missed opportunity.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
I should have.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Kept that ball roll. And because Super Bowl Week was
amazing content.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
I agree, and I love the guy and thank you
Jamis for everything it did for the Jim. Last year,
there weren't many happy, joyous, like fun, punch your buddy
on the shoulder kind of, you know, hug your neighbor moments.
This year, Jamis gave us a bunch of those. Jedrick
Wills give you with me. I'd be surprised if you were,
I would.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
I would be too.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
I know that the Browns have a need at that
tackle position, but I just I don't. It definitely looks
like it's trending towards Will's hitting free agency.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Yeah, and that's that's what it looks like. Winston Reid,
Blake Whitehart I mentioned tender love Winston Reed. Another good
Andrew Berry find last year at a weaber restricted free agency.
Anthony Bell good story, Sure if you want to bring
it back. James Houston was a late in the season
acquisition off Detroit's practice squad. Bailey's Appy enjoyed getting to
(30:52):
know him. I think Bailey's going to go somewhere and
try to battle for at least a chance to be
a number two. Who knows, maybe surprise somebody in train
to camp, although odds are stacked against him. But I
like Bailey Zappi a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Do we have some news before we sign off? We
have any news from the organization? Yes, been a quiet week,
but maybe maybe there's a little something out there.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Okay, so you are there at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
By the time this hits, there should be news that
rout of applause, the longest tenured Brown, Joel Buttonio, is
not going to retire, and that Joel Patonio is coming back.
(31:39):
It's not over. He ain't leaving. Joel Betonio Gibbe. I
think everyone's happy for this. Joel Bottonio is coming back.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Seven time Pro bowler, two time first team All Pro,
three times second team All Pro. We'll be back for
season number twelve. Let's go. I love it. I'm happy
he's coming back. Joe Thomas told us the longer that
this kind of dragged out here. He felt like Joel
would eventually becoming ear and come back for a year
(32:10):
number twelve, And that is indeed the case and something
to remember. Joel Botonio second round pick pick number thirty
five in the twenty fourteen NFL Draft out of Nevada.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah, I believe Zach Martin was in that draft, right,
call this Amy Live googling here, Zach Martin.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
There you go, drafted.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
And so on the day in which Zach Martin holds
his Yeah, twenty fourteen, on the day in which Zach
Martin holds his retirement, zoom if you will with Cowboys
beat Writers there in Dallas is the day that we
find out that Joel Buttonio is coming back. Aaron Donald
(32:55):
retired last year. Same draft class. So that was a
pretty darn good draft class. I mean, just among those
three in the interior of the line, I think it's
good news for the Browns on a number of levels.
Number one, he could still play. I think once they
figured out whatever was ailing the offensive line. The first
six weeks of the season, we saw Joel Buttonio return
to form absolutely and I think I think that speaks
(33:17):
well for the prospects of him playing well next season.
And as we sit here, by the way, it's official,
Joel Patonio is coming back for a twelfth season. Give
a The Browns just announced it on the twitters.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
We broke it before let's go. We're one to know.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Hey, no, seriously, and thanks for remind I me. We
were going to talk about it before we started. We're
laying out the calendar here, guys again. The tenth next Monday,
free agency window opens. The twelfth is when deals could
be done. By the time we record this podcast next
we very well may know who the Browns veteran quarterback
is because they've got to sign or acquire a veteran quarterback.
(34:03):
Who will that be? We could have listed names, we
could have thrown out. Joe Flacco. That's what Adam Schefter
mentioned on his pod this week. I mean, I wouldn't mind,
right if you draft a rookie. You tell Joe it's
not gonna be like Kirk Cousins from a year ago
in to Atlanta, where they can catch him by surprise
when they draft a quarterback in the top ten. Right,
(34:25):
it wouldn't be like that. You'd have full disclosure and
you tell Joe it is what it is. He'd still
be the mayor and I wouldn't mind it.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Now.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
I don't know that for certain. It's just a name
schefter through out there. But my point being a week
from now we could know who that Brown's veteran QB is.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Schefter threw it out there, which means someone said it,
so he doesn't just throw things out there.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
That's it. That is.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I appreciate you, Bubba ben Trone. Thanks for giving me
the idea on this hoodie. I saw Bubble wearing one
during the season. I like that.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
I'm gonna get one of them too.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Thanks for listening and subscribing and telling your friends about this,
which is the best podcast available. Also known as Andrew
just rambling and Gibbe looking at his watch going hey man,
can I be trafficking?
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Go no way.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
I'm looking at Fela the Birthday Boy Jeff like it's
his birth week, like it's a celebration of celebrations.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's McDaniel's birthday.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Yes, Sunday Sunday or last Sunday, this coming Sunday.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Jeff McDaniel, Happy thirtieth birthday again for Jason Gibbs and
the aforementioned Jeff behind door number three which is not
currently visible on your screen. Thanks for listening and watching.
This is the best podcast available. Enjoy Free Agency, Everybody,
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