May 29, 2025 • 23 mins
Join us on Best Podcast Available as we sit down with Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire! Carson gives his initial thoughts on being drafted and what he will bring as he joins the LB room. Coach Cesaire breaks down Rookie Minicamp and takes a look at Mason Graham's first practice with the Browns!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I think for me, even just showing up after the
first couple of practices at UCLA still walk on, still,
you know, undersized for I showed up at like two ten,
you know, things like that, And I remember calling my
mom and telling her I'm gonna be able to go
play in the NFL, just just after watching the first
couple of practices.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
And obviously I.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Knew that there would be a lot of work I
had to put in to get there. But I think
that's one of the things that was huge for me
is just having the confidence.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Your participation in this podcast is mandatory, however, remember the
offseason program is voluntary. And with that, we welcome you
to the best podcast available. My name is Andrew Siciliotto.
That is Jason Gibbs, still going over the schedule with
a fine tooth comb to plan his fall. We welcome
you to another edition on the Browns off Season, March
towards Real Football. Gibbe, what's going on? My friend?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I got the comb joke? Maybe for you, there's no
comb here for this guy.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
You see that that really wasn't a comb joke. I
was baseball the desert. I'm not out, not at all.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
No maintenance, no maintenance.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Can we can we explain to people what the off
season program is. Let's do it. These are OTAs, they
are not mandatory, so I know people are like combing
Brown's social like who is there? Who is on the field.
It is great to see everyone back on the field,
by the way, great to see Matt Starkey and Bree
with their fantastic photo work of the players smiling and
laughing and throwing footballs on the field. It's good. But
(01:24):
here's here's here's what it is. The off season program
begins in early April, third week of April for coaches
like Kevin Stefanski, not a new head coach or returning
head coach. Everything is voluntary maximum of four per week,
no weekends, okay before the mandatory mena camp. Contact prohibited.
(01:47):
No live blocking, no live tackling, no pass rushing. You
can't even go bump and run here as you're going
touch and going throwing downfield. Two weeks strength and conditioning,
ninety minutes max. On the field. You could only be
in the building for like two hours as mandated. You
(02:08):
could just do two hours of waits. It is really
low key stuff. Quarterbacks can throw to receivers with no coverage.
Like during dead ball periods, kickers and punters can kick,
but players cannot field the ball. Long snappers can long snap,
but only into a net. They're all kinds of restrictions here.
(02:30):
So it's a lot of learning, it's a lot of
install Kevin Stefanski said during rookie mediamp. Give me that
we're putting in stuff for the rookies and trying stuff out.
They can do more than you can do in OTAs
before mandatory mini testing stuff with the rookies before you
install it with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. So it's
(02:50):
a lot of let's get in the lab and let's
get everybody back in shape.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
And that's get and more importantly, get everybody on the
same page. And that's what the install the meetings. You know,
we're finally starting to see with OTA's a little more
field work than we've seen in the past. I know,
it's not coverage and all of those parameters that you
just you know, spout it out to us, but at
(03:17):
the end of the day, they're on the field now
and now we're starting to see we get some availability.
Once a week, media is allowed to come out and watch.
We get the chance to talk to the players a
little bit more. But the guys are starting to install
what will be the twenty twenty five Browns offense and
the twenty twenty five Browns defense.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I gave you phase one rules. The rules get progressively
more relaxed in Phase two and Phase three, but the
number one headline here is no live contact during phase three,
the last one before mandatory medi caamp. You could do
seven on seven, you could do nine on seven, you
could do eleven on eleven, but no live contact. And
(04:00):
in phase three you can put the helmets on. We're
not there yet. We'll get there, yeah, and you could
get a little more serious, but just a friendly reminder
as we look at you know anything, Nothing gets really
serious until mandatory mini camp and then eventually we get
to training camp. So there's that, and we have plenty
(04:23):
to still chew on from rookie minicamp. Want to go
back and play an interview that we did just full disclosure,
This was before day two of practice, so before Mason
Graham had his you know, little thing on the field
where he ate too many wings and then he cleaned off
his helmet. He's a great teammate. He showed us that
this was his new position. Coach Jacques Sayesaire with his
impressions of Mason in the classroom, the meeting room early
(04:45):
and after one day of camp. It's only rookie minicamp,
Jaquesa's there, but I feel like you are in mid
season form because if you already lost your voice after
one day of rookie miniicamp.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Yeah, you know, I always tell the guys like, I'm
not yelling, I'm just speaking an urgency right now, and
I've lost my voice just a little bit. Okay, I've
been I've been drinking a lot of tea, a lot
of honey and trying to get it back. But you know,
the voice is lost, but the message is it. Yeah,
obviously it is urgent because we got to get guys
up to speed. Right they haven't done this ever in
(05:18):
their whole entire life. The things that we're asking him
to do as far as movement skills are concerned, as
far as launching every single play, so that's something that
has to be built every single day. So right now
we're just trying to stack days. It's only you know,
really a day and a half. But what I'm seeing
right there is very encouraging.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I knew you were excited on draft day when they
handed in the card for Mason Graham. Absolutely now that
you have him here in the building, your early impressions, Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
My early impressions is extremely intelligent, Okay, hard working, gritty, tough, competitive,
all the things that we're looking for in our defensivelignment.
But something that a lot of people don't realize about Mason, right.
The guy is extremely quick, right, and he knows how
to run the passers. So we're really excited about having him.
He's tough, he has real strong physical hands, and I
(06:05):
can't wait to see him with some pads on.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
He says that the message from you to him has
been that you want to take the handcuffs off. Right.
What does that mean?
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Well, it just simply means that we're gonna attack, okay,
and we're not gonna be reading blocks or anything like that.
I'm not gonna try and slow him down. I want
him to go okay. I think his superpower is his
get off and his hands and how physically violent he is.
And I want to see that every single play, sixty plays,
sixty times, is what I tell him. So the urgency
is that right? There is trying to build that habit
(06:36):
every single day, and that doesn't That's not easy to
do when you're coming you're coming from a red front
where you're asked to sit back in your stance and
allow things to happen, and then you go. I'm telling
him right now, I want you to go and make
things happen.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Okay, that was my follow up question. I think the
layman at home and say, oh, that's easy, just go
get the quarterback. But when you have not been accustomed
to playing in that style defense, how much of a
transition truly is that?
Speaker 5 (07:02):
It's a tough transition and it takes a special type
of player to do that. Right, We're asking guys to
run through a dark room. All right, I'm gonna tell
him that, you know, no more do you have to
worry about a double team or a bass block or
a scoop block or reach block. Those things don't exist
to us because we're gone. I'm not trying to slow
this guy down. I want penetration. I want disruption, and
that's what he burns to the table.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I really enjoyed sitting with Mason when he came in
the day after he got drafted and met him and
his whole family, and he's a mild manner dude. He's
got a smile on his face. He's not a screamer.
He's not a yeller, although we've certainly seen it on
the field. And I asked him, how does he flip
that switch and become a different dude? He says he
gets that question all the time. You've been around a
(07:45):
lot of defensive linemen in your time, both teammates and
guys you've coached. How rare is that the quiet guy
who switches?
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah, you know, I've played with a couple guys like that,
Luis Castillo to name one. You know where guys are
just they're really processing everything and absorbing information as much
information as they can. You know, but you know that
there's something burning inside of him that when he gets
on that field, when he steps on the field, you know,
a switch you know comes on right away and now
(08:14):
that guy becomes as a dangerous human being. So I
don't care if he doesn't want to scream or yell
or do anything like that. What I see on the
tape when he when he steps on the field, is
a guy that wants to be disruptive that wants to
get to the quarterback as fast as he can. So
you know, I'm not worried about is you know his demeanor.
I know that that guy plays pissed off when he
(08:35):
needs to.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
What can he and fingers cross, a healthy Mike Hall
do for Miles and whomever, whether it's Maguire or Right
or Joe trying schrank or whomever on the other side,
what can those two tackles do to open things up?
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Well, obviously, when you got two defensive tackles that are penetrators,
that are fast and disruptive, that can take the depth
of the pocket away from the quarterback, that's going to
open up a lot of things for god like Miles
and Joe and Alex and Za and Obo. So we
want those guys to understand, Hey, it's about pushing that
pocket in the quarterback's lap, making him uncomfortable so he
can't step up. And if he can't step up, all right,
(09:12):
and you got Miles coming around the edge. You know,
that's a recipe for success for us. So I'm I'm
excited to see him. Mike Hall.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
You know, Malik Collins, you know, get after the quarterback
this year because I know that's only going to open
up the entire rush for all of us.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
I know you're keeping your eye only on your room.
You got Carson Swestinger there as well. I love in
Tarbor's room at linebacker. Thoughts would you like?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Yeah, super smart, super extinctual, can move really well, flip
his hips, run. I mean, the guy can hit. He's
a hitting machine. I'm excited to see what he is.
You know, I call him in California Luke Keikley. Okay,
so so you know he's gonna go out there and
he's gonna do some impressive things. I'm excited to see
what he can do.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
And thoughts on the other side of the ball. What
you've seen, whether it's the quarterbacks, the running backs, Harold
Fan and whomever.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Yeah, I just think everybody, all the rookies are doing
a good job come and absorbing information and trying to
apply it on the field, you know, and and and
that's that's what we can be hopeful for right now.
You know, you know, last year's last year and it's gone. Okay,
we're not thinking about that anymore. So what we need
right now is young, fast, hungry, dog experienced people that
are gonna come out here and play their very best
(10:18):
football that can that they can play, compete, be tough,
and go win some football games.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
You know, I was looking it up on the plane
that we're getting old. You know, you you and Shador's dad.
I know you didn't play against each other in a game,
but you guys overlapped in the league.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Your thoughts, Yeah, I mean, yeah, you know, you know,
you know when you're hearing that these guys are born
in like two thousand, you know, and nineteen.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Ninety yeah, yeah, twenty one for another month, and.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
I'm just thinking to myself, Man, I don't know when
when it happened, when I got old, but no, I
love it, you know, I love seeing these guys come
out here and then do what they love to do.
This is the greatest port in America, and and you know,
I wouldn't want to be any other place.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Your voice came back in the course of this interview.
By the way, it did a little bit.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
It did a little bit. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Shoxa's there is always great to see. Hope you get
five minutes off in June and we'll be back here
in a little bit.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Thank you Joxa's air. One of my favorite people. By
the way, Uh you saw that energy. Awesome and that
energy is going to flip that switch for Mason Graham,
which we did see on the field in Rookie Mini Caamp.
Don't take the Mason Graham on the podium as the
quiet aus shucks kid born in Orange County, living with
his family in Hawaii. He ain't that guy and everyone
(11:32):
has seen that already. Speaking of southern California, how about
Carson Swssinger. He is going to wear forty nine. This
was full disclosure recorded when he first came into the
Cross Country Mortgage campus the day after getting selected number
thirty three overall and before his interception that went viral
at Rookie Mini Caamp. Here, he is Carson Schwessinger. Welcome
(11:54):
to Cleveland, excited to be here. Can we get the
name out of the way, because I feel like I've
been tripped on times. It's actually a really easy name
to say, but people, you've probably heard it fifteen yeah ways, right.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Sons of different ways.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Ok.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Each coach says it differently wherever I'm at.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Too, So say it for the fans.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Swessinger.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Swessinger like a Jack Swssinger. Okay, we're going to get
it down. I apologize in advance if anyone scruis it up.
What's the craziest you've you've heard?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I mean it gets shortened at every place I'm at,
so nobody ever calls me Swessenger, and I can never
hear the the you know, broadcast saying it.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I mean, I've had coaches they'll shorten it to Swiss.
Sounds good, but then it'll get to Schweice swice.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Yeah, like they they're speaking to you in German, exactly right.
You don't speak German the record, No, okay, okay, so
we can call you sws.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I mean, you call me whatever. Okay, it all works.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I mean, no, okay, we joked last night about the
number you're gonna go with, forty nine. I'm asking everyone
about their number, I think.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So, I mean, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right, perfect?
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah? Did you know you were going with the first
pick and the second?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I did not know.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I had called my agents before and they kind of,
you know, left They said they had known, but they
left me in in in the dark so that I
could be surprised, which is pretty.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Great and you found out and your reaction.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Was, oh, man.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I mean, well, when I first I get the call
answer the FaceTime, I'm like, oh, it's Cleveland, and then
it like kind of set in. But then when when
they actually said we're gonna take you with this pick,
I kind of just froze, like I didn't know. I
was speechless, you know, And so that was a pretty
cool moment. And then you know, the phone gets passed
around and talking to everybody, and then my family's all
there and so eventually hang up the phone.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Everyone starts cheering. It was a great moment. It's really exciting.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
There's a UCLA connection as well with Brown's linebackers coach
Jason Tarvor. He was an assistant coach there many years
ago while working on his graduate degree, and I got
to I'm going to reach for my phone now to
get the major right, because you guys have that in
common as well. A bio engineering major, Carson. What is
a bio engineering major?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Courseload like, it's probably a little more than the normal
college athlete. Courseload A couple extra classes, a lot, a
lot of labs, so I'm doing a little bit more
and then lab reports and stuff, but it was all
stuff that I was interested in, so you know, it
wasn't wasn't too difficult for me, and really, really it
(14:21):
was just a matter of making sure I was prepared
for the week so that, you know, just don't get
caught behind, and make sure you turn everything in and
you should be good and.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
You're able to squeeze it in and your journey is
amazing here. I know everyone asks about how a guy
goes from walk on to almost a first round pick,
but it speaks to the fact that you earned it.
From day number one. You went from special teams to
special teams demon to a starter, to All American to
(14:51):
second round pick. When did you know that that journey
was taking you to the NFL.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
I think for me, even just showing up after the
first couple of practices at UCLA still a walk on. Still,
you know, undersize for I showed up at like two ten,
you know, things like that, and I remember calling my
mom and telling her I'm going to be able to
go play in the NFL, just just after watching the
first couple of practices.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And obviously I.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Knew that there would be a lot of work I
had to put in to get there. But I think
that's one of the things that was huge for me
is just having the confidence that I could do it.
So when I was on the field, I wasn't I
wasn't worried about making mistakes because you know, I knew
what I was capable of. And then continuing still that
even with the confidence, having the work ethic of you know,
showing up as a walk on and making sure that
(15:37):
I was doing everything I could so that when I
got my opportunity, I was ready for it.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I also think it's great that you chose to bet
on yourself. I mean, what Buck Noll, maybe there was
an offer there as well. You went to Oaks Christian.
It's not as if you went to some small school
for the Ohio audience that doesn't know. You got a
lot of football talent coming out of your school, a
lot of NFL talent coming out of your school. And
it took Chip Kelly to say do you want to
(16:01):
walk out on at U c l A. Was it
a tough decision to stay at home and bet on
yourself in at that point the PAC twelve.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Now, for me, I didn't think it was a tough
decision that that year two for recruitment was during COVID year,
so there wasn't a whole lot of options, like you said,
And I knew I wanted to play football in college.
So for me, once I heard I would be able
to walk on there, I was that wasn't a tough
decision at all. I'd get to stay close to home
and play college football at the highest level, So pretty
easy decision for me.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Do you want to play special teams here as a row?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, I mean, I just want to be on the
field as much as possible.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
The way you said that, by the way, tells me
that you.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Love special teams.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
What do you love about it?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
All of it?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I mean, you could change the change the game with
one play, regardless of what special teams it is. And
really I think special teams a lot of times wins
wins and loses games, and so being able to make
an impact on special teams is something that's huge, and
it's it's where it's what got me my start at UCLA.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
And and led me to where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
And you know, it's a piece that even when I
was playing more this year, they're you know, trying to
take me off some of the things, and I you
know I had to, you know, argue a little bit
to be able to keep be kept on some of them.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
What was that transition like when you finally did get
your call and then dude, you took off. I mean
led the nation in solo tackles, So it's not like
when they gave you your shot you did anything other
than own it.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah, the transition was was smooth. I mean for me
going into games, my whole mindset is just just feel
like it's practice.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I like how I practiced.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I think I practiced hard and practice fast, and so
I always feel comfortable in practice and I know what
I'm doing, and so really the goals just translate that
into the games and I'll be able to play fast
and play the type of football I know I'm able
to play, and you know, so the transition was was
pretty smooth for me.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Who are the linebackers you look to in the NFL? Anybody?
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I Mean they have a great linebacker here with Jay Okay,
the versatility he has and just what he's done, and
he's been brought in the league. I think for me,
one of my one of my favorites not doesn't play anymore,
but Keith Lee was one of one of my all
time favorites. Just what he does in terms of his
knowledge of the game and then the effort and relentlessness
(18:14):
he plays with. And you know, as a linebacker, you
gotta once you get on the field, it doesn't matter
how you are off the field, but once you get
on the field, you got to have a little bit
of a screw loose and you know, ready to go
run into you. Oh yeah, ready to go run and
hit whatever it takes to win. And so he's another one.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
And finally a message for Browns fans, Carson, what would
it be?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
A message for Browns fans? I mean, we're showing up
to the dog pound now, and you can see with
this whole draft, we're bringing a lot of dogs. So
get ready for for uh, you know, the most rowty
dog dog pound. You're gonna get a lot of dogs
flying all over the field.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
They're gonna love that. Carson Swesssinger. Congratulations again, welcome to Cleveland. Yes, sir,
I think Browns fans are really gonna love Carson Swessinger.
And you're probably gonna see a lot more of him
than maybe we expected. Look, thirty three overall pick. You
do know he is going to be out there plenty.
He needs to be an instant impact guy. But Gibbey,
since we recorded that, we got the news that Jeremiah
(19:14):
lusu Cormo is not going to play football this season.
Put on the pup list and he's not going to
be here, so they already made up their mind. He
is getting better, he is at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
He is improving, but he's still not yet at the
point where he is ready to play football. There are
legitimate questions as to whether or not he is going
(19:36):
to get to that point. I think that is fair
to say. But this is one of those injuries where
it needs time to heal. He needs time as well
to figure out how he wants to proceed. And the
Browns just said, and he said, and the doctors said,
you know what, let's take all the guest work and
(19:57):
the pressure out of it this year. Let's just say
we're going to pass on twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And it sucks because he does. It sucks for him.
He's a great young man. He's We've spent a lot
of time with him on a number of our shows,
whether it's Brown's Daily, whether it's BPA, whether it's you know,
Brown's pre game or you know the previous show or
Stefanski shows. He's truly one of the good guys and
one of the leaders on this football team. They made
(20:24):
the right decision. I mean, you've got to take care
of the human first. Like he's got to have a
quality of life. He's got to be able to, you know,
be able to do things. And he's active. He's active
in the community. He's active back in his native country
like he's he's all over the place, and he wants
to be involved in things, and you take care of
(20:46):
the health first. Health and safety is the priority. Made
the right decision. It stinks not having him out there,
but I feel like he's going to be a guy
that's going to be around here and around here a lot.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
He's going to be in the meeting rooms. He's going
to be with Tarvor.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
He may become that coach on the sidelines that really
helps some of these young guys and that linebacker room
come together.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
I've been asked, did the Browns know when they drafted Carson' Swessenger.
My answer would be, I think they had a good
idea certainly that this was the likely outcome for twenty
twenty five. Carson s Wessinger also as a heck of
a player. Then you could see teams traded down after
the Browns took him at thirty three. Other people wanted him,
I know from other NFL buildings. They were like, I
wanted that guy. So he's Look, he's a great pick
(21:30):
regardless of jok situation. But you need a linebacker and
you're right on the personal side. It is heartbreaking for Joka,
but I'm also really happy that he is in a
good place. It could have been worse. He's in a
good place right now. He legitimately is improving and on
the field, what you lose speaks for itself. He was
(21:51):
playing at an all pro level. He had been a
Pro Bowler of the Year before. He was playing at
an all pro level. What Andrew Berry said in his
press release when Jok signed the extension about being a
shape shifter. That was the line I always used on
NFL Network. He was a shape shifter. It's like you're
watching the matrix. You know how Miles Garrett can bend
around left, tackle right and almost go parallel to the ground.
(22:15):
Jok can do that under running backs trying to pick
up a blitz under pulling guards on a sweep that
he can duck under and take down that running back
for a five yard loss. He did things and can
keep a present tense. He does things when healthy, getting
under blocks in the backfield that no other player in
(22:36):
the NFL can do. Period. So you're losing an all
pro on the field and as corny as it sounds,
an all pro off the field. He's going to be around.
He is around and fingers crossed here. There is a
day where he can get back on the football field.
But if he can't, you know what, guy's got a
lot going on, a lot going on, and he is
(22:57):
a treasure to the organization and the community. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
I just want them to get better, get better, and
then we'll figure out the next steps. They made the
right decision. Take your time coming back. We know what
our linebacker room is. I think it's still pretty good. Yeah,
and we go from there.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Exactly and veteran leadership there with Jordan Hicks coming back.
All right, this is it. One more OTA BPA until
it's mandatory medicam time. And your participation in the pod
is always mandatory as we come full. So for Jason Gibbs.
My name is Andrew Siciliato, Like, Subscribe, share comments, Thank
(23:37):
you for listening to and watching the past podcast to
Beat
I think for me, even just showing up after the
first couple of practices at UCLA still walk on, still,
you know, undersized for I showed up at like two ten,
you know, things like that, And I remember calling my
mom and telling her I'm gonna be able to go
play in the NFL, just just after watching the first
couple of practices.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
And obviously I.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Knew that there would be a lot of work I
had to put in to get there. But I think
that's one of the things that was huge for me
is just having the confidence.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Your participation in this podcast is mandatory, however, remember the
offseason program is voluntary. And with that, we welcome you
to the best podcast available. My name is Andrew Siciliotto.
That is Jason Gibbs, still going over the schedule with
a fine tooth comb to plan his fall. We welcome
you to another edition on the Browns off Season, March
towards Real Football. Gibbe, what's going on? My friend?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I got the comb joke? Maybe for you, there's no
comb here for this guy.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
You see that that really wasn't a comb joke. I
was baseball the desert. I'm not out, not at all.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
No maintenance, no maintenance.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Can we can we explain to people what the off
season program is. Let's do it. These are OTAs, they
are not mandatory, so I know people are like combing
Brown's social like who is there? Who is on the field.
It is great to see everyone back on the field,
by the way, great to see Matt Starkey and Bree
with their fantastic photo work of the players smiling and
laughing and throwing footballs on the field. It's good. But
(01:24):
here's here's here's what it is. The off season program
begins in early April, third week of April for coaches
like Kevin Stefanski, not a new head coach or returning
head coach. Everything is voluntary maximum of four per week,
no weekends, okay before the mandatory mena camp. Contact prohibited.
(01:47):
No live blocking, no live tackling, no pass rushing. You
can't even go bump and run here as you're going
touch and going throwing downfield. Two weeks strength and conditioning,
ninety minutes max. On the field. You could only be
in the building for like two hours as mandated. You
(02:08):
could just do two hours of waits. It is really
low key stuff. Quarterbacks can throw to receivers with no coverage.
Like during dead ball periods, kickers and punters can kick,
but players cannot field the ball. Long snappers can long snap,
but only into a net. They're all kinds of restrictions here.
(02:30):
So it's a lot of learning, it's a lot of
install Kevin Stefanski said during rookie mediamp. Give me that
we're putting in stuff for the rookies and trying stuff out.
They can do more than you can do in OTAs
before mandatory mini testing stuff with the rookies before you
install it with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. So it's
(02:50):
a lot of let's get in the lab and let's
get everybody back in shape.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
And that's get and more importantly, get everybody on the
same page. And that's what the install the meetings. You know,
we're finally starting to see with OTA's a little more
field work than we've seen in the past. I know,
it's not coverage and all of those parameters that you
just you know, spout it out to us, but at
(03:17):
the end of the day, they're on the field now
and now we're starting to see we get some availability.
Once a week, media is allowed to come out and watch.
We get the chance to talk to the players a
little bit more. But the guys are starting to install
what will be the twenty twenty five Browns offense and
the twenty twenty five Browns defense.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I gave you phase one rules. The rules get progressively
more relaxed in Phase two and Phase three, but the
number one headline here is no live contact during phase three,
the last one before mandatory medi caamp. You could do
seven on seven, you could do nine on seven, you
could do eleven on eleven, but no live contact. And
(04:00):
in phase three you can put the helmets on. We're
not there yet. We'll get there, yeah, and you could
get a little more serious, but just a friendly reminder
as we look at you know anything, Nothing gets really
serious until mandatory mini camp and then eventually we get
to training camp. So there's that, and we have plenty
(04:23):
to still chew on from rookie minicamp. Want to go
back and play an interview that we did just full disclosure,
This was before day two of practice, so before Mason
Graham had his you know, little thing on the field
where he ate too many wings and then he cleaned off
his helmet. He's a great teammate. He showed us that
this was his new position. Coach Jacques Sayesaire with his
impressions of Mason in the classroom, the meeting room early
(04:45):
and after one day of camp. It's only rookie minicamp,
Jaquesa's there, but I feel like you are in mid
season form because if you already lost your voice after
one day of rookie miniicamp.
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Yeah, you know, I always tell the guys like, I'm
not yelling, I'm just speaking an urgency right now, and
I've lost my voice just a little bit. Okay, I've
been I've been drinking a lot of tea, a lot
of honey and trying to get it back. But you know,
the voice is lost, but the message is it. Yeah,
obviously it is urgent because we got to get guys
up to speed. Right they haven't done this ever in
(05:18):
their whole entire life. The things that we're asking him
to do as far as movement skills are concerned, as
far as launching every single play, so that's something that
has to be built every single day. So right now
we're just trying to stack days. It's only you know,
really a day and a half. But what I'm seeing
right there is very encouraging.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I knew you were excited on draft day when they
handed in the card for Mason Graham. Absolutely now that
you have him here in the building, your early impressions, Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
My early impressions is extremely intelligent, Okay, hard working, gritty, tough, competitive,
all the things that we're looking for in our defensivelignment.
But something that a lot of people don't realize about Mason, right.
The guy is extremely quick, right, and he knows how
to run the passers. So we're really excited about having him.
He's tough, he has real strong physical hands, and I
(06:05):
can't wait to see him with some pads on.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
He says that the message from you to him has
been that you want to take the handcuffs off. Right.
What does that mean?
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Well, it just simply means that we're gonna attack, okay,
and we're not gonna be reading blocks or anything like that.
I'm not gonna try and slow him down. I want
him to go okay. I think his superpower is his
get off and his hands and how physically violent he is.
And I want to see that every single play, sixty plays,
sixty times, is what I tell him. So the urgency
is that right? There is trying to build that habit
(06:36):
every single day, and that doesn't That's not easy to
do when you're coming you're coming from a red front
where you're asked to sit back in your stance and
allow things to happen, and then you go. I'm telling
him right now, I want you to go and make
things happen.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Okay, that was my follow up question. I think the
layman at home and say, oh, that's easy, just go
get the quarterback. But when you have not been accustomed
to playing in that style defense, how much of a
transition truly is that?
Speaker 5 (07:02):
It's a tough transition and it takes a special type
of player to do that. Right, We're asking guys to
run through a dark room. All right, I'm gonna tell
him that, you know, no more do you have to
worry about a double team or a bass block or
a scoop block or reach block. Those things don't exist
to us because we're gone. I'm not trying to slow
this guy down. I want penetration. I want disruption, and
that's what he burns to the table.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I really enjoyed sitting with Mason when he came in
the day after he got drafted and met him and
his whole family, and he's a mild manner dude. He's
got a smile on his face. He's not a screamer.
He's not a yeller, although we've certainly seen it on
the field. And I asked him, how does he flip
that switch and become a different dude? He says he
gets that question all the time. You've been around a
(07:45):
lot of defensive linemen in your time, both teammates and
guys you've coached. How rare is that the quiet guy
who switches?
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah, you know, I've played with a couple guys like that,
Luis Castillo to name one. You know where guys are
just they're really processing everything and absorbing information as much
information as they can. You know, but you know that
there's something burning inside of him that when he gets
on that field, when he steps on the field, you know,
a switch you know comes on right away and now
(08:14):
that guy becomes as a dangerous human being. So I
don't care if he doesn't want to scream or yell
or do anything like that. What I see on the
tape when he when he steps on the field, is
a guy that wants to be disruptive that wants to
get to the quarterback as fast as he can. So
you know, I'm not worried about is you know his demeanor.
I know that that guy plays pissed off when he
(08:35):
needs to.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
What can he and fingers cross, a healthy Mike Hall
do for Miles and whomever, whether it's Maguire or Right
or Joe trying schrank or whomever on the other side,
what can those two tackles do to open things up?
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Well, obviously, when you got two defensive tackles that are penetrators,
that are fast and disruptive, that can take the depth
of the pocket away from the quarterback, that's going to
open up a lot of things for god like Miles
and Joe and Alex and Za and Obo. So we
want those guys to understand, Hey, it's about pushing that
pocket in the quarterback's lap, making him uncomfortable so he
can't step up. And if he can't step up, all right,
(09:12):
and you got Miles coming around the edge. You know,
that's a recipe for success for us. So I'm I'm
excited to see him. Mike Hall.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
You know, Malik Collins, you know, get after the quarterback
this year because I know that's only going to open
up the entire rush for all of us.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
I know you're keeping your eye only on your room.
You got Carson Swestinger there as well. I love in
Tarbor's room at linebacker. Thoughts would you like?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Yeah, super smart, super extinctual, can move really well, flip
his hips, run. I mean, the guy can hit. He's
a hitting machine. I'm excited to see what he is.
You know, I call him in California Luke Keikley. Okay,
so so you know he's gonna go out there and
he's gonna do some impressive things. I'm excited to see
what he can do.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
And thoughts on the other side of the ball. What
you've seen, whether it's the quarterbacks, the running backs, Harold
Fan and whomever.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Yeah, I just think everybody, all the rookies are doing
a good job come and absorbing information and trying to
apply it on the field, you know, and and and
that's that's what we can be hopeful for right now.
You know, you know, last year's last year and it's gone. Okay,
we're not thinking about that anymore. So what we need
right now is young, fast, hungry, dog experienced people that
are gonna come out here and play their very best
(10:18):
football that can that they can play, compete, be tough,
and go win some football games.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
You know, I was looking it up on the plane
that we're getting old. You know, you you and Shador's dad.
I know you didn't play against each other in a game,
but you guys overlapped in the league.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Your thoughts, Yeah, I mean, yeah, you know, you know,
you know when you're hearing that these guys are born
in like two thousand, you know, and nineteen.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Ninety yeah, yeah, twenty one for another month, and.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
I'm just thinking to myself, Man, I don't know when
when it happened, when I got old, but no, I
love it, you know, I love seeing these guys come
out here and then do what they love to do.
This is the greatest port in America, and and you know,
I wouldn't want to be any other place.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Your voice came back in the course of this interview.
By the way, it did a little bit.
Speaker 5 (11:04):
It did a little bit. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Shoxa's there is always great to see. Hope you get
five minutes off in June and we'll be back here
in a little bit.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Thank you Joxa's air. One of my favorite people. By
the way, Uh you saw that energy. Awesome and that
energy is going to flip that switch for Mason Graham,
which we did see on the field in Rookie Mini Caamp.
Don't take the Mason Graham on the podium as the
quiet aus shucks kid born in Orange County, living with
his family in Hawaii. He ain't that guy and everyone
(11:32):
has seen that already. Speaking of southern California, how about
Carson Swssinger. He is going to wear forty nine. This
was full disclosure recorded when he first came into the
Cross Country Mortgage campus the day after getting selected number
thirty three overall and before his interception that went viral
at Rookie Mini Caamp. Here, he is Carson Schwessinger. Welcome
(11:54):
to Cleveland, excited to be here. Can we get the
name out of the way, because I feel like I've
been tripped on times. It's actually a really easy name
to say, but people, you've probably heard it fifteen yeah ways, right.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Sons of different ways.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Ok.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Each coach says it differently wherever I'm at.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Too, So say it for the fans.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Swessinger.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Swessinger like a Jack Swssinger. Okay, we're going to get
it down. I apologize in advance if anyone scruis it up.
What's the craziest you've you've heard?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I mean it gets shortened at every place I'm at,
so nobody ever calls me Swessenger, and I can never
hear the the you know, broadcast saying it.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
So.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I mean, I've had coaches they'll shorten it to Swiss.
Sounds good, but then it'll get to Schweice swice.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Yeah, like they they're speaking to you in German, exactly right.
You don't speak German the record, No, okay, okay, so
we can call you sws.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I mean, you call me whatever. Okay, it all works.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I mean, no, okay, we joked last night about the
number you're gonna go with, forty nine. I'm asking everyone
about their number, I think.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So, I mean, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right, perfect?
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah? Did you know you were going with the first
pick and the second?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I did not know.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I had called my agents before and they kind of,
you know, left They said they had known, but they
left me in in in the dark so that I
could be surprised, which is pretty.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Great and you found out and your reaction.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Was, oh, man.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I mean, well, when I first I get the call
answer the FaceTime, I'm like, oh, it's Cleveland, and then
it like kind of set in. But then when when
they actually said we're gonna take you with this pick,
I kind of just froze, like I didn't know. I
was speechless, you know, And so that was a pretty
cool moment. And then you know, the phone gets passed
around and talking to everybody, and then my family's all
there and so eventually hang up the phone.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Everyone starts cheering. It was a great moment. It's really exciting.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
There's a UCLA connection as well with Brown's linebackers coach
Jason Tarvor. He was an assistant coach there many years
ago while working on his graduate degree, and I got
to I'm going to reach for my phone now to
get the major right, because you guys have that in
common as well. A bio engineering major, Carson. What is
a bio engineering major?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Courseload like, it's probably a little more than the normal
college athlete. Courseload A couple extra classes, a lot, a
lot of labs, so I'm doing a little bit more
and then lab reports and stuff, but it was all
stuff that I was interested in, so you know, it
wasn't wasn't too difficult for me, and really, really it
(14:21):
was just a matter of making sure I was prepared
for the week so that, you know, just don't get
caught behind, and make sure you turn everything in and
you should be good and.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
You're able to squeeze it in and your journey is
amazing here. I know everyone asks about how a guy
goes from walk on to almost a first round pick,
but it speaks to the fact that you earned it.
From day number one. You went from special teams to
special teams demon to a starter, to All American to
(14:51):
second round pick. When did you know that that journey
was taking you to the NFL.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
I think for me, even just showing up after the
first couple of practices at UCLA still a walk on. Still,
you know, undersize for I showed up at like two ten,
you know, things like that, and I remember calling my
mom and telling her I'm going to be able to
go play in the NFL, just just after watching the
first couple of practices.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And obviously I.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Knew that there would be a lot of work I
had to put in to get there. But I think
that's one of the things that was huge for me
is just having the confidence that I could do it.
So when I was on the field, I wasn't I
wasn't worried about making mistakes because you know, I knew
what I was capable of. And then continuing still that
even with the confidence, having the work ethic of you know,
showing up as a walk on and making sure that
(15:37):
I was doing everything I could so that when I
got my opportunity, I was ready for it.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I also think it's great that you chose to bet
on yourself. I mean, what Buck Noll, maybe there was
an offer there as well. You went to Oaks Christian.
It's not as if you went to some small school
for the Ohio audience that doesn't know. You got a
lot of football talent coming out of your school, a
lot of NFL talent coming out of your school. And
it took Chip Kelly to say do you want to
(16:01):
walk out on at U c l A. Was it
a tough decision to stay at home and bet on
yourself in at that point the PAC twelve.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Now, for me, I didn't think it was a tough
decision that that year two for recruitment was during COVID year,
so there wasn't a whole lot of options, like you said,
And I knew I wanted to play football in college.
So for me, once I heard I would be able
to walk on there, I was that wasn't a tough
decision at all. I'd get to stay close to home
and play college football at the highest level, So pretty
easy decision for me.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Do you want to play special teams here as a row?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, I mean, I just want to be on the
field as much as possible.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
The way you said that, by the way, tells me
that you.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Love special teams.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
What do you love about it?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
All of it?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I mean, you could change the change the game with
one play, regardless of what special teams it is. And
really I think special teams a lot of times wins
wins and loses games, and so being able to make
an impact on special teams is something that's huge, and
it's it's where it's what got me my start at UCLA.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
And and led me to where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
And you know, it's a piece that even when I
was playing more this year, they're you know, trying to
take me off some of the things, and I you
know I had to, you know, argue a little bit
to be able to keep be kept on some of them.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
What was that transition like when you finally did get
your call and then dude, you took off. I mean
led the nation in solo tackles, So it's not like
when they gave you your shot you did anything other
than own it.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Yeah, the transition was was smooth. I mean for me
going into games, my whole mindset is just just feel
like it's practice.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I like how I practiced.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I think I practiced hard and practice fast, and so
I always feel comfortable in practice and I know what
I'm doing, and so really the goals just translate that
into the games and I'll be able to play fast
and play the type of football I know I'm able
to play, and you know, so the transition was was
pretty smooth for me.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Who are the linebackers you look to in the NFL? Anybody?
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I Mean they have a great linebacker here with Jay Okay,
the versatility he has and just what he's done, and
he's been brought in the league. I think for me,
one of my one of my favorites not doesn't play anymore,
but Keith Lee was one of one of my all
time favorites. Just what he does in terms of his
knowledge of the game and then the effort and relentlessness
(18:14):
he plays with. And you know, as a linebacker, you
gotta once you get on the field, it doesn't matter
how you are off the field, but once you get
on the field, you got to have a little bit
of a screw loose and you know, ready to go
run into you. Oh yeah, ready to go run and
hit whatever it takes to win. And so he's another one.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
And finally a message for Browns fans, Carson, what would
it be?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
A message for Browns fans? I mean, we're showing up
to the dog pound now, and you can see with
this whole draft, we're bringing a lot of dogs. So
get ready for for uh, you know, the most rowty
dog dog pound. You're gonna get a lot of dogs
flying all over the field.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
They're gonna love that. Carson Swesssinger. Congratulations again, welcome to Cleveland. Yes, sir,
I think Browns fans are really gonna love Carson Swessinger.
And you're probably gonna see a lot more of him
than maybe we expected. Look, thirty three overall pick. You
do know he is going to be out there plenty.
He needs to be an instant impact guy. But Gibbey,
since we recorded that, we got the news that Jeremiah
(19:14):
lusu Cormo is not going to play football this season.
Put on the pup list and he's not going to
be here, so they already made up their mind. He
is getting better, he is at the Cross Country Mortgage campus.
He is improving, but he's still not yet at the
point where he is ready to play football. There are
legitimate questions as to whether or not he is going
(19:36):
to get to that point. I think that is fair
to say. But this is one of those injuries where
it needs time to heal. He needs time as well
to figure out how he wants to proceed. And the
Browns just said, and he said, and the doctors said,
you know what, let's take all the guest work and
(19:57):
the pressure out of it this year. Let's just say
we're going to pass on twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And it sucks because he does. It sucks for him.
He's a great young man. He's We've spent a lot
of time with him on a number of our shows,
whether it's Brown's Daily, whether it's BPA, whether it's you know,
Brown's pre game or you know the previous show or
Stefanski shows. He's truly one of the good guys and
one of the leaders on this football team. They made
(20:24):
the right decision. I mean, you've got to take care
of the human first. Like he's got to have a
quality of life. He's got to be able to, you know,
be able to do things. And he's active. He's active
in the community. He's active back in his native country
like he's he's all over the place, and he wants
to be involved in things, and you take care of
(20:46):
the health first. Health and safety is the priority. Made
the right decision. It stinks not having him out there,
but I feel like he's going to be a guy
that's going to be around here and around here a lot.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
He's going to be in the meeting rooms. He's going
to be with Tarvor.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
He may become that coach on the sidelines that really
helps some of these young guys and that linebacker room
come together.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
I've been asked, did the Browns know when they drafted Carson' Swessenger.
My answer would be, I think they had a good
idea certainly that this was the likely outcome for twenty
twenty five. Carson s Wessinger also as a heck of
a player. Then you could see teams traded down after
the Browns took him at thirty three. Other people wanted him,
I know from other NFL buildings. They were like, I
wanted that guy. So he's Look, he's a great pick
(21:30):
regardless of jok situation. But you need a linebacker and
you're right on the personal side. It is heartbreaking for Joka,
but I'm also really happy that he is in a
good place. It could have been worse. He's in a
good place right now. He legitimately is improving and on
the field, what you lose speaks for itself. He was
(21:51):
playing at an all pro level. He had been a
Pro Bowler of the Year before. He was playing at
an all pro level. What Andrew Berry said in his
press release when Jok signed the extension about being a
shape shifter. That was the line I always used on
NFL Network. He was a shape shifter. It's like you're
watching the matrix. You know how Miles Garrett can bend
around left, tackle right and almost go parallel to the ground.
(22:15):
Jok can do that under running backs trying to pick
up a blitz under pulling guards on a sweep that
he can duck under and take down that running back
for a five yard loss. He did things and can
keep a present tense. He does things when healthy, getting
under blocks in the backfield that no other player in
(22:36):
the NFL can do. Period. So you're losing an all
pro on the field and as corny as it sounds,
an all pro off the field. He's going to be around.
He is around and fingers crossed here. There is a
day where he can get back on the football field.
But if he can't, you know what, guy's got a
lot going on, a lot going on, and he is
(22:57):
a treasure to the organization and the community. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
I just want them to get better, get better, and
then we'll figure out the next steps. They made the
right decision. Take your time coming back. We know what
our linebacker room is. I think it's still pretty good. Yeah,
and we go from there.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Exactly and veteran leadership there with Jordan Hicks coming back.
All right, this is it. One more OTA BPA until
it's mandatory medicam time. And your participation in the pod
is always mandatory as we come full. So for Jason Gibbs.
My name is Andrew Siciliato, Like, Subscribe, share comments, Thank
(23:37):
you for listening to and watching the past podcast to
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