- 8 hours ago
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Daniel, he is on the Wise Heart Right, We Make It Right called Kyle Right Hotline.
00:03Daniel, hello.
00:06Hey, how y'all doing?
00:08Doing wonderful. What's on your mind?
00:09Well, Daniel's on the show, and I've gotten into it with some national pundits.
00:14And even though, Daniel, I know you're covering the Browns living in Northeast Ohio,
00:17we look to you as a national pundit.
00:21And so I want to know, we just went through like eight quarterbacks
00:24that I consider, quote, peers of Deshaun Watson's.
00:28And I want to make sure we're not being homers.
00:31And so maybe you can help us with this.
00:33Well, Lammy, you're not a homer. I'm a homer.
00:35But when we start going through and we compare Justin Herbert or Deshaun Watson,
00:39who's playing better?
00:41I mean, I'd say Deshaun is definitely playing better at this point in time, yeah.
00:45Jalen Hurts or Deshaun Watson?
00:49I'd say Deshaun's been playing better.
00:51Baker Mayfield or Deshaun Watson?
00:54I'd say Deshaun is playing better.
00:56Okay, I don't want to waste our audience's time.
00:58Then I don't understand why national people are blasting anybody from Cleveland
01:01for just saying these things.
01:03Nobody is deifying Watson.
01:05Nobody here is saying he's a top five quarterback.
01:07Well, I think that they think that the other shoe is going to drop there.
01:09So they're predicting that.
01:10And then they think that you think that this is all fixed.
01:13That's different.
01:13I understand that.
01:14But when we only talk to each other in these little spurts of time, Anthony,
01:17that's what we're all going to think.
01:18Why are we arguing and talking over Daniel, our guest?
01:20Well, you decided to start the conversation.
01:22I'm just excited.
01:23And we're having a conversation.
01:24We've had Daniel on many times.
01:26He knows how you and I are.
01:27I want to do a lightning round with Daniel.
01:28I see Daniel all the time.
01:30We shake hands.
01:30Daniel's a fine young man.
01:32Hello, Daniel.
01:32It's good to speak to you again.
01:35All right.
01:36So over the weekend, you were on with Earl and Spencer.
01:42And you mentioned how Andrew Barry likes himself some trades.
01:45He does.
01:46And he really likes himself some quarterback trades.
01:48He definitely does.
01:50Four is a crowd.
01:51And you got Dylan Gabriel coming back.
01:54Now, that only opens the practice window for 21 days.
01:57What do you think Andrew's cooking up there?
01:59Because, you know, we had Daryl on yesterday.
02:01And then Daryl right after was like, I'm getting told that they do not plan on moving Shador Sanders
02:06whatsoever.
02:07So what happens with Dylan here?
02:10That's a really good question.
02:12And, you know, like I said, like you mentioned, like there's been a lot of talk about that.
02:16And I mean, it's still a little ways away.
02:19Like you said, like 21 days, like a lot can happen in three weeks in terms of injuries across the
02:23league
02:24and maybe something potentially opening.
02:26You know, the whole Dylan situation is kind of funny because when he was placed on IR with the back
02:32injury,
02:33a lot of us were kind of like scratching our heads like a back injury?
02:36Like where did X come from?
02:38Man, you know, we've seen him walk around, you know, the practice field.
02:42And, I mean, he looked fine to me.
02:44I'm not saying he's not hurt, but he don't look somebody like laboring around with a back injury.
02:48So, I mean, there still are 21 days where it's not like they have to force a trade or force
02:55a roster move.
02:57But, you know, it did seem like they were ready and prepared to take four into the season.
03:02But, like, with the team especially now being like three and one and you got some injuries to Mason Graham
03:08and elsewhere,
03:09like these roster spots are so valuable.
03:10I don't know if they're really in a position to, you know, keep four quarterbacks
03:15and really two that would have absolutely no game day, you know, value.
03:21Responsibility, yeah.
03:22Yeah.
03:22So, like, I think one way or another it will shake out.
03:26Like they really do like tailing green and this is kind of like a red shirt year for him.
03:29So, I don't know if it's as easy as, like, just cut tailing green and sneak him back on a
03:33pack of score.
03:33Maybe it is.
03:34But, then again, I feel like if that was the case, maybe they would have done that from the beginning.
03:39So, we'll see.
03:40But I think one way or another it will shake itself out.
03:42Well, that's Daniel Yufusi joining us on the show.
03:45You see, that's where our perspectives have changed.
03:47Like, at the beginning of the season, it's like, yeah, carry four or whatever.
03:50Who cares?
03:50Well, you're three and one now.
03:52So, we need all the positions and need that we can get.
03:54How much is your perspective?
03:56It's early in the season still.
03:58But how much has your perspective on the Browns season changed so far?
04:02I think it's changed a lot, you know.
04:05And it's only a quarter of the season, about a quarter of the season that's done.
04:08But I said it before.
04:09I mean, we're starting to get enough of the sample size.
04:12We're starting to get enough games to really have an educated opinion about this team.
04:18And I think that right now, this is a good team.
04:20You know, this is a team that has shown that it can hold its, you know, punch and, you know,
04:26hold its own with some quality teams.
04:29Now, obviously, you know, the Bucs aren't, you know, playing very good football right now.
04:35And maybe that win doesn't look as great as it did a couple weeks back.
04:39But, you know, to get a Thursday night win at home against the Steelers to beat a Panthers team that,
04:44you know,
04:45has been dropping 30 on everybody but the Browns like that, those are legitimate, you know, accolades right now.
04:50So, I think the four game is my view of this.
04:53And I was actually kind of one of the more optimistic prognosticators.
04:56Like, I saw, like, this is like a 7-1 team that was going to be competitive in more games
05:00than not.
05:00But I didn't necessarily see a 3-1 start, and I didn't see Deshaun doing some of the stuff that
05:06he's been able to do
05:07through the first month of the season.
05:09So, if you could, talk about what you're seeing from him.
05:12And we all noticed more vertical shots in the early portion of that game on national television.
05:18Now, you didn't connect on him, but I thought he had three dimes that were all very catchable balls.
05:23So, I thought that was lost in a lot of the analysis afterwards.
05:26Is that something that they are building that they think is, that protection can kind of solidify over time
05:33and they can take more of those deep shots?
05:36Yeah, I think so.
05:37I mean, like, the one thing that I was consistent about through training camp, through OTAs,
05:42and even before the Achilles in 2024, my first year here, was at times just an aversion to push the
05:49ball downfield.
05:49And I wrote about it before the season started, like, an aversion to push the ball downfield
05:54and just an inability to, like, connect on those passes.
05:58And even, you know, recently, I think it was the Bucs game or so, like, he had a 3.7
06:04air yards per target,
06:06which was, like, a career low.
06:07And it's just, like, this style of football just isn't going to be sustainable.
06:11Like, you can't have a sustainable offense throwing the ball four air yards per attempt.
06:16But like you said, like, in that Steelers game, there was, Munkin did draw up some shots
06:21and Deshaun was at least confident enough to take those.
06:24So that was a step forward.
06:26But in addition, it's, like, really what he's been able to do with his legs in late.
06:30And it was funny because when I asked Deshaun in training camp about how he wants to play,
06:36he kind of alluded to, like, not being, like, a real dual threat quarterback.
06:40He was like, I can't play like I did back when I was in Houston.
06:43And Munkin pushed back on that very quickly and was like, no, almost like I need you to play that
06:47way
06:47because, you know, your legs are part of the reason why I'm naming you the starter.
06:52And to this point, you know, he has moved almost better than I could have imagined, you know,
06:57off, you know, a twice surgically repaired Achilles.
07:00So, you know, the growing confidence passing, like, it's still, you know, kind of erratic in stretches.
07:06Like, you know, sometimes, like you saw in the Panthers game, he's just completely off target for some stretches.
07:11But we are seeing more confidence, at least pushing the ball downfield, using his legs in some big moments.
07:16Like, he had a big third down scramble against the Steelers.
07:18And then really what he's been able to do late, just kind of, like, turning it on.
07:22Like, that's, I think as a whole, his body of work has been kind of average.
07:26But, like, I'd almost bump it to above average because of what he's done late.
07:29Like, you can't really deny three straight game winning drives where he's put them in position to win these games.
07:34Like, that's pretty undeniable at this point.
07:35Well, also, I can't deny that my expectations were, for him, were exceedingly low.
07:40And you can't help but have a little bit of overrated because I just thought that he was going to
07:45be so terrible.
07:46And he was.
07:47Go ahead.
07:48I didn't, I really, I mean, you can add guys in Berea, like some of the other reporters.
07:53Like, every day I'd be like, there's no way he can be worse than 2024.
07:57Like, it was just kind of, like, impossible in my mind that he would be worse than he was in
08:022024.
08:03And, you know, how good, quote-unquote, did I think he was going to be?
08:06I don't know if I saw him being this good.
08:08But, like, for the past couple years and really even before I was here, like, the prevailing thought was, like,
08:14this defense can be so good that if the Browns get, quote-unquote, average quarterback play, think about how good
08:20they would be.
08:21Well, the Browns, by all metrics, are getting average to above-average quarterback play right now.
08:26And they're 3-1.
08:27So, you know, there's a lot that's gone into this start.
08:30But, like, there's no doubt that, in a way, Deshaun has kind of been a steadying force with some of
08:36his play at times
08:37and especially what he's been able to do late.
08:40Daniel Yufusi joining us, ESPN.
08:42How is Shador coming along?
08:43Because, you know, you might find yourself in an emergency situation at some point.
08:48Very few quarterbacks anymore make it through 17 games.
08:51We want to be confident that he's able to take over and play winning football.
08:55Yeah, I mean, the plan all along is, like Munkin said, has been to kind of play the long game.
09:00And while they were pleased with what he did in the spring and the summer,
09:04almost kind of making it a competition, in Munkin's words, you know, the plan is to continue working with him.
09:10So, like, it's tough, honestly, for, you know, any backup, let alone, like, a young backup quarterback,
09:16because, like Munkin said, like, these guys aren't getting, like, really any type of number one reps during the week.
09:24Like, all that is going towards the starter.
09:25But, like, you know, he's running scout team in moments.
09:28And, you know, behind the scenes, like, that he's doing the work.
09:32Like, sometimes a lot of it is, like, the onus is, like, on that individual player to make sure that
09:36they're getting the extra reps
09:37and getting the extra mental reps and stuff like that.
09:39So, it is tough, but, like, that's the plan right now, like, just to keep working with him behind the
09:44scenes.
09:45And, you know, if anything happens, like, the hope and the thought is that, you know,
09:50he'd be ready to go out there and execute the offense.
09:54Do you find it surprising that the Browns are underdogs on Sunday when they go to travel to take on
10:01the Jets?
10:03No, because it's still a little bit early in the season where I think, you know, the betting markets,
10:09and all those people are still probably a little bit skeptical.
10:14Like, it's probably still a little bit early to give the Browns the respect that I know a lot of
10:18people in Cleveland want.
10:19But it's only, like, one and a half.
10:21Like, I haven't checked it since yesterday morning.
10:23Like, I wouldn't be surprised if it, you know, even comes down a little bit more over the next couple
10:28of days.
10:30Khalil Mack, do we actually have a chance to trade for him?
10:34I mean, anything's possible.
10:35You know, it's funny, like, Andrew Barry, like,
10:39I feel like he talks to teams about, like, everybody.
10:41Like, they have, like, weekly trade meetings where they just kind of check in with, you know, execs,
10:46and they say, like, hey, like, is so-and-so available?
10:48Anybody you're interested in?
10:49So, I think it's possible.
10:51I think that the pass rush is in a pretty good spot, the defensive line.
10:57I mean, the edge position is in a pretty good spot, I would say.
11:01I think that especially some of these guys that they brought in late have performed maybe a bit better than
11:05expected.
11:06Now, the interior of the defensive line is obviously in a little bit of a shaky spot,
11:12especially if Mason Graham has to miss multiple weeks or an extended period of time.
11:16But I don't know if Khalil Mack is a guy that, like, the Browns absolutely need right now, to be
11:20honest.
11:21Like, they're getting pretty good contributions from that rotation,
11:23that rotation despite, you know, some of the injuries and whatnot that they've had to deal with, you know,
11:28in training camp and whatnot.
11:30Have you been paying attention at all to the potential that the Ravens game could actually get flexed out into
11:38the 425 window?
11:40And how much of that would also rely upon whether or not their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson, could be available?
11:48Yeah, yeah.
11:49I mean, it's definitely a possibility, you know, they have these new flex rules across, you know,
11:53all the networks and even just regularly, like you said, just moving from a 1 p.m.
11:58to that 425 kind of national, quote-unquote national window.
12:02But, yeah, I mean, a big part of it is definitely going to be on, you know,
12:05whether Lamar Jackson is available to play.
12:07And just judging off the comments from Baltimore yesterday from their head coach, like, I don't know.
12:13I mean, whenever Lamar gets hurt, it's always kind of up in the air how long he's going to miss,
12:16the extent of the injury.
12:17They said it's not going to be crazy long-term, but they didn't really say, like, what crazy long-term
12:21is.
12:22So, yeah, I think a big, big, big part factor in whether that game is flexed
12:27is whether, obviously, Lamar Jackson is going to be available, you know, a week from Sunday.
12:32When do you think we'll get Mason Graham back in the fold?
12:37Well, they said that they're going to – they kind of labeled him week to week in a statement that
12:41they put out,
12:41I believe, last Friday it was.
12:43But, like, when you've got an MCL and an ankle sprain, like, I have to think you'll miss at least,
12:49like, two games.
12:51It doesn't sound like he's going to be an IR candidate.
12:53Just, again, like, when you label him week to week, it doesn't sound like an IR-type deal.
12:58And it does help, I guess, that, you know, they have this mini-bye week before that first game, you
13:04know,
13:04against the Jets on Sunday.
13:06But it does feel like a multi-week absence in my eyes, like an MCL and an ankle.
13:12That feels like at least two weeks.
13:16All right, obviously, we haven't had a lot of, over the years, a lot of discussions about stuff like what
13:21I'm going to ask about
13:22because they're not often 3-1.
13:25They're not often coming off a thrilling come-from-behind win on national television that, you know,
13:31the rest of the league was watching.
13:33But is Todd Monkett going to have any issues whatsoever refocusing these guys
13:38and making sure they act like they've been there before?
13:44I don't think so.
13:45I don't think so.
13:46I think last Thursday was a perfect opportunity for this, like, for the Browns to be the Browns, quote-unquote.
13:53You know what I'm saying?
13:54Like, short week, veteran team.
13:56Like, if anything, I would think that, like, the veteran team would kind of have the leg up in kind
14:01of preparation and whatnot.
14:02And really, they came out there and kind of smacked them in the face in the first half, like, 21
14:05straight points.
14:06And they really controlled that game for most of the night.
14:09One thing that, like, I want to bring up is, like, these guys are so young.
14:14Like, a lot of these guys are so young.
14:15Like, people say I'm young.
14:16Like, these guys are, like, these rookies and second-year guys are, like, four or five years younger than me.
14:20So a lot of these guys, like, weren't even, like, born or, like, they don't even know, like, the old
14:25Cleveland Browns.
14:26Like, Jared Verst kind of alluded to that.
14:28Like, these aren't the same Cleveland Browns.
14:29Like, a lot of these guys don't even know this.
14:31Like, they're almost, like, naive to the point where, like, they're just going out there and they just have the
14:35utmost confidence.
14:36They're not even thinking about kind of the history of disappointment and whatnot.
14:39So I don't think that that will be, like, getting them focused or anything will be, like, a real issue
14:45for Munkin.
14:46Just because of how young they are, how excited they are, how confident they are.
14:49Like, it's almost like a little, I don't want to say arrogance, but, like, they don't even know any better
14:53at this point.
14:55Daniel Yufusi joining us on the show.
14:57You ready to be trapped?
14:59Sure.
15:00Why not?
15:00Brian McFadden said that the Browns, quote, do not miss Miles Garrett.
15:05Are the Browns better without Miles Garrett?
15:08I would never say that.
15:09Like, I would never say that.
15:12They're definitely adjusting well to life without him as well as Jim Swartz.
15:17But I would never be so disrespectful to say that they're missing a two-time defensive player of the year.
15:23You're wise.
15:25You're a very wise man.
15:26How old are you, by the way?
15:28I'm 28.
15:29What's your Social Security number?
15:32I'm kidding.
15:33Come on, man.
15:34Daniel, I was born on a day, but not yesterday.
15:38Daniel, thank you so much for the time.
15:39Honestly, wonderful, as always.
15:41We look forward to having you again very soon, buddy.
15:44All the best.
15:46Same to you.
15:47Daniel Yafusi, Browns reporter, ESPN.
15:51All right, you ready for me to talk irresponsibly about Miles Garrett?
15:53Yeah, absolutely.
15:54I think I'm about to do that in five minutes, just like people are talking a little irresponsibly
15:58about Jose Ramirez.
16:00Is that coming up in what's in the box?
16:03That's coming up at 945.