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00:00So we will hear from Shador Sanders coming up right around probably 1130, 1135, 1140,
00:08right in that range.
00:09I'm Jeff Phelps.
00:10This would be Andy Baskin, Andrew Siciliano straight ahead.
00:12Football Talk on 92.3 The Fan is brought to you by Xfinity.
00:17Introducing Xfinity Shield, a force field for your home team.
00:22Again, concussion protocol for Deshaun Watson.
00:26And until he's cleared, obviously he doesn't play football.
00:29So somebody else will be at quarterback if he's not cleared.
00:33Who might that be?
00:34We assume it's Shador Sanders.
00:36He's speaking to the media today.
00:37So you would assume he would be the guy.
00:39He was the backup quarterback last week.
00:42So I'm assuming we will see Shador unless Deshaun clears concussion protocol.
00:47Let's go to the Wiseheart Wright.
00:49We make it right call Kyle Wright hotline.
00:51You hear him on Sundays with Nathan Zagura and Gerard Cherry calling Browns games on the Browns radio network.
00:56He's our buddy, Andrew Siciliano.
00:58Hello, Andrew.
00:59Hello, Andrew.
01:00Good morning, guys.
01:02How are you?
01:03You okay?
01:04How are you?
01:05All right.
01:05We're good here, too.
01:07Deshaun Watson not after clearing concussion protocol and being okay after the game and being okay Monday morning.
01:16But as Andy says, and accurately so, all concussions are different.
01:21Right now, he doesn't play on Sunday.
01:24So what do the Browns do?
01:24Right now, we don't know one way or the other if he plays on Sunday.
01:28Well, unless he clears concussion protocol, of course.
01:31Sure, of course.
01:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:33The timeline's not in his favor.
01:35Now, the Browns have had players clear concussion protocol in each of the last three weeks.
01:39Casey Concepcion, Grant Delpit, and Titus Howard.
01:42And Howard did so this week, or last week, rather, really only going through the walkthrough on Saturday.
01:47That is when he was cleared.
01:49I would say it is unlikely, just judging on the calendar.
01:52But, guys, you never know with concussions, one way or the other.
01:56You know, Casey felt great on Monday morning, Tuesday morning, early in the week.
02:03I can't remember which day.
02:04And in that Jets game, it looked as if he was knocked out on the field for a half a
02:08second, which was scary.
02:11Deshaun, when they radioed down from up top, and that is an independent spotter upstairs,
02:16he went to the blue tent, missed three plays, and then I want to make something very clear here
02:21because I've got a lot of Steeler fans in my timeline saying, the Browns cleared him.
02:25Guys, geez, you don't know how this works.
02:27It's not the 70s.
02:28The independent doctors in the blue tent clear him.
02:33But, you know, head injuries are crazy things.
02:37And, yeah, I'm happy he self-reported.
02:40I mean, that's the most important thing.
02:42Come back in and say, I don't feel right.
02:44And that is what I think is, you know, this day and age of football is far different.
02:49And, you know, players understand that if you don't feel right, even if it's 48 hours later,
02:55you've got to say something.
02:57You sure got in their first series.
03:00I listened to you guys.
03:01I was listening to the game.
03:02It's just, to me, listening to you and Nathan, it just sounded like the timing was all off.
03:06It was.
03:07So, just your thoughts on how he needs to improve to get ready for this week's game.
03:11There are two ways to look at it.
03:12You can say, wow, man, tough situation on the road, thrown in, in Pittsburgh, crowd going wild, opening possession.
03:21Like, yeah, that's not ideal.
03:22The other way you could look at it is, man, it's like first quarter.
03:26Like, you know, everyone's got to be up and ready.
03:29It didn't look great.
03:30It's three plays.
03:31I'm showing the guy some grace.
03:32Not going to write off anyone for getting thrown in for three plays.
03:35Big deal.
03:35But if given the opportunity this week and given three days of prep time, three full days of real practice
03:42and a Saturday walkthrough before flying to New Orleans, you hope to see it in the next hour.
03:48Can I clarify one thing as well?
03:49Yep.
03:50If I could.
03:50Do anything you want.
03:51I've got Steeler fans coming after me for my tweet this morning.
03:56I want to explain it.
03:57I'm not taking a shot at Jaquan Brisker.
03:58I thought this Sunday night when I heard it in the moment, and I can tell you, I've heard from
04:03other people around the league on Monday as well.
04:06It wasn't a good look when Brisker, the Steeler's safety, I'm not calling him out personally.
04:12I'm not casting aspersions about his character.
04:14But when player A hits player B, player A is called for a personal foul regardless of what the rules
04:21analyst on television says about the call.
04:23And then player B is sent for a concussion check by the independent spotter after being down on his knees
04:30for 30 seconds.
04:31I think from a player health and safety standpoint, and I would say this about any player on any team,
04:38any of the 32,
04:39I think it's a bad look to then after the game, mock that player for needing a concussion check.
04:49Now, it wasn't actually mocking for needing the concussion check, but said he was crying and he needed his blanket.
04:57So that was what I tweeted this morning.
04:59It felt like it was, I think Steeler fans think it was me taking shots at them.
05:03It's not.
05:03But I just think from, and I talked about this with multiple people, not just like Browns people.
05:09I actually haven't talked about it with any Browns people at all.
05:11I just thought it was like, ooh, like player health and safety, that's not the best look after a game.
05:18So there's my two cents on that.
05:20Yeah, I'm trying to remember.
05:21I was in a locker room once.
05:23It was somebody from the Bengals, and it was somebody who was, I can't remember who it was.
05:27It was somebody that used to talk a lot.
05:29And I remember, like, we asked him two questions, and it was like he was in outer space.
05:34And then, luckily, PR guy, like, grabbed him out of there, and then we found out that he had a
05:38concussion.
05:39Like, it was brutal.
05:40And so I just, sometimes I think people forget that these guys are human beings, and that, it drives me
05:47crazy.
05:47And, like, I just, when I, every concussion's different, dude.
05:51Every concussion's different.
05:53And, look, under the broader umbrella here of the trash-talking all week and Verse and McCormick and Dirk, I
06:01understand things can get clouded.
06:03And I can also show Jaquan Brisker, Jaquan Brisker, I beg your pardon, some grace in that he was all
06:10agitated because of all of the things I just listed.
06:14Totally understand that.
06:15I was pointing out on Twitter that from a health and safety perspective, and this is something I've been talking
06:20about with other people for the last 48 hours,
06:21it was one of those where you hear it and you go, eww, yikes, okay.
06:26And then now you find out the player actually does have a concussion.
06:31That's all.
06:33If Shador Sanders starts on Sunday, what are you thinking?
06:37Yes.
06:37You know, he's had eight games to sit back, and other than a couple of plays, watch, learn, hopefully improve.
06:45Yeah, you would certainly hope so.
06:47And let's go back to the preseason guy.
06:48Shador played well in the preseason.
06:50I mean, regardless of how the end of the preseason and the end of training camp played out, there were
06:56plenty of people that thought,
06:58hey, you know what?
06:59Shador has – this is close enough in the quarterback battle.
07:04Why don't you just give it to the younger player?
07:05Because that makes sense.
07:07It turns out giving it to Deshaun has paid dividends, and look where the Browns are right now.
07:11Right?
07:11They're the eighth seed in the American Football Conference.
07:14I realize only seven get in.
07:15But if I told you that at the midway point you'd be one spot out of the postseason if you
07:20pick quarterback A, I think you would have been happy.
07:22We all would have been happy.
07:23We all would have said thank you.
07:24Yep.
07:25Absolutely.
07:26I think Shador steadily improved through training camp.
07:29I think that was evident each and every day of practice, and I think he played well in the preseason.
07:34And I am certainly optimistic, and I'm certainly excited, if that's the case.
07:38Excited not in a player A is injured, let's get to player B mentality, but excited to see what he
07:43could do.
07:44Andrew.
07:45Absolutely.
07:45Andrew, eight sacks in this game.
07:49Yeah, not good.
07:49How do you fix the offensive line?
07:51What do you do with the offensive line?
07:53Is there any fixing the offensive line?
07:56Yeah, I think the offensive line, to go back to what Tennessee, you know, the Tennessee game, the offensive line
08:00looked great.
08:00It's a much different opponent with a different front and a different talent level.
08:03Let's call it what it is.
08:04But Jeffrey Simmons was there that day, and you saw what Jeffrey Simmons did on Monday night for the Bears.
08:09That was a difference maker, and he makes them the Super Bowl favorite in my eyes in the NFC.
08:17It was not a good day for the rookies.
08:19They admit that.
08:20Spencer Fano owned that, but it goes deeper than that.
08:23I think there is a problem here.
08:26We've seen it when you're facing a 3-4 as opposed to a 4-3.
08:31The Saints are having trouble stopping the run, and the Saints can't run the football.
08:36Like, on paper, this should be a Browns victory.
08:40But, you know, it should have been that in New York and in Tennessee.
08:46It shouldn't have come down to an Andre Schmidt field goal.
08:48Back to the initial question.
08:50The line's got to play better, but Deshaun's also got to get the ball out faster.
08:52Or Shador, for that matter.
08:54Or Dylan Gabriel or Talon Green, whomever is the quarterback.
08:57Not all sacks are on the line.
08:59Some of them certainly were.
09:01Absolutely.
09:02Some of them, you know, there's blame to go around.
09:04And also, let's give the Steelers credit.
09:07For whatever reason, they have their 23 straight wins there,
09:10and pass protection goes straight down the drain when the Browns are in that building.
09:16Andrew Siciliano joining us.
09:17And, of course, you hear Andrew calling Browns games on the Browns Radio Network
09:20with Nathan Zegura and Gerard Cherry.
09:23With the offensive line in mind at the trade deadline coming up,
09:26do you think there are any of the young guys that the coaching staff might be thinking,
09:31all right, we can try this here?
09:34Anybody ready to maybe move into a starting role and replace somebody?
09:37Because other teams will be looking for offensive linemen at the trade deadline,
09:42and the Browns, if they decide they have guys on the bench who might do as well
09:46as guys who are starting, might have an offensive lineman to move.
09:49I don't get that impression.
09:52You have DeJuan Jones as, obviously, your swing tackle.
09:56He's ready to fill in.
09:57He had to play 25 snaps two weeks ago.
09:59I don't think they would park with him.
10:02And, you know, on the interior, I like Luke Whipler,
10:06and Luke started week four against the Steelers.
10:09Luke is more of a center than a guard.
10:11Is there a team desperate for a center?
10:13I just don't see that Luke, in the final year of an affordable day three rookie contract,
10:19is somebody that you say, yeah, we're willing to move.
10:23So, no, I don't see surplus offensive line moving.
10:28Now, look what the Seahawks did.
10:33They went out and they flipped a three and a five for a Hall of Famer in Quentin Nelson.
10:37Now, you want to talk about something like that, I'd have that conversation.
10:40But I don't think O-line is where they would make a move.
10:45I think D-line for another body potentially is where you would make a move.
10:51They've been banged up in the interior.
10:52You're pretty much getting these guys back.
10:54But no one is truly, truly healthy.
10:57I would welcome one of those moves.
11:01But O-line, I don't think so.
11:04The trade deadline is looming next Tuesday.
11:07Tuesday, yes.
11:08How will that impact this franchise?
11:13Man, it's fascinating, isn't it?
11:15Yes, it is.
11:17Because New Orleans is not a good team.
11:19And that is not a secret.
11:21That is not a slander.
11:22But they are at home and they are coming off a bye.
11:24Now, oddly enough, they're not very good at home this year.
11:27They have found their quarterback and he can sling it.
11:30But I would like to say that the Browns are going to come back home, be 6-3.
11:35And the energy next week is entirely different.
11:37You've got the Texans coming to town.
11:39Now, they're far better than their 2-5 record.
11:41But you're like, hey, there's a chance to get to 7-3 before the bye.
11:47And then what do you do with the deadline?
11:50What do you do?
11:51I don't know.
11:54I really don't.
11:55They are in that position where Andrew Barry has always been aggressive.
12:01If there is a move that he thinks he can make at the right price,
12:06no one's mortgaging the future.
12:10Do we agree that shouldn't be the case?
12:13I don't think this team is in any position to mortgage the future.
12:16Okay, so, pass, can we agree?
12:18Yeah, I'm on the same page.
12:19Yeah.
12:19Fact.
12:20If you can improve the team at an affordable price, absolutely go for it.
12:27What do you got to lose?
12:29It's hard to get to 6-3.
12:31It's hard to get to 7-3, no matter what your preseason expectations are.
12:35Now, can I throw some cold water on the idea that I know gave everyone 24 hours
12:41of sports talk fun yesterday?
12:43Go.
12:43They ain't trading for Justin Herbert.
12:45I love Ben Solak.
12:47It's not that the Browns are in trading form.
12:50Justin Herbert's not for sale.
12:51And I understand the Matthew Stafford-Lions parallel from a couple of years ago.
12:57I understand that parallel.
12:59But spending a lot of time in Los Angeles over the years,
13:02there is no way ownership would ever, ever, ever, ever trade the best thing
13:06they have going for themselves.
13:08It ain't going to happen.
13:09And you're right, by the way.
13:11I'd just be stunned.
13:12Ever.
13:13Ever.
13:14It was a fun segment.
13:16It was a fun segment.
13:18It's not about would the Browns want him.
13:20Anybody would want him.
13:21We could argue about his postseason success later.
13:23Okay?
13:24But the Chargers aren't trading him.
13:27Well, they're going to fire Harbaugh and trade Herbert.
13:29Guys, Harbaugh's owed $32 million.
13:3232, roughly.
13:34Coaching contracts aren't entirely public, but that is the prevailing thought.
13:3816 a year, two more years left.
13:40They're not going to fire him.
13:41That's a big chunk of change to eat.
13:44Now, if they go 0-16, then I'll eat those words because maybe they do fire him.
13:48But the idea, in a city in which they are battling for eyes with the Rams.
13:54The Rams have been to two Super Bowls since they've been here.
13:57They won one.
13:57The Chargers have Justin Herbert.
14:00That is their best worldly possession.
14:03They are not trading him.
14:06It didn't take long for other NFL teams to look at Denzel Boston and Casey Concepcion
14:12and think, you know, we really need to cover those guys.
14:15Yeah.
14:17And that's a darn shame.
14:19But Casey had the big game two weeks ago.
14:22I'm anxious to see the two of those guys, Andrew, have a big game in the same game.
14:28It would be cool.
14:29Wouldn't it be fun?
14:30It would be great.
14:32And last time we went down there to New Orleans a couple of years ago,
14:35that was a fun – I mean, they lost.
14:37The Browns lost.
14:37That wasn't fun.
14:38But it was a fun Jameis game where Jerry Judy got involved.
14:42And there were a bunch of big plays all over the field.
14:44I'm down for that.
14:45I'm down for the fast track and getting the kids out on the track
14:49and letting them open it up.
14:50Yeah, I am all for that, getting them both involved.
14:55But, look, a couple of weeks ago it was Denzel Boston.
14:59He had a 25-yard reception in his first five NFL games.
15:03The record, by the way, is seven for Jamar Chase.
15:07Then you got Casey Concepcion going.
15:09And then last week you got Harold Fanden going.
15:11So, if they want to pass the baton every week, I'm fine with that as well.
15:16Can you do me a favor?
15:17I need you to size up the AFC North for me because at some points I think
15:22one team's stronger than another.
15:23And then, like, I thought the Bengals were the team.
15:25But yet, if they don't get a sack late in that game on Sunday,
15:29they could have lost that game just as easily.
15:31So, size up the AFC North for me as the Browns fall from first to third.
15:36It's the best division in football, maybe with the exception of the NFC North.
15:40It's all about the North.
15:42I think you could make a reasonable argument for any of those four, well,
15:46other than the Ravens, winning the division right now.
15:50And I know the Browns would probably be the long shot behind the Steelers
15:54and behind the Bengals.
15:55But, I mean, you have two division wins and you have five overall victories here.
16:00Now, their AFC record, all the losses have been AFC losses.
16:04I don't like that.
16:05But the Ravens have a massive uphill climb here.
16:10Like, Joey Funiano's a great story.
16:12Seven years in college between Maine and Connecticut.
16:14He made the team as an undrafted rookie.
16:16And the team did, like, a really cool video when he made the club as an undrafted rookie
16:20free agent with his parents on the line and crying.
16:23It was awesome.
16:24But now he's got to face the Jaguars on three days of rest.
16:27And he's only the second rookie quarterback, undrafted rookie quarterback,
16:30in the modern history of the game to make his first career start on three days rest.
16:37So, that one's tough.
16:40I, like, everyone says with the Bengals and Joe Burrow said,
16:44hey, we would have lost this game in years past.
16:46Like, I'm heartened by this victory.
16:48Take it.
16:49A win's a win.
16:50I would not be heartened by that victory at all.
16:54And as you pointed out, Cam Ward can't take a 20-yard sack there.
16:57I don't know that Joey Sly is going to hit a 64-yard field goal.
17:00And I don't know if Robert Sala is going to attempt the field goal because if he misses it,
17:04then Burrow's got the ball basically at midfield and 20 seconds left.
17:07But you can't take that sack.
17:10And Cam played his best game as a pro.
17:12Which is, you know, there's the good and the bad there.
17:15But the Bengals almost lost at home to the Titans.
17:20And the Steelers are really good because they run the football.
17:23And they play good defense.
17:25Like, the Steelers are in it for the long haul.
17:27They're making the playoffs.
17:28I'd be stunned if they don't.
17:30Okay.
17:31Safe travels to New Orleans.
17:33We look forward to you calling the game no matter who's a quarterback.
17:37And LSU, Alabama, and Baton Rouge.
17:39I'm not going to that on Saturday.
17:41But it is going to be a wild time in New Orleans.
17:44That'll be good.
17:44All right.
17:45Sounds good.
17:45Thanks, buddy.
17:46Have a beignet on me.
17:47They're delicious.
17:48They're just fried bread, though.
17:49But they are delicious.
17:50They're pretty good.
17:51Andrew Siciliano.
17:52Thanks, bud.
17:53Thanks, man.
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