00:00Go to brownzone.com, look in the upper right corner, and you see this story.
00:04Deshaun Watson gets the first team repetitions on what was originally scheduled to be Shadour Sanders' day.
00:10What does it mean? What does it mean?
00:11The guy who wrote the story joins us right now, Mr. Scott Petrack.
00:15Hello, Scott.
00:16What does it mean?
00:17Remember Todd told us, start paying attention.
00:20Somebody's going to be in there.
00:22Is this a sign?
00:26I wish I had a more definitive answer, Jeff.
00:28I mean, it's easy to read those tea leaves and say, okay, is this a sneak peek of what's coming,
00:34whether it's the Chicago preseason opener next Saturday or week one in Jacksonville?
00:40I'm not ready to go that far.
00:42It was certainly surprising the way Saturday was handled.
00:47Deshaun Watson has been playing better.
00:50You know, I thought he had a really slow start to training camp.
00:53Did a bunch of interceptions.
00:55Starting Wednesday, he's been better.
00:58It was a good Wednesday, good Friday, good Saturday.
01:02But I'm not ready to say that this decision has been made.
01:06You know, I still think we're probably going to get one guy and make a start against the Bears
01:10and the other guy against the Bills.
01:11I just don't think you carry it this long and then say, oh, you know,
01:16we got to two days of non-installation and we're ready to make a decision.
01:19It doesn't seem like they're playing all the way along, but I've been surprised before.
01:25Okay, so just dig into this decision over the weekend then, just a little bit more,
01:31and why he would do that knowing that you were going to have people like us talking about like crazy.
01:37Yeah, I mean, until we talked to Todd, whatever, in a couple hours, I don't know.
01:43He didn't talk after practice Saturday.
01:45You know, we had a team spokesman say he just wanted to see Deshaun Watson be with certain personnel packages,
01:51which, you know, he spent all day with the ones.
01:53So it feels like he wanted to see Deshaun more with the ones.
01:57Now, Watson hadn't had as many padded practices with the ones, just the way the rotation was working.
02:03So that could have been part of it.
02:07You know, yeah, I don't have a great answer.
02:09It certainly feels like if you're just looking and don't talk to Todd Muck, you know,
02:12it looks like, okay, he wants, he's getting Deshaun Watson ready for whatever,
02:16or he wanted to see Deshaun Watson with the ones more because he's leaning toward going that way against the
02:21Bears.
02:22I get it, and those are easy conclusions to make.
02:27I just don't think I can make them completely until we talk to Munkin and see if it was just
02:31a one-day thing.
02:32You know, is Sanders getting the first team reps today and then back on schedule?
02:37Like, I don't know, but he's certainly left a lot of doubt and plenty of room for the kind of
02:42big-picture questions
02:43like we're talking about, and I completely understand that.
02:46After watching what you've seen of camp so far, seeing these guys, how they're performing,
02:51hearing what you're hearing about, how they're doing in the classroom,
02:56what's your gut telling you right now?
02:58Yeah, I mean, I would lean toward Watson.
03:02What I'll say is watching them throw the ball for 10 practices,
03:07Shudder Sanders has been better.
03:10Now the last, whatever, three out of the last four days, Watson was probably better.
03:15But I thought Sanders was, just from a pure throwing standpoint, was way ahead through the first six days.
03:22Now that's not the only thing that matters, and the operation looks a little slower with Sanders.
03:28You know, getting in and out of the huddle, they had to stop plays, you know,
03:32whether it's delay a game penalty or a false start or they had to re-huddle.
03:36But that's happened with Watson, too, and Dylan Gabriel, so it's not like it's only happened with Sanders.
03:43But Munkin has alluded to and talked about how Watson has an edge there just given his experience.
03:49I think we knew that coming in, and that's part of the area where Sanders is trying to catch up.
03:56You know, catch up, and I think he did that throughout the offseason and starting in the training camp.
04:02So, just on the field, I think Shudder Sanders has had the edge.
04:06Will all three quarterbacks be here to start the season?
04:14I think odds-wise, I would say no.
04:18You know, heading into camp, I thought Dylan Gabriel would be the guy not here,
04:22but he's exceeded my expectations.
04:25You know, he's getting more reps.
04:26His camp goes along.
04:28Haven't seen a lot of Taylor Greene.
04:31We know that they like to keep three quarterbacks.
04:33So, you know, if they go with Watson as a starter, then do they feel like it's too much to
04:40have Shudder as a backup?
04:41Like, I understand that conversation.
04:43I also think that, you know, Watson has not been able to stay healthy.
04:48So, if you think that there's a good chance he gets hurt or there's a chance he gets hurt,
04:53you know, do you just move on from Shudder without giving him a chance to stick around and maybe play
04:5914 games, right?
05:00So, I think it's a complicated question.
05:03I think it's a complicated decision.
05:07But I'm going to change my mind.
05:08I'm going to go, yes, all three guys are here week one.
05:11Just given that, you know, I don't think there's a huge trade market for anybody.
05:17And I'm not sure Taylor Greene is ready to be the No. 3 quarterback.
05:22Scott Patrick joining us, brownzone.com, where you can read all his work covering the Browns for the Chronicle-Telegram.
05:28Last week, Will Levis, there was some buzz about Will, and he's sitting there right now as the third-string
05:33quarterback in Tennessee.
05:35And he's confident that there aren't 32 guys better than me playing quarterback in the league.
05:41And Detroit suddenly, you know, needs a quarterback.
05:45I wonder, are we going to see some movement?
05:48And could that movement not just be maybe the Browns shipping somebody out?
05:52I know you just said you think all three will be here.
05:54I think that's a possibility, too.
05:56But could the Browns be in the market and think, all right, we don't really like any of these guys.
06:02And we'll bring somebody else in and train them up.
06:06Yeah, it's interesting.
06:07You know, my gut, or my first thought is, no.
06:10Like, they knew where they stood before the offseason, during the offseason, before training camp, right?
06:15Like, they knew who these four quarterbacks were.
06:18And there wasn't really any strong inclination to go get somebody else from March on, right?
06:26We haven't, you know, we talked about a million quarterbacks in March and Malik Willis and Mac Jones and all
06:31that.
06:32And it hasn't felt like the Browns have been close to any of those things.
06:35So, that makes me think, no, that they're just going to ride it out.
06:39Like, I feel like that's been the plan all along.
06:41Having said that, Andrew Barry's traded quarterbacks and brought in quarterbacks late in the preseason.
06:48He's done it in the regular season.
06:50So, I would not rule it out with him.
06:54But, like, I just don't see them trading for a guy that they think is going to come in and
06:58start.
07:00That doesn't make sense to me.
07:02You know, you're Todd Munkin, you're trying to get these guys ready to play.
07:05That's asking a first-year coach to really, all of a sudden, he's got two weeks to get a guy
07:10prepared to go start.
07:11Like, I just don't think that makes sense.
07:13Could it be a lower, you know, you're adding a second or third quarterback?
07:17Sure, you know, you could talk me into that.
07:22But I just don't think we're going to get Will Levis as your starting quarterback.
07:25I just think you could have done that three months ago if you wanted to.
07:29That's probably true.
07:29That's a good point.
07:31How does the offensive line play into this?
07:33And what are your thoughts on what you're seeing from the offensive line right now, especially with your first-round
07:37draft pick?
07:38Yeah, I think as a group, it's hard because there's been injuries.
07:43And you're still seeing Fano rotate with DeJuan Jones at left tackle.
07:47Now, maybe that changes.
07:48Todd Munkin said they were going to talk about the depth chart and the lineup.
07:51And what they wanted to do as far as the practice reps coming out of the day off yesterday.
07:55So maybe they just go, hey, it's Fano's job from here on out.
07:59You know, he's had his ups and downs going against Jared Verse.
08:01Saturday was, felt like, a meaningful day for Fano.
08:06You know, he was with the ones.
08:08He goes against Verse.
08:09They get in that fight.
08:10He holds his own in the fight.
08:12You know, he doesn't back down.
08:14A couple reps later, he's straight up with Verse and he stops him.
08:17Um, then late in practice, Verse jumps offside in the pass rush drill.
08:23And Fano's kind of in his grill doing the Jared Verse dance.
08:26So there was a lot of, um, there's a lot of whatever, moxie being shown or something.
08:31Courage, um, personality.
08:34And I think that was important for him because he's had, you know, some ups and downs during
08:39this camp to be expected.
08:40But going against Verse, he's in and out of the first team.
08:43So I think he's going to be okay.
08:45But I think you could see some struggles early.
08:47Let's assume he's out there week one, which I think just makes sense.
08:50Um, you know, center, it looks like it's going to be Elton Jenkins just because we haven't
08:55seen Park Brailsford.
08:56He's been out for a while with, looks like a hand or a wrist injury.
08:59Um, right guard, Tevin Jenkins has been out a long time.
09:03So it's him or Casey Levinson.
09:04So I just don't think we've seen the five that you're going to see.
09:08So there could be some growing pains when we get to week one.
09:11Haven't heard the name Zach Zinter much at all during camp.
09:15What's going on?
09:17Well, he was working with the second team.
09:18Then he left practice.
09:19These days all run together, but let's call it Thursday.
09:22Um, he was carted off.
09:24Might've been a head injury.
09:25Um, hasn't been back on the, I've seen him like he's around.
09:29I saw him after practice Saturday, but hasn't practiced since then.
09:33Um, I think he's in danger of not making this team roster.
09:37You know, I know he's a third round pick.
09:38Maybe they bring him back on the practice squad, but when you crunch the numbers, um, I think
09:43he would need some injuries to last into roster cut down for Zinder to stick around.
09:49Uh, let's talk wide receiver for a second.
09:52Cedric Tillman, Isaiah Bond.
09:55Yeah.
09:55And where are they sitting right now?
09:58Well, Bond's got a roster spot locked up.
10:01The question is, is he number four?
10:03Does he, you know, how do they rotate those four guys?
10:05Judy, Bond, the two rookies, Concepcion and Boston.
10:10Tillman, he's making catches and he shows up and he's a big body.
10:14I mean, you know, he's always flashed, right?
10:16Since he's been here, he's flashed.
10:17He just hasn't been consistent, hasn't been able to stay healthy.
10:21The question is, do the Browns keep it?
10:23And I think Tyler Wallace has a roster spot.
10:24So there's five guys.
10:25So there's one or two spots left that are open.
10:29Um, do you keep Tillman is that fifth slash six receiver?
10:34Um, in his fourth year, you know, the money that's involved or do you try to trade him?
10:40And that feels like a move that the Browns are trying to make.
10:44I think there's a team out there that would give you something for Tillman.
10:48I think Andrew Barry would be able to make that deal.
10:52Um, I just don't, like, I think he's got, like I said, I think he's got potential.
10:55I just think he's far down this depth chart where it makes sense to, um, try to get something back
11:01for him.
11:02Interesting.
11:04Uh, let me go back and, uh, I get another offensive line thought.
11:06Zinter was a third round pick.
11:08Austin Barber, a third round pick.
11:09We're hearing a lot about Austin Barber.
11:12Could there be more to this than we think?
11:14And could we see Austin Barber on the field, you know, early on in the regular season at some spot?
11:21Yeah, he's an interesting guy to watch.
11:22He's a big dude.
11:23Um, he stands out, you know, when you look out there, you notice him.
11:27Um, Titus Howard left practice Saturday.
11:30So I don't know if he'll be out there today.
11:32And when Howard's not been out there, it's been Barber.
11:35And he's gotten a decent number of first team reps because, you know, Howard's an older guy.
11:39He's not out there for every snap all the time.
11:41Um, so he could be the right tackle.
11:44So if we, if they still have a question at right guard is, you know, we get deeper in the
11:49preseason, I could see Barber getting some reps at right guard and see if that works for him.
11:54But I do think he's a long-term, part of the long-term future here.
11:58Like, I think he's your right tackle.
12:00I don't know if it's week one, week eight, or 2028.
12:04But at some point, I think he's going to be the right tackle.
12:07I think they like him a lot.
12:08And he's got everything you're looking for.
12:11Could he possibly be the left tackle if Fano ends up going back to his natural spot at right tackle?
12:17I don't think they do that, Jeff.
12:19I mean, Andrew Barry, you know, the second they drafted Fano, he's a left tackle.
12:25They don't worry about moving to the left side.
12:28I don't think any issues he's having is being on the left side.
12:30I mean, I know it's a conversion.
12:32They talk about it's an adjustment.
12:33I'm not completely downplaying that.
12:36But you draft the guy at number nine, you want to play left tackle for you.
12:41Okay.
12:41Good point.
12:42Enjoy practice.
12:43Can't wait to hear what you asked Todd today.
12:46I'm working on it.
12:47Scott Petrack, ChronicleTelegram, BrownZone.com.
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