JR Interview with Jonathan Peterlin

Baseball is everywhere you are this season with the MLB app. Enjoy the show from wherever you are when you download the free MLB app to your mobile device. Never miss a second of the action with coverage of in-game highlights, pitch-by-pitch features, select live broadcast coverage, and more. Show support for your favorite team with customizable MLB club-branded icons, and tune in to exclusive premium content for every team in the league. The MLB app is your ticket to all things baseball all the time.

You can even get live notifications sent to your phone, watch, and car, so you're always up to date on the biggest breaking news, scores, and standings. The MLB app is your hub for live baseball everywhere you go. The number one source of live baseball on your Apple and Android devices is the official app of Major League Baseball.

Download the MLB app today on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Get into all the Major League Baseball action with season two of Play Loud, exclusively on the MLB YouTube channel. Forget front row seats, we're taking you into the game, on the field, and in the dugout during some of the hottest matchups of the season. Follow along and be part of the fun alongside some of the league's biggest stars as we mic them up and get the cameras rolling during some of the hottest matchups of the season. Catch real-time reactions from Juan Soto in the field, or listen in on the hilarious conversation between Eduardo Escobar and Francisco Lindor in the dugout. Tune in for live reactions from players across the league with unprecedented access. Play Loud is your exclusive look into the fun of the game.

You never know what you're going to see or hear. Play Loud. It's baseball like you've never watched before. Tune in for new episodes of Play Loud, only on the MLB YouTube channel.

Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission. We have finality when it comes down to this Deshaun Watson situation, at least as it relates to his punishment. It's been negotiated and settled between the NFL Players Association on behalf of Deshaun Watson and the NFL that he will miss 11 games. He will not be paid for these games missed. He will have to pay a $5 million fine, and then he will also have to undergo an evaluation by behavioral experts. And if he doesn't do this, then they may up his suspension.

I don't think that this will be the case. Now Deshaun spoke, he apologized again, sounded like a forced apology, a kind of blanket apology to everyone who he may have offended, certainly not the accusers. And in an interesting twist, when he is eligible to play again, should his suspension stand at 11 games, he'll be eligible to come back against the Texans in Week 13. And so this has been an interesting issue to say the least. This has been a lightning rod issue across the NFL and pretty much just any place that has news. And so to get a more direct thought and opinion as to what this means for the Browns and how the city feels about this and what the vibe is, we're going to have a conversation right now with someone who is a host and an anchor for 92.3, the fan in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Browns. It's Jonathan Peterland. Jonathan, thank you for taking the time to hop on. JR, what's up, man? How are you?

I'm very well. Thank you so much. And thank you for taking the time to join us. No, anytime.

No problem. Well, I guess the overall question is, if you had to take the temperature in Cleveland, Ohio right now, what's the overall reaction? How is it leaning when people heard this news? You know what's weird about that is that it was more just relief, not of the number of games, just relief that we're done talking about it. And you know, JR, we're not done talking about it, but it felt like relief that for the time being, we at least had an answer to this puzzle that has been, seriously, I know you guys talk a lot about it nationally, but this is my 24-7, 365.

So I think first off, it was like a sigh of relief, like, all right, we can finally put all this behind us. And now we can start to plan out. We can talk real football and we can figure out what's going on with this team. We can talk about X's dose.

We can talk about Jacoby Brissette versus Jimmy Garoppolo. We can talk about all these other factors that we've been thinking about for a very, very long time. That's a relief, number one. And then, number two, the other reaction that I thought was a little more peculiar was, for the first time, I felt like people were really upset with how Deshaun handled the reaction today and how Deshaun handled his own press conference. Even myself, someone that I have been very in favor of this move, JR. I thought it was the right move. I think he upgraded quarterback. I think he made the right decision. But even I was left scratching my head at points today. Deshaun, it didn't deliver. He was back and forth in his message. He was, at times, seemed very angry even early on, and it didn't hit with a lot of people. Well, we certainly see that. He apologized.

Not to the accusers, but just to anyone who might be offended. I'm sure that the locker room feels a sense of relief as well as they'll be able to, at least for the time being, focus in on football. What does this mean on the football side for the Browns? You already mentioned Jimmy Garoppolo, and I don't know if the Browns want to trade for him.

And then you have Jacoby Brissett, who's the prototypical, I'm here when someone gets hurt, or maybe in this case is suspended. What are the Browns going to do? Because they do have a solid roster.

Yeah, I mean, 2-53, you can make an argument. They're right up there with the Bucks. They're right up there with the Bills. It's a very good roster. It's just figuring out who number one is, and number one is the most important part of the team, right? I've been in favor of Jimmy Garoppolo.

I think the Browns should make a move for it. Kevin Stefanski and Drew Barry both stamped down a vote of confidence for Jacoby Brissett today. But again, I'm not taking them at face value when it comes to anything, because they're diplomats in this scenario. Both of them are very, very good at handling the media and not saying a thing at all.

Both of them throughout the entire stretch, they say one thing, they do another thing. We had leaked reports that have gone in various directions. Whether you want to listen to Mary Kay Cabot, who of course I trust and is very, very good at her job.

Whether you want to listen to Mina Kimes, whether you want to listen to... on and on the list goes. There's been multiple reports over the previous week and a half about the Browns' interest in Jimmy Garoppolo. I think it makes the most sense. I think in 11 games, you definitely have to look into it if you're the Browns. At what cost is obviously a different scenario, but the money won't come into play for the Browns.

At least it shouldn't come into play for the Browns. Is Jimmy G worth a fourth, fifth, sixth round pick? In my estimation, yeah, because Jacoby Percette, I don't think he wins you nearly as many games as Jimmy Garoppolo would.

No, absolutely. That depends on if Jimmy Garoppolo is going to go out there and be healthy enough to play every game. Jonathan Peterlin is joining us from 92-3, the fan out in Cleveland. Is there a possibility in your thought process that Jimmy Garoppolo would not have to be traded for? That he would be able to ultimately be released from the 49ers and then maybe even signed by the Browns? Yeah, I think at that point, if we're just judging what people in San Francisco are saying, they would wait until the very end of the preseason. I think if you're the Browns, I think you've got to start making those phone calls.

And you've got to at least gauge San Francisco. Everyone knows they're not really going to hang on to Jimmy G during the season. That's so awkward, JR. He's on the sidelines throwing passes and he doesn't talk to anyone inside the building. He just shows up to the building and it's just that awkward thing in the corner.

Everyone knows they want a piece and go different ways. If you're the Browns, dangle a fifth round pick in their face. Say, here it is, here's a fifth round pick, here's a sixth round pick, give us Jimmy G, we'll take on the money, and then let's go and let's do this. I don't think you wait, and I do think the difference between doing it now and the couple weeks it would wait until the 49ers would seemingly release Jimmy G, I do think that does matter. I think that matters for starting in the week one. I think that matters for the Browns getting this thing going. Because you've got a very easy early portion of the schedule, JR. First four games of the season, a lot of wins could be had for the Browns there. Carolina, Jets, it gets a little tougher in week three in a Thursday night game against the Steelers. Falcons after that, those are at least three out of four games you should win.

And depending who the Steelers have starting, should be four. So you'd want Jimmy G in there to stamp that down without question as soon as possible. Well, Joel Botonio, one of your offensive linemen in Cleveland for the Browns, he's pretty much taken the approach of, hey, this is Cleveland versus the world. This is Cleveland versus everybody else.

Despite this being a terrible situation that Deshaun Watson has had to experience, that the accusers have had to experience, that his teammates and owners and everyone have had to discuss and talk about. Is this really a situation that can be a rallying cry and us against everyone else? I don't know that the rallying cry stays when he's not in the building anymore. Like JR, when we're done with preseason, do you really think then as he just goes off to the side and then he gets away from the team, you really think Joel Botonio is going to be, and trust me, that was already a t-shirt that we have in this city, the Cleveland against the world. It's just a mantra that happens in this city, just one of those things. So like Joel Botonio isn't discovering new land here.

He just took a t-shirt mantra and ran with it. You really think Joel Botonio will be sitting in his locker week two as Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissette gets set to go ahead and play the Jets and they'll be like, oh, it is us against everybody. Like, no, of course not. Did they feel some of that in that Jacksonville preseason game? Maybe a little bit when the fans were starting to chant down all sorts of obscenities at Deshaun Watson.

Maybe then. But until Deshaun's on the field, I feel like that rallying cry, for me at least, JR, it falls very, very short. Jonathan Peterlin is here with us, 92-3, the fan in Cleveland. It's tough to figure out what this team can look like throughout the course of the season until we know who is going to be the quarterback. What ultimately is the best case scenario for the team this year? And if they should not make the playoffs or kind of falter, would that kind of be taken as a Mulligan-type year?

I don't think people are looking at it like a Mulligan. I think this team, it's a win-now roster, even though the quarterback situation is a little shakier. Listen, this front office, I know what you're getting at, JR. You're trying to figure out where we stand with Kevin Safanski. This front office loves Kevin Safanski. They really think very highly of him. I don't know that he is a football savant.

I'm not going to say that he walks on water quite yet. I don't know that he is necessarily the greatest play caller. But he is so good when it comes to just being a leader and when it comes to getting everyone to buy in and when it comes to seeming like you have an adult in charge. And that matters. Coming from Hugh Jackson, coming from Freddy Kitchens, where we didn't have what seemed like an adult in charge, it matters that the Browns have that front and center. But you've got to win.

Ultimately, you've got to win. And as I mentioned before, when you've got one of the best 2-53 in the NFL, a lot of your excuses go out the window. Whether it's Jacoby Brissett, whether it's Jimmy Garoppolo, whether it's Deshaun Watson, whatever combination of quarterback play you have, Kevin Safanski has got to find some of that magic he had two years ago.

If not, yeah. People are going to start to question whether or not he should be the man in charge. Yeah, it wasn't so much a question at all about Coach Safanski. I think he's in good standing. And Coach, who's out there on the field, he can't only do so much. So that wasn't so much a question about him. A final question for you here, Jonathan. When you take a look at this season and you think about Deshaun, and he's going to loom, even in his absence, he's going to loom over this franchising organization.

And that's just the case when you go out and pay $230 million guaranteed for the man. How is he going to be received when he comes back? Is that first touchdown going to wipe the slate clean? Will everybody move on?

Or is this just everyone outside of Cleveland kind of taking an outsider's position? Oh, man, that's the million-dollar question, JR. I don't know what it will be, if I'm just being honest about it.

I really don't know. I really think, you know, there's a lot of people that says, like, oh, I'm not a Browns fan anymore because of Deshaun Watson. Okay, fine. They won't be at the game, you know what I mean? They won't be there then.

I'll say this. I think there are more defenders that call into my radio station, 92-3 the fan in Cleveland. There are more defenders at Deshaun Watson as far as we needed to upgrade over Baker Mayfield. And there are people that are just sick to their stomachs and they're throwing up at the thought of him throwing touchdowns on the field. So I do think, especially when he starts to get booed in other places, especially after that Texans game and the reception he has there, I don't think he's going to get a standing ovation. But I do think there will be more scattered applause than there's scattered boos, at least for the home faithful.

It's going to be really interesting, though, to figure out which direction everyone does go. But if he starts winning games, you know, JR, you know how this works. You start winning games, all that gets wiped away awfully quick. And I can say one thing about this. Kareem Hunt, when he first joined the team, it was disgusting to see a Kareem Hunt jersey out and about. You'd be like, what kind of statement is that person making?

What is this guy doing? Now if I see someone wear a Kareem Hunt jersey, I'm like, he's just a fan of Kareem Hunt. He likes how he plays, likes what he represents on the field, and that's all there is to it.

Kareem Hunt is actually one of the more beloved Browns players on this roster. He's been able to turn it around. When you win, people change their minds. And I feel like if Deshaun wins, especially in this city, people change their minds. Yeah, no doubt about it.

That's what people look for at the end of the day. Jonathan, where can people follow and keep up with you and all your great work? At Jay Peterlin. J-P-E-T-E-R-L-I-N. All right, Jonathan, thank you so much. We'll be in touch with you soon, okay?

All right, thank you, JR. Have a good night. No doubt about it. So much love to Jonathan Peterlin joining us from 92.3. The fan out in Cleveland giving us an up close and personal perspective. Baseball is everywhere you are this season with the MLB App. Enjoy the show from wherever you are when you download the free MLB App to your mobile device. Never miss a second of the action with coverage of in-game highlights, pitch-by-pitch features, select live broadcast coverage and more. Show support for your favorite team with customizable MLB club branded icons and tune in to exclusive premium content for every team in the league.

That is out of the ballpark. The MLB App is your ticket to all things baseball all the time. You can even get live notifications sent to your phone, watch and car. So you're always up to date on the biggest breaking news, scores and standings. The MLB App is your hub for live baseball everywhere you go. The number one source of live baseball on your Apple and Android devices is the official app of Major League Baseball. Download the MLB App today on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Additional subscriptions may be required. Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission. Baseball is everywhere you are this season with the MLB App. Enjoy the show from wherever you are when you download the free MLB App to your mobile device. Never miss a second of the action with coverage of in-game highlights, pitch-by-pitch features, select live broadcast coverage and more. Show support for your favorite team with customizable MLB club branded icons and tune in to exclusive premium content for every team in the league.

That is out of the ballpark. The MLB App is your ticket to all things baseball all the time. You can even get live notifications sent to your phone, watch and car. So you're always up to date on the biggest breaking news, scores and standings. The MLB App is your hub for live baseball everywhere you go. The number one source of live baseball on your Apple and Android devices is the official app of Major League Baseball. Download the MLB App today on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Additional subscriptions may be required. Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission. Get into all the Major League Baseball action with season two of Play Loud, exclusively on the MLB YouTube channel.

Forget front row seats. We're taking you into the game on the field and in the dugout during some of the hottest matchups of the season. Follow along and be part of the fun alongside some of the league's biggest stars as we mic them up and get the cameras rolling during some of the hottest matchups of the season.

That is out of the ballpark. Catch real-time reactions from Juan Soto in the field or listen in on the hilarious conversation between Eduardo Escobar and Francisco Lindor in the dugout. Tune in for live reactions from players across the league with unprecedented access. Play Loud is your exclusive look into the fun of the game.

You never know what you're going to see or hear. Play Loud. It's baseball like you've never watched before. Tune in for new episodes of Play Loud only on the MLB YouTube channel. Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission.