Darrell, how are you, man? I'm doing well. How are you? I'm very well.
Thank you for taking the time to join us. $230 billion invested, all guaranteed into Deshaun Watson. What's the overall vibe in Cleveland right now when it comes to his latest issue and his current play? The most recent allegation made against him is the most severe. The league is looking into it.
This has to get adjudicated in civil court down in Houston, Texas. It is certainly concerning that he could be suspended again. The allegations certainly are concerning. And then on the field, just what Dallas did to him and how lost he looked at times in that loss to the Cowboys, it does make you wonder, does he still have it? Or has all this time off that he has had since he led the NFL in passing during that 2020 season, right? He was off in 2021, didn't play.
2022 suspended 11 games. And then last year, he missed 11 games because he had to have shoulder surgery. So that's a lot of time off.
And he certainly looks like a quarterback that's had a lot of time off. And Darrell Ryder is joining us from 92-3 to fan in Cleveland. If Deshaun can't turn things around, how does his salary or how would the Browns bounce back from this, if at all?
Well, right now they're stuck. I mean, they just restructured his contract again. He kicked the salary cap thing down the road for a third time.
At some point that bill comes due. And if he doesn't play up to a level that warrants a contract extension, it's going to be very interesting to see the organization navigate some of the salary cap ramifications that are going to come with not extending them. Because, I mean, that's how they looked at this whole transaction was that this just wasn't about signing him to that five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract. It was about, hey, he's going to be our quarterback for the next 10 years. And right now, as we talk, I don't know that that's in the cards.
I honestly don't. I haven't seen a whole lot on the field to warrant another contract. And again, with what's going on off the field, there are questions there too. Outside of injury, is there a possibility that we see Jameis Winston play this year?
From my standpoint, no. They're all in on Deshaun. Kevin Stefanski said today that Deshaun would play on Sunday in the wake of the most recent allegations. Stefanski is confident that organizationally that they can have the focus on football. Deshaun, I asked him today about that as well, the ability to focus on football.
He expressed his ability and desire to do that right now. It remains to be seen if it's going to bear fruit in the way of positive play. But there are Browns fans out there that are asking and questioning, hey, we sacrificed the moral high ground to support this guy because he's a Cleveland Browns fan. At what point do we get the benefit as fans of winning some games and him playing really, really well for us doing that?
So it remains to be seen. But right now, Deshaun is the franchise quarterback. He will be on the field in Jacksonville. And I anticipate he will be on the field barring injury for the remainder of the season. Well, Darryl, you mentioned Kevin Stefanski coming off of a Coach of the Year award. We saw what the defense was able to do last year, kind of being this steadying arm of the ship until Flacco came through and took over. We know he's now backing up Anthony Richardson.
Is this too tall of an order for Kevin Stefanski? They're going to have to rely on this defense again. The offense is always going to be shaky the rest of the year, right?
Well, I don't know. I mean, look, they could go down to Jacksonville and blow the doors off the Jaguars, right? I mean, that's just the National Football League. It really is a week to week league. And to be fair, it's just one game. You know, it's not like we're sitting here in week eight and this has been this, you know, sample size of half the season, right? It's one game.
But the red flags are there and you have to acknowledge the red flags. You know, they had seven series of three or I should say seven consecutive series of three or fewer plays. It's no wonder they didn't do anything on Sunday against Dallas, right?
They can't go to Jacksonville and repeat that. It is a remade offense or whatever you want to say it. Ken Dorsey was basically brought in to help Deshaun Watson find the offense.
That's what, you know, went on this year. You know, they wanted to put something together that accentuates what Deshaun does best. And that is make opposing defenses look really silly and stupid when they come after him. Well, on Sunday, Dallas came after him and they beat him up. They hit him 17 times, sacked him six. So Jacksonville presents that similar type of situation up front.
You know, Josh Heinz Allen, Trevon Walker, Arik Armstead. It's a really good front that the Jaguars have. And I got to imagine that they're just looking their chops after watching that game film from last week because there were plays for Watson to make in that game. Despite the pressure, there were opportunities and he just did not see down the field clearly enough to make those plays.
And, you know, it was a mess. And the defense had to keep running out there trying to save the day. I mean, they only gave up two touchdown drives. And look, Dak Prescott threw for less than 200 yards in one touchdown. Going into that game, if you would have told me that line for Dak Prescott, I'm like Brown's boat race the Cowboys easy. And that's obviously not what happened.
In fact, the exact opposite happened. It was the Browns who got boat raced. Darryl Ryder is joining us. Covers all things Browns for 92-3, the fan in Cleveland.
I want to hit the fast forward button a little bit. We saw that horrific injury by Nick Chubb. Leg went the complete wrong direction. We know he's on injured reserve. We won't see him here at the beginning of the season. If we see him later on in the year, it's probably going to be too late. And he may not even be probably still be in the rehab process. We might as well kind of X them off.
What do you think? Is he going to be able to contribute anything? Well, he is on injured reserve and the Browns are hoping that he's on the field between weeks five and seven.
And, you know, he asked to miss. I not on injuries or sorry, he's on physically unable to form. I misspoke, which means he's required to miss the first four games of the season.
Then they can, you know, bring him up off pump. He can start practicing and all that kind of stuff and be eligible to play. In fact, as we were leaving practice today, I saw Nick Chubb walking out to watch practice. My expectations for his impact on the field are very low just because I want to be fair and reasonable about it because that injury was so devastating. And that's the second time he has suffered that type of injury to that knee. It's the same knee he got hurt at Georgia.
So I'm trying to be very realistic about the situation. Now, if there's anyone that can come back from this injury and go out there and look like the dude he was before, it's Nick Chubb. So I, you know, fingers crossed because he is just such a great player and he's just so instrumental within that locker room. He's kind of like a quiet assassin when he speaks. Everybody listens, but he doesn't talk often. And that's why everybody listens when he talks. He does his talking with his play. And, you know, he obviously is a very prolific running back when healthy, but I don't know if he's going to be able to return to that form.
And I don't know if it's fair to expect that he's going to return to that form. Well, Darryl, we always know that things in the AFC North happen to be a dogfight. Every team seemingly is dealing with its own issues to a certain degree.
What do you expect? What is the most likely outcome for the Cleveland Browns as they continue with the season? Well, they just put four guys on defense on injured reserve today, Mahmoud Diabate, Tony Fields, Mo Hurst and Juan Thornhill. That's two linebackers, a defensive tackle and a safety for those counting at home. And all four of those guys are pretty significant contributors on defense for the Browns.
So, but good news. All four of those guys are expected back. Those are not seizing any injuries for them. David Njoku, not on injured reserve, the tight end, their Pro Bowl tight end. He's definitely out this week. We'll see in the coming weeks, but they don't think he's going to need to miss the four weeks that IR would require. But if they're able to stay healthy, they're going to be in games because of their defense.
At least I'm guessing. For me, it's all about Deshaun Watson. He's just he's he's got to play at a level that's like better than the thirty five other quarterbacks that played here before him.
And we just we certainly didn't see that on Sunday. So if he continues to play like he did against Dallas, this team is going to struggle. But if he's able to recapture that magic that he had with the Houston Texans and show us that player, then the Browns are not only going to compete for the division, but I think they could be a thorn in somebody's side come playoff time.
And now if it if it doesn't work with Deshaun, what are we looking at? Are we looking back to the dog pound with bags over their heads? Are we going back there in a few years? What's worst case scenario if Deshaun doesn't find it? I don't even want to think about the worst case scenario because they're still on the hook for two more years after this year.
So it's not my money, but you're in. Here's why it's concerning, because you're in the prime years of Miles Garrett's career, right? Joel Patonio, their outstanding offensive guard, who I think should be a Hall of Fame candidate when he retires. He may retire this year. He may play another year next year. Remains to be seen. But he's at the end of his career.
Wyatt Teller, their other outstanding guard. You know, does he become a salary cap casualty in future years? Right.
Nick Chubb, you know, coming off the injury. Don't know what you're getting from him. Don't know what the future holds there.
Right. Amari Cooper. This is probably his last year in Cleveland. They just brought Jerry Jerry Judy here from Denver. Gave him a contract extension. So they're obviously, you know, counting on and committed to him.
Denzel Ward, he's had five concussions now. How much longer can he keep playing at a Pro Bowl level and keep him safe and himself safe, I should say, and healthy? The bottom line that I'm getting to there is that the core of this team is in the prime. This is the winning window for the Cleveland Browns. This is their window of contention and why they went through one in 15 and 0 in 16. So they could draft Miles Garrett and Nick Chubb and David Njoku and, you know, make the trade for Deshaun Watson, make the trade for Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore and, you know, Jerry Judy and things like that.
Right. I mean, they've extended some of the guys that they've drafted to keep the core of the team together. But the reality is the core of the team is getting older. This was a couple of years ago, the youngest roster in the NFL.
Now, here we are in 2024. They're one of the older rosters in the NFL. So I don't even want to think about if this thing with Deshaun does not work out the trouble that this franchise could find itself in. They you know, I really hope they don't have to go back to a rebuild here, but I don't know.
Maybe they maybe they get forced into that corner. Only time will tell. And obviously it's up to how Deshaun plays. Well, Darryl, as we start to wrap things up, the former quarterback of the Browns, he's having a lot of success down in Florida. Is there an understanding that Baker Mayfield might have peaked with the Browns or is there a section of the fan base that goes, we should have never changed things up? Well, there is a segment of the fan base saying that they should have never moved on from Baker.
But here's what I say to those fans. I don't think Baker Mayfield is the player today without going through what he went through. I don't think the the player he is for Tampa Bay is the player that Cleveland Browns would have gotten had he continued here.
I feel like where he's always been at his best in his football life, if he is when he's counted out, when he gets kicked and knocked down and things like that. Right. He gets that edge and it gives him a competitive edge. I should say with the Browns, he wasn't an underdog. He was the number one pick in the draft.
Right. So I understand fans frustrations when they see Baker throw for four touchdowns when, you know, Deshaun Watson can't throw for a single touchdown or more than one touchdown in the game, I should say. I understand the frustration, but I feel like it's an apples to oranges comparison just because I don't feel like Baker would have been the same guy had he stayed with the Browns. And he kind of unfortunately needed to go through some of the trials and tribulations following his departure from Cleveland. And that's made him the player he is with Tampa Bay. And, you know, certainly good for him. It's great to see. But that is what I would say to those Browns fans right now that are just wringing their hands in frustration, watching Baker Mayfield be successful while Deshaun Watson struggles.
All of this after one week. We've been chatting with Darrell Ryder from 92-3, the fan in Cleveland. And Phil, where can people follow you and all your work as you follow the Browns? At right or wrong fan on Twitter and or X or whatever they're calling it these days.
And then also our station website, 92-3, the fan dot coms, where they can read up on all the latest with Deshaun and the never ending saga of him on as well as off the field. You're going to be a legal expert by the time we're done with the season down. I feel like I needed a law degree to cover the Cleveland Browns. You need a law degree.
You need a medical license. It's never ending. But they are. They're one of the teams that a lot of folks around the country pay attention to.
They've got a very passionate fan base that just wants to see their team finally win a Super Bowl. But I don't know when that's going to be. We'll see what happens the rest of this year. Darrell, thank you again for the time. We'll catch you down the line. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.
