Well written.

Thank you.

Um, yeah, I mean, he's a guy that caught my eye right from the rookie mini camp and the off-season program, and even in training camp.

And he's a guy that, um...

You know, a lot of times rookies look good in the off-season, but it doesn't translate to the regular season.

It's like a, a learning curve.

And he has hit the ground running.

And also, looks like the Browns have some concern in terms of depth on the defensive line this week, don't they?

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Than the Steelers game.

I mean, that 10-minute drive to open the game, you know, you coulda just folded your tent, you know, and said, "Wow, you know, we can't stop this team." Denzel Ward gets an interception, then the offense gets three straight touchdowns.

They give up a 14-point lead.

The, you know, Aaron Rodgers drives them down there, gets the touchdown, goes for two, gets the two point, ties it, and yet they didn't.

They just came right back, and they overcome the penalties.

And all these mistakes they're making, they are fixable.

He's simplified things, and it's worked so far.

Uh, Watson extends the game-winning drive streak to three now, Fred.

Yeah, that's the formula.

Three straight, uh, comeback or game-winning drives, you know, and the three wins.

I mean, that's been the formula.

They, they gave up a 14-point lead and, and even an eight-point lead, you know, late in the game and, and then got the ball back.

And, you know, it wasn't pretty but he made some plays and, [laughs] and he, he said, uh, you know, he told Andre Smith, he asked him how far, where he needed to get to.

He goes, "Hey, I'll make it from 60 yards." So even Smith said, "Hey, they gave me four yards to spare," but...

I mean, Jared Verse, that offsides call, that would've loomed large had the Browns not gone on to win this game.

Fourth Quarter so far, huh?

Yeah, good morning, guys.

You know, that's all you can ask is that most of these NFL games are decided by six points or less.

And when the game's on the line, even if you don't play well up until that point, if you can come through when you need to.

And he got a break and made it pay when they called that rough in the pass or penalty and came back in there.

And he led the Browns on a 65-yard, turned out to be the game-winning drive, just like in Tampa Bay a week earlier.

So, I mean, up and down throughout the game, but he took advantage when he needed to.

That's a lot of what he did before he came here.

Basically, though, usually goes directly as to how you're playing on the field, doesn't it?

Exactly.

I mean, that's one thing.

Browns fans have shown, I mean, they embrace Kareem Hunt, you know, when he had a little checkered past when he first came.

It's really about performance, especially at this point, that day that he brought up kind of the old wounds was he was five of 12, 36 yards and look pretty bad in that preseason game.

And he got some booze.

So, you know, that that's how it is.

They got some money on the books as they say, Fred.

Did you get the sense that Munkin was taking a little bit of a victory lap with Deshaun Watson's performance? Or what impression did you get from Munkin's discussion today?

Yeah.

And he should.

Yeah.

And by the way, I got the first question out of the gate today.

I actually got two in, you know, second time around, but yeah, he should.

I mean, as far as we're all kind of, you saw what I wrote that that should have been the end of the line with the only line I saved unless they win or he plays well.

Fred, he didn't look that great against the Roadrunners this week either.

Talk about that some first, Fred.

Well, I mean, we all saw it.

I mean, that's one of the things we talked about in the offseason.

You know, you bring back pretty much the whole team except the defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, and then obviously the later trade to Miles Garrett.

Those are pretty two big pieces.

And the first look at the new defense was not good.

I mean, six out of the seven first possessions gave up 34 points.

Part of it was Baker, too, wasn't it?

Fred, the Browns, Munkin, Watson at quarterback, what's the big thing you're looking for and what do you want to see on Sunday?

Well, I just really want to see, you know, If Munkin can work the magic that he was believed to bring him to the Browns to be the head coach, that's the driving force why the move was made from Stefanski.

He's an offensive guy just like Stefanski was.

But he must have told them they felt confident that he could work with what they have, developing the quarterbacks currently on the roster and maybe even future quarterbacks.

So I'm looking to see how he has put Watson in a position to get some positive plays.

He knows what has gone on in the past, and he's coming off two Achilles hits.

He talks about his mobility.

Can they score some points? The defense, I think they feel pretty good about the defense, don't they, going in?

Fred, for this Sunday, what's kind of your expectation of what we're going to see offensively from this team?

Yeah, I just think it really starts with Deshaun Watson.

What version are we going to see? Are we going to see what we last saw a couple years ago before he got hurt when – His numbers were historically bad.

Under Todd Munkin, I mean, that's the big question.

You know, you got to think they brought him in because he convinced him that he could work with, whether it's Sanders and Watson or both of them, and get something out of them.

And so this is a style of offense that Watson ran with Bill O'Brien back with the Texans, but albeit it was six years ago.

So, yeah.

Your thoughts about the defense without Myles Garrett on the field?

Any surprises with the final cutdowns and the waiver

claims? I thought Michael Coates would probably start on IR short term, but they chose to use those two moves on Dylan Gabriel and Joe Royer.

So that was a mild surprise.

I mean, he's the only undrafted rookie to make the roster.

the original there guy didn't play high school, quite a story, you know, to, to basically answer a tryout ad and that I think a community college ends up at West Virginia doesn't get drafted and really had a strong camp.

But that injury usually opens up the door for somebody else, but you know, he, he didn't practice today.

He was standing on the sideline watching, but And maybe a mild surprise to me was that they kept Burton, the fullback, just because I thought they could use, like, Carson Ryan or somebody to do that job.

It's going to be a funky scenario for sure.

Were there any shockers to you when the Browns reduced the roster to 53? Uh,

really not because they brought back, they've already announced 10 of them returned.

So probably be more, um, A lot of people don't understand their strategy.

There's guys they think will get cut and not claimed.

And then there's guys that if they put on waivers, they think will get claimed.

And so I think maybe a little bit with Michael Coates, here's a cornerback who never played high school football.

he just saw a tryout for junior college and he went and tried out there and he ended up you know at west virginia and now he made an nfl team he's the only undrafted rookie to make the 53. i thought maybe they'd put him on injured reserve because he injured his ankle and some thought maybe be out a few weeks but um so far he's on the 53 he wasn't at practice today

What is the vibe out there? What is the general feel or consensus amongst this team as far as the upcoming season goes?

Do we now have a decision on the three and four quarterbacks, Fred?

I don't think so, but I think both of them had a compelling, uh, case, you know, it was kind of fun to me.

That was the highlight to be able to get to see those guys, particularly, uh, Taylor and green, but I thought Dylan Gabriel, uh, really you know, you know, veiled himself, really did everything you could ask.

I mean, he had five series and he put points on the board on every series.

In fact, he scored as many points in the first quarter than they did in the whole first two preseason games combined.

So, you know, he made a case and I just think that he's, he's a guy that, you know, you could use, you know, how quarterbacks get injured with the Browns and, and, And Deshaun Watson's been very injury-prone.

If he were to go down and say something happens to Sanders, I think there's a lot to like about Talon Green, but you feel a little better throwing Gabriel out there in a pinch as well.

And it really showed me something how Gabriel, without getting many reps, I mean, he looked like he was as comfortable as could be running that offense as much as even the success he had with his throws.

Fred, if I'm a betting man, what do I do today?

Well, I don't think it's gonna be popular.

I think Deshaun Watson is, what I read the tea leaves, even yesterday in his meeting with the media, you know, and he said, "I'm not gonna let one half, um, one frustrating moment, you know, determine the decision." Now, I don't know [laughs] if he was just throwing things off, but I really think he had an off-ramp to move away from Watson, but I just...

I don't know.

I just get the gut feeling that, that that's the way he's gonna go.

Um, he just keeps emphasizing his focus is not on the home games.

It's what's gonna give him the best chance to win on the road in Jacksonville, and if he is determined that Deshaun Watson has enough to get him off to a good start, I think that's what he'll do.

[laughs]

They had a good chance to take a look at one Josh Allen, right?

Yeah, I mean, you got to see what real quarterback play was about.

And there's no question, you know, who is the quarterback on that side of the ball.

He's very good, very strong arm, MVP caliber.

And so it was a good chance for the Browns to measure up.

I thought they did pretty well.

They were missing two starters and actually a third went down, Alex, right? We don't know.

I want that guy 6'4 or more.

How big of a need in your mind is that for this team right now?

Well, I think it's just depth.

I mean...

It's Alex Wright.

They gave him the extension.

He's played very well.

He's going to be the starter.

Do you agree or do you think there's enough?

Give me one significant thing about Todd Munkin's camp that is better than anything that you've seen maybe in recent memory for head coaches with this football team.

I don't know in history that I've covered it, but... his his approach is refreshing that he's pretty much straightforward blunt says what's on his mind the other day through his headset after three straight false starts and he kind of apologized a little bit for it yesterday and but as far as just the physical toughness he demands a lot from these guys and we didn't really see that the previous five or six years and You know, I really think this is kind of a culture change.

You know, some of these, they have a lot of young players.

They might be the youngest team in the NFL.

And I think he's really set a tone with a tough physical camp.

We'll see if it plays out.

I mean, they've got a lot of injuries.

Are you on the plus side that they actually made the change at the head coach going into 2026? What's your thoughts?

I like to see the fire out of a head coach after we dealt with a corpse for five years in Kevin Stefanski.

Well, yeah, it's good to be back.

I think first time since training camp I've talked to you.

So this is day 13 or day 12 of the first 13, and they have one more before they play a game.

And, uh, yeah, Todd Monken's a little refreshing.

He's very, uh...

He has a way he wants it, things done, and he's really big on cadence and pre-snap and getting, you know, getting rid of a lot of the pre-snap penalties and mistakes.

Just break it to me.

Right

... you gotta run the ball to set up the pass.

And last year it was obvious teams knew, the last couple years, Browns couldn't throw the ball, didn't have the receivers, didn't have the line, didn't, you know.

And so, you know, they, they sent nine guys to tackle Judkins or whoever was carrying the ball.

So, um, we'll see how they, how they turn out.

But, um, right now, I mean, it's trending upward, you know, as far as...

What I like about Concepcion and Boston, they complement each other.

Fred, what effect do you think that that has on all these mistakes that we're seeing, the pre-snap mistakes today, uh, that, uh, got Munken fired up?

Uh, some of the safeties and the extensions and maybe a little more pressure on some of these guys, uh, from the last couple of seasons with contract extensions.

Well, you know, um, I wrote yesterday about Ronnie Hickman.

You know, he's from Ohio State.

He's in the last year of his contract.

He started the last two years.

And, uh, he's a, a restricted free agent, and so he's playing out his contract.

So he's got a lot of motivation when he sees fellow starters Denzel Ward, Ro- uh, Grant Delpit, getting the extensions that he's motivated.

Whoever's gonna be the quarterback, that's gonna be a part of the challenge, Greg.

You can see that at the Orange and Brown Report.

Well, we've talked about, there's a lot of questions, you know, losing Miles Garrett, Jim Schwartz, you know, what will this defense look like? You can't assume, you know, that a new defensive coordinator that they're going to pick up where they left off.

But Quincy Williams, you know, played with Mike Rutenberg and he was an all pro in 2023.

He really knows Rutenberg's defense.

They brought him in like immediately when Devin Bush signed with the Bears and and uh you know i talked to him yesterday or the day before and and uh he's very energetic he's immediately you know where he is on the field um if you saw the interview he's got green kind of strands in his hair he's just a very fun guy to be around yeah and um He can play.

I mean, he's played seven, eight years, but he's still very fast.

And I actually think as well as Devin Bush played last year, I think that this guy in this defense might even be more of an impactful player.

Your thoughts about that and what it means, do you think then we'll know going into preseason game three who the guy is?

Mm-hmm

... get off, like a little race.

I don't know what it's called.

But, um, Mike Hall was against Verse, and he was really pumping his fist and, and raising a lot of noise because he got off quicker than Verse, and Versus is known for his takeoff.

I think the three I watched, I think Hall beat him two out of the three, and he was pretty proud of that.

If, if, if that motivates that guy to start doing something, I know he's been injured, but he really needs to step up this year because they need play on the inside from him, especially with not knowing exactly where Malik Collins is.

Mason Graham looks, looks great so far in everything I'm seeing.

Uh, what are your impressions of him so far?

Even more interesting now 'cause the old owner there, uh, uh, Jimmy Haslam, who says take the over, by the way, on the five-and-a-half wins, also says, "Who knows down the road about how long Watson might be with this team, depending on how well he does this year?" So talk about what you're seeing in front of your eyes there, in front of you, Fred, when it comes to, uh, Berea this week.

Yeah, I think obviously all options are on the table, but I don't, I don't think that anybody expects, uh, Watson to return regardless of what happens.

But, you know, I don't, I don't know if you can publicly say anything at this point, like we're writing him off.

But, you know, the thing about it is as long as Shedeur Sanders keeps hanging around, it sure seems like, you know, that should be the direction to go.

I mean, I watched yesterday and, and they kept going and, and nothing really was separating from each other.

But they get down on the final play, lights seem to be on, and She- and, uh, Shedeur Sanders throws a beautiful pass in the corner of the end zone, you know, to end practice and, and lead the, the offense on a touchdown, the two-minute drill.

And he just seems to be somebody that maybe doesn't look like he's got the part, but it seems like when the lights come on, he, he makes plays.

Uh, taking us right now, we hear Monken say that, "Well, it's not really fair to judge anybody at this point as they're in," what they call, "the installs." Uh, what does he mean by that, and s- and when are the installs over that, "Okay, now we can start really judging things"?

I'd go with the younger guy regardless, but that's me.

Well, yeah, there's two ways to look at it.

I mean, the one thing with Todd Munkin, he's 60 years old, his first chance to be a head coach in the NFL.

He knows, you know, if he does 3-14 or 4-13, he could be a Chudzinski, one and done, regardless of what You know, they told him, and so I'm sure he's going to do everything he can to win games.

And I think that's, that's what you're weighing there.

But to your point, I agree.

I don't see the upside benefit in playing Deshaun Watson because he's in the last year here.

Talking to Fred Greetham, anybody else stand out to you in what you've seen so far over in Berea? Yeah,

Number one, Fred, it feels like the end of an era, right? When anytime a player of this magnitude of this caliber is no longer playing on your team, it just feels like there's a definitive ending point to a certain era, right?

Yep.

You know, I, on the channel 19 off the leash that we do the OBR, you know, does with them.

I talked about it yesterday, growing up in Cleveland, being a big Indians fan, um, it just seemed like my whole life as a little kid was you'd become attached to a Greg Nettles, a Chris Chambliss, a CeCe Sabathia, just to see them traded to the Yankees.

And, you know, and the Browns, since the team came back, they haven't had that type of, you know, they had Joe Thomas.

Right.

Well, then Miles Garrett was the, you know, the draft pick that you, you had the first pick and you legitimately hit on it.

Are they going to have better overall coaching? We all hope so.