NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Watson to the Browns

Episode Date: March 18, 2022

A virtual room filled with some heroes – Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, and Gregg Rosenthal react to the blockbuster trade sending Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

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Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Ian, where is Deshaun going next? Deshawn Watson is expected to be a member of the Cleveland Brown. Yes, the Cleveland Brown. unbelievable, stunning turn of events. And that is not all. When this trade is completed, Watson is expected to get a five-year, $230 million contract that is fully guaranteed. That is

80 million more than the previous record for fully guaranteed money at signing. And now Deshaun Watson headed to the Cleveland Browns. There are Browns fans who are seeing this as a good day. fans and I imagine maybe this is the majority ultimately that see this is a bittersweet day and then there are still others that see this as a sad day and at the risk of being melodramatic maybe the day the Browns sold their soul for success Dan Hans is here Mark Sessler Greg Rosenthal and yes it is melodramatic but man this whole saga has been melodramatic and not in a good way. Sometimes melodrama is not. Cleveland Browns have a new face of the franchise. It's a Sean Watson, the Browns who were out until they said, but how about this? And that was

money. That was a record-breaking, guaranteed money. Dan Hansis, Greg Rosenthal, Mark, Sessler. Mark, I know we've had some fun this week, even though you're saying it's not fun about getting out on the Browns, retiring as a fan. I don't know where. You come down right now, but I think it's safe to say, it's time to clear the runway and get your thoughts on one of the biggest, if not the biggest transaction in the history of the franchise for better or worse. Yeah, I mean, I think I've been pretty clear about where I've been mentally with this past week and this whole unexpected and bizarre journey. and I like, first of all, think that there's so many other centers of attention here. And this is our show and I get why you'd want me to comment on where I'm at. But like I'm done with the team and like it's just where my heart's at.

Like I feel it's sad to me because I even before, you know, we rushed, we finished our TV show and we rushed out to do other things than football because it's been a long week. And then this happened, you know, 35 minutes later. In the time between then and now, I'd just been thinking back about kind of what the Browns meant to me, that I definitely wouldn't be sitting here talking to you guys. I wouldn't have pursued football as a career on any level. You know, I don't even really like other sports. It was a football thing always, and it was a Cleveland Browns thing.

And it was one of the biggest magnetic poles of my youth. But I've changed a lot in, like, going through the years, the Browns. have felt more and more. I mean, I think even when they were dysfunctional, but you could understand it was an on-field dysfunction, they were a one-sided relationship that often felt like I was just, you know, the butt of all jokes, you know, with them playing the jokes on Browns fans directly. At this point, this is a different type of leverpool and organizational decision.

It's a huge decision. I think that I don't know if they understand inside their bubble what it means to different types of Browns fans and people out there and how their organization will be perceived forever. To your point, Dan, I think it's the biggest transaction they've ever made. And I feel like I just can't, sports already feel cynical enough to me. I can't sit around and raw, raw this. I'm out. And like, you know, that's it. Like, that's sort of where I'm at right now. And like, I need a break. I need a break. And like, but this isn't, this is also like, why, why am I out? It's like because they've gone and put their all the chips in on someone that I think where we are in 2021 and I don't care about, you know, I'm already getting killed by Pockets of Browns fans. Like, what about Kareem Hunt? What about this or that? You're right. I don't think personally, like, as a fan of the team, I ever thought about taking certain stances. I don't know why. I can't explain the past. But this stands up to me as something completely different.

I think everyone has to make a choice if you're a Browns fan on where you are on this. And I don't really care where anyone else is. I care where I'm at. And I like at my age at 48, like, is it more important to be loyal as a fan to a team or to just think about where I, where I am today? And I'm done. It's over. Right.

Like where my experience obviously so different than yours watching this story, Mark, but I was with Keisha had like a nice, what, an hour or so in between, you know, before picking up the kids and she was already out watching games, college basketball. She's into the tourney and eating sandwich and got the news as well as with her. And it got me thinking about kind of what you're talking to and about like we were saying what Wes would say in that situation. And it was something Wes and I talked about a lot was like, we love sports and we get so into it and there's something like beautiful about it and I think personally like this story's

been especially troubling just because it's just such a reminder that it's not sports isn't just like some distraction from from life like the same shittiness that's in life is in sports and this one was just so shameless about it and so bald about it that it was just disheartening and like I love doing this job you guys know that and stuff, but it's like, we're all sick of talking about Deshawn Watson. It's not, it's not about us, but it's like, we've kind of set our piece. Like, I'm sick of the coverage, though. Like, I'm sick of every network's coverage, you know, and just sick of, like, hearing the reaction to it, sick of hearing, like, what Andrew Barry savilely did to, like, bring Watson in with

the guaranteed money. Like, the terms are kind of part of. of what's sickening. Like, I'm sick of, like, needing to make content out of it, too, though. Like, that's cynical. I'm sick of people, like, saying, oh, you did a good job, like, talking about, it's like, all that stuff. It's just like, it's not why we are in on this job. It's not why we love sports. And it's just frustrating because it makes you think about the people that you work with and the people that you work for and how disappointing they are. And, like, again, I was with Keisha and she had a very West-like sage wisdom in the moment. It's like, it's everything.

It's not like something changed. It's not like this story is totally unique in some ways, but in many ways it's not. It's just like, that's the world we live in. And for some reason, being up close and kind of knowing how the machinery all works behind the scenes of how these things get covered and then how the teams are making these decisions and you said it like how cynical they are and how how they aren't thinking about anyone else on the outside it's just it's just frustrating and what it came down to now that we have the full timeline in front of us was once the NFL and by NFL mean the 32 teams here knew that

Deshaun Watson wasn't going to go to prison for what he's accused of despite all these standing civil cases that once that hurdle was clear that's where, yes, you could say the shamelessness came in. Everyone said, not everyone, but a lot of teams said, I want that guy to be the face of my franchise. And the Browns, it wasn't, even though we've talked about the inconsistencies and the failings of the reporting in the industry around the story,

what it sounds like here is that they didn't get the story wrong in the last 24 hours. The Browns were out. They were told they were out. And then the reporting was this morning, that it was going to be the Falcons or the Saints. And then the Browns had conversations, obviously, behind the scenes. They have all the Baker, speaking of melodrama, Baker-Mayfield situation brewing.

And they said, what if we did something unprecedented? And I guess you could call that savvy by Andrew Barry and the Browns or whatever term you want to use. But ultimately, it was like the desperation of it all, five years fully guaranteed $230 million contract to make Deshaun Watson. change his mind. And it's, it's good you said that, Greg, because that's something I wrote down when I was just thinking about this situation. We talked about the bills yesterday. And I talked about on the podcast how there was a desperation to the bills, but not necessarily the bad kind of desperation. It was just that feeling that we're right there and we want it so bad to finally bring a Lombardi to Buffalo that we're going to give Von Miller this contract we might regret.

The Browns, this is the other type of desperation. This is the team. that's been a laughing stock for so long that finally had a taste of success and then all of a sudden things started to back up on them again and you had the baker mayfield story spinning out of control and everyone was looking at the browns and talking about the browns oh man same old browns so they do this to in their estimation change the trajectory of the franchise or put them back on a championship path but i don't know if the trajectory here mark is going to be what they bargained for yes a much better team now, even though losing all those draft assets is problematic. You now have one of the top five quarterbacks in the sport, arguably, locked and loaded for years to come.

But ultimately, at what cost beyond 230 million? Because I think, and this is why even as a non-Browns fan, it's just like it changes the trajectory of how people see the Browns, who are never going to be seen as a lovable fun upstart team to root for when they do get on track. They're going to be seen as the team that hired the guy that's facing sexual assault charges or allegations from dozens of women. And there's just no way to go around that they looked at that and said, we can deal with that because we need to get to where we want to go when it comes to wins and losses. And that's just disappointing. Yeah, I think it's, you know, it's blind ambition. And I get also that in a vacuum, if you're a general manager, you're measured by the players you bring in and the roster that

you build. And if this were, you know, simply a data-driven computer game, then Andrew Barry is savvy. And Kevin Stefansky and the ownership and everyone else, they are. But the problem is, is that football, I mean, the way that I view football and what got me into football, there's always this immense human side. Like, I didn't get into football as a fan. I don't mean just to go down this road, but by watching athletes do special things, that's cool. But then when you watch that 300 times, like anything that you do 300 times starts to get wrote. But it's the story behind it, the people. And especially, like, when I came in as a Browns fan, it was Bernie Kozar. It was Marty Schottenheimer, Ernest Biner. Think of people like that, how we think about

those people today and how they were faulty and they failed. And I learned a lot right out of the gate with the drive and the fumble about failing and then getting back up. And that's always what the Browns were to me. This is the reverse. this is the story you can't root for or I can't I don't want to be oh go ahead Mark no I mean I just I think that I think that a big chunk of fans can and that's the difference between how some of us view sports and attached to it or willingly detach from it that's what I was going to say I don't want to be hypocritical about this like if it was the Jets that were getting to Sean Watson I I try to imagine like how I'd be feeling I would definitely be unhappy with the process it

would be the same thing I just said about the Browns that the Jets if they ever get their shit together would be a really great feel good story. And that'd be part of the fun ride with seeing like the nationally and internationally people getting behind the team. It's not going to happen if you have a guy like Deshaun Watson. But then there is the part of you, the person that's the sports fan where I was born into it. I was born into being a Jets fan from my dad, Keith. Like now I have one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And it's just like like we're talking about with Nick Wessling tweeting at you yesterday, like when you are born into it, when it's in your blood, it makes something like

this even more difficult to process. And that's why I'm not going to stand here on a soapbox and say anybody that, you know, is going to still root for the fans, for the Browns now is dirt, because I know it's not that simple, but it just makes the idea of being a sports fan and a Browns fan a much more tricky proposition. And that's the bummer of it too, because it is one of the great fan paces in the league. And one little thing, like, I think if you really wanted to have a fair show, you could bring a Browns fan on. And I know some inside the building that's that choose to still root for the team because it's not me espousing, you know, here's my take on it and everyone else is wrong if they think otherwise. I genuinely think that there are different people

that are going to come from different points of view. This is mine. It's a complex situation. I can't really remember an NFL situation like this. I think also because, like, we're changed, society's changing a little bit. I think if this happened in 1972, there wouldn't really be the same discussion around it. They're just the wouldn't. And I can't explain, you know, all that either. But it is a complex problem to drop on this pool, this fan base, but also think about Panthers fans, Falcons fans, Saints fans, Seahawks, whoever else that were in on this, that failed and you still walk away feeling like, wow, our organization showed their true colors. And that creates that same dilemma for those people too.

We've been talking about why this story is difficult this week and everything. And I know some listeners are probably sick of that, hearing that side of things. But it's like now is the time to talk about it. We're going to talk about football when he's playing football. I never was from the vantage point that like this guy should never play football. again, I was from the vantage point of nothing's changed since this started. He's still the same. The allegations have only grown worse. They're out there. You can read them. The NFL, I expect, will suspend him significantly. And it was just all the ways to get to this point, like the process

of like that you didn't have to do it that way. You didn't have to kind of whitewash everything for his agent. You didn't have to be an advertisement for David Muggle. muggoletta. Because that's sort of what this all felt like to me. The most powerful agent in the league controlling this as well as humanly possible and partly like using that as an advertisement of how powerful he is and the kind of clients that he's going to get in the future. And how far out those tentacles go in terms of power inside of the media, inside of, you know, the front offices, ownership, all of that. Like, you didn't, you just didn't have to, like, contribute to that.

You didn't have to pay $246 guaranteed million. Like, you didn't have to give up three first round traffic. In the end, you did because he did this job. But it wasn't like, hey, let's get this guy at a discount. It's like, not only do we not discount him for the way that he essentially, was a predator for women. Not only were going to discount, I think he did better than he would have done a year ago. Like, we're going to reward it because we haven't seen him in a year going into a suspension. And so it's all these, like, little different steps of the process, I think,

that are frustrating because he got rewarded. Like, we're sounding annoyed about it. But, like, women in this industry and us, like, I find it very, it's discouraging because it's like you're working in that industry and it's discouraging and if you're a victim of sexual violence or misconduct or anything it's like it's so discouraging that ultimately it's like no one gave a shit and like and i should know that i shouldn't have been so naive there's something about being a quarterback in the head of the team but look at what's going on within ownership in our league like many different things over the last few years that have been as bad stories and and it's like that that doesn't change either. So in part, that's like part of my naivete, but I remember covering the Ben

Rathusberger story and no one wanted him. And there are different stories and you can find the differences, but that's not the point to me. It's like, it's do you care about something other than money and wins or do you not? And the Rathusberger thing, like the Steelers are ready to trade him. Like no, like we reported it at pro football talk at the time. They were putting it out there. I know that for a fact. No one was going for him when that thing was up in the air. This was different because it felt like not only like aren't the networks talking about the other side of things, in the fan base and the fracture that you're seeing that like

you're making Mark Sessler not root for the Browns, but also that you just like are going to go the extra mile to be shameless about it and sort of not have any idea. And that's where they left it. Like, we will talk about the football. Of course, that's all, you know, that's all we do is talk about football, two or three times a week. But, like, to come back here and talk about him, it's disappointing. Ultimately, his, his reputation, Watson's reputation is permanently stained.

He missed the full season of play, and he'll probably miss anywhere between, let's say, I don't know, four to 17 more games in the upcoming season. But other than that, he's got everything he wanted out of this. At the end of the day, he wanted out of Houston. he got out of Houston and I don't even he wasn't even initially asking to get his contract ripped up and turned into the greatest quarterback contract ever but he got that too and that's that's what's mind blowing and so crazy about this and also I just went and checked on Cleveland Brown's Twitter there's no note there's no mention of this just like we talked about yesterday I said I had a hunch that they could try to Friday news dump this I said five o'clock it was four o'clock on a Friday that the Browns pull the trigger on the big biggest deal in the history of the franchise, and they don't even have any announcements online right now. I don't know if a press release is out. I don't know if it's official yet or whatever, but it is notable that that is absolutely what they're trying to do here. This is all part

of the plan. You nailed that. You called it. You did. Keep this. They know they're going to get killed. And they deserve to be killed in a lot of ways here. And they're trying to control that and spin it however they can. It's just, Mark, at the end of the day, to me, it's just, it's surreal. It's just surreal that this now comes to the Brown's doorstep and they welcomed the situation to their doorstep. And they're gambling on the short attention span of us all. Because even to Greg's point, while now is the time to talk about the nuance and the layers of it,

it's going to fade away and we're just going to wind up tired of that aspect and talking about the football aspect. That will become the normal way with this situation. And that makes sense. Like, that's not what we're going to do, is talk about the outfit. Like, that's why this, this was, like, the time to talk about it. And watching, like, I just like, what are like, what did all the extra, like, being nice to Deshaun Watson's agent get you? No one had this story.

No one had any of it. No one's had any of these stories. Like, in fact, like, every, I know you can say, like, Dan, it wasn't wrong. And they jumped back in. And maybe that's true. Maybe that's not. because the fire hose of information that's been coming out has been basically from one camp and you don't know I don't know what happened in those meetings maybe we'll happen in those meetings

like we don't know how all that happened but it didn't it didn't get you anything like all of it would have happened anyways all right yeah and here's the trade though man that was a that was a truth bomb you sent out on a dart on Thursday night and when you said it I was like ooh that was pretty good there maybe I mean it is it's I guess we've been doing this long enough where you start to you start to see some of those things but even within the realm of having some experience in this business now the fact that this it will never there will never be one that's at this level because to a name this big a transaction this big is thorny is the issue is to pull it the Friday news dump on Deshaun Watson is that's an all-timer and I will tell you one thing I don't

care of Tom Brady in the next 60 minutes is kidnapped by like land pirates. We're not doing another, we're not doing another show this week. No, we're done. This is it. You're lucky if you're going to get me next week. In fact, I'm going to Disneyland next week. You'll get me maybe Monday and that's it. And you're right, Mark.

You are absolutely right. And I'll be cynical here too now. Yes, we are, everyone's in their feelings about this story. In two years, no one's going to care. and the Browns will be an AFC contender and they might win a Super Bowl or they might not, but there will be people that always bring this up, but I just feel like the story as we talk about it now

is going to fade away and the Browns will finally have their answer at quarterback and that's why they did it ultimately because they're banking on history repeating itself, you know, as much of a bummer as that might be. Here are the trade terms just to get it out there. And then we're going to sign off in a couple of minutes just because we wanted to get the reaction in.

In fact, we kind of wanted to let it simmer a little bit, but we had some inside the building, Shadow League figures saying, get it up there, get it up there. And we're like, you know what? It made sense, though. It was just one of those things. You were right.

I was like, I personally, just speaking for myself, was in my feelings and in the immediate feeling just as related even to the show, was like, screw that guy. We're not doing anything extra for that guy. By the way, again, I'm supposed to be at a bar, by the way, watching March Madness with my friends drinking beer. The son of a, anyway, the trade terms, it is three first round picks in addition to a 2023 third rounder and a 2024 fourth rounder.

So the Browns mortgage their future entirely, obviously, here and hope that Watson will be great enough to cover up the balance. And I would think for whoever the team was going to be, including the Browns, they'll never admit this, but I assume, and maybe they know. more internally these teams than the outside does that the suspension will be beefy and you combine that with no first round pick and any other roster flaws you might have and now maybe some salary cap tightness because of your deal you just did and maybe you're like punting on the season and you're looking at the long game here again the long game it's going to be a little rough for a year or two

here when people are upset about this but in the big picture the browns are going to be in a really good place. I wonder if they thought about that too. Like, their 2022 prospects, eh, but we see a bigger picture here with Watson leading the way for a long time. I don't know. Remember that Mark Sanchez apology contract when they like went after some other quarterback? They went after Peyton Manning and they felt bad. And then they gave him the apology contract. In fact, Dan got in trouble. Arthur Blank can give, Arthur Blank can give Matt Ryan like an apology corporation. Like, give them Home Depot or give them an apology yacht. Like, your friend, like, that's the thing.

We had a show today that got blown up or it stopped in the middle of the show. And you mentioned, like, all the losers in this situation. It's like, there are other losers in this too. And the Falcons are right there at the top of the list. I mean, yeah, the only thing worse than showing your butt to get to Sean Watson is showing your butt and then not getting to Sean Watson. So, you know, whatever, man. This is the last podcast of the week.

Better believe it is. Mark, I really, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what happens with our podcast as well as I look insular with the Browns now. It's, it's, man, I don't know, man. I don't know what's going to happen with you. I'm really interested to see what happens next because, yeah, you have one of the best quarterbacks in the league now. people it's crazy mark because like you know i was sitting with geisha and i i like to think we're all close friends and you know our first reaction of course both of our first reaction was like oh poor mark and just like i'm a little worried you know worried about mark and then i know

on twitter it's the it's the same it's the same you know what though there is i will say there is i'm going to explore this but i kind of feel free um this this It's been hanging around my neck for 35 plus years. Like, this kind of feels maybe like what I needed to do. So, uh, but psychologically, it's, it's, it's a mind bender, Mark, because you now are going to be in a situation potentially where the Browns rise up as an organization with a superstar quarter. I'm just, again, like I said earlier, I want to make it very clear, there's no soapbox

here or judging of Browns fans because it was the Jets that got to Sean Watson. It's in my blood. It's something I can't escape from, and I don't know how I would react to it and make peace with it. You are right now saying you're out, and that's because you're a passionate man, and that's part of the one of the many reasons we love you. I want to see how the next six to 18 months play out, all right, six days to 18 months play out to see how this really turns out.

Well, that's fair. And I will say one thing. I didn't grow up in Cleveland. I can't say it's in my blood. I found them on my own growing up on the East Coast. And I love having been to Cleveland a bunch of times. I love the city. I love Brown's fans in general.

They've been one of the, I mean, it's one of my best experiences of working at the M&L has been Brown's fans. And so I'm not, whatever they choose to do, I want happiness for them. But like, we can go in a different way. All right. We have done five podcasts and a television show this week. We'll now break. And I'm turning off my phone.

phone and deleting my work email and no one can touch me for the next two days. And oh, no, what power rankings is due on Monday morning. I'm not even thinking about that right now. I want everybody to have a nice weekend. I want everybody to enjoy themselves. Have a safe weekend. Get a little loose if you have to. Process some things.

And then we'll see you again on Monday with another edition of the podcast. I was a little bummed. I didn't get a chance to do it on Thursday night. but now that we have this extra chance, I want to bring in Gravedigger, but he knows he can't come in unless he does his new intro. There he is.

We want to thank you, Justin, for awesome work all week. You picked one hell of a week to be a full-time producer for ATN, and the shows were great with you leading the way, so thank you, good man. Appreciate it. It was a fun week. All right, good stuff. You know what? you know what else we got to do this weekend.

I feel it stronger than ever at this moment. We got to heed the call. Ah, yes. Beautifully said, Greg Rosenthal, Chris Wessling. We wish you were with us right now to be discussing this madness. But we'll be thinking about you while we spend our time with our families and friends. So until Monday, yes, heed the call. Thank you.

Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective

you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant.

And I'm Michael Fiorio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. This is an IHeart podcast.