Browns Plainly Podcast

It's hard to forget Andrew Berry's first draft as Browns general manager. For one thing, it may have been the most unique draft in the history of the NFL thanks to the COVID pandemic forcing the entire event to go virtual. Beyond that, it was unforgettable because it was the first opportunity to see what the entirely new — at the time — pairing of Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski would do to put its stamp on the roster. In the moment, what happened drew mostly positive reviews. Three years later, the six players who comprised the 2020 draft class for the Browns are among the most recognizable names on the roster, as would be expected from a collection of players who will be in their fourth season in 2023. However, for some, the bloom has come off the rose, so to speak, with the benefit of years of NFL experience. As we continue to grade Berry's moves as general manager, it's time to assess his first draft class now that it's coming up on a contract year for virtually all of them. The one potential exception, though, is where the assessment will begin.

#Browns

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The Browns added veteran safety Rodney McLeod, and underrated move which could end up being very important for the defense.

Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe start off our weekend podcast by talking McLeod and why adding him will matter to the defense and the locker room.

They also hit some other Browns headlines, including Ashley's story about Mike Ford Jr. and why bringing him in was so important for the special teams. They even spend some time on Juan Thornhill's Brownie the Elf tattoo.

Lastly, they do another edition of "Succession" power rankings.

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Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

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The Cleveland Browns have signed an old Jim Schwartz friend in Rodaney McLeod. We debate which Cleveland Browns Rookie will have the most impact in 2023. You will want to pay close attention to our analysis of the 2023 NFL Draft on The Locked-On Browns Podcast. If you're a Cleveland Browns fan, then you'll want to watch this video! We're giving you a breakdown of the Browns entire 2023 NFL Draft pick by pick. We think the Browns 3rd round pick Cedric Tillman, 5th round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and 4th round pick Dawan Jones really helped the Browns depth. The Cleveland Browns entered the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27 with eight picks over the three-day draft, but they didn’t make their first pick until the third round Friday night, selecting Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman with the No. 74 overall pick. With their second third-round pick Friday, the Browns took Baylor defensive tackle Siaki Ika at No. 98. The Browns had six picks left for Day 3 and opened Saturday by taking offensive tackle Dawand Jones out of Ohio State with the No. 111 pick. With their second fourth-round pick (No. 126), they took defensive end Isaiah McGuire out of Missouri. In the fifth round, Cleveland added UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (No. 140) and Northwestern cornerback Cameron Mitchell (No. 142). The Browns added Ohio State center Luke Wypler in the sixth round and traded the No. 229 pick of the seventh round to Baltimore for a sixth-round pick in 2024.

#Browns

Built Bar

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The Browns drafted seven players last weekend in the 2023 NFL Draft. We're bringing back Tim Bielik and Lance Reisland for one more draft podcast, this time looking back on the players the Browns added.

Tim, Lance and Dan Labbe go through the Browns draft pick-by-pick, sharing thoughts and analysis on every player the Browns drafted.

Then Tim and Lance answer questions about the draft:

Who was your favorite pick?

Which was the most head-scratching pick?

Who is one player you wish the Browns would have drafted?

Is there a player who went after Elijah Moore you would take over Moore?

Who had the best draft?

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Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Jackson is joined by Tony Serino of AFC North Talk and Steeler Country to discuss what the Pittsburgh Steelers did during the offseason and how Omar Khan excelled in his first NFL Draft at the helm of the Steelers' front office. They also discuss what to expect from Kenny Pickett in year two and what Tony has thought of the Browns' offseason.

Check out and subscribe to AFC North Talk and Steeler Country on YouTube and follow Tony on Twitter @SteelerCountry

One of the remaining two civil suits against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson could go to trial. It's a reminder this story isn't over.

What impact would a potential trial have on Watson and the Browns? Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe discuss it on Wednesday's Orange and Brown Talk Podcast where they get into three Browns topics.

They also talk about Anthony Walker Jr. coming back from injury and what he had to say this week.

Lastly, they get into Dawand Jones and reports he told teams he wanted to play in the NBA, which he quickly pushed back against on Twitter on Wednesday.

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Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Cedric Tillman and Josh Gordon in the same sentence? Crazy, right?

Well, at least physically it might not be. The two actually compare somewhat favorably on mockdraftable.com and it got one of our Football Insider subscribers wondering if there really were some similarities.

Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe took the opportunity to reminisce about Gordon on the field and also wonder if Tillman will eventually develop into a No. 1 receiver.

They also discuss the roster status of certain veteran players following the draft, look at the running back position and get into how they evaluate draft picks after the Browns make them.

Want to get involved in Football Insider? Click here for more info and to sign up.

Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Jedrick Wills Jr. has two more years to live up to his draft status. The Browns will pick up the fifth-year option on the left tackle’s rookie contract, a league source confirmed to The Chronicle-Telegram on Monday. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was first to report the news. The deadline is Tuesday. The 2024 option is worth $14.175 million guaranteed based on playing time and a lack of Pro Bowl appearances. Wills was the No. 10 pick in 2020, Andrew Berry’s first selection as a general manager The move was expected, but Berry declined to answer Saturday when asked after the draft. Wills has been inconsistent in his three seasons, but the Browns feel he improved last year and is headed in the right direction. “Jed definitely took strides this year,” coach Kevin Stefanski said after the season. “I think like many young players there are still areas where he can be more consistent, but we definitely thought he took a step forward this season.” The Browns could work on a long-term deal for Wills that would replace the fifth-year option. If they don’t, it’s cheaper than the going rate for the top tackles — $25 million a year for Laremy Tunsil and $23 million for Trent Williams and David Bakhtiari and gives the Browns two more seasons to evaluate if he’s worth an extension. 

Wills played right tackle in high school in Kentucky and at the University of Alabama but immediately made the switch to the left side with the Browns. His offseason as a rookie was done remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he started 15 regular-season games and two in the playoffs. His second season, in 2021, was sabotaged by an injury. He suffered a high ankle sprain in the opener, tried to play through it, missed two games and was limited when he returned. He missed another two games late in the year with COVID-19. “It was like to the point where after we left the game I couldn’t even walk,” Wills said of the ankle injury in an interview with The Chronicle last offseason. “It was just never the same.” Wills stayed healthy last year and started all 17 games. He had a few of the best games of his career, but the dominance was sporadic and some fans on social media focused on plays where he was beaten or stopped before the play was over. Pro Football Focus ranked him 56th among tackles with a 62.9 grade — 69.6 pass blocking and 55.3 run blocking. “Gotten better, but still could be better,” he said near the end of last season regarding finishing plays. “Just having that want-to, having that drive, putting myself in better positions.” With the option, the Browns will have all five starting linemen under contract through at least 2024.

#Browns

Built Bar

Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.

FanDuel

Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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Jackson and Anthony are back after a long weekend to recap the 2023 NFL Draft and how the Cleveland Browns panned out with their seven draft picks as well as their undrafted free agent class.

The Browns wrapped up another NFL Draft under GM Andrew Berry this weekend, his fourth as the top personnel man. They added seven new players to the roster.

Mar yKay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe looked back on the draft on Sunday and broke down the class by answering these questions:

Who was your favorite pick?

What was the most head-scratching pick?

Which pick is most likely to make an impact this year?

Which pick will make the biggest impact in three years?

Which curreplayer was most impacted by this draft?

They discuss all of it on this edition of the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast.

Want to get involved in Football Insider? Click here for more info and to sign up.

Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices