Orange and Brown Talk: Cleveland Browns Podcast

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson spoke for the first time in training camp on Friday and said he’s “blocking out” the noise this season. Why did he decide to deliver this message today and what did we think about it? Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe talk about what Watson had to say and their thoughts on how Watson is framing his approach this season. First, they discuss Kevin Stefanski’s decision to retain playcalling and why they all agree with the decision. Then they spend time on Nick Chubb sprinting and doing agility drills after practice. Could he be ready Week 1? They also talk about what Mary Kay and Ashley saw and heard at practice on Friday. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns and Amari Cooper ended Cooper's contract stalemate quietly this week before training camp opened, guaranteeing him $20 million and adding $5 million in incentives. Cooper reported to camp and all is well for the Browns as they land in West Virginia. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe discussed the resolution to Cooper's contract stalemate on Thursday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast. They talk about why it ended up being a win for both sides, offering flexibility, and why it was so important to get something done. They also peek ahead to the start of practices at The Greenbrier on Thursday and what to expect as the Browns get going on the 2024 season. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns training camp is always about competition and players proving themselves and Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe prepare for camp this week by picking out three players with plenty to prove this summer. Obviously, Deshaun Watson is one, so they pass on another quarterback discussion for now and pick three different players, including two wide receivers and a defensive player who may not have to prove he belongs but still has to prove where he belongs. They kick off the podcast with a little talk about The Greenbrier, where the Browns are starting camp for the second year in a row, and their experience there last year and what they're expecting this year as they venture into the depths of West Virginia. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns report for training camp in Berea this week and travel to and begin practicing at The Greenbrier in West Virginia on Thursday. We're starting this week of camp pods off with a Hey, Mary Kay! edition of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. Mary Kay Cabot joins Dan Labbe to answer questions from our Football Insider subscribers. They start by talking storylines. What are the big storylines they're watching this camp? What about some under-the-radar storylines? Which rookie and which veteran could exceed expectations. They also spend time on bigger issues, like whether Amari Cooper could stage a hold-in, whether the Browns should explore a trade for Brandon Aiyuk and how the defense can improve in the red zone. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns kick off training camp next week at The Greenbrier in West Virginia and a number of battles will go under the spotlight, especially when the pads go on a few days in. Lance Reisland joined Dan Labbe on Friday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast to look ahead to some of the camp battles he's looking forward to watching. They look at the logjam at offensive tackle and how it could play out between Jedrick Wills Jr., Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin. They also look at the defensive tackle room and how the Browns will sort out the crowd in there. They discuss the wide receiver depth chart and what will happen after the first four and spend time at linebacker and safety and get into the importance of special teams. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns are set at the top of the receiver depth chart, but it doesn't mean there isn't plenty of intrigue at the position. Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe talk through the position on this edition of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. They start with the addition of Jerry Jeudy and why the Browns made the move and extended him. They also talk about how he fits with Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore. Then they dig more into Moore and what his role could be now that the Browns have a better feel for how to use him and how he fits with Cooper and Jeudy. They move down the depth chart and talk about the strong spring Cedric Tillman had and then get into the numbers game at the bottom of the receiver depth chart and who might be in or out. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

One of the most important factors in a team's fate is how they perform and where they finish in their division. The Browns finished in the top half of the AFC North for the first time since 2007 but had to play a road playoff game. Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe take a closer look at the Browns division on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast as they continue their keys to this team making it to the Super Bowl this season. They start by talking about the Steelers and their quarterback situation and who they think the Browns will face when they take on Pittsburgh for the first time in the season's second half. They move on to Cincinnati and the return of Joe Burrow and if people have forgotten about the Bengals after a down year last year. Then they wrap up by looking at the defending division champs, the Ravens, and if they can repeat or if the Browns can dethrone them. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski just signed an extension and is going into his fifth season with the Browns in 2024. He's set up to lead this team for remainder of the decade. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe continue their series on keys to the Browns winning the Super Bowl this season by focusing on the man leading the charge. What do they see in Stefanski that gives him a chance to be the guy to lead them to the promised land. Can he become the Browns' version of Mike Tomlin or John Harbaugh? Does it matter if he calls plays this year or hands things over to Ken Dorsey? How important was it for the Browns to land him after a messy year with Freddie Kitchens? They cover all the bases with Stefanski on this edition of the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns defense was dominant in its first year under Jim Schwartz in 2023, helping the Browns win 11 games and return to the playoffs. Year 2 under Schwartz is next up in our series of keys to the Browns winning the Super Bowl and life will be a little more difficult for Schwartz and Co. in 2024. They face a difficult quarterback schedule and will be tested throughout the season by some of the league's top signal-callers. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe look ahead on today's Orange and Brown Talk podcast to how the defense will evolve in 2024 and if they can repeat their performance from a season ago and go through the quarterbacks they have to face. They discuss which quarterback aside from Patrick Mahomes will be the most challenging and how they will deal with the gauntlet ahead of them. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns' wild card loss in Houston is still stuck in the minds of Browns fans, especially considering how poorly their defense played in the first half. Do they need to make changes based on what the Texans did to them? That's one question our Football Insider subscribers had for Lance Reisland as he joined Dan Labbe on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast for a Q&A. Lance talks about what he saw in that game and why it went so poorly. They also talk about the Browns' run game after Nick Chubb got hurt and what could change, roles for the wide receivers, what Lance has seen from Jameis Winston on film and what makes Amari Cooper such a good route runner. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris expressed strong thoughts about the future of the NFL's offseason program and a proposal that would eliminate it and replace it with an earlier report date for training camp. Harris spoke with Ashley Bastock about his thoughts on the program and Ashley and Dan Labbe spend Friday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast discussing her interview with Harris and the story she posted about it at cleveland.com/browns on Friday. They get into the 18-game schedule and how the potential of adding a game is impacting all of these discussions and what the NFLPA is trying to get out of allowing the NFL to add an 18th game. They also get into some of the ins and outs of the offseason program and why it's valuable to the NFL from a marketing and content standpoint and what they get out of it as well as the issues the NFLPA sometimes has when it comes to achieving solidarity. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett continued earning high praise this offseason, being voted the league’s top edge rusher by NFL executives, coaches and scouts. It’s a big reason Garrett is one of our 15 keys for the Browns to win the Super Bowl in 2024. Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe spend Wednesday’s Orange and Brown Talk podcast discussing Garrett and what the expectations are for him heading into another year of high expectations for him and his team. Will this be a run of Defensive Player of the Year awards for Garrett? What are our expectations for him statistically this season? How does winning impact how he is viewed? We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns are counting on edge rusher Za'Darius Smith to follow up a strong first season with the Browns with another good season rushing the passer and it's why he is one of our 15 keys to the Browns winning the Super Bowl. Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe spend Tuesday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast discussing Smith and what to expect from him in his second season with the Browns. They talk about why the Browns decided to bring Smith back and what to realistically expect from him in his second season on the other end of Myles Garrett. How can Smith and Garrett be better together this season and how will Smith continue to benefit from Garrett and Jim Schwartz's scheme. They also talk about how the Browns have approached their No. 2 edge rush position and how it has been impacted by the lack of a first-round pick the last three drafts. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns safety Grant Delpit had his best season as a pro in 2023 and was rewarded with a contract extension, making him one of the core pieces of the defense. Ashley Bastock wrote a feature on Delpit that ran on Monday (You can read it here) all about Delpit's early life and path to the NFL and his penchant for being patient when life throws him curveballs. Ashley and Dan Labbe talked about Delpit and her feature on him on Monday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast, continuing our series on keys to the Browns making a Super Bowl run. They start by discussing the story and how it came together as well as what Ashley learned about Delpit in the process and what she left out of the story. Then they talk about Delpit's fit in Jim Schwartz's defense and his development on and off the field. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The NFL is changing it's kickoff rule in 2024 and the Browns and the rest of the league are all trying to figure out how to handle what could be a seismic change. Lance Reisland joined Dan Labbe on Wednesday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast to discuss the new rule and what it could look like. They start by simply explaining the rule and what fans can expect to see when they get their first look at it. Then they get into some of the strategies teams might employ and the types of players they will look to utilize in both returns and coverage as they operate in closer quarters. They also discuss injuries and how teams might try to protect their kickers in a world where they might have to make more tackles. They discuss why they believe this will lead to more injuries. If you want to learn more about the rule, check out this explainer from the NFL. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Tuesday continues our look at football concepts and ideas as we dive into Football 101 with Lance Reisland. Lance joins Dan Labbe and they focus today on the offensive side of the ball and choice routes, one of the phrases of the offseason as the Browns install a new offense under Ken Dorsey. What is a choice route and how does it change things for the Browns? First, Dan and Lance talk offensive personnel groupings and what it means when someone says a team is in 11 personnel or 12 personnel and how to figure it out. Then it's on to those pesky choice routes and how it's going to look in the Browns offense. Why will Browns receivers work in this type of offense? Where else have we seen this style of route running be effective? We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

What coverage are the Browns in most under Jim Schwartz? How can someone tell what type of coverage they're in from play-to-play? What about defensive alignments? What is a 3-technique anyway? Football is complicated and it's easy to get lost in the jargon and the terminology that gets thrown around with ease but not much explanation. Cleveland.com's film expert, Lance Reisland, is here to try to simplify and explain what you're watching on Sundays. In the first of a series of Orange and Brown Talk podcasts, Lance walks us through a few things on the defensive side of the ball. First, he and host Dan Labbe talk coverages. How would he describe what the Browns do on the back end and what can fans watch to get an idea of what they're doing? Why are they able to run it? What is a quarterback looking for? Then they turn their attention to the defensive line. How are the alignments of defensive linemen numbered and why? We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski hasn’t announced whether he or new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will call plays in 2024. It’s one of the remaining questions as the Browns get set to open training camp next month. Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe answer five Browns questions on Friday’s Orange and Brown Talk podcast, including who they think should call plays when the season kicks off in September. They also discuss which new coaching hire will have the biggest impact, if a player besides Myles Garrett could win Defensive Player of the Year for the Browns, if the Amari Cooper situation will be resolved by the time camp opens and if they believe the Browns will finally make a first-round pick again in 2025. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

Browns running back Nick Chubb is working his way back from a serious knee injury that ended his 2023 season and required two surgeries to repair. Chubb has become the face of the Browns and is a favorite of fans and teammates. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe continued their look at keys to winning a Super Bowl for the Browns on Thursday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast. The focus today is Chubb and the Browns running back room. They talk about when Chubb could make his return and the importance of not rushing him back. They also get into what to expect from his on-field performance coming off a serious injury. They discuss the running back room as a whole and the roles some of the team's young backs could fill and even ask if the Browns should have considered bringing back Kareem Hunt. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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

The Browns defense was one of the top units in the NFL in 2023, buoyed by defensive player of the year Myles Garrett and a handful of other high-priced veterans like Denzel Ward, Dalvin Tomlinson and Juan Thornhill. The thing that really completed the defense, however, were the youths, recent Andrew Berry draft picks who are playing on rookie deals and playing well. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe picked out two in particular as they discuss a few topics from their 15 keys to winning the Super Bowl series -- linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. They spend Wednesday's Orange and Brown Talk podcast discussing the impact each player makes and how they've managed to fit in and thrive in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme. We were Voted best podcast by Cleveland Magazine readers! Want to become a Football Insider subscriber? Get more info here. Music credits: 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