Four days into Browns training camp, one thing is already clear: Cleveland is still sorting out its biggest questions, and the answers aren’t coming easily.
The quarterback job remains wide open, the rookie receiver everyone is watching keeps flashing, and the defense has shown no sign of slowing down even after the trade of all-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett. The team has spent most of camp in shells so far, with the pads set to come on Monday, but there’s already enough to pull from the first stretch in Berea.
The biggest storyline is the one hanging over the whole offense. Cleveland still does not have a set QB1 heading toward Week 1, and head coach Todd Monken is clearly treating the competition like a true evaluation. Monken has said the offense is still in the installation phase, which means the team is not close to making a final call yet.
At this point, nobody can say with confidence who is actually ahead. Some believe Shedeur Sanders is in front.
The same argument can be made for Deshaun Watson. Dillon Gabriel has also started to climb into the conversation.
But four days into camp, that battle is still exactly that - a battle. Install work, game reps, and specific situations will all factor in before Monken makes his choice.
For now, the Browns simply don’t have a starting quarterback, and that’s where things stand.
While the quarterback picture stays cloudy, Denzel Boston has brought some real juice to the offense. The Browns took the rookie wideout in the second round of this year’s draft, and he has wasted no time making noise. Boston has been turning heads almost every day, and the trait that keeps showing up is his ability to win 50-50 balls and stay locked in on difficult catches.
Cleveland has been searching for a true X-type receiver for a while, and Boston looks like he could fit that role. If what he’s doing in camp carries over, the Browns may have found something valuable right away.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns’ defense has answered one of the obvious questions early. After trading away Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, plenty of people wondered whether the unit would take a step back. So far, that hasn’t happened.
The defense is young, but it has talent all over the field. Jared Verse has made his presence felt with his voice, Mason Graham has looked ready for a sophomore breakout, and Denzel Ward has reminded everyone why Cleveland extended him. Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has given the group new life, and through four days, the defense looks like it could end up better than it was last year if things keep moving in this direction.
The arrow is pointing up.
In Other News...
Deshaun Watson Just Reignited The Browns Camp Debate
Deshaun Watson is back at the center of the Browns camp conversation as he heads into the final year of his five-year deal, with his future in Cleveland already hanging over a quarterback battle that has little room for drift. Entering another important summer after four seasons marked by injuries and limited playtime, Watson is once again trying to position himself as the starter for the coming season while the team weighs what comes next.
Todd Monken tried to cool the early camp reaction after Watsons rough stretch in practice, saying the turnovers were more a product of good defense than bad quarterbacking. Still, every snap matters for a player in Watsons spot, and his willingness to discuss an extension only adds another layer to a situation the Browns would rather settle on the field first. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Gabriel Is Forcing His Way Into A Browns QB Battle
The Browns are carrying their quarterback competition into the second week of training camp, with the spotlight still fixed on the order of the depth chart and how the reps are being divided. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been sharing the starting snaps, while rookie Dillon Gabriel has been working behind them and making the most of the chances he has been given.
Gabriels strong showings in limited work have started to register with the staff, and his route into the battle could get a little wider if that continues. Head coach Todd Monken has made it clear the job will go to whoever gives Cleveland the best chance to win in Week 1, which keeps the door open for a camp race that still feels far from settled. [Read more 🡒]