The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback picture stayed front and center on Day 2 of training camp, and the biggest name on the sideline may have been just as notable as the action on the field.
Deion Sanders was in the house Thursday, July 30, as his son Shedeur Sanders took all the first-team reps after working with the second team on Wednesday. It came on the final day before fans begin arriving at camp, giving the Browns one more full practice to sort through the quarterback work before the crowd shows up.
That quarterback battle is still the story, and general manager Andrew Berry made that clear when he spoke to reporters on Day 2. Berry was asked about the starting job and the factors that will go into the decision, including the age of the two quarterbacks competing for the role. According to the reporting, the winner will be determined by one simple thing and nothing else.
Shedeur Sanders also drew attention from an outside evaluation that pointed to the traits he’ll need to lean on if he wants to make it in the league. Ben Solak of ESPN said Sanders lacks “elite size to shrug off contact,” lacks “special arm talent,” and is a “below-average mover for the position,” which means he needs to have one specific throw fully polished if he hopes to succeed.
The Browns’ early camp standing hasn’t done much to move them up the preseason conversation either. Josh Kendall’s rankings at The Athletic still have Cleveland sitting low, with the quarterback issue again doing most of the damage. Training camp is only two days old, but for the Browns, the same old question is already driving the discussion.
There’s also a wider conversation around the roster and where this version of the team is headed. After a 5-12 season, the 2025 Browns struggled to establish an identity, with three different quarterbacks starting and the offense never finding steady footing. That left the team in a place where changes were clearly needed.
One separate discussion asked which Browns rookie will have the best year in 2026, and four local experts gave their predictions. The question was framed around this upcoming season and which first-year player would ultimately stand out most for Cleveland.
Another piece looked at the broader difference between the 2025 and 2026 Browns, while Terry Pluto wrote about the coaching change and said, “I have no clue if Todd Monken will be a good coach for the Browns. But listening to his press conference, I kept thinking how the Browns could not bring back Kevin Stefanski for a seventh season.”
Elsewhere on the beat, the Akron Beacon Journal highlighted five takeaways from Day 2 of Browns training camp, including Deion Sanders’ presence. Browns Zone also recapped Andrew Berry’s comments on Jadeveon Clowney, the quarterbacks, and contract extensions.
Around the league, Baker Mayfield said he felt “disrespected” and “undervalued” during extension talks with the Buccaneers. Chris Olave and the Saints reached agreement on a four-year contract extension, and Panthers rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II will undergo season-ending surgery on his torn lateral collateral ligament in his left knee.
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Jimmy Haslam Just Raised The Stakes For Todd Monken In Cleveland
Jimmy Haslam is already putting a number on the Browns next step, and it is one that suggests the owner sees real progress coming sooner rather than later. At training camp, Haslam backed Todd Monken and made clear he expects Cleveland to move past its five-win 2024 season, even with the usual offseason questions hanging over the roster.
Monken inherits a team still waiting on a definite answer at quarterback and now operating without Myles Garrett, whose departure removed the face of the defense. Haslams bigger picture is even more ambitious, with 2026 framed as a bridge toward a contending playoff team in 2027, which means the pressure on Monken is only going to grow if the wins do not follow. [Read more 🡒]
Three Surprise Browns Camp Risers Are Already Turning Heads
Clevelands early camp has already produced a few unexpected looks, and that is exactly the kind of thing that tends to make the first week of practice worth watching. On the offensive line, Dawand Jones has opened with the starters at left tackle, while rookie Spencer Fano is in the mix nearby as the Browns sort through their best five. There is also a real battle brewing at right guard, where KT Leveston is getting first-unit work against Teven Jenkins.
The defense has its own under-the-radar competition, with Easton Mascarenas-Arnold earning first-team snaps as the Browns try to settle on a third linebacker. He is in the mix with Winston Reid and Nathaniel Watson, and those reps matter because this is the part of camp when depth charts can start to shift in a hurry. For a team still searching for answers in a few key spots, these early auditions are creating more intrigue than usual. [Read more 🡒]