The Browns spent Friday inside instead of outside, and the quarterback picture still looks anything but settled.
Cleveland moved practice indoors three hours before the session because of rain and the threat of thunderstorms later in the day, shutting fans out of what would have been Day 9 of training camp. The weather forced a change of plans, but it didn’t change the bigger issue hanging over camp: the Browns are still nowhere close to making a quarterback decision.
From the media side, Jared Mueller was on hand to catch the session and the early reports weren’t encouraging. The biggest problem remained the same one that has been popping up throughout camp - pre-snap mistakes. According to Jared, the offense was still struggling to get aligned correctly, with both quarterbacks part of the issue.
“They can’t get pre-snap penalties under control, literally not calling full plays and still can’t get things lined up right. Both quarterbacks. A timeout just had to be called because of how bad it was.”
There were a few notable individual moments in the session, especially among the young receivers trying to carve out space on the roster. Cedric Tillman wasn’t mentioned, and Jamari Thrash was waived/injured earlier in the day, which leaves room for Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain to keep building momentum. The two undrafted rookies from last year have apparently put together another strong stretch, and Larvadain added to that with a nice catch on a pass from Shedeur Sanders.
Dillon Gabriel also had a rougher moment, trying to attack the right sideline with two defenders in the area before Donovan McMillon stepped in front of the throw for the interception.
On the roster front, there were a few more moving parts. Installation periods for the offense are over.
Mason Graham returned to action, while Carson Schwesinger remained out. Other players not practicing included Michael Burton, Joe Royer, Myles Bryant, Mike Hall, Zak Zinter, Izavion Miller, Elijah Chatman, Sam Kamara, and Kalia Davis.
And even with the practice moved inside, the conditions weren’t exactly comfortable. Jared noted it was quite humid inside the dome.
In Other News...
Browns Camp Injuries Just Changed The Outlook For A Young Receiver
Training camp injuries have already started to reshape the Browns roster picture, and one of the more notable moves involved young wide receiver Jamari Thrash. Cleveland waived Thrash with an injury designation after he went down with a knee injury in camp, a transaction that signals the team is making room while also managing the roster around a wave of training-camp absences.
The Browns also waived linebacker Reid Carrico, re-signed offensive lineman Jack Conley and brought in undrafted rookie cornerback Jeadyn Lukus as part of the effort to keep the group afloat. For Thrash, the path is especially unfortunate because he is not in position to help this season, and if he clears waivers he will revert to the injured reserve list as Cleveland keeps adjusting to the bodies missing from practice. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Battle May Already Have A Frustrating Ending
The Browns are still working through training camp and fine-tuning their offense, but the quarterback picture may already be tilting in one direction. Deshaun Watson is recovering from an Achilles injury, and he still has to show he can handle practice and preseason reps, yet the conversation around the job has not exactly sounded like an open competition.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo has consistently believed Watson will be the starter, a view he says he has held since the NFL Scouting Combine in February. For Cleveland, that leaves the rest of the summer with a familiar tension: the team can keep evaluating and preparing, but the most important decision under center may already be settling into place. [Read more 🡒]