The Cleveland Browns closed a 10-week offseason program in Berea with first-year coach Todd Monken installing his scheme and setting clear expectations, then sent players home for a summer respite, according to the team. OTAs and minicamp clarified how rookies and veteran additions fit, and returning players showed growth, but several key issues remain unresolved heading into training camp. Rookies report July 23 and veterans July 28, with the regular season opener set for Sept. 13 at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The primary question centers on the quarterback competition. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders split first-team reps throughout the spring, and Monken said he wants to extend the battle into padded practices and preseason games before naming a starter. Monken has not given a firm decision deadline but said the team will have a starter by Week 1. Watson is coming off two Achilles procedures that cost him the 2025 season and must demonstrate he can stay healthy and elevate his play; coaches praised Sanders’ development in the spring but want him to cut down on holding the ball too long, according to Monken.
A related roster puzzle is how many quarterbacks the Browns keep. General manager Andrew Berry previously said he would be comfortable carrying four QBs on the 53-man roster, but the team traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders last year. Dillon Gabriel sits behind Watson and Sanders on the depth chart, while rookie Taylen Green was largely a developmental prospect in spring practices. The Browns face a similar decision this summer about how to manage the crowded room.
The defense enters camp in a new era after trading reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Cleveland received two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse in return, though Verse is not viewed as Garrett’s equal. Other rushers, including Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire, must step up, and the team is awaiting the health of veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who missed OTAs and minicamp after a late-season quad injury. A Year 2 leap from rookie Mason Graham, who ranked 20th in pass-rush win rate among defensive tackles (8.3%) as a rookie, could also be significant.
Off-field business remains another open item. The Browns face questions about potential contract extensions for cornerback Denzel Ward and safety Grant Delpit, an issue the team may need to address before the season begins.
