Tyler Huntley returned to the Browns on Monday as the team has concerns with hamstring injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel as the preseason schedule approaches.
brought to you by Kaz Company - call 216-901-9300
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Can you believe a quarterback rotation in the Browns first preseason game on Friday of Shedeur Sanders and … Tyler Huntley?
Tyler Huntley? Is this 2024 or 2025?
Huntley, who participated in the Browns’ training camp last year but was cut and eventually defeated the Browns in a starting assignment with the Miami Dolphins, was an out-of-leftfield signing by the Browns after practice on Monday.
There now are five quarterbacks on hand. Six if you count Deshaun Watson. What in tarnation is going on?
The team is taking a conservative approach to recent hamstring issues suffered by quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and most recently Dillon Gabriel.
When you add the fact that Shedeur Sanders has suffered arm soreness – though there was no sign of it in Monday’s practice, one of Sanders’ best days – the Browns did not want to be short-handed at quarterback for the team’s first preseason game Friday in Carolina against the Panthers.
It also appears the Browns do not want to play Joe Flacco, who is stacking one good practice day after another and has virtually locked up the starting job, though it is premature for the team to announce it. Nevertheless, Flacco was listed first at quarterback in the team’s first unofficial/official depth chart for the preseason.
So the Browns will head to Charlotte, NC, on Tuesday to practice with the Panthers on Wednesday, and the state of the QBs is this:
* Flacco is looking better than ever. He was 9 of 12 and beat Denzel Ward twice on throws to Jerry Jeudy.
* Kenny Pickett, who is still battling a hamstring injury, joined 7-on-7s on Monday, but may not be ready to practice fully against the Panthers. Pickett was 4-of-4 on all short passes in his lone period. He has fallen considerably behind Flacco for the No. 1 job and now must fend off Gabriel for the No. 2 job. Except that:
* Gabriel suffered “a little bit of tightness in his hamstring” in Saturday’s practice, per coach Kevin Stefanski, and was limited on Monday. Gabriel had three reps in a 7-on-7 period and four reps in an 11-on-11 period. On passes, he was 4 of 5.
* After taking one day off because of arm soreness, Sanders may have had his best day of camp because of one period. He repped fourth in the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods.
But at the end, Stefanski conducted a field-goal situation period and only Flacco and Sanders participated. The ball was placed at the plus 41-yard line with 22 seconds on the clock and the offense needing a field goal to win.
On Sanders' first scripted play, the offense false-started. On the second play – third-and-12 from the 46 – Sanders connected with Diontae Johnson, who made a good sliding catch to apparently set up the field goal. But officials flagged the play for illegal formation.
So the ball was placed at the 46, for third-and-17. Sanders made a really good throw – the throw of the day – to Mentor-native Luke Floriea amid four defenders in the middle of the field for a 23-yard gain.. Backup kicker Andre Szmyt made the field goal from 41 yards to complete the successful possession.
Sanders was 7 of 9 on the day.
Prior to practice, Sanders said his arm soreness was the result of “just adjusting to starting and stopping. Honestly, that’s all it truly is. Sometimes you’re going hot, then you’ll wait for a second, then you’ll get cold, then get back hot, then get cold. And, you know, my arm and body wasn’t used to that, you know, so it’s just an adjustment, like within the body, you know, within my arm.”
It appears that Sanders might get the most play time among the quarterbacks Friday against the Panthers.
“Yeah, now I’m excited,” Sanders said prior to practice. “I’ll say overall, you know, being able to be healthy to come to practice today and being able to go against an actual defense and get live reps and everything. So, I’m just thankful, I prepare each day as such, and I stay focused throughout everything. So, I’m just thankful, I prepare each day as such, and I stay focused throughout everything. So, whenever it is my time to get out there, I’ll be able to be myself.”
It appears that Sanders' time has come.
Schwartz excited
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz cautioned not to put rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger in the Hall of Fame, but the veteran coach couldn’t conceal his satisfaction with the team’s top two choices in the 2025 draft.
On Graham, Schwartz said: “Mase has really made a tremendous turnaround in his body composition. I don’t know if you guys have noticed it, but it’s been significant from the time he got here after the draft, to the shape he’s in now. His metrics are much improved. He’s running a lot faster.”
Schwartz was even more upbeat on second pick Carson Schwesinger, which was noteworthy because Schwartz prioritizes the linebacker position behind defensive line and secondary in his scheme.
“With Jordan Hicks’ retirement, it really accelerated [Schwesinger’s] timeline of getting him ready,” Schwartz said. “But everything we’ve asked from him, not only has he been able to do, but he’s done a better job than what we expected. He’s got great size, he’s got great quickness, he’s got great speed, he’s got great instincts, and he’s made just as many mistakes as any other rookie, but he has not made any big mistakes.
“I think you guys have seen some of the physicality that he’s brought to our practices. His communication is much improved. For a college guy coming in, it’s a different communication than in college because a lot of colleges, they look over for the signal. Nobody really says anything here. He’s a rookie. He’s got to command the huddle. He’s got to make calls and do a lot more things like that, and he’s excelled in all those things. Really excited for him and really happy to have both of those guys.”
Brownie bits
Schwartz on cornerback Denzel Ward: “I’ve had some good corners in the past. He’s probably the best corner I’ve had in my 30 some years in the NFL. The thing I like about Denzel is how consistent he is with his preparation – he never phones in a performance.” …
Safety Grant Delpit, defensive end Myles Garrett and offensive lineman Teven Jenkins returned to full participation …
Hall of Famer offensive tackle Joe Thomas attended practice and spent time with the offensive linemen …
Kicker Dustin Hopkins, in his first live kicking appearance, made of 3 of 4 field goals in a pre-practice period. Hopkins also made a 52-yard field goal in the field-goal situation period …
Stefanski confirmed some starters will play in the first preseason game, but it was premature for him to be more specific …
Monday was the last practice open to fans. The team departs for Charlotte, NC, on Tuesday.