My charting of both Browns rookie QBs in 7-on-7 periods affirms the unconscionable to Shedeur Sanders' fans -- yeah, he did go 3 for 8 in one period. (TheLandOnDemand)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns rookie minicamp weekend …
On draft weekend, I thought GM Andrew Berry’s sixth Browns’ draft would be defined by the three moves he made related to quarterbacks – the trade of the No. 2 overall pick to get a jumpstart on the 2026 QB draft, the shocking selection of Dillon Gabriel in the third round, the mercy pick of Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.
I was wrong. I’ll explain later.
Indeed, the QBs drew the microscopic scrutiny of media and fans at the rookie minicamp over the weekend.
Fans, subscribers of TLOD, listeners of 850 ESPN Cleveland, followers of me on X, (and now many blocked ex-followers), quickly pitched their tents in the camp of one quarterback or the other.
Anything I wrote or said positive about Gabriel was construed as hate of Sanders. Characterizing Gabriel as a left-handed Russell Wilson brought angry vitriol from the pro-Sanders set.
Anything I wrote or said positively about Sanders was construed as genuflection to the almighty Coach Prime.
Fans of Sanders can’t comprehend that he missed 5 of 8 passes in a 7-on-7 period on Saturday. He did.
They want video evidence. They charged I must be making it up to make him look bad. I’m not.
Fans of Sanders angrily demanded why I didn’t report the touchdown pass he heaved to uncovered tryout receiver Jabre Barber of Texas A&M that was captured by somebody on video and hastily posted on social media.
It’s for the same reason I didn’t report the shotgun snap dropped by Sanders in an 11-on-11 team drill. It’s not that significant.
It’s all so unhealthy, this psycho polarization of these two rookie quarterbacks.
“It just divides the team,” Gabriel said on Saturday.
Unfortunately, it will get worse after the rookies engage in their own competition for backup roles when they join veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in OTAs and training camp.
But after observing two practices among the rookies, I am here to tell you that defensive tackle Mason Graham, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running back Quinshon Judkins, tight end Harold Fannin and running back Dylan Sampson will have a much bigger impact on the Browns’ 2025 season than Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Those five players will define the 2025 Browns draft more than the two quarterbacks.
Back to basics
The Browns haven’t had an elite defensive tackle since Michael Dean Perry in the 1990s. With the Browns, Perry made the Pro Bowl five times and All-Pro three times. Perry was so instrumental in the Bill Belichick Browns’ defense that set the franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season.
Look around. The Super Bowl contenders all have an elite defensive tackle. The Eagles had three last year. The Bengals are the only AFC North team to reach the Super Bowl in the last 12 years. They had an elite defensive tackle tandem of D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill that 2021 season.
Jim Schwartz’s best defenses have had an elite tackle to accentuate the dominant edge rusher. He hasn’t had that tackle in Cleveland. If Graham is as good as advertised, he will make a big difference and could push Myles Garrett to the 20-sack milepost.
Schwesinger is a tackle-machine linebacker the Browns haven’t had in the Berry era. He looks to play with the same violence as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, only he’s an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier. He’s bigger and faster than Baltimore’s Roquan Smith.
In Judkins and Sampson, the Browns have instantly reconstructed their backfield with a tandem of young, explosive runners to accentuate Kevin Stefanski’s lethal play-action passing game in the return to the zone-blocking offensive scheme.
Judkins looked like the best player on the field at rookie minicamp. He should be a 1,200-yard rusher as a rookie, and Sampson looks like an ideal change-of-pace back. The two of them have formed instant camaraderie, a la Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Fannin never missed a pass in the two practices I saw. And he was on the field a lot, affirming Stefanski’s intent to restore the two-tight end alignments that helped to disguise his diabolical run/pass options. As a rookie, Fannin could be better than any second tight end Stefanski has deployed alongside David Njoku.
These five players alone comprise the best draft class Berry has ever produced.
Whither the quarterback competition
Here’s my way-too-early breakdown of the Browns’ four quarterbacks who will “battle” in training camp:
* Joe Flacco, yes, even at 40 years old, is by far the best quarterback on the roster. He’s a physical freak, throws the best ball, executes the play-action game better than the others, avoids sacks, and is loved by the locker room. He will get the fewest reps in training camp because he doesn’t need them to be ready for the 2025 season opener.
* While Kenny Pickett might be the front office’s perceived favorite to start the season, he has to prove he can withstand the challenge of not only Flacco but the negative vibes of the fan base. He should receive the most reps in training camp. If he has a decent training camp, he could be trade bait because of his affordability, age, and upward career path.
* Dillon Gabriel is the key player in a potential trade of Pickett. He is a mature rookie quarterback who appears easily adaptable to Stefanski’s play-action passing game. At minicamp, Gabriel was decisive in his footwork, displayed good pocket presence, and showed tremendous accuracy with his ball placement. He spins the ball as nicely as any QB I’ve seen in a Browns uniform.
* Shedeur Sanders will have to prove he can process defenses quicker, navigate the pocket better, and deliver the ball with greater torque. The appearance of true NFL cornerbacks in OTAs and training camp will be a great learning experience for him.
My bottom line about the Browns’ quarterback situation is this:
They are in decent shape for 2025. But the long-term answer at the position is most likely in the 2026 draft. Which is OK because the five non-QB players added this year will make the team better when the ultimate savior is drafted.