Shedeur Sanders is first up at Todd Monken's voluntary minicamp, but Deshaun Watson got plenty of first-team reps while Dillon Gabriel was a distant third. (TheLandOnDemand)
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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.
Todd Monken’s quarterback competition officially began on Tuesday, the first of an extra three-day voluntary minicamp given to teams with new head coaches.
Here’s what happened:
* Shedeur Sanders took the first snaps in 11-on-11 drills, followed by Deshaun Watson. But over five team periods, Watson was first up three times and Sanders two. Asked why he loaded up on five 11-on-11 periods, Monken said, “Because we’re allowed.”
* Dillon Gabriel received reps only in the third and fourth team periods, and they came after Watson had a second set in the third period, and then following Sanders in the fourth period.
* There was only one 7-on-7 period, and the reps went to Watson first, Gabriel second and Sanders third.
* Overall, the ESPN Cleveland QB Tracker tabulated Watson completing 10 of 15 passes, Sanders 10 of 16 with one interception, and Gabriel 3 of 6 with two interceptions. There was no hitting and reps were done at about half-speed.
* When asked to explain the distribution and order of reps, Monken said the script was written by quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian and OK’d by Monken. “It was set up in a way for us to get a look at all of them,” Monken said. “The plan was to have Shedeur have a few more reps, but to let Deshaun and Shedeur both have reps with the ones.” Monken added, “It’ll change each day. Each day we’re going to change that to get a look at our guys. We got three days to get a great look at those guys, and it’s awesome to be able to get these extra three days.” Media will not attend the practices on Wednesday and Thursday.
* Gabriel’s two interceptions were made by a pair of DBs from a group of 11 players invited to the minicamp on a tryout basis. The first came on a tip by new third safety Daniel Thomas and was picked by invitee safety JT Woods. The second was intercepted by invitee cornerback Keenan Garber.
* Sanders’ INT came when receiver Malachi Corley appeared to slow down on a go route and cornerback D’Angelo Ross easily made the defensive catch. Sanders talked to Corley after the play. Afterwards, Sanders used it as example of how he feels more compelled to hold teammates accountable in his second season at the helm. “There was one play I threw Malachi a go ball and he slowed down,” Sanders said. “I gave him that look, said, ‘Bro, we can’t afford that, bro. We can’t afford that.’ So, then you give God’s chances and things go your way, things don’t. But at the end day, y’all have a serious deeper connection and then know, OK, now I know what this showed me. So, the next time he got there, he lined up one-on-one, then he was able to go get it. So it’s just a responsibility that each and every one of us take to hold each other accountable for everything.”
O-line mix and match
The offensive line is a work in progress, to say the least.
Three potential starters did not participate because of recuperation from 2025 injuries. They were guard/center Elgton Jenkins, center Luke Wypler, and tackle Dawand Jones.
When the first-team offense took the field for the first 11-on-11 period, the line consisted of KT Leveston at left tackle, Zion Johnson at left guard, camp hand Kendrick Green at center, Teven Jenkins at right guard, and Tytus Howard at right tackle. Howard didn’t do much beyond the first team period and was replaced by Tyre Phillips.
There are obvious holes at left tackle and center.
Monken said that Elgton Jenkins would have taken reps at center if he would have participated. On two occasions, Monken referred to the draft as a means of filling the obvious holes on the O-line.
QB talk
Sanders and Gabriel were the only players made available to media.
Some tidbits:
Sanders looked much better than at any time in his rookie camp and first training camp, which shouldn’t be surprising. His mindset is extremely positive.
“This is the most important thing I have to do in my life,” he said. “I have a house here. I’m comfortable, and I wanted to take everything to the next level within myself. I know there’s some things that I wanted to improve, and I took a lot of time to self-reflect and just view a lot of things just from a different perspective, honestly. And I think I covered a lot of ground with that.”
Sanders described the coaching change from Kevin Stefanski to Monken as “a new vibe … a new energy.”
Asked about experiencing his rookie season, Sanders said, I’m just happy. I’m thankful. I’m blessed. I was in a position to where I can handle everything that comes my way. So now I feel bullet-proof.”
As evidenced by the snap count of the first day of minicamp, Gabriel enters the QB competition as the longshot. His attitude: “Just running my own race and developing each day and getting better. That’s all you can do. And that’s what I’m focused on.”
Monken disputed the notion that the starting job is a two-man race between Watson and Sanders.
“I would just say that at every position, there’s competition, irrespective of the reps that they get, which I’ve said before,” he said. “I mean everybody ought to be competing. But what I have liked with Dillon is the way he goes about his business. Very professional, highly intelligent, understands football, has a certain charisma about him and a confidence that’s hard to create. He has it innate. You saw it throughout his career. You don’t go to three different programs and have the success he had if he doesn’t have a belief in himself.”
Asked if it was difficult to lose the starting job last year because of a concussion, Gabriel said, “Yeah, I don’t think it’s ever easy, as a competitor, right? But you just want to keep staying the course, trust in God’s plan and then ultimately you got to run your own race and focus on your goals.”
Notable absences
Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Jerry Jeudy were among the missing from the voluntary camp.
Monken confirmed he still has not met with Garrett face-to-face and “can’t speak for” defensive coordinator Mike Gutenberg.
Monken stressed the camp is voluntary and contended “we’re making a big deal out of this. We really are. It’s voluntary.”
“We have other guys besides Myles that aren’t here. I wish they were here. They’ll be ready. We expect them to be ready. And we’ll be fired up when they’re here.”
Monken said all the veterans absent have communicated their plans with the team.
“Like I wish they were all here, right,” Monken said. “I mean, I’ve said that plenty of times. But every one of them is a Brown and we’re excited that they are.”
Brownie bits
Running back Quinshon Judkins, who suffered a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula in Game 16, was present but did not participate. He did some work with running backs coach Duce Staley. “We anticipate with each week he’s going to get closer and closer [to practicing],” Monken said. “When that is, his body will tell him. But we do anticipate somewhere before the end of spring/summer, we’ll have him out there.” …
With Judkins looking on, Dylan Sampson was RB1, followed by Rocket Sanders and Ahmani Marshall …
All the members of the superb 2025 rookie class – including non-draftees Isaiah Bond, Gage Larvadain, Andre Szmyt, Adin Huntington, and Luke Floria, were present and participated. Well, Szmyt didn’t do any kicking on the first day …
Best catch of the day was turned in on the last play of the nearly two-hour practice by Tylan Wallace, the ex-Raven. He outstretched above his head for a pass on an out route.