CLEVELAND, Ohio — Football is kind of back. The Browns held rookie minicamp over the weekend and it was the first time this to watch a Browns practice and, more importantly, the first time we were able to watch the team’s 2025 rookie class in action.
Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel were the headliners. Mason Graham puked. Carson Schwesinger made a big play.
It was a busy weekend for the rookies before they have to mix in with the veterans and things start getting real.
Here are some observations from two open practices on Friday and Saturday:
The quarterbacks
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Browns QB Shedeur Sanders during first day of Browns minicamp
The full Sanders experience was on display this weekend. Everyone saw the highlight throw to wide receiver Luke Floriea on Saturday, a really well-placed ball in 7-on-7 that had the online Sanders army declaring him QB1. That throw and a few others are what makes Sanders intriguing — his accuracy downfield and his willingness to hunt explosive plays.
The other side was on display during his very first throw in 11-on-11 on Friday. He drifted away from pressure up the middle and threw a wobbler off of his back foot to the sideline that wouldn’t have ended well if one of the Browns’ top corners had been on the field. Fixing his bad habits against pressure is at the top of the to-do list over the next few months.
Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel threw the lone interception during the two practices open to media — and had another interception dropped — and mostly seemed to take what was there during the team portions.
His size didn’t seem to be an issue but he wasn’t exactly facing Myles Garrett & Co. Hopefully we’ll get to see him and Sanders work against the top defensive line a few times this spring.
What happened Friday and Saturday mattered, but anyone making big declarations off 7-on-7 throws vs. a rookie minicamp roster is misguided at best. Neither quarterback looked overwhelmed and I didn’t walk away from two practices feeling like it was hopeless for either player. That’s a win.
Now it gets difficult. How many 11-on-11 reps will each player get against the first-team — the reps that really matter? Who becomes the odd man out because there is a finite number of reps and the Browns have to get ready to play real football at some point?
Most of the really big questions can wait until July and August, but because of this competition, we’re looking at the most interesting set of OTAs and minicamp we’ve had in a while.
The quarterback competition kind of started this weekend, but the math is about to change for the two rookies with two veterans thrown into the mix.
The other running back
football players practice during minicamp
Browns running back Dylan Sampson will have a chance to make his mark this season.David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com
Dylan Sampson’s role will be fascinating to watch evolve over the next few months. Quinshon Judkins is the headliner, given where he was selected and the crossover of Browns and Ohio State fans, but Sampson is going to be a big part of this rushing attack.
“Dylan was a player we really, really liked a lot throughout the process,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Friday.
Sampson seemed eager when he talked on Friday to send the message there’s even more to his game than what he showed at Tennessee, both as a runner and, specifically, as a pass-catcher.
“Anytime I could run routes (during the draft process), I ran routes,” he said, “and I’m going to be looking forward to getting advice from receivers here.”
Sampson caught 40 passes in his college career, half of them during his lone year as the starter in 2024.
Sampson’s sometimes chaotic running style should pair well with Judkins’ power and it sure looked like running backs coach Duce Staley was having fun coaching up his two young backs.
Who will step up on defense?
Much of what happens in the spring favors the offense due to the lack of tackling and the amount of 7-on-7, but Carson Schwesinger was right on time with his interception of Gabriel on Saturday. The Browns need to see plays like that out of their defense in the worst way possible.
The lack of playmaking from this defense in 2024 was shocking. They forced just 12 turnovers and intercepted four passes. Point the finger at two positions specifically — linebacker and safety.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was the only linebacker to force a fumble or intercept a pass last season — he did both — and none of the Browns safeties did either.
With Owusu-Koramoah’s status still up in the air, Schwesinger’s ability to hit the ground running is vital. He represents the Browns’ biggest investment at either of those positions and they need him to become a playmaker as fast as possible.
What’s next?
The quarterback battle will get the headlines, but there are still big questions on this roster at key spots.
The receiver room still strikes me as thin behind Jerry Jeudy. There’s a lot of pressure on Cedric Tillman to develop into a No. 2 receiver.
Can Dawand Jones hold up at left tackle? The Browns have cleared the runway for him.
Safety is wide open. Grant Delpit gives you quality work near the line of scrimmage but they’re still throwing darts on the back end, adding veteran Damontae Kazee. As it stands right now, they might be counting a lot on Ronnie Hickman, who was splitting time with Juan Thornhill in the second half of last season.
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