CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders remain embroiled in the NFL’s most-watched quarterback battle. The competition continues as the Browns and the rest of the league enter their summer break.
But with mandatory minicamp all wrapped up, there’s plenty to go over about that battle, as well as the other position groups with key questions surrounding them as the Browns look to rebound from a 3-14 2024 record.
After all, with the QB battle requiring so much attention, there are plenty of questions I’ve gotten after the fact about the rest of the Cleveland roster.
So, let’s dive in.
Here’s some points left over from my notebook last week after the conclusion of Browns minicamp:
\*I left the week feeling no different about the QB competition, in terms of where I think the Browns stand with their pecking order.
\*Kenny Pickett got a majority of first-team reps, and I think he’s still at the top. If I had to guess at the rest of the pecking order, in order it would be: Gabriel, Flacco, Sanders.
\*This is largely because of the way reps played out. Pickett and Gabriel were given more to do in terms of experimenting as the Browns install this offense.
\*Flacco got fewer reps overall last week, but that’s to be expected since he is entering year 18 and is familiar with Stefanski concepts. Questions about how much he can turn the ball over because of his gunslinger tendencies, but given his knowledge of the system, he shouldn’t be counted out. Even in practice he makes everything easy.
\*We still have yet to see Sanders work with the 1s, but he made the most of the reps he got with the reserves, and even elevated other undrafted players like Gage Larvadain.
\*What I think the pecking order is in the Browns’ eyes is different than where I think things _should_ be.
\*Flacco clearly has the best understanding of this offense and you can see flashes of what he did in 2023. As far as Sanders, I think his traits align with this system and he did what he needed to during the spring to earn some first-team reps come training camp.
\*Sanders throws a really nice ball, and he did so with reserves/players who likely won’t be on NFL rosters. Now I want to see him with Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, going against a first-team defense.
\*I am for them working at a slower pace with Sanders, and Gabriel for that matter. I think it’s good to give rookies time to adjust and empower them in a totally new environment with higher expectations,
\*As far as the pass-catchers, maybe the top question I’ve heard from fans is, “who has stood out besides Jeudy?“ I think there’s two answers for me here.
\*The first is rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr., who has been as advertised.
\*You can see his creation after the catch ability, and all throughout the spring I kept asking myself “does he ever drop a ball?”
\*The answer so far in Cleveland has been “not really.” Last Thursday, new tight ends coach Christian Jones said he thinks he only had one drop marked for Fannin in all the spring plays they’ve charted.
\*The other player who stood out is second-year receiver Jamari Thrash.
\*Cleveland’s fifth-round pick had trouble last year in training camp holding on to the ball — I didn’t see those same struggles this spring. He’ll need to continue that production in training camp.
\*Thrash made maybe the catch of the spring during the first day of minicamp, catching a well-placed ball on a corner route from Gabriel in a red zone 7-on-7 drill.
\*Receivers coach Chad O’Shea had this to say about Thrash last week: “Jamari’s had a great offseason, and it started with what he did prior to coming back for us in our formal practices. He worked extremely hard on some of the things in the areas that we asked him to work in. I think that set him up for a lot of success this spring. I have been very pleased with, not only his work ethic, but most importantly his performance on the field has been outstanding.”
\*Thrash took advantage during voluntary days with Diontae Johnson choosing not to attend, and getting more reps. The same can be said of Fannin, who got first-team reps when David Njoku was not at voluntary practices that were open to the media.
\*The most underrated position battle is the second starting edge rusher spot, and it seems to be between Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire.
\*If I had to pick today, I would give Wright the edge. He was playing really well before a torn triceps cost him most of last season (Remember his sack-safety that helped seal the win against the Jaguars?). He’s fully recovered now and in these practices his length is evident.
\*Wright was productive during minicamp team drills, and in the final day, he blew up two 11-on-11 plays in the same drill.
\*No matter who wins that starting job, the D-line may be one of the [deepest position groups on the roster](https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2025/06/why-i-spent-the-final-browns-minicamp-practice-watching-the-defensive-line-ashley-bastock.html).
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