CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s almost time for Kevin Stefanski to see what his overhauled 2025 roster and new offense are made of.
The Browns will kick off Phase III of the offseason program next week, which consists of up to 10 voluntary organized team activities practices over the next four weeks, and the mandatory minicamp June 10-12.
The Browns have a final OTA week on the books June 16-19, but it remains to be seen how they’re utilizing that week, with no media availability currently scheduled.
Here’s what’s next as football is about to get underway:
**1\. The first week of OTAs**
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The Browns will conduct three practices next week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with only Wednesday’s session (OTA No. 2) open to the media. In fact, the Browns currently only have two open sessions scheduled, including OTA No. 5 on June 4.
The two practices will offer the first look at the Browns’ four-way quarterback competition among Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders. Per Article 21 of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams may work the offense against the defense for the first time, with no live contact permitted. Drills can include 7-on-7s, 9-on-7s, and 11-on-11s.
The Browns will run two concurrent passing drills to maximize QB reps in the competition, with two quarterbacks and about six receivers in each of the drills. To ensure a fair and equal competition, all four quarterbacks will get some time with the first team line, backs and receivers.
Again, Pickett will likely go first in team drills, followed by Gabriel and then Flacco and Sanders, or Sanders and Flacco based on how and when they acquired the QBs and how the team views them heading into the open competition, the first one in the Stefanski era. But the quarterbacks can change the pecking order based on their performance in OTAs and minicamp.
New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will help Stefanski install the new offense, which is primarily a return to Stefanski’s tried-and-true version of the West Coast scheme that he ran for years in Minnesota and in his first four seasons here until last season when the Browns scrapped it for more of a spread offense under 2024 coordinator Ken Dorsey.
**2\. The second week of OTAs**
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The second week of OTAs consists of the Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River, with proceeds benefitting the club’s Stay in the Game school attendance initiative.
Players will attend the tournament and some will play in it. They’ll then participate in three practices Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the June 4 session open to the media.
At that second open practice, the quarterbacks will either go in the same order as the week before, or mix it up to ensure quality reps for all. It’s a dramatic departure from training camp and the season, when the third and fourth quarterbacks get very few reps, and even the backup mostly runs the show team. With a grueling early schedule, including five of six on the road, the Browns would be best-served by deciding on their QB1 as soon as possible and refining the first-team offense.
The Browns will take everything into account during the competition, including how the players take classroom instruction to the field, correct mistakes, get players lined up and motions called, articulate the plays, and make good decisions.
Clean ball will be paramount after the Browns tied for a league-high 34 giveaways, including a league-most 23 interceptions. It’s one of the things the Browns like about Pickett as the competition gets underway: he traditionally hasn’t turned the ball over much. It’s also one of the things Flacco will have to improve on if he hopes to win the starting job. The rookies must come up the learning curve quickly, and also try not to throw picks.
One of the most anticipated aspects of OTAs and minicamp is the rejuvenated running game, led by second-round back Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State, and fourth-round back Dylan Sampson out of Tennessee.
The offensive linemen, as Joel Bitonio has pointed out, are eager to get back to a gritty, rugged Cleveland Browns style of running the ball.
**3\. The mandatory minicamp**
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The mandatory full-squad minicamp June 10-12 is open to the media all three days, including interviews with select players, and a chance to view plenty of team drills and situational football.
By the end of the minicamp, the Browns should have a good handle on the quarterback depth chart, and the pecking at order at other key positions such as defensive end opposite Myles Garrett.
Other things to watch will include offensive tackle Dawand Jones making his case to start on the left side, and rookies such as defensive tackle Mason Graham, linebacker Carson Schwesinger and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. preparing to start or become key parts of the rotation early on.
The camp will also feature the first comprehensive look at newcomers such as receiver Diontae Johnson, edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, guard Teven Jenkins, linebacker Jerome Baker, and safeties Rayshawn Jenkins and Damontae Kazee.
**4\. The break**
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Depending on what the Browns choose to do with their final week of OTAs, June 16-19, some or most of them might be permitted to disperse after minicamp until training camp begins in late July. It might also be part of the rookie development program, which can run for seven weeks beginning May 12, excluding weekends. This season, the Browns will conduct training camp mostly at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, except for a joint practice against the Panthers prior to their preseason game in Carolina in preseason Week 1, and two days of joint practices against the Eagles in Philly prior to their preseason game there in preseason Week 2.
A number of practices will be open to fans, who can decide for themselves who they think the Browns’ new QB1 should be. Details on training camp will come later.
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