BEREA, Ohio — The Browns QB competition really began to heat up this week with the start of OTAs.
Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders got reps on the field during the Browns second overall voluntary practice on Wednesday, the first session open to reporters. The second open practice is slated for next Wednesday.
As the Cleveland QB quartet essentially ran a dual passing camp and split up reps, there were other players — particularly pass catchers — who took advantage of their chance to shine.
Here are several of the top standouts from week one:
Jerry Jeudy, WR
If Wednesday’s practice was any indication, Jeudy is picking up right where he left off at the end of the 2024 season.
Coming off of his first 1,000-yard and Pro Bowl year, Jeudy was one of the few bright spots in Cleveland amid a 3-14 finish.
On Wednesday, he was catching everything thrown his way, no matter which QB was throwing it.
“You want to build that connection with your quarterbacks and just even we got new plays in and we just want to be able to understand the new plays, new concepts and things like that,” Jeudy said when asked why it’s important for him to be at these voluntary sessions. “I just love football. I love being out here. I love competing.”
It’s worth noting he made a few highlight catches courtesy of Flacco, including a deep gain down the left sideline in the first snap of 11-on-11.
“He’s exciting,” Flacco said. “I mean, he’s got speed, he’s got route running ability and you can see the look in his eyes. He wants to be good and he wants to do it the right way. So it’s exciting to be around him.”
Harold Fannin Jr., TE
Much like Jeudy it seemed like every time I looked up during team drills, Fannin, the rookie tight end out of Bowling Green, was making a play in the pass game.
It’s unsurprising, considering what Fannin did in college. Last year with the Falcons, he led the FBS with 117 receptions and 1,555 receiving yards (both single-season FBS TE records). He also led BG with 10 receiving TDs.
The highlight of the day for the rookie came courtesy of Flacco during red zone 7-on-7.
Fannin expertly ran a post route and Flacco fired a dart at him. Fannin extended his hands, protected the football, and got both feet in bounds at the back of the end zone for the score.
With David Njoku absent from the voluntary session, Fannin made the most of his extra first team reps and is having an excellent start to his spring.
Mason Graham, DT
Graham bounced back nicely after stealing headlines by vomiting on the second day of rookie minicamp a couple of weeks ago.
In individual D-line drills, he looked precise, moved fluidly, and was open to coaching.
His highlight of the day batting down a Dillon Gabriel pass in the final 11-on-11 period of the day. It was a sequence that showed just how disruptive he can be, even without hitting the quarterback.
It’s the exact kind of play you want to see from your No. 5 overall pick.
Isaiah McGuire, ED
It’s hard to glean much from D-linemen in these unpadded, non-contact practices.
But McGuire was the next-man-up for reps with the ones on the edge, considering Myles Garrett was absent and Alex Wright was working off to the side for most of the day, still working his way back from a torn triceps.
McGuire and Ogbo Okoronkwo got most of the first team looks on Wednesday.
McGuire showed some ball hawk tendencies last season, forcing three fumbles and recording 2.5 sacks. He’s a guy who’s potential has excited D-line coach Jacques Cesaire, who last offseason said he believed McGuire could be a double-digit sacker in the NFL.
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