Latest news with #ClevelandBrowns'
New York Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Browns training camp off to slow start, but plenty of QB drama is still to come
BEREA, Ohio — There will be no rush to judgment regarding either the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation or the team's quest to return to respectability from either inside or outside the training camp ropes. In two days, we've seen pretty standard football practices. The quarterback rotation is interesting but largely unchanged from the spring, and basic introductions have produced almost no offensive fireworks. Advertisement Camp officially opened with practices of about 70 minutes on Wednesday and Thursday, the latter of which took place in temperatures over 90 degrees. The Browns will have their first practices open to fans on Friday and Saturday, and their first padded practice will be on Monday. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski won't say it directly, but having a clear starting quarterback by the fourth week of camp and the Browns' trip to Philadelphia for joint practices with the Eagles seems like a reasonable goal. Kenny Pickett was first in the drill lines in each of the first two practices and first up in 11-on-11 work on Wednesday. As Stefanski promised, Thursday's change put Joe Flacco first up in 11-on-11 work. Dillon Gabriel is clearly third in line ahead of fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders for now. Gabriel is always second or third in drill lines, as Flacco sometimes takes fewer reps because he's the most experienced of the group. Stefanski said he and the coaching staff will evaluate and potentially change rep order and quantity next week. Starting with Monday's first practice in pads, the Browns will have six sessions before they travel to Carolina for an Aug. 6 joint practice with the Panthers. The Browns continue to run simultaneous 7-on-7 drills in practice to maximize (and share) reps. After Thursday's practice, a group of rookies and down-the-depth-chart players remained on the field for some extra 11-on-11 work that saw Sanders then Gabriel each take three reps. Stefanski has said little about his plans for the coming weeks or the Aug. 8 preseason game in Carolina. Probably, those reps will be earned and subsequently awarded based on what happens in the practices that lie directly ahead. Thus far, we've seen a lot of short passes and not many streaks of consecutive completions. Advertisement A Thursday red zone 11-on-11 drill saw Pickett take five snaps with the No. 1 offense versus No. 1 defense, then Gabriel and Sanders each received four snaps with the second and third units. None of those plays produced a touchdown. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, the second of Cleveland's two second-round picks, remains unsigned and away from the team following his July 12 arrest on a domestic violence charge. Stefanski said the Browns take the matter 'very, very seriously' and that the team continues to gather all available information on the incident. On Thursday, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said much of the same while stressing that the Browns won't make any decisions on Judkins' football future until they know more. 'Our initial responsibility as an organization is to gather as much information and particularly quality information as possible,' Berry said. 'Even though it's a highly public incident, rarely does all the information become public or easily accessible, which is why it's so important for us to work through the legal process, work with investigators, obviously communicate and share information with the league. But it's not until that time that we get enough information and enough quality information that we will determine or decide the next steps of what to do with that, with the player or the employee. 'So in terms of Quinshon specifically, we're still gathering information. Sometimes that process occurs quickly. Sometimes the information comes a little bit more slowly, but we're still in really probably the information gathering stage with him, and given the fact that he's still in an active legal situation, there's not much that I can comment specifically on his case at this point.' Last year, Browns second-round pick Mike Hall Jr. was arrested on a domestic violence charge during training camp. Hall pleaded no contest last September and served a five-game suspension, but he was in practice the day after his arrest. In May, Browns linebacker Devin Bush was arrested on charges of harassment and simple assault involving his girlfriend. Bush has a pre-trial hearing set for next month in Pennsylvania. Advertisement 'All these situations are different and unique, and the information that we had at the time with Mike was different than what we have (with Judkins),' Berry said. 'The other thing I'd add is any decision for follow-up — whether it's reintegration or discipline or removal from team activities — those decisions aren't made in a vacuum. Those aren't football decisions. They're with a variety of people that have different expertise, many of whom aren't in football operations. So each situation is different, and I don't think you should necessarily map one to the other.' Berry was asked on Thursday if he envisioned a scenario in which the Browns would not sign Judkins to his rookie contract, essentially relinquishing his rights based on the incident. Berry said the team is dealing with it 'day to day' in learning more about the situation, and that it's too early to know if that's a possibility. It's clear the Browns viewed Judkins as an immediate contributor — and likely their lead back this season. With his playing status unclear, running back joins wide receiver as a position to monitor in the coming weeks for potential external additions. Jerome Ford, the No. 1 running back for now, has missed the first two practices due to what the team has called a minor injury. Stefanski said Ford is 'progressing well,' but he did not give a thorough update. Pierre Strong Jr., who's been a core special teams player the past two seasons, has been first in the running back lines in practice. Fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson has taken some snaps with the No. 1 and No. 2 offenses. The Browns also have undrafted rookie Ahmani Marshall and fullback Troy Hairston in their running back group. Unless Judkins is participating in practice soon, it's fair to assume the team will add a running back in the coming days as the length and intensity of practices increase. Outside of running back and quarterback, the Browns are pretty locked in with most of their initial starting lineup. At least at this point. The most interesting and competitive non-quarterback position battles figure to come further down the depth chart, though the joint practices almost certainly will bring spice and some unpredictability next month. The offensive line has four longtime starters and Dawand Jones trying to lock down the left tackle spot. Third-year player Isaiah McGuire is running with the No. 1 defense at the end spot opposite Myles Garrett. First-round rookie Mason Graham and newly acquired veteran Maliek Collins are at the tackle spots with the first defense. Advertisement Jordan Hicks, the team's most experienced linebacker, has missed the first two practices due to personal reasons. That's left rookie Carson Schwesinger, Bush and Mohamoud Diabate at linebacker with the first group in the base defense. Greg Newsome II has been at cornerback opposite Denzel Ward in the base defense. Newly acquired defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka worked with the No. 3 defense early in Thursday's practice, but later he was with the starters in the red zone drill as Garrett sat. Safety Grant Delpit intercepted Pickett during a 7-on-7 drill Thursday. A well-placed Flacco fastball along the sideline to Jerry Jeudy drew the attention of onlookers, but defensive players claimed Jeudy was out of bounds. On Wednesday, Gabriel hit undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain on a deep pass after it appeared a defender fell, and Larvadain ran free. Grant taking it the other way! 🔒🙌@realgrantdelpit | #DawgPound — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 25, 2025 By my unofficial count after two days (and including the Thursday snaps after many veterans left the practice field), the quarterback reps have gone as follows: Pickett: Nine reps in 7-on-7, 14 in competitive 11-on-11 situations (seven called passes) Flacco: Nine reps in 7-on-7, five in competitive 11-on-11 situations (three passes) Gabriel: Nine reps in 7-on-7, 16 in competitive 11-on-11 situations (10 passes) Sanders: Nine reps in 7-on-7, 12 in competitive 11-on-11 situations (seven passes) (Top photo of Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco: Ken Blaze / Imagn Images)
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Watch photographer fall into Lake Erie during Cleveland Browns' helmet reveal
A photographer fell into the water while trying to take photos during the unveiling of the Cleveland Browns' new alternate helmet in Ohio. Video footage from the incident shows the person tumbling and falling into the waters of Lake Erie on Wednesday, July 23 as they attempted to take photos of the giant inflatable helmet featuring the new design and colors on a barge. Storyful, citing the Browns, reported the 20-foot barge was located about 300 feet offshore from Huntington Bank Field, the team's home stadium in Cleveland. While the Cleveland Browns did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for more information on Thursday, July 24, the Akron Beacon Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported the person did not remain in the water long and was assisted by an officer on a jet ski. Was the fall staged? The NFL team has not commented on whether the incident was staged; however, the Akron Beacon Journal reported that the individual who fell into the water was influencer Ross Smith, who has nearly 25 million followers on TikTok, almost four million on Instagram and more than five million subscribers on YouTube. Smith shared the video of his tumble in a July 23 Instagram post that had Dude Wipes as a collaborator. The disposable wipes product brand sponsored the helmets. What does the Cleveland Browns' new helmet look like? The Browns revealed a new helmet on July 23 that will be worn occasionally during the 2025 season. The helmet is matte brown and features orange stripes down the centerline, but does not sport a logo. The Browns are the only team in the NFL that does not have a logo on its helmets. The team, one of four to never reach the Super Bowl, is calling the new crown its "Alpha Dawg." The "Alpha Dawg" helmets are the first brown helmets the team has used since being founded in 1946. They will be worn three times during the 2025 season in a monochromatic presentation, along with the club's brown jerseys and pants. "'Alpha Dawg' embodies what we set out to be as the Cleveland Browns, the leaders of the pack," the team's Executive Vice President, James Wood "JW" Johnson III, said in a statement. "We're excited about this new alternate helmet and the ode it pays to the rich history of the color brown as part of our organization, switching it up from our iconic orange helmets." Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Cleveland Browns' new helmets sponsored by Dude Wipes Dude Wipes has sponsored the helmets, much to the delight of the internet, as previously reported by USA TODAY. In a statement, Dude Wipes co-founder Ryan Meegan said the company is "the kings of keeping things clean," and is "here to back the Browns as they embrace a bold new look this season − with the launch of their all-brown alternate helmets." "We're pumped to team up with the Browns for one of the most iconic helmet reveals the league has ever seen," Meegan added. The Browns originally wore white helmets when they were dominating the All-America Football Conference in the 1940s and during their first two years in the NFL (1950-51). The team switched to what's become its signature orange helmets in 1952. Contributing: Nate Davis, USA TODAY & Dan Kadar/ Akron Beacon Journal Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What will define the Browns' 2025 NFL season? 'GMFB'
NFL veteran offensive lineman Mitch Morse, Super Bowl XLIII Champion Willie Colon, and NFL Network's Manti Te'o identify what will be a defining factor in how the Cleveland Browns' 2025 NFL season plays out.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Browns place Watson on PUP list with QB expected to miss NFL season
Published Jul 22, 2025 • 1 minute read FILE - Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson responds to questions during a news conference after the team's NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland, Sept. 8, 2024. Photo by Sue Ogrocki / AP BEREA, Ohio — Deshaun Watson was placed on the physically unable to perform list by the Cleveland Browns as veterans reported to training camp on Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Watson could potentially miss the entire 2025 season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in January. That occurred just three months after he initially injured it against Cincinnati. Watson is 9-10 since being acquired by Cleveland in 2023 with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 80.7 passer rating. Owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged during the league meetings in March the Browns 'took a big swing and miss' with the trade. Watson has been rehabbing at the team complex and was in meetings during the offseason program with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Read More Cleveland acquired Pickett in a trade from Philadelphia in March and signed Flacco in April. It drafted Gabriel in the third round and then moved up in the fifth round to take Sanders. The four-way quarterback competition resumes with Wednesday's first practice of training camp. The Browns also placed defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. on the PUP list and wide receiver David Bell on the non-football injury list. Hall suffered a knee-injury in last season's final game at Baltimore. Cleveland also waived wide receiver Jaelen Gill. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Canada Columnists Olympics Celebrity Entertainment
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Browns QB Kenny Pickett predicted to enter training camp as QB1
The Cleveland Browns' quarterback battle is about to begin with the start of 2025 training camp on July 23rd. Rookies and veterans have officially reported to Berea, and to kick things off, Mary Kay Cabot of predicts that Kenny Pickett will have the upper hand early in camp. 'My guess is that Kenny Pickett still has a slight edge in terms of being No. 1 on the depth chart heading into training camp, but that could quickly change,' Mary Kay said in the latest edition of 'Hey Mary Kay!' She also broke down the unique circumstances surrounding the Browns' quarterback situation. With four quarterbacks competing for playing time this season, it's shaping up to be a different kind of training camp for the team: 'It might not be easy to determine where the QBs fall on the imaginary depth chart in the first two weeks of camp, because the Browns will continue two-spotting—or splitting—the four QBs on two different fields to maximize their reps,' Many fans will argue and speculate about Joe Flacco not getting starting quarterback reps in camp, but his experience in the NFL and with the team speaks louder than practice reps. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and the organization know what Flacco can provide if they choose to start him at the beginning of the regular season. There's no question that the quarterback room will be a major storyline throughout training camp. While it's unlikely that rookies Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel will start in Week 1, they'll still have plenty of opportunities behind their veteran competition on the roster.
