Latest news with #TommyRees
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns Coach Reveals Shedeur Sanders' Progress in Pro-Style Offense
Browns Coach Reveals Shedeur Sanders' Progress in Pro-Style Offense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. One of the biggest storylines of this year's NFL Draft surrounded the Cleveland Browns' drafting of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round after he was expected by some to be a top 10 pick. Advertisement Some so-called experts thought his college success wouldn't translate to the NFL after he played in an up-tempo offense with the Buffaloes. That's why it's surprising to some that Sanders is apparently adapting well to the huddle-first pro offense of the Browns - at least early in the summer. Browns' offensive coordinator Tommy Rees offered intel on how the young quarterback is adapting during OTAs. "He's worked his tail off. He's putting in a lot of work as all those guys are. You can tell on the mental side of the game, learning the system and calling it and having that rhythm to it, he's put a lot of time and work and effort into that," Rees said. "When you do that the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions. He's done a good job of that as camp has progressed." Advertisement Reports are that Sanders has been taking the fourth-string reps and has mostly been participating in 7-on-7 drills and not the 11-on-11 drills that the other quarterbacks have been engaged in. If that's the case, then it's a much easier transition for Sanders. The real test will be when full contact drills happen and he's facing the actual defense and has Myles Garrett rushing him from the edge. Then we'll get an idea of how Sanders can adjust to the NFL. Related: Browns Cornerback Ranked Top 10 in NFL Related: Ex Flacco Teammate Goes Off on Browns QB's Remarks This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Browns rookies Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders getting increased reps in OTAs
The coaches closely overseeing the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition aren't saying much about their early impressions, at least not more than they have to. Wednesday's second opportunity for reporters to watch an organized team activity wasn't exactly revealing, either. Reps are being shared, and though every rep counts in some fashion, it feels too early to learn anything from what we've seen on the practice fields. Frankly, there wasn't much of an offensive highlight reel from the team's fifth OTA practice. Advertisement One fair takeaway is that Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler, is still really good. He had two impressive pass breakups on a day when a bunch were knocked away, some that probably should have been intercepted. Another takeaway is that it's probably not going to be until at least late July for this four-man quarterback competition to produce any clues about which direction it might be headed. 'All the guys have done a nice job coming to work and understanding that each day is going to be a little bit different rotationally, and that it's an evaluation process for us still,' Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. 'So we're just working through those reps and different situations. 'In terms of the competition, we're so early in the process. We're so early in evaluating it. But I think we have a good group of guys that will continue to push one another. I think it's going to be fluid. We're going to continue to work with all the guys we have. We're going to develop all four of 'em, and we're going to push the reps. We're going to find ways to be creative and make sure they all have opportunities to develop and put their best foot forward. And when the time comes, we will continue to push guys forward as they earn it.' For the second straight week, Kenny Pickett was first in line as the Browns' offensive players went through early warmup drills over the first 20 minutes of practice. A week after Joe Flacco took the first rep when practice shifted to 11-on-11 drills, Pickett went first this time. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has built extra competitive passing periods into his practice itineraries. The most noticeable change from the first open OTA to the second was that fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders got some 11-on-11 snaps. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, who officially signed his rookie contract on Wednesday, remains third in the primary quarterback line with Sanders fourth. Pickett and Flacco, the veterans of the group, always go first, although Flacco sat out one team drill Wednesday while the rookies worked on separate fields. Gabriel took some snaps with the No. 1 offense before being replaced by Pickett; Sanders still has worked only with backups. Advertisement Earlier this week, Stefanski said Sanders had previously been taking 11-on-11 reps in practices that weren't open, and the coach reiterated what he's been saying since the Browns drafted two quarterbacks: all four are getting chances, and all four are being evaluated in everything they do. 'I would say there's a lot of work that gets done when you guys aren't out there,' Stefanski said. 'Even in a meeting or in a walk-through, our guys are getting exposed to a lot. 'Honestly, every day is different. Every day we're mixing and matching, giving guys different looks. I've told you before, it's not going to be a 25 percent (shared reps) down the middle type of thing. But we're trying to expose the guys to different things.' Stefanski has emphasized that the Browns want 'an all-encompassing evaluation' of the four quarterbacks that goes beyond a few throws by each player in May and June. Gabriel and Sanders joined the team's offseason program in mid-May, and in OTA practices, the Browns at times have established the same drill on two different practice fields to ensure all four quarterbacks are at least getting some work in different areas. 'The football term is probably the 'two-spot,' and it's a great way to maximize your work,' Rees said. 'Look, it's not just one position group that's able to get maximized. You look at young wideouts, young linemen, young skill players across the board that we can get so many reps for now. Instead of them just getting the reps from the sideline or mental reps, now they're actually out there learning on the fly and things come up. You might run the same play on two different fields, get two different defenses, and now you have two opportunities to coach off of. So I really do think it benefits the entirety of the team.' Though Gabriel showed off his quick release on a touchdown pass through traffic in the late practice 7-on-7 session Wednesday, there were only two notable completions in the 11-on-11 portions: Flacco had an underthrown but successful deep ball to wide-open rookie wide receiver Cade McDonald, and Sanders threw a dart on a slant to Kaden Davis in the back of the end zone. Davis may or may not have gotten his second foot inbounds, but both the throw and catch were impressive. Shedeur ➡️ Kaden Davis ➡️ TD — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 4, 2025 The intentional mixing of personnel groups is meant to test the quarterbacks' readiness, but the Browns also have been short on wide receivers in these voluntary sessions. Stefanski and Rees have even mixed groups and kept linemen on the field for 7-on-7 drills so the rookie quarterbacks can get used to communicating with offensive linemen and navigating traffic. 'They come from the college world where very few things are called into the huddle, where you have to command a huddle (and) operate an offense the way you're asked to at this level,' Rees said. 'I think just from an operational standpoint, you continue to see these guys grow and become more comfortable. There's gonna be a moment where they get to their comfort level, and that's when they'll be able to maximize and feel comfortable out there.' Advertisement Next week's mandatory minicamp will bring more players into the fold, notably Browns No. 1 tight end David Njoku and No. 1 pass rusher Myles Garrett, both of whom have skipped voluntary OTAs. There won't be live contact or a pass rush, but Gabriel and Sanders should be more comfortable with the playbook and the team's on-field operation than they were last month, and that should show up on the field as the Browns work toward a summer where reps — with the starters and backups — will be both more carefully planned and closely evaluated. 'Dillon and Shedeur, they're both wired to get in early, stay late, put in whatever work is required,' Stefanski said. 'They're sponges in the meeting room, which I think is really fun for me. In my vantage point, I get to sit there and watch the two young guys, look over and there's Joe, 40 years old, won a Super Bowl. There's Kenny Pickett, just going into Year 4, but a first-round draft pick who's been on a couple teams, won a Super Bowl last year. There's Deshaun (Watson), who's had a ton of success in his career. 'The (rookies) can kind of feed off of all those guys, so it's fun for me to watch them get better sometimes just by listening.' To this point, there hasn't been a lot to see. But with no one expecting the Browns to keep four quarterbacks and the franchise's future at the game's most important position appearing wide open, the real competition is coming. Right now, the positioning has just begun.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Kenny Pickett may be the odd man out from the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition
(Image via Getty: Tommy Rees) Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, is substantiating that all four of his quarterbacks get equal repetitions of drills or plays during practice. But Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk at NBC Sports thinks Kenny Pickett might be the odd man out of the quartet competition at the starting position. Why? Because Joe Flacco has the experience and the fan base. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel might be the long-term solution to the Cleveland Browns quarterback problem! However, that's not all. Tommy Rees is not sure. He says they are all pushing one another to put their best foot forward. Rees says by the time September rolls, they'll be ready to go! With whom? Only time will tell. Three months to go. For now, Rees is concentrating on the present moment. Let's hear what he has to say about the reps and quarterbacks. Tommy Rees says they are going to develop all four quarterbacks of the Cleveland Browns (Image via Getty: Tommy Rees) On June 5, Chris Easterling of Akron Beacon Journal reported that Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett got early 11-on-11 reps in the first open OTA, but in the second OTA, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel got their share of the reps as well. Talking about this, Tommy Rees explained further, 'Rotation day by day has been kind of fluid. We're going to continue to work with all the guys we have. We're going to develop all four of them, and you know, we're going to push the reps. We're going to find ways to be creative to make sure that they all have opportunities to develop and put their best foot forward. And you know, when the time comes, we'll continue to push guys forward as they are.' Tommy Rees says the Cleveland Browns players are not just getting mental reps or reps from the sideline (Image via Getty: Quinshon Judkins and Denzel Ward) Tommy Rees diverts focus from the QB situation to other players and says this competition is a great way to maximize the potential of other players. Rees shared, 'It's a great way to maximize, look, it's not just one position group that's able to get maximized. You look at young wideouts, young linemen, young skill players across the board that we can get so many reps for now. Instead of them just getting the reps from the sideline or mental reps…now they're actually out there learning on the fly, and things come up. You might run the same play on two different fields, get two different defenses, and now you have two opportunities to coach off of. So I really do think it benefits the entirety of the team.' Offensive coordinator of the four quarterbacks of the Cleveland Browns says all four of them push one another to do their best (Image via Getty: Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco) Tommy Rees did not spill the beans on who will be the odd man out, but he said, 'You can see them all winning the job, I think, right? And, so, in terms of the competition, we're so early in the process. We're so early in evaluating that. Yeah, I think, you know, we have a good group of guys that continue to push one another, and by the time September rolls around, we'll be ready to go.' The Cleveland Browns may give up on Kenny Pickett because Joe Flacco has the experience and the fan base Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks QB Kenny Pickett may be the odd one out who will end up being traded. On June 5, Florio wrote, 'They will trim the competition to three before training camp opens, with one of the quartet being traded. We still think Pickett will be the odd man out, but that's just a hunch.' (Image via Getty: Dillon Gabriel) Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel each could be the long-term answer Florio said Joe Flacco has the experience and the affection of the fan base. The other two 2025 NFL draftees, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, could become the long-term answer to solving the quarterback problem with the Cleveland Browns. Also Read: 'The indoor was not even 100 yards': Golden Tate shares secrets about Philadelphia Eagles' locker room | NFL News - Times of India
Washington Post
6 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Shedeur Sanders shows promise but faces challenges in Browns' QB competition
BEREA, Ohio — The dichotomy that is Shedeur Sanders' development as a rookie quarterback and the heightened expectations for him with the Cleveland Browns were again on full display Wednesday. Sanders had the best throw of the day during organized team activities when he zipped a pinpoint pass to tight end Caden Davis in the back of the end zone during a 7-on-7 red zone drill. Whether or not Davis got both feet in before going out of bounds was up for debate on social media. However, Sanders was the only one of Cleveland's four quarterbacks not to take a snap with the first-team offense during 11-on-11 drills. He did take second-team snaps, but slipped and fell on the first play. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees lauded Sanders for his work ethic on what some still see as a steep learning curve for the fifth-round pick. 'He's really put in a lot of work as all those guys are, but you could tell on the mental side of the game and learning the system and calling it and having that rhythm to it, he's put a lot of work and time and effort into that. And then when you do that, the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions. And he's done a nice job of that as camp's progressed,' Rees said. With three young quarterbacks in camp — third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, Sanders and fourth-year pro Kenny Pickett — Rees said a large amount of the offense has been installed while keeping a close eye on the growth and progression of all three. 'Definitely pushing them and pushing where we want them to go, but also being cognizant of, hey, we want them to go out there with confidence and making sure that it's beneficial to how they're learning and the way they're going,' Rees said. Joe Flacco and Pickett remain the front-runners to be under center on Sept. 7 when the Browns open against the Cincinnati Bengals. The amount of snaps all four will get during the first two weeks of training camp remain fluid. 'We're going to find ways to be creative and make sure they all have opportunities to develop and put their best foot forward. And when the time comes, we will continue to push guys forward as they earn it,' Rees said. The amount of snaps all four will receive during the three days of next week's mandatory minicamp also have to be determined. When it comes to who may win the starting job, Rees can see valid arguments for any of the four at this stage of the competition. 'We're so early in the process and in evaluating it. I think we have a good group of guys that will continue to push one another and by the time September rolls around, we'll be ready to go,' he said. ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
6 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Shedeur Sanders shows promise but faces challenges in Browns' QB competition
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The dichotomy that is Shedeur Sanders' development as a rookie quarterback and the heightened expectations for him with the Cleveland Browns were again on full display Wednesday. Sanders had the best throw of the day during organized team activities when he zipped a pinpoint pass to tight end Caden Davis in the back of the end zone during a 7-on-7 red zone drill. Whether or not Davis got both feet in before going out of bounds was up for debate on social media. However, Sanders was the only one of Cleveland's four quarterbacks not to take a snap with the first-team offense during 11-on-11 drills. He did take second-team snaps, but slipped and fell on the first play. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees lauded Sanders for his work ethic on what some still see as a steep learning curve for the fifth-round pick. 'He's really put in a lot of work as all those guys are, but you could tell on the mental side of the game and learning the system and calling it and having that rhythm to it, he's put a lot of work and time and effort into that. And then when you do that, the game starts to slow down and you can focus on finding completions. And he's done a nice job of that as camp's progressed,' Rees said. With three young quarterbacks in camp — third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, Sanders and fourth-year pro Kenny Pickett — Rees said a large amount of the offense has been installed while keeping a close eye on the growth and progression of all three. 'Definitely pushing them and pushing where we want them to go, but also being cognizant of, hey, we want them to go out there with confidence and making sure that it's beneficial to how they're learning and the way they're going,' Rees said. Joe Flacco and Pickett remain the front-runners to be under center on Sept. 7 when the Browns open against the Cincinnati Bengals. The amount of snaps all four will get during the first two weeks of training camp remain fluid. 'We're going to find ways to be creative and make sure they all have opportunities to develop and put their best foot forward. And when the time comes, we will continue to push guys forward as they earn it,' Rees said. The amount of snaps all four will receive during the three days of next week's mandatory minicamp also have to be determined. When it comes to who may win the starting job, Rees can see valid arguments for any of the four at this stage of the competition. 'We're so early in the process and in evaluating it. I think we have a good group of guys that will continue to push one another and by the time September rolls around, we'll be ready to go,' he said. ___ AP NFL:
