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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cleveland Browns training camp preview 2025
Training camp in the NFL is all about fighting for position. There are those fighting for starting jobs, and those fighting for roster spots. The Browns, like the other 31 NFL teams, will have both when they start training camp in a couple of weeks. That includes the biggest of them all — a battle royale between four quarterbacks to be the starter when Cleveland opens the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Some of the camp battles aren't necessarily as high profile as the one at quarterback. That's the nature of training-camp battles. Here's a look at three to watch when the Browns open training camp. And, yes, it starts with the big one. Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders at QB What hasn't already been said about this competition? The reality is that it may really be two separate competitions that merge into one. There's a strong sense that it will be either Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett who ultimately starts against the Bengals, although one of the two rookies — Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders — certainly could emerge as a major challenger for the job. The question at the start of camp will be how will Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees set up reps for the competition and how will it vary from the way it went during minicamp and OTAs? The joint practices against both the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, a total of three, will also be telling. Those joint practices, plus the three preseason games, will be ample opportunities for all four quarterbacks to get competitive reps against players other than their defensive teammates. Diontae Johnson, David Bell, Kaden Davis, Michael Woods II, others at WR Jerry Jeudy is a "well, duh" member of the wide receiving corps. Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash might as well be in that category. DeAndre Carter seems like a lock as much because of his ability to return kicks and punts as anything. That means there are two to four spots potentially remaining for others to grab. It's just a matter of who those players will be. There are former draft picks David Bell and Michael Woods II, who have been hampered by injuries and spent time last season on the practice squad and will be fighting to make the roster. There will be practice squad holdover Kaden Davis, who had a solid offseason program. There are undrafted rookies Gage Larvadain and Luke Floriea, who opened some eyes during May and June. Then, of course, there's Diontae Johnson, the former Pro Bowler who's trying to keep his NFL career alive. That's the pool from which the Browns will try to fill out those final positions, a group that should continue to benefit from all of the reps the four quarterbacks will require in training camp. Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at DE opposite Myles Garrett The Browns' aggressive defensive front scheme lends itself to multiple players rotating through, so this is far from equal to a quarterback competition where one man emerges. In fact, a high-level camp battle between Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka can only serve to benefit the Browns in the long run because of the options it gives them. The better the camp battle among these three, the better the defense has a chance to be because of what it means for their depth in the pass rush. It would also mean creating a legitimate pass rush threat to line up opposite All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns QB position battle tops 2025 training camp competitions
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wants a decision 'sooner than later' as rookies Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders compete with vets at QB
Perhaps the most anticipated NFL position battle of the summer began in earnest on Wednesday as Cleveland Browns quarterbacks took the field for the first time at training camp. As of Wednesday, the competition remains a four-way race between rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders and veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. But head coach Kevin Stefanski would prefer that the competition not linger deep into training camp. "I think the big thing for me is putting our guys into position where we can evaluate them," Stefanski told reporters Wednesday. "I think they did a great job in the spring — all four of those guys. We'll continue to put them in some situations. "But ultimately, we'd like to make a decision sooner than later." Sooner than later would certainly be ideal for the Browns. But the decision — and its timeline — will be determined by the performances of the quarterbacks on the field. It remains a difficult race to gauge, and reps aren't necessarily the best indicator of where things stand. Not yet, at least. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] So who has the early leg up? In an interview with Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein, general manager Andrew Berry explained Cleveland's philosophy on quarterback reps as it pertained to June practice in minicamp. At that point, 17-season NFL veteran Joe Flacco was frequently seen on the sideline. 'Oftentimes, the thought in the NFL is like, 'OK, well, your starter gets 70% of the reps, your backup gets 25% of the reps and your third guy gets 5% of the reps, and the job of the backups is to be ready to play with no reps,' Berry told Yahoo Sports on June 11. 'It doesn't have to be that way — especially in the spring, when we have some flexibility because we're not necessarily preparing for games.' That said, somebody has to go first, and we got an early look at the practice rotations on Wednesday. How the Browns QB practice rotation looks early With four quarterbacks involved, the Browns are breaking up their early training camp reps into two segments on two different fields for seven-on-seven drills. The rookies — Gabriel and Sanders — will practice on one field, and the veterans — Flacco and Pickett — will practice on another. It's a system that mirrors their spring practices. Per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi, Flacco got the first set of reps over Pickett on the veteran field. Gabriel — who was selected two rounds ahead of Sanders in April's NFL Draft — got the first set of reps on the rookie field. When it came time for individual drills, the rotation went: Pickett, Flacco, Gabriel, Sanders. So take that as you will. As Berry alluded to in June, it's probably best to not read too much into the rotations and the reps this early in the process. But the competition is officially underway. And NFL eyes will be watching closely.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Richardson-Jones quarterback battle is 'very real'
With Anthony Richardson set to avoid the PUP list, Lawrence Jackson Jr. breaks down how the former first-round pick stacks up against former Giants signal-caller Daniel Jones in Indianapolis' summer quarterback battle.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Orleans Saints predicted to make shocking QB decision on Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler
After years of inexplicable cap mismanagement and a failure to pick an organizational direction, the New Orleans Saints have sunk to football purgatory. With no apparent desire to be competitive in the upcoming season, the ongoing and nationally forgotten quarterback battle becomes even more puzzling. It's a three-way race between Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler, and rookie Tyler Shough, with the latter two men seemingly creating a bit of separation. Advertisement It's unclear who has the defensive edge between Rattler and Shough, but one NFL writer made a bold prognosis on who he thinks might come out on top. In a recent piece, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton predicted that Rattler will beat out Shough for the QB1 job this summer in training camp. "Even though Shough spent six years in college, he may need time to grasp the speed of the pro game," Moton wrote. "Rattler was the primary backup over Haener last season. He'll stay ahead of him on the depth chart and beat out Shough for a second chance to showcase his talent in a starting role." Moton acknowledged Rattler's underwhelming performance as a starter last season but proclaimed he has the potential to excel as a pro based on what evidence, I'm not sure. Advertisement Rattler has always had the physical traits but had an underwhelming collegiate career, and even with the natural arm talent, he struggles to read defenses and work the pocket. Shough is 25. He should be able to be ready to compete out of the gate. If he can't, then tossing Rattler or Haener in to see if they are competent en route to trying to win the Arch Manning sweepstakes should be the franchise's goal.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama Insider Delivers Verdict on Ty Simpson's Snub at SEC Media Days
Alabama Insider Delivers Verdict on Ty Simpson's Snub at SEC Media Days originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was noticeably absent from the Crimson Tide's SEC Media Days lineup, sparking plenty of speculation about where he stands in the team's quarterback battle. But according to Nick Kelly, there's no need to read too much into it. Advertisement Appearing on the "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning" podcast, Kelly was asked if he saw Simpson's absence as a signal. 'No, I didn't,' he replied. 'The group that they picked was very much what typically Alabama has done.' Alabama chose to send only veteran, entrenched starters to the event, which has been the standard for the program in recent years. Kelly continued, 'They're gonna go with guys that you've seen in front of the media before. So I wasn't shocked. Anytime there's been any sort of question about who the quarterback is, you're not necessarily going to see him at SEC Media Days.' Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15).© Will McLelland-Imagn Images With the quarterback battle still unresolved, head coach Kalen DeBoer hasn't tipped his hand. Simpson, who's been competing with Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, is firmly in the mix, even viewed as the favorite by some, but hasn't locked down the starting role just yet. Advertisement That uncertainty is likely the key reason behind Simpson not getting the nod for Media Days. While some fans took it as a sign he may be falling behind, Kelly believes Alabama's choice was simply about sending proven, media-ready leaders. Simpson has shown flashes of potential in limited action, and with fall approaching, the competition is still wide open. While his absence raised eyebrows, insiders like Kelly see it as business as usual for a program that likes to keep its cards close to the chest. For now, the verdict is simple: don't overreact. Related: Alabama Legend Rips Hugh Freeze to Shreds Amid Auburn's Recruiting Struggles Related: Former Michigan QB Has Seven-Word Reaction to A.J. McCarron Blasting Hugh Freeze This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
