Quarterback work in team periods
As the Browns begin the early stages of the quarterback competition with the first reps in practice, all three quarterbacks participated in reps over the course of the periods. They rotated through which quarterback began both individual and team drills.
“We were just rotating who was first reps,” Monken said. “Shedeur (Sanders) to start. There were some other reps. The way it was going to turn out, Shedeur was going to get more reps. Some of it in pass skill, some of it in team. Couple of the team periods were slowed down, ACT, more run than they were throw. So, it was set up in a way for us to get a look at all of them. The plan was to have Shedeur have a few more reps, but to let Deshaun (Watson) and Shedeur both have reps with the ones.”
Sanders kicked off the first 11-on-11 team period, followed by Watson. The first set of reps consisted of handoffs to various running backs, including RB Dylan Sampson and RB Raheim Sanders. Then in the second 11-on-11 period, they utilized more live play. Sanders also took the first reps, connecting with TE Harold Fannin Jr. on the first play. Watson followed, beginning with a handoff to Sampson who found a lane and broke through the defense.
Watson took reps first in the 7-on-7 period, in which he connected with Fannin and TE Jack Stoll on consecutive passes. He also found WR Tylan Wallace and WR Malachi Corley for completed passes. QB Dillon Gabriel followed suit in 7-on-7, connecting with TE Caden Prieskorn on back-to-back passes before he had a pass picked off. Sanders rounded out the 7-on-7 period with completed passes to WR Jamari Thrash, WR Isaiah Bond and Wallace before he was also picked off on a pass attempt.
The Browns closed out practice with two more 11-on-11 periods, with all three quarterbacks taking reps in both periods.
As the Browns continue through the next two days of minicamp – as well as the later stages in the offseason with OTAs and minicamp – they will change who takes what reps during the drills in order to help evaluate all three quarterbacks.
After the first day, though, Monken was pleased with how all three quarterbacks handled the work during the team periods.
“I thought the quarterbacks functioned unbelievable today in terms of checking plays, getting us out of cans,” Monken said. “I thought they were in command. I never felt at one time like they were lost. I thought all the work they’d put in the last couple of weeks leading up to today, Coach (Mike) Bajakian did a great job with them, prepping them. Coach (Matt) Baker, Ian (Kolste), those guys with the quarterbacks to prep them, everything from the meeting rooms, again to the walks to here today, to me that’s the start of it. The start of it is how we function, how they lead. Is there a belief system and who has the ball in their hands every play?”
