BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' 2025 training camp runs from Wednesday to Aug. 21 at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
After a 3-14 season, the franchise's worst finish since going winless in 2017, the Browns were hit with a seismic trade request from star defensive end Myles Garrett. The standoff lasted six weeks but was reconciled with a record-setting extension for Garrett. The front office then turned its focus to rebuilding the offense and as part of those efforts, Cleveland added four new quarterbacks to its roster, including rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Here's a closer look at what we are watching at camp:
Who will win the quarterback competition?
The Browns have said that everyone added to the room will be expected to compete for the starting job. The contenders include not only the two rookies but a pair of veterans in Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Each quarterback has a discernible trait that could lead him to becoming the starter, but there are only so many reps to go around this summer. If the Browns' offense has any chance of rebounding from 2024, when it ranked last in scoring, it needs one of the quarterbacks to emerge as a competent option.
Three players to watch
QB Shedeur Sanders. Sanders was the sixth quarterback selected in this year's draft and the second in Cleveland after Gabriel. But Sanders' talent was widely believed to surpass that of a fifth-round pick and he had an impressive spring, although he wasn't seen taking any reps with the first-team offense.
QB Dillon Gabriel. The former UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon standout impressed the Browns to the point where they felt comfortable taking him in the third round despite his 5-foot-11 stature. Cleveland believes the only major knock on Gabriel is his height, and the early selection signals the belief that he could play early.
DL Mason Graham. The No. 5 overall pick is adjusting to a different scheme and role with the Browns, who ask their defensive linemen to penetrate more. But coaches say Graham has picked up the playbook quickly and has the skill set to be a disruptive force next to Garrett.
Key position battles
Quarterback. Coach Kevin Stefanski cautioned against reading too much into the order of reps in the offseason workout program, but acknowledged that as the team progresses into training camp, the focus will be on getting ready for the season. Which quarterbacks are practicing the most with the first-team offense this summer will be a clear sign as to who is under serious consideration to be the starter. Joint practices with the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, as well as all three preseason games, should also loom large in the decision-making process.
Wide receiver. The Browns have an unproven wide receiver room, save for Pro Bowler Jerry Jeudy. Diontae Johnson, a 2021 Pro Bowler with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the only other wideout on the team who has caught at least 50 passes in a season. However, he is on his fourth team in two years after a drama-filled season in 2024. The Browns are bullish on young pass-catchers Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash, but they will have to show that they can be relied upon. One or two of these wide receivers will have to step up to take pressure off Jeudy.
Keep an eye on: The rookie running backs
While the Browns will have a new starting quarterback in Week 1, Cleveland is also returning to the scheme that Stefanski has run in his first few years as head coach. A staple of that is running the ball, and the Browns made major changes to improve their ground game, particularly drafting two backs -- Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson -- to replace franchise great Nick Chubb. Regardless of who lines up under center, Cleveland will have to run the ball better than it did in 2024, when it ranked 29th with 94.6 yards per game.
Browns 53-man roster projection
QB (3): Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders
RB (3): Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong, Dylan Sampson
WR (6): Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash, DeAndre Carter, Diontae Johnson, David Bell
TE (4): David Njoku, Harold Fannin Jr., Blake Whiteheart, Brenden Bates
OL (9): Dawand Jones, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, Cornelius Lucas, Teven Jenkins, Zak Zinter, Luke Wypler
DL (8): Myles Garrett, Maliek Collins, Mason Graham, Shelby Harris, Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, Mike Hall Jr., Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
LB (6): Jordan Hicks, Mohamoud Diabate, Carson Schwesinger, Jerome Baker, Nathaniel Watson, Winston Reid
CB (6): Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, Greg Newsome II, Cameron Mitchell, Tony Brown II, Myles Harden
S (5): Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman, Rayshawn Jenkins, Damontae Kazee, Christopher Edmonds
Special teams (3): K Dustin Hopkins, P Corey Bojorquez, LS Rex Sunahara