A Paradigm Shift in Berea
Buckle up, Cleveland. Something changed at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus this week, and if you’re paying attention, it matters.
For the first time all offseason, Shedeur Sanders ran with the first team in the full view of the media on Wednesday. In virtually every competitive drill at the OTA practice, Sanders was the guy taking the first reps — not Deshaun Watson.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot called it bluntly: “I felt there was a paradigm shift today in this whole thing. I did. It just felt like things were different today.”
Head coach Todd Monken himself noted on Wednesday that “Shedeur has really come on.” That’s your first-year head coach publicly acknowledging what the film is showing him. That’s not nothing.
But Pump the Brakes — Just a Little
Both Sanders and Watson have thrown inaccurate passes and interceptions during Cleveland’s competitive sessions open to the media. It doesn’t feel like either quarterback has necessarily jumped off the page.
Last week, Watson had his best day of the OTAs open to the media, throwing a number of touchdowns in competition periods and looking far better than Sanders. This week, Watson was significantly less effective.
After a previous practice session, Monken described the performance in 7-on-7 as “embarrassing” due to interceptions. The interception Watson threw to undrafted rookie Michael Coats Jr. to end the period certainly warranted that description.
Here’s what Monken said when asked if he’d have a depth chart set by the end of minicamp next week:
“I don’t even know if I will be. Each day that changes. It just does. I mean, I see what you see, right? We look at the film, and then we assess that. And again, I think both of them are doing exactly what we’re asking them to do and competing like hell.”
Why the Timeline Favors Shedeur
Let me tell you what I think is really happening here. The longer this competition goes, the more it favors Sanders. The best chance for Watson was to end this quickly, delivering a quick knockout. Since that no longer seems possible, every passing day favors Sanders.
Sanders finished last year as the starter, going 3-4 to close the season with some relatively ugly numbers — seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions. But at 24 years old, Sanders would seem to have the brighter future, where Watson is coming off two Achilles tendon surgeries.
Since joining Cleveland four years ago, Watson has completed 61.2% of his passes and has thrown 19 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions in just 19 games. That’s not a résumé that screams “give me the keys.” Mandatory veteran minicamp is set for June 9-11, and that three-day window could be the most important stretch of the offseason for this franchise.
The Garrett-for-Verse Blockbuster Reverberates
The other massive storyline from the week: Jared Verse is already in the building and already making an impression. On June 1, the Browns acquired Verse and three draft picks from the Rams in exchange for DE Myles Garrett.
Verse was direct at his introductory presser: “I’m not here to fill his shoes. I’m here to bring my own. I’m here to work and be the best version of me. The best version of me is going to be the best defensive player in the league.”
Verse had high praise for linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the Browns’ 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year: “Man, that boy can fly.” He also noted the freedom that comes with elite talent around him: “I can play freely because I don’t have to worry if something gets by me.”
L.A. ran a 3-4 defense, whereas Cleveland rides with a 4-3. Verse was noticeably excited about that change as well as the speed at which his fellow defenders were flying around during OTAs. With four down linemen, the Browns’ scheme seems to fit Verse’s “attacking” play style.
Judkins Looks Like a Different Back
It certainly feels like Quinshon Judkins will be properly utilized. The second-year running back looks fully recovered from the fractured leg and ankle injury last season, cutting and shifting without a brace.
Analyst Lance Reisland didn’t hold back after watching in person: “He looks more explosive than he did last year at this point. My No. 1 takeaway from that OTA the other day was without question his explosiveness. It was super, super impressive.”
Behind a completely rebuilt offensive line, Judkins could be the engine that drives this offense regardless of who wins the QB battle. Here’s the new front five:
- LT Spencer Fano — selected ninth overall in the draft, anchoring the left side
- LG Zion Johnson / C Elgton Jenkins — controlling the interior
- G Teven Jenkins — adding depth and versatility
- RT Tytus Howard — holding down the right side
Rookie WRs and the Offensive Identity Taking Shape
KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston both already have highlight grabs in a Browns uniform. Monken and Switzer started installing motion into their offense on the first day of rookie minicamp, proving that it’s not an extra layer of the offense — it’s part of their identity. Don’t be surprised to see Concepcion or Isaiah Bond involved in jetsweeps, too.
The Browns have spent a lot of time installing run plays, which could end up being the strength of the offense with questionable quarterback play throughout the OTAs. That’s the honest assessment. This coaching staff knows the QB situation is fluid, and they’re building a system that can win even if the signal-caller isn’t elite.
What to Watch: Minicamp June 9-11
Voluntary OTAs are officially in the books for the Cleveland Browns for the first time under head coach Todd Monken. The Browns had good attendance throughout their 10 organized workouts, allowing Monken and his new staff to completely install everything as planned.
Here’s what I’m watching for next week:
- Does Sanders hold the QB1 reps? If he opens minicamp with the ones, the narrative has officially shifted.
- Watson’s response. We’ve seen him bounce back before. One bad week doesn’t define a career — but two might define a competition.
- Verse’s integration. He arrived June 1 and was already practicing June 3. The speed of his ramp-up matters for this defense.
- Fano with the first team. The rookie left tackle earned his first opportunity to join the first-team offense on Tuesday. Monken intentionally slowed Fano into action, but he looked the part throughout the spring without pads on.
The Bottom Line
This is a franchise in full-scale transition. New head coach. New offensive line. New pass rusher replacing a franchise icon. A quarterback competition that just got a whole lot more interesting. The concern is that a prolonged QB competition hurts a team installing a new offense with a new offensive line and new skill-position weapons. One practice in June doesn’t win a job. But it sure makes next week’s minicamp a whole lot more interesting.
Cleveland, we’ve got a real fight on our hands. And for the first time in a while, that might be exactly what this team needs.
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