3 questions heading into Browns training camp

Browns roster has some areas that will draw interest as training camp looms

Summer has started, and many of you are struggling with extreme heat and humidity. Football is slowly approaching. Training camp for the Cleveland Browns will not start until late July, as the rookies will report on July 18th, with the vets reporting on July 22nd.

Going into Browns training camp, many storylines will be created, including longshots that could make the initial 53-man roster, and many fans want to know how the team will look after what happened last year.

From how the offense will look to who will be the starting quarterback, there is a lot to look forward to for this upcoming season.

How will the offense look after disastrous showing last year?

No one needs to be reminded of how bad the Cleveland offense looked last season. It was historically bad, which led to head coach Kevin Stefanski taking the reins and reverting the offense back to what it looked like in 2023. It might be new to some, but it’s not new to those who follow the team closely.

Last season, the Browns tried to shift towards a more spread offense that featured more shotgun formations and less under-center work. The team didn’t have the personnel or the quarterback to run the system, so an overhaul was necessary. Judging from the rookie minicamp/minicamp clips, it appears that Cleveland is going back to heavy play action and heavy usage of the run game:

This offense is more tailored towards the team’s personnel, as they are able to run an offense that suits their strengths. How will the offense look? It will look better, for sure, considering most of the terminology in the offense is recognizable to the veterans who know the system, so you can expect it to be cohesive to a degree.

Who will emerge as QB1 in a crowded quarterback room?

The Browns left no stone unturned when they picked up two veteran quarterbacks and drafted two quarterbacks. Quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will all get opportunities to showcase if they have what it takes to become the starter when Week 1 rolls around.

As for how the reps will be distributed between the four, it will be a topic of discussion throughout training camp. Rookie minicamp, OTAs & minicamp really didn’t give any ideas as to who is in what position, but it appears that the offensive staff is pleased with all four quarterbacks so far (even though they haven’t practiced in full pads yet):

It’s likely that Flacco won’t get as many reps early due to him being the main veteran in the room with experience in the system, which leaves Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders opportunities to stand out. Joint practices and the eventual preseason games will be the biggest tests for those three as they will go against teams in opposing jerseys.

How will the cornerback trio of Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and Martin Emerson look after down year?

Cleveland’s defense had its fair share of struggles last season with Newsome and Emerson struggling the most. Ward had a very good season despite his teammates’ struggles.

Emerson struggled against receivers who were more bigger and faster and gave up more TDs than he had in all of 2023. While Emerson improved in the tackling department, his coverage skills took a bit of a downturn, but his confidence never appeared to waver despite the difficult season.

As for Newsome, he was a part of trade rumors for most, if not all of the offseason, but the team didn’t move off of him. Newsome has shown his ability to be a reliable nickel corner as he never could emerge opposite Ward as the full-time outside guy. Newsome is still a solid football player, but struggled finding his best fit.

The trio together is a top 10 cornerback trio in the league, but Newsome & Emerson have to get back to playing at the level that they played at in 2023 if the defense wants to return to their elite form.

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What are your biggest questions for when Browns training camp opens?