7 Final Takeaways From Cleveland Browns Mandatory Minicamp

1) Flacco First Up

After spending most of the first two days watching his quarterback teammates rotate in for reps with the ones, twos, and threes, the Browns saved Flacco's reps for the final day of minicamp. The 17-year veteran was first up with the ones in 11-on-11 work, with Pickett working in behind him with the twos for most of the session.

Dillon Gabriel god a few snaps with the twos as well, but spent most of practice on a second field with fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders taking reps with the threes and fours. In general, the quarterbacks were more inconsistent than they had been in the days prior, but a lot of that had to do with the defense.

The team's top secondary players made life hard for Flacco, forcing him to make several tight-window throws that were either broken up or incomplete. It's pretty normal for the defense to be ahead of the offense this time of year, and that was the case on Thursday.

2) Where Things Stand...

So, as minicamp closes and the pre-training camp depth chart comes into focus, I think minicamp painted a pretty clear picture of where things stand with the quartet of QBs.

Flacco and Pickett are essentially 1A and 1B. The former's lack of reps this time of year suggested that Kevin Stefanski and company know what to expect from the 40-year-old. He knows the offense, has chemistry with several players on the roster already, and has nearly two decades of experience under his belt. This time of year simply isn't for him.

Pickett may very well be the guy Cleveland hopes wins the job come Week 1. In general, though, Pickett seemed to struggle the most during minicamp. The Browns belief in him hasn't wavered yet, however, and he'll be in the mix with Flacco to start.

After that, the team clearly favors Gabriel, their third-round pick, over Shedeur Sanders, their fifth-round pick. Sanders didn't take a single rep with the ones this week, while Gabriel had several days with the first team. Still, Sanders made the most of what he was given and could be in line to earn some first-team work come August.

3) In Good Hands

Running back coach Duce Staley joked that minicamp is just guys running around in "pajamas," considering the players only wear helmets at this stage of the program. That's important to keep in mind when analyzing anything that transpired over the last three days.

Context and all that noted, Quinshon Judkins looks the part of a dominant, feature running back for this team. There were several instances where he made a ridiculous cut to bounce the ball outside for a big gain or shrunk through a hole between the tackles only to explode into the second and third level of the defense.

During a week where franchise icon Nick Chubb signed with the Houston Texans, ending a memorable seven-year run in Cleveland, the Browns can take solace in the fact that they may not even miss a beat at tailback.

4) Back to Business

Veteran guard Joel Bitonio talked last week about the Browns getting back to the basics of what made Kevin Stefanski's offenses so successful during his first two years with the franchise in 2020-2021. That means more outside zone runs and play action.

Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin were all at the forefront of what was once one of the best offensive lines in football. That trio used to pave the way for one of the best run games in football as well. They'll have an opportunity to anchor that style of offense once again, with Ethan Pocic and a slimmer Dawand Jones thrown into the mix as well.

For once, that group is fully healthy. Jones looks agile as he takes on a new challenge at left tackle. There is a lot of positive momentum with that unit right now and there was a real confidence on display from it this week. If it translates to training camp and beyond (along with that health thing) this offense may be better than some expect.

5) Deeper Than We Think?

Andrew Berry has never really seemed to prioritize linebacker during the offseason but did so this year on a number of fronts. Obviously, there's a belief that second-round pick Carson Schwesinger will bring shades of JOK to the middle of the defense.

Berry also made a point to re-sign Devin Bush, who did a nice job filling in for JOK last year after suffering the unfortunate neck injury. Seven-year veteran Jerome Baker also joined the fold this offseason and brings some valuable experience and versatility to the group.

Mix in Jordan Hicks and Mohamoud Diabate as well and suddenly it feels like there's a pretty solid rotation of players here. It's been easy in the past to overlook the Browns' linebacker room, but after this week, I'm wondering if that room is actually deeper than it may seem.

6) Help Wanted

One thing that's abundantly clear at the conclusion of minicamp is that wide receiver remains a major need for this team right now. The room is essentially made up of Jerry Jeudy and a bunch wishers and dreamers.

Cleveland has high hopes for Cedric Tillman, who could make a leap in year three. There's also some belief inside the organization that Diontae Johnson bounces back from a tumultuous 2024 campaign and becomes a notable free agent steal. Both players are unknowns.

Then there's 2024 fifth-round pick Jamari Thrash, who appears to be the top receiver in the slot as of now. Credit where it's due, Thrash seems focused on cleaning up his drop issues from last year and made a few really solid catches this week, including one on a slot fade via Gabriel for a touchdown on Wednesday.

There is just an overall lack of talent with that position in general, and a trade seems imminent. It may not come until later in training camp, but I find it hard to believe this will be the wide receiver room the Browns start the season with.

7) Domination Incoming

One constant throughout the three days of minicamp is that the Browns defensive line was regularly generating pressure and blowing up plays in the backfield. That tone was set on day one, when Myles Garrett had a free rush at Dillon Gabriel for a sack during 11-on-11s.

There was a lot more where that came from from Garrett on down the line. Cleveland's defensive front is arguably the strongest unit on the roster. With new faces like Mason Graham and Maliek Collins, mixed with young veterans like Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire, hoping to become regular starters, the Browns d-line looks dominant. Let's see what happens once they're in full pads.