Five Things Fans Must Watch For During Bills' Joint Practice With Browns

Training camp practices between two NFL teams often brings plenty of excitement for spectators, especially when they know what underlying aspects to watch for.

Cleveland Browns' quarterback Deshaun Watson embraces Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) after an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 21, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills took Wednesday off after Tuesday morning’s padded session in front of fans at the new Highmark Stadium, but the team will soon be in a heated joint practice with the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio, on Thursday afternoon.

The joint session, which is slated for around 1:30 p.m. ET on the other side of Lake Erie, will surely bring about some interesting dynamics between the two teams prior to this weekend’s preseason outing at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Here are five things that fans should be looking out for when the Bills hit the field to battle it out with the Browns—training-camp style—on Thursday afternoon.

Who’s in, who’s still out for Buffalo?

Buffalo Bills' defensive lineman Ed Oliver (91) jokingly tries to strip the ball from tight end Jackson Hawes (85) as they warm up before Day Two of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tuesday’s practice in Orchard Park, New York, gave Bills Mafia members a bit of a scare when they saw additional players like Keon Coleman, Jalon Kilgore, Khalil Shakir, and Ed Oliver on the sidelines, but it’s not time to worry just yet.

Shakir and Oliver may have just been veteran rest days, while Kilgore and Coleman were still seen walking around on the field joking with teammates despite the rookie safety having a sleeve on his right leg and the third-year wideout sporting a small walking boot on his right side for an apparent sprained toe/foot.

No formal update is known about the players, so it’ll be interesting to find out which players can suit up against the Browns and which players are still held out.

Rookie wide receiver Skyler Bell has missed time lately, as well, so it would be good if the Bills could get him back in the fold for the joint session with Cleveland.

Bills’ D should easily handle Browns’ O . . . but, will they?

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' defensive lineman Deone Walker (96) celebrates with Bills' outside linebacker Gregory Rousseau (15) after getting a sack against the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Browns still don’t know who their starting quarterback is going to be for the upcoming regular season . . . and that’s never a good thing for a franchise.

Infamous veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson appears to have the inside track to earn the job at the current moment, but second-year gunslinger Shedeur Sanders is apparently nipping at his heels in the competition for Cleveland.

Neither player is a threat at this point of their respective careers, though, so Buffalo’s defense—despite still learning a new scheme—should be able to take full advantage of an inferior AFC opponent during this practice.

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers' running back Jonathon Brooks (25) is tackled by Buffalo Bills' defensive lineman Deone Walker (96) during the first half of a preseason game at the new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s a perfect time for new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to test out some of his crazier ideas in terms of certain packages he might try to deploy, as well as to work out some minor kinks before things start for real in September. 

If the Browns are able to make the Bills look silly, though, then that might be a little concerning. However, last Saturday’s preseason opener against Carolina suggests that won’t happen.

Can Bills’ Josh Allen-D.J. Moore duo continue dominating?

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws the ball against the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Newly-acquired veteran wide receiver D.J. Moore has seemingly been a godsend for Bills’ franchise quarterback Josh Allen so far this offseason.

Moore was undeniably the M.V.P. of training camp while the team was away at St. John Fisher University earlier this summer, and that trend continued in last Saturday’s preseason game against the Panthers when he led all players for the afternoon—from both teams—with three receptions for 61 yards in just 11 snaps of action.

The former Bear fell out of favor in Chicago last season with quarterback Caleb Williams, but he appears to have found a real connection with Allen in their short time together, and it seems like the receiver could return to a form similar to his first season with the NFC North squad in 2023 when he had 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns while catching passes from Chicago’s former starting quarterback Justin Fields.

Aug. 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' wide receiver D.J. Moore (2) catches a pass in front of Carolina Panthers' defensive back Zakee Wheatley (38) in the first quarter of a preseason game at the new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Moore was held out of 11-on-11 work during Tuesday’s open session in Western New York, but he is expected to return fully for the padded practice with the Browns.

A matchup between the Bills’ prized trade acquisition and Cleveland’s veteran cornerback Denzel Ward will be entertaining to watch. As the old saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron.”

In addition to Moore/Allen, can Bills’ O bounce back as a whole?

With so many players out on Tuesday morning, it was a rough session for quarterback Josh Allen and Buffalo’s offense as a whole. 

But, given that players like Khalil Shakir and D.J. Moore are at least expected to return to full action on Thursday, it should give the Bills an added boost on offense.

Cleveland no longer has perennial All-Pro EDGE rusher Myles Garrett on its defensive front, but the Browns still collectively possess a formidable unit on that side of the ball.

And, it’ll be a great test for Joe Brady’s offense, especially considering that Buffalo and Cleveland are expected to rest the majority of their starters during Saturday’s preseason contest.

July 29, 2026; Pittsford, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with wide receivers Mecole Hardman (1) and D.J. Moore (2) during training camp practice | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“(Joe and I) both talked about that. If we see out of our ones—our group, our older players—what we want to see on Thursday, (then) they would not play in the game,” Cleveland’s first-year head coach Todd Monken said to reporters on Monday. 

“We agreed upon that. The plan is that we’ll play our ones a significant amount against each other on Thursday in a controlled environment. Not that the other guys aren’t going to get reps, but in a controlled environment and see where we’re at.”

Will fans see fireworks in Berea, Ohio,—a.k.a. fists flying—between Bills and Browns?

Oftentimes, in a training camp setting, NFL franchises will have a few squabbles or skirmishes between teammates from time to time in practice: it’s just the nature of the beast.

Emotions can sometimes boil over when constantly in a physical battle with another person, especially when it’s the same one on an almost daily basis.

However, be that as it may, the “fireworks” can still fly when it’s between two separate teams, as well.

It’s not productive, though. And, sometimes unnecessary injuries can occur when a brawl breaks out on the field.

So, Browns’ head coach Todd Monken and Bills’ head coach Joe Brady, who are both in their first seasons at the helm with their respective teams, are hoping that won’t be the case on Thursday afternoon.

Dec. 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Cleveland Browns' defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) and former Browns' EDGE rusher Myles Garrett | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Monken isn’t holding his breath, though.

“It’s silly to do it . . . hell, I don’t know? At that moment—when you get hijacked (by emotion)—it happens, right? And, you don’t want it to happen,” Browns’ head coach Todd Monken said on Wednesday.

“Hopefully, their guys understand that, and we understand that. I’m not saying that’s what I want (is fights). That’s not what I’m saying. We’re going to do everything within our power to not put ourselves at risk, but I don’t have the answer. The players are the ones who have to have the answer. They’re the ones that are out there doing it.”

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