2 Big Observations That Shaped Day 2 of Cleveland Browns OTAs

The Cleveland Browns continued OTA workouts on Wednesday, giving the media a first look of the offseason process.

This portion of the offseason is voluntary. Key players including Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Tytus Howard were absent. But OTAs are the first time the Browns will be allowed to practice (without pads, of course) with their entire roster mixed in together.

“It’s really cool,” Browns head coach Todd Monken repeated several times when asked various questions about finally getting to practices.

Even though the team was installing processes and going through practice at walkthrough speed for much of the afternoon, it was obvious Monken and his new coaching staff are serious about using these practices to get their players acclimated to the 2026 Browns right away. The Browns spent the fully allotted two hour time window on the practice field, quickly breaking in and out of different individual drills, 7-on-7 periods and 11-on-11 sessions to get schemes installed.

Here are a few two big observations that shaped the practice.

1. Monken very serious about the details

Under former head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Browns were consistently one of the most penalized teams in the league. Earlier this month, Monken openly stated his disdain for “crappy football” – and it was obvious at Wednesday’s practice that he really meant that.

A few times throughout the practice, Monken shouted at his offense from deep in the defensive backfield when he was displeased with how things were going.

Referees worked the practice’s team drills, and they threw plenty of yellow penalty flags. Monken would make the team repeat whatever was penalized to get it installed with the proper discipline and attention to detail.

“He's really emphasized that if we have a penalty out there, we're reloading the play. If you're false starting, you're coming out. So it really forces that accountability onto you where it's like, ‘Okay, I'm coming out today. I got to be locked into the snap count to my technique so I'm not having penalties in practice,” Browns guard Zion Johnson said after practice.

Monken is slowly introducing his rookie class to participating with the first team, and they haven't had any reps yet. But after a somewhat expected sloppy showing from his veterans in the second practice of this offseason, Monken put his team on notice.

“The other guys got to play better, there were times with the ones, not good enough,” Monken said. “You’d love to ease them in, but eventually the easing needs to end.”

2. Nothing with this quarterback situation is certain

Deshaun Watson with the ball at the Browns OTAs — Deshaun Watson with the ball at the Browns OTA camp in Berea on May 20, 2026. | Lisa Scalfaro / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Deshaun Watson is competing against Shedeur Sanders to become Cleveland’s starting quarterback.

But on Wednesday, nothing was clear about that situation other than Watson getting more reps than Sanders. There were more instructional reps than competitive reps, but each time through the two hour practice, it was usually Watson with the starters.

Sanders was up first for the brief 11-on-11 session that took place, but other than that, Watson was the first quarterback up throughout the rest of the afternoon. Dillon Gabriel followed behind Watson and Taylen Green rotated behind Sanders, even though the rookie didn’t get any action in the competitive sessions.

Watson had the throw of the day, a big completion to rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston. Other than that, Watson showed some inaccuracy and a few expected fumble exchanges with his new centers. Sanders started his 7-on-7 session with a tight window completion to tight end Jack Stoll before throwing an interception in Jerry Jeudy’s direction on the next play.

New Browns CB Myles Bryant intercepts Shedeur Sanders. pic.twitter.com/dcvCIfskvC
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) May 20, 2026

“There’s no pass rush,” Monken said about the two interceptions that were thrown at Wednesday’s practice. “It’s embarrassing.”

Gabriel threw the other interception, and doesn’t seem to be a factor in this competition.

Monken previously stated that he’d like to have Cleveland’s starting quarterback determined following the team’s mandatory veteran minicamp June 9-11. However, that exact timeline remains somewhat up in the air.

“We’d love to have it at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that,” Monken said. “We’ll have it set for Jacksonville.”

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