3 QBs increase reps, practice intensifies as Browns hold first padded practice of 2025 Training Camp

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns held their first day of padded practice, putting on the full shells for the first time this training camp. On an extremely hot day in Berea, the heat on the field was turned up, and the guys got to throw down some hits for the first time; the quarterback reps were also reallocated.

Kenny Pickett's reps get redistributed

After Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett sustained a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice, the quarterback had to miss Monday's practice session. Head coach Kevin Stefanski called the injury "day to day," and while he doesn't expect Pickket to be out long (he'll be reevaluated later this week), Pickett's reps had to go somewhere.

“Yeah, obviously everybody will get a little bit more because of how you’re going to distribute those reps," Stefanski said.

As expected, Joe Flacco, who has gotten most of the first-team work, continued that on Monday in Pickett's absence. Gabriel also continued getting some of the first-team work, his reps following Flacco's. While there were more overall reps to go around, Shedeur Sanders did not break into first-team reps. He did, however, continue working with the second team for the third day in a row.

As each quarterback continues seeing their workload change and their opportunities arrive in practice, there has been no change to the approach, at least for Flacco.

"Listen, I've been trying to keep my head down this whole time anyway, so I really don't. Couldn't say," Flacco said before practice Monday when asked if Pickett's absence impacts his chances of winning the starting job.

The three quarterbacks had a number of impressive plays, but it was Sanders on the last play of practice who closed the session with a bang, hitting tight end Sal Cannella for a touchdown.

Here are the Browns quarterback compilations from Monday's padded practice:

Heavy hitting with the pads on

Entering Monday's practice, there were a number of things coaches and players were excited about as they entered their first padded practice.

For the receivers, there was a challenge issued to the players—with the pads on, they were asked to show up big in the run game during team drills. Wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea was very much looking forward to his guys showing up in their shells.

Watch the hits:

"Super excited as a receiver coach that pads are on because we get to compete in the run game. And that's such a part of playing the receiver position. We take a lot of pride in it. I think if you're a great running football team, you have receivers that are unselfish that are going to blocking the run game," O'Shea said. "So I am very excited to go out in the field today and see who will compete in the run game. We've challenged the guys, just 10 minutes ago in the meeting, as I stand here right now, we're looking forward to getting in the pads. I know our whole team is looking forward to being in pads, but certainly receivers are too."

Tight end David Njoku also shared in the excitement about the pads going on.

"Eager as hell," Njoku said. "It's an exciting place to be right now. You know what I mean? It's always the jitter moments of first pads for the first day, so I'm excited. I can't wait to see what the team has to offer and we're just going to work hard."

The team did work hard and got hit hard.

"The physicality will ramp up. We’re not in those soft shells anymore, so you’ll hear it a little bit more, the physicality of it. But that’s all part of training camp," Stefanski said before practice.

There were a number of standout moments and hard hits, none quite like the one laid down by rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Schwesinger saw running back Dylan Sampson in an open lane, put his shoulder down and attacked.

Injury updates

While Pickett was sidelined with the hamstring injury on Monday, another offensive player was on the field for the first time this camp.

Running back Jerome Ford, who missed the first four days of training camp, is working through an undisclosed injury. Ford was limited on Monday, dressed but not a participant in team drills. Stefanski said Ford is "extremely close" his his return.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Michael Woods II remained out for another day as he deals with a hand injury. Stefanski said that guard Tevin Jenkins and cornerback Tony Brown II, who are both dealing with injuries, are working hard and progressing well as they work to return to the field.