What's happened in the first week of Browns Training Camp 2025 and what's to come in Week 2?

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns have their first week of training camp practice under their belt, and while it may be too early to get a true sense of how things are going, there's been plenty to observe—with even more to come as the intensity increases next week.

What's up with the QBs?
So far, there's been a clear hierarchy in the division of quarterback reps, but the distribution has been staggered. When veteran Joe Flacco is participating in a team session, he has, each time, taken the first team reps. But he hasn't been involved in every team session, sidelined here and there, with fellow vet Kenny Pickett taking over the helm in first-team work when Flacco is off.

The rookies, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, have gotten most of their work with the twos and threes, with Gabriel being the only rookie to get some reps with the ones. While Sanders has yet to have any first-team reps, he has been getting a ramped-up workload—on Friday and Saturday, taking a number of reps with the twos.

A four-quarterback competition presents just as many challenges as it does opportunities to evaluate talent as the Browns search for their starter.

Quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave is confident in the structure in place—which at times includes splitting fields for concurrent sessions or elevated reps for a specific player—and what they're learning from the guys in the process.

"It's a delicate balance, like you implied. It's very delicate. And both Tommy and Kevin, the way they script the practice and orchestrate the installation, they take everything into account, so they're doing a fantastic job. The guys are getting different turns and different scenarios, both the veterans—talking about Kenny and Joe—as well as the young guys in Dylan and Shedeur, so they're all supporting one another. There's great synergy in the room. So I really like the direction that all four guys are headed," Musgrave said.

Here are the latest views from the QBs in Saturday's practice session:

What about the run game?
The Browns entered this offseason dedicated to revamping the run game with a new era of players. The organization took two running backs in this year's draft—Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State in the second round and Dylan Sampson out of Tennessee in the fourth round.

Sampson has been hard at work in camp, getting reps with the many quarterbacks in the room. But Judkins has not been at camp, still unsigned after his domestic violence arrest.

"We are still gathering information, so, in terms of those decisions, signing, being at camp, and everything like that, it’s probably too early to make any type of determination. So, as we gather information, we’ll have a better view on that," said Browns general manager Andrew Berry. "I have learned in many of these off-field situations not to go too far into the future. We’ll deal with the day-to-day. You end up using a lot of mental energy in terms of hypotheticals and things of that nature. We’ll focus on getting the information and then making the right decisions.”

Sampson has been getting first-team reps alongside Pierre Strong Jr., and their workload has been heavy, with Jerome Ford dealing with an undisclosed injury that is not believed to be serious. Ahmani Marshall has been taking reps with the twos and threes through camp, but there's another back entering the mix as the Browns plan to sign a UFL standout.

RELATED: Browns to sign UFL running back Toa Taua, adding to thinned room

Which pass-catchers have stood out?
The clear leader of the pack is veteran Jerry Jeudy, who has led the way for the first team reps. The still-young veteran leader has been working hard himself, but also has been working to help the others in his room take strides, too.

"I do the best I can to respond and answer the questions that the young guys need help with. I'm always a helping hand to all the younger guys, to the guys that, even the old vets that come and ask me questions about how I run certain routes and how I do this. I'm always doing whatever to help the team grow and get better," Jeudy said.

One of those guys is Mentor native and former Kent State Golden Flash Luke Floriea. Floriea, who entered as an undrafted free agent tryout in the rookie minicamp and earned a contract for his production, has been in many of the highlight reels with Gabriel and Sanders under center.

"He's been doing good, man. He's been doing his thing, man. Coming out here and practicing every day. Been doing things," Jeudy said of Floriea.

The Browns are also leaning on receivers Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash to break out this season. Tillman seemed to be coming into his own last year before a concussion sidelined him for six games and ended his season. Thrash is a speedster the Browns are looking to help stretch the field and create explosives.

How's the defense?
While the Browns have only held four practice sessions through training camp, there's been one thing that stands out—the defense's ability to make plays.

From the defensive line putting plenty of pressure on each of the quarterbacks in 11-on-11s, to the secondary breaking up pass after pass, the offense has been challenged plenty early. Cornerback MJ Emerson and safety Ronnie Hickman were standouts on Saturday, Emerson breaking up a pass from Flacco and Hickman breaking things up against Pickett.

The linebacker room was already in question heading into the offseason, with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah dealing with a serious neck injury. He was ruled out for the 2025 season as he continues recovering from that injury, but the Browns answered some of their need by drafting Carson Schwesinger in the third round this year.

Schwesinger has been acclimating to the NFL workload well, already in the mix wearing the green dot at MIKE linebacker. He's been learning from a Cleveland native, Jerome Baker, who is also leading the way in the linebackers room.

"He's one of those guys that he comes in, he's a professional. He does things the right way. He takes his time. He understands it. He's going to have a long, successful career. And just for me, it's just now I'm just teaching how just to be a pro in any way I can help him. But I'll just say this, he's more far along than a lot of rookies, so he's definitely good," Baker said of Schwesigner.

Baker and Schwesinger have been joined in the competition by Devin Bush and Mohamoud Diabate. Diabate had a solid season last year and is looking to take another leap in 2025, which has shown up in team sessions as he makes plays, breaks up passes, and shows his athleticism all over the field.

The Browns will need guys to step up more after veteran starter Jordan Hicks unexpectedly announced his retirement after missing the first two days of training camp.

RELATED: After missing start of training camp, Browns LB Jordan Hicks announces retirement

What's next?
After four days of practice in blistering heat, the team gets the day off on Sunday—but the heat will get turned up on the fields on Monday when they return to work.

"We’ll be in pads on Monday and then you can be in pads, I believe the rules say you can’t be in three days in a row. So, we’ll be smart about it. But I do think that it’s an important next step for the team," head coach Kevin Stefanski said.

Stefanski and his coaching staff will meet on Sunday and go over the plan. We'll see what the workload of each position looks like Monday, with all eyes on seeing how the Browns may begin to structure out more separation in the battle for the starting quarterback.