3 takeaways from Day 3 of Browns training camp, including QB update
· Yahoo Sports
BEREA ― The fans had their first chance to get a look at the Cleveland Browns of 2026 on Day 3 of training camp. What they saw was pretty much par for the course for the first three days of camp.
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Defense flying around, making plays. Quarterbacks, especially the one facing the No. 1 defense, having some issues. Dillon Gabriel, as he said in April, has stuck to running his own race as he continues a mostly solid start to camp clearly No. 3 in the competition.
Of course, what happened on the field was secondary to the 17 minutes or so Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his son-in-law, managing partner JW Johnson spent talking to the media. These takeaways, however, aren't about what they said.
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Instead, we're going to pull three takeaways from the on-the-field action on Day 3. As has seemed to be the custom, the quarterbacks are first up.
Shedeur Sanders looks better again, but Deshaun Watson faced tougher competition
It's way too early to determine whether this truly is a trend. However, it is definitely something to monitor through the first week in full pads next week.
Whether it's Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, there's a noticeable tick down in performance when it's coming against the Browns' No. 1 defensive unit. Watson's faced them on two days so far, including Friday, with Sanders' one turn against them taking place July 30.
The way it seems to show the most is in the amount of time either of them have to throw. Watson was a little better in his second day with the No. 1s than the first, although he still threw an early interception to linebacker Quincy Williams.
That lack of bodies around Sanders when he's looking to throw allows for him to better show off the accuracy. He did so on at least three impressive throws, including a nice layered throw to receiver Tylan Wallace, who had received some post-practice pointers from Deion Sanders after Day 2's practice.
Again, it's way too early to make it a full-fledged theory. However, consider it a hypothesis.
Offensive line does a slight shuffle on hot day
The Browns didn't have typical No. 1 right guard Teven Jenkins on Day 3, as he was not on the field. That moved KT Leveston up to that spot on the No. 1 offensive line group.
It was also Dawand Jones' day to play left tackle with the No. 1 as he and rookie Spencer Fano continue to alternate daily. A couple of other rookies, right tackle Austin Barber and center Parker Brailsford, also got a sprinkling of snaps with the No. 1s early and late in practice.
However, it appears that left guard Zion Johnson, center Elgton Jenkins and right tackle Tytus Howard are essentially set. Jenkins and Leveston are in a similar rotation as Fano and Jones, although Fano is still seen as the favorite since he was selected No. 9 overall in April's draft.
Browns linebackers very active on Day 3
Carson Schwesinger spoke to the media before practice and talked about getting a chance to talk to Pro Football Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly. He also spoke of the synergy he had developed with Williams, the free agent signee from March.
"I love having Quincy here," Schwesinger said. "He's got a lot of energy, so you can count on that every day. And just the experience, especially in the meeting room, things he knows just from having played for so long. And then, I mean, if you watch him play, he doesn't even look like he's played for that long because of how fast he moves. And then I think just the bond. When you're around guys all day, you get closer. And so that's grown as he showed up to now."
Williams then went out and added to the defense's interception collection. Early in practice, he picked off Watson.
A different Watson, Nathaniel Watson, added to the linebackers' strong day. He made a leaping interception on a throw over the middle by Dillon Gabriel.
Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 3 takeaways from Day 3 of Browns training camp, including QB update