BEREA, Ohio — NFL training camp No. 7 is another warm one, and features a quarterback derby the likes of which I haven’t seen before …
• This is the first four-horse race I can remember covering at the quarterback position, and, right now, there still isn’t a leader. Kevin Stefanski and his staff have been creative in their approach to the assessment. They did “two-spot” work through the spring and the first four practices of training camp, essentially running two practices simultaneously to try to maximize reps for everyone (not just the quarterbacks). On Monday, with the pads on, they switched to a standard one-spot format, in an effort to not overload the other 10 offensive players. While the competition is still open, everything these guys have done, and haven’t done, is under evaluation, so camp didn’t start from a blank slate. Joe Flacco—who got a de facto bye through the spring, so the coaches could get a better look at the other three—has been steady and smooth running the offense. Kenny Pickett’s keeping up with him, and adds an element with his legs (he broke off a 45-yard touchdown run in team drills the other day) that the others don’t. Third-rounder Dillon Gabriel’s adapting quickly, showing accuracy, instincts and command (the Browns think he’s capable of playing real snaps as a rookie). And fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders, who was far behind the other three when he came in, is working to catch up. Flacco and Pickett have gobbled up most of the first-team reps, with Gabriel getting a few looks with the first team, too. That should tick up a bit with Pickett expected to miss about a week with a hamstring injury. Sanders has been with the second- and third-teamers as he continues to pick up the offense. So, when can we expect a decision? The Browns have joint practices next week in Carolina, and the week after in Philly. I think they’d like to have a starter going into their preseason finale against the Rams on Aug. 23. Until then, everything these guys do is being evaluated through a detailed process that Stefanski, Tommy Rees and the staff have laid out.
