DAY 1 IS IN THE BOOKS — HERE’S WHAT WE ACTUALLY LEARNED

The QB Room All Showed Up —

Including the One We Weren’t Sure About

This was the headline coming into the day. We knew Shedeur Sanders was going to be there — he’s been in the building all offseason, Monken has praised his work ethic multiple times, and he clearly understands the assignment as a second-year player trying to lock down a starting job. We knew Deshaun Watson was going to be there too. Watson literally posted a TikTok of himself strapping on his Browns helmet before the workouts with a two-word caption: “Lock in.” Whatever you think about his chances of making it back, that’s the energy of a man on a mission. Owner Jimmy Haslam set the table for him heading in, saying Watson “weighs the least he has in several years” and that the Browns are genuinely excited to see what he can do with an offensive-minded coach for the first time in his Cleveland tenure.

But the guy I was really watching? Dillon Gabriel. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi said ahead of the day: “I would think we would see Dillon Gabriel, although Todd Monken said he hasn’t seen him through the offseason. I don’t think that’s a big deal.” And Dillon showed up. Good. Because after months of radio silence — no workouts with receivers, no social media presence, no noise whatsoever — walking through that door on Day 1 was the minimum he had to do. He did it. Now let’s see what he does with the reps.

The Reps Won’t Be Divided Equally —

and That’s the Most Important Story

Here’s the thing about this QB competition that’s getting glossed over. It’s not really a three-man race in the traditional sense. Monken was very direct about this at the NFL Annual Meeting: “I don’t anticipate them being divided evenly. We’ll definitely disperse them to give ourselves a chance to at least evaluate who we have on the roster. You’d love to be able to come out of the spring with a depth chart.”

That last sentence is the key. He wants a depth chart coming out of the spring. And according to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns should have a pretty good idea of where things stand once the mandatory minicamp wraps up June 9-11, heading into training camp in late July. So the clock is real. Between now and June, somebody needs to separate themselves. Sanders has the head start. Watson has the motivation. Gabriel has everything to prove.

What we don’t have yet is actual football. Phase One is meetings, conditioning, and rehab — nobody’s throwing routes against a defense right now. But the foundation of this competition is being laid in these rooms. And whoever builds the most trust with Monken’s staff between now and June is going to be holding the clipboard less and throwing more.

The Players Who Showed Up —

And Why It Matters

Multiple key players were photographed arriving at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on April 7, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running back Quinshon Judkins, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, tight ends Blake Whiteheart and Brenden Bates, wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Gage Larvadain, defensive end Julian Okwara, and offensive linemen Zion Johnson and Tyre Phillips. New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg was also in the building alongside the players — and that matters. A new DC getting face time with his guys in April is exactly how you build a system.

Two names I want to specifically highlight: Denzel Ward and Maliek Collins.

Denzel Ward being in that building is good to see. Ward finished the 2025 season with 39 tackles, one interception, and nine passes defensed — a bounce-back year for a guy who has had injury problems throughout his career. He’s one of the longest-tenured Browns on this roster and a leader in that secondary. His presence on Day 1 signals buy-in from a veteran cornerstone of the defense, new coaching staff and all.

And Maliek Collins — man. Let me say this clearly. Collins was having arguably the best season of his career in 2025, recording a career-high 6.5 sacks in just 12 games before suffering a season-ending quad injury that required surgery. Head coach Kevin Stefanski called him “one of the most professional players” in the building and said the young defensive linemen had learned a tremendous amount from him on a day-to-day basis. He was officially activated off injured reserve in February 2026 , and seeing him in the building on Day 1 — healthy, moving around, getting reacquainted with the new staff — is one of the most quietly encouraging things from yesterday. Happy birthday to him by the way, Collins turns 31 today.

When you’ve got Ward and Collins in the building alongside the new coaching staff and the QB room all present — that’s the kind of voluntary attendance that builds culture. Not every key player needs to be there. But the ones who were there sent a message.

And Then There’s Myles Garrett

He wasn’t there. As expected.

Historically, Garrett has not participated in the early voluntary portion of the offseason, typically arriving for the mandatory minicamp in June. That’s been his pattern for years and his performance hasn’t suffered for it — he’s a nine-year veteran who knows exactly what his body needs and when it needs it.

Here’s my honest take on this, and I’m going to be real with you.

As a fan? As someone who wants to see this team succeed under a brand new head coach with a brand new defensive coordinator? I would’ve loved to see Myles Garrett walk through that door yesterday. Leadership isn’t just about what you do on the field on Sundays. A new staff is trying to build something from scratch, and having your best player and your captain physically in the building on Day 1 sends a message to every other guy in that locker room.

But I also have to be honest about the other side of this. The man just had 23 sacks last season. He set a new single-season franchise record and now owns 125.5 career sacks — the most in Browns history. His production has never once dipped because he skipped voluntary April workouts. He has done this before. He knows what he’s doing. At 30 years old with nine years in this league, Myles Garrett has earned the right to manage his offseason his way.

So I’ll hold both truths at the same time. As a leader, I wanted him there. As a player, I’m not worried about his performance because he wasn’t.

What I AM watching is whether he shows up for the voluntary minicamp April 21-23 — the one happening right before the draft. That’s where new head coaches actually get to work with players on the field for the first time. Missing that one would be a different conversation.

The Bottom Line

Day 1 checked the boxes it needed to check. All three quarterbacks in the building. Key veterans like Ward and Collins showing up and showing out. The new coaching staff getting their first real look at the roster. The competition is officially underway.

The voluntary minicamp starts April 21 — two days before the draft. That’s Monken’s first real look at his players on the field. Then OTAs run through May and into June. Mandatory minicamp closes it out June 9-11. By the time the summer is over, we’ll know exactly who this team is.

Yesterday was a first step. A quiet one. But in Cleveland, we take what we can get.

Stay locked in, CrocPot.

— Chef Zae | The CrocPot Podcast

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