The Opening Drive 5/20: OTA Day 1 Recap, and Browns Minority Stake Sale

Discussing everything we saw in Berea yesterday, and how the team is welcoming in private equity to help with the surrounding development.

(Courtesy of the Cleveland Browns)

We’re all reeling today. Well, most of you. I think there’s likely a large crossover between this Browns fanbase with us at BFB and those who support the Cavs. What happened last night is another gut punch in a long line of them over our sports fandom careers. Relinquishing a 22 point lead with just over seven minutes left is tough to recover from, no way around it. The Cavs needed to steal that one and let it slip away late with a collapse, largely due to coaching, that rivals just about any in the franchise history. They have no choice but to rebound on Thursday and show us if they have that resilience they have flashed at times this post-season. It will be required to win this series. But hey, at least we have the Guardians rolling.

Things are rolling in Berea as the Browns had their first OTA session of Phase III at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Many of the key names were there — especially on offense where the Browns need it most. No, also, I will not worry about Myles Garrett not attending. We will worry about that, if at all, once mandatory minicamp arrives next month.

(Courtesy of the Cleveland Browns)

The Browns made a few select roster adjustments that indicate how they feel about some of the new UDFA names they brought in. It appears former LSU receiver Aaron Anderson made an impression as they have signed him along with tryout linebacker, former Buckeye and Ironton grad, Reid Carrico and EDGE Markees Watts. To make room on the roster, they waived LSU defensive tackle Bernard Gooden, who failed to impress at rookie minicamp, and then tight end Caden Prieskorn and receiver Isaiah Wooden.

The focus of yesterday, and today’s open session to the media, will be the four quarterbacks — Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and rookie Taylen Green. Head coach Todd Monken has discussed establishing a preliminary depth chart and narrowing in on the starting quarterback early, in order to better utilize training camp and preseason so that pressure remains on both Watson and Sanders. In order to find the answer you are likely to get more 11-on-11 sessions. Kevin Stefanski ran OTAs largely like a passing camp with more 7-on-7 and various lighter sessions but these will be featuring heavy full team settings to see which quarterback can rise to the occasion. While they cannot wear full pads and go live in sessions, these full-team setups do well to get the complete picture for where the quarterback battles sits as we work toward June.

Some of the highlights from yesterday as a few clips made their way to social media. The first was a nice clip of Shedeur Sanders working front side to backside and nailing the backside dig to KC Concepcion. The perfect, one, two, three look working through reads and accurately delivering to the backside. Well done.