While the Cleveland Browns will likely take their pre-draft preparation right up to the very beginning of the big event, Todd Monken will also have some time to get to know their veteran players. A special minicamp is granted to new NFL head coaches who are just getting started in their jobs.
That camp is held just days before the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It allows on-field instruction, but there is no contact.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns have revealed other key dates for their offseason schedule, including the veteran minicamp, which begins April 21.
“Monken will conduct his voluntary veteran minicamp — a bonus camp for new head coaches — beginning April 21, or two days before the start of the draft, which is April 23-25. Monken will get the first look at the 2026 class on the field during rookie minicamp May 8-10. The veterans and rookies will then move into voluntary organized team activities in May, with media availabilities set for May 20, May 27 and June 3. OTAs include 10 practices in which the offense and defense can oppose each other in drills. The offseason program concludes with the mandatory veteran minicamp June 9-11, and then most players disperse until training camp in late July. All minicamps and OTAs are closed to the public,” Cabot wrote.
The 2026 draft begins with the first round on April 23 and runs through April 25. The players who are selected then attend a rookie minicamp in early May.
That is followed by organized team activities, which run into early June. A mandatory minicamp for veterans follows, with training camp set to open in late July.
These events will be especially important for the Browns. Monken is one of the oldest first-time NFL head coaches in history, and this will give him a chance to better adjust to the role and to put his systems in place, along with first-time coordinators Terry Switzer on offense and Mike Rutenberg on defense.
In addition, Cleveland will be rebuilding its offensive line almost from scratch this season, with offseason newcomers Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson, and Elgton Jenkins joining re-signed Teven Jenkins and returnee Dawand Jones. Although the first veteran camp is voluntary and those players are not required to attend, it would be a good sign if the group can get together to start building the chemistry it will need to be successful under offensive line coach George Warhop.
It could also be the beginning of the competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. It may be hard to glean anything substantial from these early workouts, but an appearance by the quarterbacks, or an absence, would be notable.
Hopefully, there will be good attendance overall at the Browns’ camp as Monken and his staff take the first step in trying to turn around the franchise.
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