Every spring in Cleveland it happens without fail. A quarterback throws a nice deep ball in a non-padded practice and suddenly half the fan base is ready to crown him the starter. Another quarterback has a rough rep and the hot takes start flying about trading him before training camp even opens.
92.3 The Fan’s Anthony Lima has seen enough of it and is pushing back.
“This show is not falling for anything. Let’s see when we get into normal football stuff,” Lima said.
"This show is not falling for anything. Let's see when we get into normal football stuff."
🚨@SportsBoyTony says Browns fans shouldn't waste any time overreacting to and arguing about training camp passes pic.twitter.com/gepv3svR4f
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) May 29, 2026
Lima’s point is aimed directly at the wave of reactions Browns fans have been generating based on what Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been doing during OTAs and minicamp, and it is a fair one that deserves to be heard.
These are non-padded practices. There are no pass rushers bearing down on the quarterback. There are no physical cornerbacks jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. The defensive backs are not allowed to make contact with the ball in the air the way they will be when the pads come on in July and August. Every completion looks smoother than it will in a real game, and every incompletion looks worse than it probably was because the play was stripped of all its natural chaos.
Watson looking sharp in OTAs is encouraging news and worth noting, but it does not answer the only question that matters about him, which is whether his body can hold up through 17 regular-season games against real NFL defenses. Sanders making plays in shorts does not guarantee he wins the starting job. Taylen Green throwing rockets in a walk-through does not mean he is ready to run an NFL offense.
Lima is right that the real evaluation begins when the hitting starts. Training camp in full pads, the preseason games, and ultimately the regular season are the only true measuring sticks for any of these quarterbacks.
Browns fans have been through enough false springs to know better. Lima is doing them a favor by reminding them of that before the narratives get completely out of hand.
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