The Cleveland Browns’ fledgling offense is facing a unique, difficult challenge at training camp. They are likely to be made better by going up against their elite defensive teammates every day, but they may also be overwhelmed at times and unable to get any productive work done.
That is to be expected with a unit that could have as many as eight starters who have never played together before, potentially including the quarterback. It could put head coach Todd Monken in the position of having to decide between competition and competence when dealing with 11-on-11 drills.
According to Zac Jackson of The Athletic, one Browns group is dominating the other in Tuesday’s practice, with the defense still well ahead of the offense.
“The defense is dominating the early part of practice. The offense is mixing in some different line combinations but nobody’s keeping the defensive line out of the backfield,” Jackson posted.
The defense is dominating the early part of practice. The offense is mixing in some different line combinations but nobody’s keeping the defensive line out of the backfield.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 4, 2026
That has been the consistent theme in the first week of Browns camp. Cleveland’s defense looks like it will remain among the league’s best, even without Myles Garrett. Meanwhile, the offense is trying to get a rebuilt offensive line in sync with rookie wide receivers and a pair of mediocre quarterbacks, all while learning a complicated playbook that relies on the finest details.
That could be why neither Deshaun Watson nor Shedeur Sanders has been able to take control of the QB1 job, with the veteran throwing too many interceptions and the younger player relying on dump-off passes that are unlikely to get the job done during the regular season. In fact, previously overlooked Dillon Gabriel reportedly has been the best quarterback in camp so far, but he has worked mostly with backups and has not faced the Browns’ first-team defense.
If not for Cleveland’s top defensive ranking over the past three seasons, it might be argued that the unit looks so good right now because it is going against one of the league’s worst offenses. It would be difficult to ask them to back down, however, as they also have to get their work in before they face more challenging opposition.
A highlight of training camp will be when the Browns’ offense has a better practice than its defense, and the team as a whole has to hope that day is coming soon.
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