Three of the most important days on the NFL offseason calendar begin for the Browns this week with mandatory minicamp, which begins on Tuesday and will be the only time until training camp where every player is back on the practice field.
The Browns have been conducting practices for the last two weeks under organized team activities, but those were voluntary and didn't include the whole roster. That changes in minicamp, although players will still be padless and practice intensity will be fairly light.
But it's always exciting when the full team is back together, and we're breaking down three things to watch as the Browns reach the end of their offseason program.
1. Watson works with full receiver brass
QB Deshaun Watson has already taken plenty of reps this spring with some of the Browns' new additions in Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin, and those appeared to pay off in the open practice to the media last week when Goodwin caught a couple deep ball passes for touchdowns.
Now, Watson has a chance to continue building rapport with everyone. That includes TE David Njoku and possibly WR Amari Cooper, who did individual drills last week in his first practice since undergoing core muscle surgery early in the offseason. It's no certainty, however, that Cooper will be ready to practice in team drills.
Every passing drill Watson spends with a full receiving crew will be crucial toward growing his chemistry with each receiver, so expect the Browns to continue squeezing a large number of pass plays into their practice scripts.
Check out the action from practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus as the Browns go through organized team activities
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (19) after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (19) with a Stay in the Game Guest from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running back Demetric Felton Jr. (25) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Defensive tackle Trysten Hill (98), Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23), Defensive end Sam Kamara (92), Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (27) and Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Center Nick Harris (53) and Offensive guard Drew Forbes (70) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
A helmet during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Defensive end Isaiah Thomas (58) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Offensive guard Colby Gossett (72) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Punter Joseph Charlton (16) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Training Intern Maikee Migallos, Rhys Leach, Cooper Siurek, Assistant Athletic Trainer Stefan Varner and JoAnna Simon after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Footballs during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Safety Bubba Bolden (36) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Quarterback Kellen Mond (7) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Tanner McCalister (48) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Cornerback A.J. Green III (38) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) and Running back Demetric Felton Jr. (25) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Safety Tanner McCalister (48) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running back Nate McCrary (48) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running Back Hassan Hall (30) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Tight end Thomas Greaney (43) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running back Demetric Felton Jr. (25) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Tight end Jordan Akins (84) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Running back Demetric Felton Jr. (25) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) meets with special guests from the Cleveland Police Force after OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (74), Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90), Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) and Safety Juan Thornhill (1) with Stay in the Game Guests from Garfield Heights after OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Linebacker Charlie Thomas III (35) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski meets with special guests from the Cleveland Police Force after OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) meets with special guests from the Cleveland Police Force after OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during OTA 6 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 1, 2023.
Browns players pose with special guests from the Cleveland Police Force after OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
A helmet during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (51) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) meets with special guests from the Cleveland Police Force after OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Cornerback Caleb Biggers (39) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Defensive end Alex Wright (91) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Tanner McCalister (48) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Running back Demetric Felton Jr. (25) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Quarterback Kellen Mond (7) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Special guests from the Cleveland Police Force during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (19) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Running back John Kelly Jr. (41) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Daylen Baldwin (87) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Daylen Baldwin (87) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (74) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (89) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Running Back Hassan Hall (30) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during OTA 5 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 31, 2023.
2. First look at refurbished D-Line
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will have his first chance of playing with several of the new weapons the Browns acquired to bolster their defense.
DE Za'Darius Smith and DT Dalvin Tomlinson are perhaps the most notable new players to watch on defense, but with padless practices, it'll be most interesting to see which combinations Schwartz chooses to deploy them up front. The same can be said for other new players, such as DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DTs Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill and the rookies — DT Siaki Ika and DE Isaiah McGuire.
And while we're on the defense, one other important thing to watch will be who plays slot cornerback. Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II have both played at the position so far in open practices, and Schwartz has said he'll continue to look to rotate players at the position in order to build a versatile defense.
3. Cade kicks
Second-year kicker Cade York didn't kick in a team-drill setting during the two open OTAs, and we'll likely see him in action at some point this week.
New special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said last week he's worked closely with York on improving from last season, when York converted on 24 of 32 (75 percent) field-goal attempts in what was an up-and-down rookie season. Minicamp will offer York a chance to show those improvements.
"Every player, every season, every situation is different, especially for a rookie," Ventrone said. "You come into and you're not kicking in an easy environment. The crowd, obviously, the weather conditions, just being at a different level overall. I think that a lot of things factor into it.
"I think he's done a good job and he's learned from a lot of his mishaps from last year and where he needs to be corrected on. So I think that having that understanding, you see some things on film that you want to be able to correct, and I think that's what we're trying to do right now."
