Monday was the first practice after head coach Todd Monken announced QB Deshaun Watson would be the Browns' starting quarterback.
In addition to Watson taking the field for the first time as the starter on the practice field, the Browns also saw multiple changes on the defensive line while the secondary recorded another strong showing led by CB Denzel Ward.
Here are three observations from Day 18 of training camp.
Deshaun Watson's first practice as starter
Watson worked exclusively with the first team offense during Monday's practice.
In an early 11-on-11 period, Watson connected with WR Denzel Boston near the right sideline and found WR Jerry Jeudy over the middle of the field for a solid gain.
Watson located TE Harold Fannin Jr. over the middle of the field for a touchdown during an 11-on-11 period from inside the 10-yard line. A couple plays later, during the same period, Watson fired a pass to WR Malachi Corley across the middle of the field for another touchdown.
In addition to the touchdown, Watson teamed up with Fannin four other times during Monday's practice.
Defensive line performs well amidst additions
The Browns' defensive line had multiple players return from injury on Monday and implemented a new signing into the rotation.
DT Maliek Collins passed his physical and returned to practice for the first time since being placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on July 23. Collins participated in select individual drills and defensive line specific work. When Collins went through individual drills with blocking dummies, fellow members of the defensive line including DE Jared Verse and DT Mike Hall Jr. celebrated at the end of the reps. During another period of defensive line drills, Collins gave DT Coziah Izzard advice while working on inside stunt moves alongside DT Elijah Chatman.
DT Sam Kamara also returned to practice. Kamara and DE Adin Huntington rotated in with the first defensive line unit alongside DT Mason Graham, DE Isaiah McGuire and Verse during 11-on-11 periods of practice.
Recently acquired DE Derek Barnett practiced with the Browns for the first time after signing with Cleveland on Sunday following DE Alex Wright's placement on injured reserve. Barnett rotated in for Verse with the second defensive line unit for most of practice. On one play during an 11-on-11 period, Barnett quickly maneuvered on the edge past T Dawand Jones, rushing Watson into an incompletion.
Hall took reps at defensive end during multiple 11-on-11 periods of practice with the second unit. In the final two-minute drill, Hall was on the edge with the second unit alongside Barnett, Chatman and DT Tyreak Sapp.
In practice, the defensive line made multiple plays amongst the changes. Chatman breached the pocket multiple times during 11-on-11 periods and Verse identified an end around to Jeudy quickly for a likely tackle for loss. In another 11-on-11 period, Graham and Kamara teamed up to stuff a run by RB Dylan Sampson.
Check out the top shots from Day 19 of 2026 Browns Training Camp as players got to work with drills, workouts and team prep at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Kole Wilson (87) and Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Tyreak Sapp (64) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Tight end Carsen Ryan (48) and Tight end Jermaine Terry (85) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Benton Whitley (61) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive back D'Angelo Ross (20) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The wide receivers during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Derek Barnett (50) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Raheim Sanders (35) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Derek Barnett (50) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (6) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Kole Wilson (87) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Myles Harden (26) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Tight end Jermaine Terry (85) and Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The running backs during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Derek Barnett (50) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tre Avery (11) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Raheim Sanders (35) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Jared Verse (8) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tre Avery (11) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The quarterbacks during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Malachi Corley (83) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Assistant Defensive Line Coach Ralph Street during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Kalia Davis (93) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tyler Hall (29) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Tight end Jermaine Terry (85) and Tight end Drew Biber (43)during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 19 of Training Camp on August 24, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Denzel Ward leads secondary's strong performance
Ward made multiple highlight plays on Day 18. The first came in an 11-on-11 period, where Ward punched the ball out of Jeudy's hands to force a fumble that was recovered by CB D'Angelo Ross. Ward also broke up a pass intended for Boston in the right corner of the end zone during an 11-on-11 period in the red zone.
During the first live 11-on-11 period, Ross deflected a pass from Watson off his face mask and the ball then tipped off CB Myles Harden's hands for an incompletion. During another 11-on-11 portion of practice, CB Tyson Campbell forced an incompletion with his close coverage on a throw from Watson intended for Boston down the left sideline.
