Head coach Todd Monken stayed on the field following a long, two-hour padded practice in the sweltering sun on Aug. 4. He watched as DE Jared Verse coached up ninth overall pick T Spencer Fano after the other players left the field.
Monken listened to every word Verse told the rookie lineman and quickly saw an improvement in technique.
"It was within five reps I saw Spencer get better," Monken said. "It was him teaching (Spencer) like he was a coach, and it was awesome."
This isn't new to training camp, or even the first time a teammate assisted Fano after practice. Browns players have been helping Fano all offseason acclimate to life in the NFL and work on his technique amidst his position change from right tackle — which he played the past two seasons at Utah — back to left tackle.
"He's just really good at helping coach me up," Fano said about Verse before the first day of training camp. "There'd be a lot of reps, because we didn't have anything like full speed before, so there'd be a lot of reps where I might have overset (and) he would let me know and then kind of help me correct mistakes I made."
Going up against Verse in practice is preparing Fano to block some of the best power edge rushers in the NFL. After Verse got the best of him on a couple of reps in the first 11-on-11 period during training camp on Aug. 4, Fano responded by shutting the defensive end down over the latter portion of practice multiple times.
Check out the top shots from Day 7 of 2026 Browns Training Camp as players got to work with drills, workouts and team prep at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Daniel Thomas (24) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) and Defensive end Jared Verse (8) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle KT Leveston (72) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. (1) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Kole Wilson (87) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano (55) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive guard Zion Johnson (77) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive tackle Coziah Izzard (68) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive back D'Angelo Ross (20) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Alex Wright (91) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle KT Leveston (72) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Running back Dylan Sampson (22) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Austin Barber (58) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Zion Washington (34) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
The wide receivers during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Offensive tackle Tyre Phillips (69) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Donovan McMillon (31) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Special Teams Coordinator Byron Storer during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Donovan McMillon (31) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Smucker's Uncrustables during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Quincy Williams (5) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Special Teams Coordinator Byron Storer during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Justin Jefferson (17) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Defensive end Tyreak Sapp (64) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Tight end Jack Stoll (89) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Head Coach Todd Monken during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Cornerback Tyler Hall (29) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (28) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Special Teams Coordinator Byron Storer during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during Day 7 of Training Camp on August 5, 2026 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Verse isn't the only Browns player helping Fano. G Zion Johnson, who also navigated changing positions on the offensive line after being drafted in the first round in 2022, has taken Fano under his wing. Johnson works with Fano on his sets and punches almost every day after practice. With the Chargers, Johnson played alongside two-time Pro Bowl T Rashawn Slater. Johnson shared Slater's process with Fano, who has taken that advice and applied it to his own game.
On top of the physical aspect of playing offensive line, Johnson is assisting Fano with the mental side of the game. Johnson noted that it can be difficult for a player of Fano's caliber to go through the ups and downs of a first training camp in the NFL.
"I was in a similar position to Spencer where I was a young player and I came in and you're trying to navigate a new league, a new position (and) a new side of the ball you're playing," Johnson said. "I just told him, 'Attack every single day, work to get better every single day and the rest will take care of itself.'"
C/G Elgton Jenkins has also played an important role in supporting Fano. Jenkins has played tackle, guard and center across his first seven years in the league with the Packers, giving him a unique perspective on changing positions. The main area that Jenkins has helped Fano with is the load up and get-off at the snap of the football.
Jenkins, who played left tackle for the Packers, has shown Fano what worked for him. Since Fano is switching tackle positions, the leg that he has used to get off the line with has changed, making that one of the biggest adjustments he's had to make moving back over to left tackle.
During offensive line meetings, T Tytus Howardhas worked with Fano too. Fano sits next to the seven-year veteran, who gives the rookie pointers on what to do and what not do during those meetings, helping immensely.
Going into this season, Fano has the support from his veteran teammates while changing positions and adjusting to the NFL. With that help, and the work Fano has put in during the offseason, the goal for this season is simple.
"I just want to be a damn good football player," Fano said.
