BEREA, Ohio — Rain clouds forced the Cleveland Browns indoors on Friday, shutting out fans for the ninth day of training camp. But with no crowd to watch, the action on the field remained intense. The team shifted from installation to evaluation, and head coach Todd Monken made it clear the real work is just beginning.

"Installs are over. So today and tomorrow, before we take Sunday off, we'll have a little bit better idea in terms of drilling down and who we want to be, who they are," Monken said. "There's a lot of things that go into each one of those players that we're just going to continue to evaluate."

Friday marked the first day of that evaluation. Deshaun Watson led the first-team offense, Shedeur Sanders operated with the second team, and Dillon Gabriel handled third-team duties. Taylen Green did not participate in team drills. The rotation gave coaches a clearer look at each quarterback's command of the system.

The offense produced several highlight-reel moments. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy pulled in a helmet catch in the end zone, and Gage Larvadain made a contested snag on a pass from Sanders. But the play of the day came near the end of practice. Watson scrambled under pressure, rolled toward the sideline, and fired a pass to Isaiah Bond. The receiver leaped in the back of the end zone, hauling in the ball while tightly covered. The touchdown drew cheers from teammates and signaled a growing chemistry between Watson and his new target.

Yet the defense refused to be outdone. The secondary recorded three interceptions, picking off all three quarterbacks in team drills. Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren started the trend, followed by fellow safety Donovan McMillon, who snatched a deep ball. Cornerback Denzel Ward added his own interception, showing the unit's range and ball-hawking ability.

Linebacker Winston Reid capped the practice with a forceful defensive play. On the final rep of the day, he forced a fumble and recovered it, sending the defense off the field with momentum. The pass rush also made its presence felt. Defensive lineman Adin Huntington recorded a would-be sack, with Jared Verse close behind. Defensive end Logan Fano batted a pass during 11-on-11 drills, demonstrating the line's depth and disruption.

Injury updates and roster moves added another layer to the day. The Browns signed offensive lineman Jack Conley and cornerback Jeadyn Lukus to bolster depth. To make room, they waived wide receiver Jamari Thrash with an injury designation and linebacker Reid Carrico. The team also claimed defensive end Patrick Jenkins off waivers from the New York Jets. Jenkins signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and spent time on the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad.

Several injured players returned to practice, including center Elgton Jenkins, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and offensive lineman Teven Jenkins. Others remained sidelined. Tight end Joe Royer missed for personal reasons. Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., offensive lineman Zak Zinter, defensive tackles Sam Kamara and Elijah Chatman, and tackle Izavion Miller were not seen. Cornerback Myles Bryant, fullback Michael Burton, cornerback Damarri Mathis, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, center Parker Brailsford, defensive tackles Kalia Davis and Maliek Collins (on the PUP list) watched from the sidelines.

The Browns close this stretch of camp with a padded practice Saturday, then take Sunday off. Coaches will have two more sessions to evaluate quarterbacks and position battles before the next phase of preseason preparation.