As the training camp opened in Berea, the air was thick with anticipation and unease. For the Browns, it’s a summer of second chances and sharp pivots, where every practice snap doubles as a reference to last year’s failures. Against this stormy backdrop, HC Kevin Stefanski made a move no one saw coming. An unexpected name was scrawled into the tapestry of the Browns’ future, a new weapon for whichever QB holds the ball once the dust settles. WR Winston Wright joins the Browns’ fray officially.
After a 3-14 campaign and with the offense ranking dead last in scoring, the Browns are desperate to spark something new. Outside of star Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland’s receiving corps is wide open. It’s a mix of projects (Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash), reclamations (Diontae Johnson), and unknowns. Into this churn steps Winston Wright, who, despite being undrafted, boasts a resume of steady production and versatility.
The Browns broke the news on their X account as well as their official site. As per the website, the announcement reads: “The Cleveland Browns have signed WR Winston Wright. Wright (5-10, 192) is an undrafted rookie out of East Carolina. He spent time at West Virginia (2019-21), Florida State (2022-23) and East Carolina (2023-24). He appeared in 49 career games and recorded 187 receptions for 1,930 yards and 18 touchdowns. Wright will wear No. 38.” Fresh off a winding college journey and a Draft marred with heartbreak, Wright now becomes an official part of Cleveland’s new beginning.
We’ve signed WR Winston Wright
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 25, 2025
Coach Kevin Stefanski hasn’t spoken publicly about Wright’s specific role yet, but his broader ethos for the camp this week summed it all up pretty well. On Wednesday, Stefanski noted, “I think for us, the focus, it really has to go on day one of practice. We’re not playing games till September. But what we can do is get ready to play a 17-game plus season, and that’s really about how we work, and that’s what the guys are focused on today.” Stefanski is already looking at a postseason run with his roster, and auditions are open everywhere. Wright’s official arrival is more than just a feel-good footnote. It’s a calculated roll of the dice, where the rookie will have to work to take some pressure off Jeudy’s hands.
History tells us that undrafted camp signings in Cleveland have yielded everything from preseason footnotes to cult heroes (think Taylor Gabriel’s 2014 journey from UDFA to a roster spot). For Wright, the path to a meaningful roster spot may well hinge on making his mark as a shifty slot presence and special teams ace, a role that could help recalibrate a passing game searching for rhythm. Before the Draft, Wright himself had noted his explosive special teams skills and the drive he could bring to the NFL. “Special teams is make or break when it comes to making a roster. I feel very confident in the film I’ve put up over the last four or five years. I know I can carve out a role early on and be a top returner.”
But if new faces at receiver offer a chance at hope and sparks, Cleveland’s QB room presents another act in a familiar saga. Kevin Stefanski’s QB room has already received more attention than the entire roster combined. But the latest in the 4-QB standoff brings yet another sad turn of events for rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Browns’ QB battle is going south for Shedeur Sanders in training camp
For Shedeur Sanders, the headlines have shifted from draft day dreams to training camp reality checks. For a while, it looked like both rookies (Sanders and Dillon Gabriel) would get a shot at the QB1 throne. Through the minicamps and OTAs, Sanders continued to win hearts and sway a city desperate for QB stability. Still, a majority believed that veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett would be the first choice. While Deshaun Watson is mentoring Sanders, the man himself doesn’t hold any sway with the Browns. As the QB battle stretches through minicamp, Sanders finds himself once again in familiar territory with the depth chart.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders 12 waits his turn for a drill during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250510_kab_bk4_058
Daniel Oyefusi wrote on X, “So Day 1 of Browns training camp sees a similar QB rotation as OTAs: Kenny Pickett handled all the first-team offense reps in 11-on-11, followed by Dillon Gabriel with the second team and then Shedeur Sanders with the third team. No 11-on-11 reps for Joe Flacco.” For all intents and purposes, it looks like Pickett is all set to the starter come September. Maybe Stefanski believes Flacco doesn’t need day 1 reps because of his tried and tested skills. Gabriel, with his higher draft status, stands ahead of Sanders. And the rookie, who’s already tried to get acclimated to the rough climate of Cleveland, finds himself throwing to the third team. If Flacco is still a part of the equation, that makes Sanders the QB4 on the depth chart.
Kevin Stefanski, for one, is still in the middle of evaluations and roster calculations. He continues to ask the crowds not to read too much into who gets first-team reps and who doesn’t. The coach has an idea of who’s starting, but he’s keeping his cards close. “I have a plan that’s in pencil, and we have to take in information every single day, take in how guys are handling certain situations, and then adjust from there. But we’ll get to those type of decisions later on.” For now, that plan leaves Sanders with the third team. It’s still only July. And the depth in Cleveland has been shifting like the weather. Will QB4 be the end of the line for Sanders?
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