Defensive end, wide receiver, linebacker among positions up for grabs in camp

Maybe it's a good thing the four-man quarterback competition will consume all the oxygen when Browns training camp begins in earnest Wednesday with the first full-squad practice. Despite the low outside expectations and a roster seemingly in transition, the battles across the rest of the depth chart largely lack intrigue.That doesn't mean the best of those don't deserve attention. So here are three position battles to watch over the next several weeks before the roster is cut from 90 to 53 on Aug. 26. (The quarterbacks already got their own story.)A RUNNING MATEThe trade of Za'Darius Smith at the deadline last year left a hole at the defensive end spot opposite All-Pro Myles Garrett. Who will fill it is perhaps the most important non-quarterback decision of camp.The Browns have candidates, even after Ogbo Okoronkwo was cut last month to save money.Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was signed to a one-year, $4.75 million deal as a free agent in March. He was the No. 32 pick of the Buccaneers in 2021 and has 15 sacks in 66 games.He played outside linebacker in Tampa Bay's 3-4 scheme and is excited to attack full time in coordinator Jim Schwartz's 4-3. He and the Browns believe the switch will allow him to take his game to another level.Tryon-Shoyinka's main competition for the No. 2 end will come from a pair of returning players.Alex Wright, a third-round pick in 2022, is healthy after missing the last 13 games last season with a torn triceps. He's in the final year of his rookie contract and looking to establish himself as a starter and part of the organization's future. He has six sacks in 37 games but was continuing to improve before the injury.Isaiah McGuire was a fourth-round pick in 2023. He didn't do much in limited time as a rookie but flashed last season, totaling three forced fumbles, 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits in 16 games and three starts.Julian Okwara, Cameron Thomas and Sam Kamara are the other options and in the mix for roster spots.ONE IS A LONELY NUMBERJerry Jeudy established himself as Cleveland's clear-cut No. 1 receiver with a breakout, Pro Bowl season a year ago.The mystery is who will join him on the field at wideout.Diontae Johnson and Cedric Tillman are the top contenders to be the second starter, with the Browns hoping both earn a ton of playing time and join Jeudy in the three-receiver packages necessary for third-and-long and two-minute drills. That hope has serious issues.Johnson is coming off a disastrous season in which he was traded and cut multiple times and suspended by the Ravens for refusing to enter a game. He's only 29 years old and a former Pro Bowler yet said the Browns were the only team to contact him this offseason. If his head is right and the motivation is there — getting more than a one-year, minimum contract with no guaranteed money is a good one — Johnson could form a nice tandem with Jeudy as guys who can get open at will.Tillman brings a different style at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. He had a three-game stretch last season in which he caught 21 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns, proving the heights of his potential. The missing piece is consistency, as in his other 22 games in two seasons he has 29 catches for 308 yards and no touchdowns. He also missed the final six games last year with a concussion.The competition down the depth chart is also interesting, especially given the uncertainties of Johnson and Tillman.Jamari Thrash looked good in minicamp, Michael Woods II has physical tools but the production hasn't followed and David Bell is trying to come back from hip surgery. The position creates the best chance for a virtual unknown to earn significant playing time, with Kaden Davis, Luke Floriea, Jaelen Gill, Kisean Johnson, Gage Larvadain and Cade McDonald the possibilities.MIDDLE MENThe Browns have a lot of bodies to throw at the three starting linebacker spots. They'll need the strength in numbers, as the unit's best playmaker, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, is out for the season with the neck injury sustained last year.Carson Schwesinger was drafted at No. 33 to do many of the things Owusu-Koramoah can and will be counted on immediately. If he proves he's ready, he may never leave the field.Jordan Hicks returns as the veteran play caller and leader. He's a tackle machine but must prove he can stay healthy and play at a high level at 33 years old.Schwesinger and Hicks look like locks to have significant roles. Then things get cloudy, with many people in the mix to fill specific roles in Schwartz's defense.Devin Bush was re-signed after his first year in Cleveland but could be suspended after a domestic violence incident that's working its way through the legal system.Jerome Baker, a Cleveland native, was signed in free agency and could be a key piece of the third-down defense. He has seven forced fumbles, five interceptions and 24.5 sacks in seven seasons.The youngsters could challenge Bush, Baker and possibly Hicks for playing time.Mohamoud Diabate, undrafted in 2023, started 11 games last year, and the coaches are training him to play all three spots. It's easy to see him earning a starting spot.Winston Reid and Nathaniel "Bookie" Watson were rookies last year, spending most of their time on special teams. They'll be fighting for more time on defense while trying to keep their roster spots.The post Defensive end, wide receiver, linebacker among positions up for grabs in camp first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.