Browns: Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders Battle for Starting QB Spot at Minicamp

Mandatory NFL minicamps are the last event of the offseason program before the league can officially enter its summer vacation until training camps kick off at the end of July.

Half of the league wrapped up their mandatory minicamps this week while the New York Jets ,  Cincinnati Bengals ,  Denver Broncos ,  Los Angeles Chargers ,  Dallas Cowboys ,  Washington Commanders ,  Atlanta Falcons  and  Tampa Bay Buccaneers  will conclude their respective minicamps on June 18 next week. Per the NFL's collective bargaining rules, live contact isn't allowed for players just yet -- that has to wait for training camp -- but there are still things that can be learned from the league's final practices of the spring. Trade rumors, injury updates, reports on who is breaking out for more play time or a bigger role, vibe checks and more can all be gleaned from minicamps around the NFL.

Let's take a look at some of the top takeaways from 16 of the NFL's 32 teams that used this week to finish their offseason program before going into a summer hibernation.

Arizona Cardinals

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 8-10

Josh Sweat trade rumors aren't going away

Pro Bowl edge rusher Josh Sweat is fresh off a career year in 2025 with a career-high 12.0 sacks, a figure which ranked tied for the eighth-most in the NFL last season. However following the firing of head coach Jonathan Gannon, there have been rumors the 29-year-old would like a trade elsewhere. Sweat, who played under Gannon when the latter was the defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles , signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract with $41 million guaranteed to follow his old DC out west to Arizona.

In Gannon's absence, Sweat showed up to mandatory minicamp for new head coach Mike LaFleur, but Sweat didn't participate, which sparked trade rumors. LaFleur said on Tuesday that Sweat's lack of participation in on-field activity had nothing to do with an injury as well, but he claims there's no "situation" with Sweat.

This will be a storyline to monitor all offseason.

Baltimore Ravens

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9-11

All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith , Ravens defense eyeing bounce back under new head coach Jesse Minter

In 2023, the Baltimore Ravens were the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense, allowing just 16.5 points per game, with inside linebacker Roquan Smith earning first-team All-Pro honors. In 2024, the Ravens remained a top 10 scoring defense allowing the ninth-fewest points per game (21.2), and Smith once again took home first-team All-Pro honors.

Both the Ravens and Smith regressed in 2025 with Baltimore surrendering 23.4 points per game, 18th in the league, and Pro Football Focus graded Smith as the NFL's 20th-best linebacker with a 74.5 defensive grade. His 130 tackles were his fewest since 2019 when he had 101, his career low, in his second NFL season. Smith spent two games on the sideline with a hamstring injury, and he's ready to show what he and the Ravens defense can do under new management in 2026.

"It wasn't the season I wanted to have, regardless of the circumstances," Smith said, via The Athletic . "No excuses at all, but it wasn't a season of my standard. I feel like you have to start with yourself before going anywhere else."

Minter spent the prior two seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator, and he comes to Baltimore after leading two top 10 defenses the last two seasons. His Chargers were the league's No. 1 scoring defense in 2024, allowing just 17.7 points per game, and the NFL's ninth-best scoring defense (20.0 points per game allowed) in 2025. Minter's Chargers also profiled as one of the NFL's best pass defenses in 2025, leading the league in both interception to touchdown ratio allowed (16-19) and passer rating allowed (75.0).

"It's a great opportunity for all of us to show who we are," Smith said of playing for Minter and having a clean slate in 2026.

Buffalo Bills

Mandatory minicamp dates: June 9-11

New Bills WR DJ Moore making a nice early impression

The Buffalo Bills gave up a high-level draft pick, a 2026 second-round pick, to acquire wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears this offseason in order to provide 2024 NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen a true, go-to wide receiver. Arguably the best two-season stretch of Moore's career was when he was playing in new Bills head coach Joe Brady's offense with the Carolina Panthers during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. That's when Moore racked up 159 catches and 2,350 yards receiving in a two-season span. Moore's 2,350 yards receiving across 2020 and 2021 with Brady as his Panthers offensive coordinator ranked as the seventh-most in the league at the time. The present day Moore at the age of 29 has Brady fired up in his first Buffalo minicamp.

"I was so excited when we traded for him, and I'm more excited after getting to work with him for an offseason," Brady told reporters . "His demeanor, his approach, his leadership… He's out there and available. I think there's so much to that, and he's leading in the room. ... It's really cool to see. I'm really excited to see where he's at right now."

> Josh Allen 🏈 D.J. Moore pic.twitter.com/SKVPVrBsdG — Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) June 10, 2026

Carolina Panthers

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9-11

Panthers finding out what they have at wide receiver outside of 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan's absence provides an opening for the rest of quarterback Bryce Young 's receiving core to assert themselves.

"Obviously, it's never as fun not having him in there," Young said,  via the team's official website . "But actually, I was talking to Brad (Idzik, the offensive coordinator) about this on the walk over, I think it can be good for us at this time, at this period where it's about developing. For me, you have a guy like that that's your safety blanket that you know all right, one on one, this is where I want to go, it gives you that opportunity. Let's work out some progressions. Let's see everyone run all these routes. Our guys have done a great job of responding. There's no hiccup. We're fortunate to have a lot of guys who can shoulder a lot of roles, and they've been doing a great job stepping up."

McMillan said, via The Athletic , he's just dealing with a foot that's "just a little sore." That's why head coach Dave Canales is being cautious with working McMillan back in the fold at minicamp, but the good news is that McMillan said it's not an injury that will require any type of surgical procedure. Canales noted that veteran David Moore and 2026 third-round pick Chris Brazzell II received extra reps at McMillan's spot in his absence.

Chicago Bears

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9-11

The 2026 season may be an ideal time to select TE Colston Loveland in Fantasy football

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft , started off his NFL career slowly, but he erupted down the stretch. Loveland produced consecutive 90-yard receiving games in Weeks 17 and 18 before torching the Green Bay Packers for a career-high 137 yards receiving on eight catches in Chicago's 31-27 comeback, wild card-round win. Entering Year 2, the drumbeat could not be louder for Loveland. He finished the 2025 regular season with 58 catches for 713 yards receiving and six touchdowns with his 58 catches setting a new Bears rookie tight end record.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson can sometimes come off as gruff in his public remarks, but he went out of his way to shower Loveland with praise on Tuesday at minicamp. It's safe to say Loveland will be a featured pass catcher in Johnson's Bears offense in 2026.

"I love what he brings to the table. He's one of the most consistent players I've ever been around, and that's saying a lot for a young guy because I think it takes a while before guys truly understand what it means to be a professional," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday . He's early. He's always in his playbook. ... I think he really thrives with being available in the pressure moments. That's the type of guy that he wants to be. A lot of trust with the coaching staff, quarterbacks. I'm really happy with where he is at right now. We are able to take the route tree to the next level, and it's something we're going to continue to develop in training camp as well."

Cleveland Browns

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9-11

Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson remain in close QB competition, split first-team reps on final day of minicamp

The Cleveland Browns ' 2026 quarterback competition between two of the NFL's most polarizing quarterbacks, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, remains neck and neck ahead of the NFL summer break.

Sanders, polarizing because of a rabid fan base and up-and-down play, registered a 57% completion percentage with seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 68.1 passer rating in 2025. The Browns won three of his seven starts while Sanders adjusted to the speed of the NFL game: he faced pressure on an NFL-high 51% of his dropbacks since his NFL debut in Week 11 despite being blitzed at the seventh-lowest rate in the NFL (24%) in this span. Sanders' weakness, holding on to the football too long when dropping back to pass, remains his weak spot as it was in college at Colorado: his average time to throw of 3.40 seconds ranked as the longest in the NFL among the 36 quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts in 2025.

Watson's Browns tenure has been nothing short of a nightmare. Cleveland traded three first-round picks (2022, 2023 and 2024), a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick in March 2022. Cleveland then inked Watson to a five-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $230 million. Between being sued by 25-plus women for varying degrees of sexual assault, which resulted in an 11-game suspension in 2022, and suffering season-ending injuries in 2023 (shoulder), 2024 (Achilles) and 2025 (Achilles), it's fair to say the trade and extension of Watson has been the worst transaction in sports history. He now enters the final year of his contract in 2026, and the former three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is neck and neck with Sanders to start for new head coach Todd Monken in the upcoming season.

"It's been great to watch them progress," Monken said Wednesday, via the team's official website . "It's been fun to watch those guys compete, the whole room. They're really smart guys. Highly competitive and they've come a long way. I'm excited about the room."

Green Bay Packers

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9-11

Expectations are rising for former first-round pick edge rusher Lukas Van Ness

Green Bay Packers edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is starting to show some flashes. Whether it's tackles for loss or pressures/sacks on quarterback Jordan Love , he's made his presence felt throughout the week of mandatory minicamp. That's something he and others in Green Bay are taking note of. With just 8.5 sacks in three seasons, including a career-low 1.5 in just nine games played in 2025, 2026 marks a make-or-break campaign for Van Ness.

"My goal for this year is getting back to really having fun with football and just enjoying it. I think I'm doing that," Van Ness said Tuesday, via Sports Illustrated .

With All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons sidelined for at least the first month of the upcoming season while completing his recovery from a torn ACL, he believes Van Ness will be the Packers' top pass rusher in his absence.

"I think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don't know why. I think by the end of this season, if Luke stays healthy, I think he'll probably be the favorite. That's how much confidence I have in him," Parsons said, via WISCTV News 3 Now .

Houston Texans

Mandatory minicamp dates:  June 9

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-2026-minicamp-takeaways/)._