MOBILE, Ala. — Early in the first of two Senior Bowl practices Wednesday, Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski watched the quarterbacks intently from the sideline, not far from where the three National team passers were going through one-on-one drills.

As the practice progressed and the quarterbacks moved, Stefanski did as well. When the American team’s quarterbacks started a full drill during the afternoon session, Stefanski left the sideline and stood on the hashmark, angling for the best view.

Nothing is surprising about Stefanski’s actions. The Browns are obviously on a quarterback search, which is why the head coach is here. General manager Andrew Berry and his top lieutenants are here, too. And though they’re watching around 140 draft prospects at all positions, the quarterback search is the headline story of an important offseason and the top internal priority.

“We generally go into free agency with the idea that we’d like to go into the draft with the ability to line up and play at all our known spots so that we are not either directly or indirectly influenced by need (and) can make the best long-term bets for the organization,” Berry said. “That being said, we are taking a little bit more of a longer-term focus with this offseason than maybe we’ve had the past two.”

With Deshaun Watson injured and out of the team’s planning for 2025 — and almost certainly beyond — the Browns know they’ll be adding at least two quarterbacks in the coming months. Berry was adamant that the Browns don’t feel forced to use the No. 2 overall pick on a signal caller, but they might. And though the top two passers in this year’s class aren’t here, Cleveland is evaluating and interviewing seven draftable quarterbacks this week as it moves closer toward weighing its veteran options, creating salary-cap space and finalizing draft strategies.

No plan is set. The draft board isn’t set, either, though the team’s most thorough pre-draft meetings are in the next few weeks. Berry is open for business on potential trades and is watching closely as other teams make contract-related decisions on veteran quarterbacks, so the plans will have to be flexible. Ultimately, Berry and the decision-makers have to get it right and fix the Browns’ situation at the game’s most important position.

“I have no idea (how it will go). I really don’t,” Berry said. “I’d like to tell you I knew the answer to that question. I’m not a very patient person and just as curious as you all are. But we’ve really got to let this work out.”

The 2024 team lost six straight to finish a 3-14 season, and by the end, Cleveland had turned to its 40th starting quarterback of the post-1999 Browns era. The search for No. 41 and likely No. 42 will be mostly secretive, but it’s brought the Browns to the Senior Bowl this week — and it’s obvious enough that both Stefanski and Berry are talking about who and what they’re watching, at least to an extent.

Last weekend, the Browns’ contingent visited the East-West Shrine Game practices near Dallas, Texas, to interview former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who’s considered one of the top two passers in this class and a possible selection for the Browns at No. 2. Cam Ward of Miami is the other top quarterback in this draft, and he chose not to attend a postseason all-star game.

So if the Browns are taking a quarterback second overall, that player probably isn’t a Senior Bowl participant. But if they wait, they could be watching their next quarterback — maybe Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe or Tyler Shough — here this week.

“I don’t want to go into our specific evaluations, but I think (Sanders and Ward) are both very high-quality prospects,” Berry said. “So, we’re looking forward to spending more time with them and everything. But they’re both good kids and they’re very talented.”

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy told reporters that Dart’s commitment to the game drew the strongest reaction from NFL scouts and execs among the seven quarterbacks who are here. Though Nagy said he was excited to see the quarterbacks perform this week, he offered a blunt assessment of the early scouting reports of this year’s draft class. He said that headed into Senior Bowl week, none of this year’s draftable quarterbacks would have graded among the top six in the 2024 class, where they were all taken in the first 12 picks.

“I tend to stay away from those type of comparisons, at least publicly,” Berry said. “The one thing I’d say is, generally speaking, you think about some of the quarterbacks that played last weekend: (Patrick) Mahomes, he was the 10th pick in the draft. Josh Allen, he was the seventh pick in the draft. Jalen Hurts was the 53rd pick in the draft. Look at Lamar Jackson, he was the 32nd pick in the draft. So I think sometimes that narrative gets a bit overblown. It’s not like everyone that plays quarterback went No. 1 or No. 2. I think it’s more about, ‘Hey, does this individual have a skill set that you can build a high-level offense around? And are you committed organizationally to put the pieces, coaching players, support structure to do that?’

“I think there are talented passers in this draft, and I would have a hard time believing that there’s not at least one guy (at the Senior Bowl) who will be a quality starter — if not more. I think a big part of it with these guys really is environment (and) surrounding them with the right environment that allows us to maximize them.”

Stefanski told SiriusXM NFL Radio the obvious: that he’s here to evaluate up close during these practices and listen intently during interviews as the Browns continue to search for the players they believe fit best.

“For me, it’s always about getting exposure to these players,” Stefanski said. “You watch them on tape and you just want to see them up close. You do pro days, you do private visits (later in the spring), but this is just about being at field level and getting to see these guys.

“We already know a lot about these guys (because) our scouts do a wonderful job. So in the interviews, you’re maybe getting into the X’s and O’s … just getting to know them and what they’re about.”

The Browns have four assistant coaches working at the Senior Bowl, most notably special teams coach Bubba Ventrone as head coach of the American team and defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire as defensive coordinator of the National team. Ventrone’s team has Milroe, Dart, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard and Seth Henigan of Memphis as its quarterbacks.

For coaches and evaluators, Senior Bowl practices allow the eyes of the NFL to see prospects in a pro-like structure. With Ventrone running some meetings and freely able to check in on others, the Browns are getting extra insight.

“There’s no doubt us being here with eyes on these players gives an advantage in getting to know the players who are here,” Ventrone said. “You get to see how the players take the coaching, how they prepare, how they interact with each other. When you’re making a film correction, you want to see if a player has the ability to apply it to the next day, the next practice, the next rep.

“For our quarterbacks, you’re gonna have to adapt to different guys catching passes in this setting. And maybe the chemistry isn’t as clean as you want it to be, but my honest assessment is they’re out there practicing and the guys here love football. They’re showing they want to compete. It’s been a good experience with those guys.”

Ultimately, Stefanski said the Browns know they’re looking for a player who “loves the game. He’s got to love everything that comes with this game.” Stylistically, Stefanski said the Browns “have had different (types of) guys that we’ve won with, so we believe in our system and a system that’s going to adapt to our best players. And certainly, you’re thinking about the quarterback position when it comes to that.”

Berry also said the Browns don’t feel they need a certain style of quarterback or don’t feel stuck taking one at No. 2 just because they have a premium pick.

“That’s part of the offensive staff’s job and why, with Kevin and (new offensive coordinator) Tommy (Rees), we feel really good about them, is their ability to adjust to the strengths of your quarterback,” Berry said. “Because if you’re just that narrow (with your thinking), you’re gonna sacrifice quality for style. It’s hard enough to find high-level starters (that) you just can’t afford to be narrow-minded.

“Look, it’s the most important position, so you’re gonna do a whole bunch of work on it every year, regardless of where your roster is. But you also don’t want to force it if the right guy isn’t there and feel compelled to reach at that spot. I don’t think there are any hard truths about what you have to do at the top of the draft. I think the big thing is you have to do everything in your power to help you make the right decision.”

With three months until the draft and six weeks until the start of the player movement period, we’ll be following the lead of Berry and Stefanski and watching closely all the way.