BEREA ― Spencer Fano's first training camp with the Browns has been tied directly to another newcomer to the team, defensive end Jared Verse. The rookie left tackle has found the two-time Pro Bowler acquired in the Myles Garrett trade to be one to put his arm around him and help him develop. The two have been seen after practice routinely working on one-on-one moves, with Verse providing pointers to Fano on how to handle an edge rusher like him. However, the signature moment of Fano's first camp also involved Verse putting his arms around him, only not in a welcoming way. Instead, the two engaged in a post-play scrum that ended up with both on the ground and being separated, while multiple other times, the two hve nearly come to blows. Subscribe to Browns Insider newsletter
For Fano, the No. 9 overall pick out of the University of Utah, all of it has been part of his learning curve in the NFL. "For sure," Fano said prior to the Browns' Aug. 12 practice. "I mean, every day I have to get ready to go against the best player I've ever played against, every single day. So there's definitely a part of that, just getting ready for that every day." Fano said after he was drafted that one of the great joys was "moving a man from point A to point B against his will." Well, in Verse, he's found a defensive teammate who shares a similar joy. The powerful Verse has been dominant at times throughout training camp, finding his way into the backfield through his immense power. It's not just a power with which Verse plays that makes him a daunting task for any offensive lineman. The word that was put to Fano to describe Verse was "relentless." It was a word that he felt was the exact way to sum up the player who has become a practice nemesis at the same time he's been a practice mentor. "I think that's the perfect word to describe him," Fano said. "He's just always the same dude and then every single play he's bringing 100%. So I think relentless is the perfect way to describe him."
Relentless would be the way one would describe how Fano has attacked his introduction to the NFL. He started the offseason program working with the second offensive line group, having to earn the trust and ascension up the depth chart from the coaches. Once training camp started, even as Fano was getting No. 1 snaps, he was still second in the rotation behind Dawand Jones at left tackle. There was even talk that, potentially, Jones could start the season as the left tackle if Fano hadn't earned the job. Then, the Aug. 8 practice happened, not just with Fano scuffling with Verse post-play, but also holding his own from play to play. It what allowed coach Todd Monken to announce at the start of the week that Fano was, in fact, the No. 1 left tackle heading into the preseason opener Aug. 15 at the Chicago Bears. "Don’t you want to see a player, especially on the O-line, not back down?," Monken said Aug. 10 after he announced Fano was with the first group. "As your starting left tackle, all your hopes and dreams. The ability to move the football and protect, your left tackle to not back down against a Pro Bowler. Of course. … You want to see the competition part; you want to see a guy not back down. If they don’t stand up for themselves, then you’re really concerned.” It wasn't just Verse who has contributed to Fano's growth. Among the individuals who have spoken with him and given him tips was Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, the player the Browns hope Fano can follow in the footsteps of and become their franchise left tackle. Fano mentioned Thomas was one of his idols growing up in football when he was drafted. He finally sat down with the legend during training camp, ironically on the same day he ended up in the scuffle with Verse. "It was so freaking cool," Fano said. "I mean, we had him in here on the meetings and it's crazy just sitting next to a dude that has really done it all at the highest level. I don't think there's anyone that's done it at a higher level than him. And for him to give me some of his knowledge and to help teach me while I was out here was so freaking cool. It was amazing." The test of a left tackle is not on the easy plays, but on the hard ones. Fano talked about the "strain" needed to give the quarterback the time to get rid of the ball, not necessarily on the easy throws, but on the difficult ones where they need the time to find someone. Buy Cleveland Browns tickets With either quarterback, Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, that's a critical point. Both are capable of extending the play for twice as long as they try to find the right receiver. "You can't just be content with, technically most plays, the ball is supposed to be out in like three seconds," Fano said, "but with those guys back there, it could take six seconds for them to make an incredible play. So you have to strain for those things to be able to happen." That strain has been tested at times throughout camp. More often than not, it's been tested by Verse. However, the sign that the rookie isn't just picking it up, but picking up a healthy amount of respect from him came at the end of a five-on-four drill where the two once again found themselves engaged in hand-to-hand combat. When the play ended and the whistle blew, there was Verse to off up a dap and a knowing tap of the helmet to Fano for a job well done. "I think at the end of the day, we're both competitors," Fano said. "And so all we want to do is win. And then we get really upset if we lose. So I think that's kind of the way both of us are wired and we both understand that. So just at the end of a practice, at the end of the day, we're still teammates and we're still here to get each other better. And that he's been getting me so much better. So I don't know. Just that whole answer." Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Spencer Fano's 'relentless' battles with Jared Verse elevate Browns rookie