The Browns are down to one preseason tune-up, and Todd Monken is planning to treat Thursday night like a true finale in New England. The starters are expected to sit, which means the bulk of the action will fall to the backups and the younger players still trying to carve out roles before the 2026 season begins on September 13th vs the Jaguars.
At quarterback, the picture is clear for the night even if the bigger decision still waits. Monken will officially name the team’s QB1 tomorrow, but for the preseason finale, second-year passer Dillon Gabriel is expected to start with rookie Taylen Green also getting work. Raheim “Rocket” Sanders should handle most of the backfield duties again after doing the same against Buffalo.
Gabriel’s targets will come from a group that includes Malachi Corley, Luke Floriea, and Gage Larvadain. For Cleveland, the bigger question may be how the line holds up in front of him. That unit has already shown plenty of rotation, and it figures to be one of the most closely watched groups all day.
Against Buffalo, the Browns opened with KT Leveston at left tackle, Zak Zinter at left guard, Luke Wypler at center, Austin Barber at right guard, and Dawand Jones at right tackle. Kingsley Eguakun also saw time at center, Jeremiah Byers worked at left guard, Tyre Phillips got snaps at right tackle, and Izavion Miller was used at right guard. The group looked steady enough in that game, giving Shedeur time to throw, and Cleveland will be hoping for the same kind of protection with Gabriel.
Defensively, the spotlight shifts to the edge opposite Jared Verse after Alex Wright’s season-ending injury. The Browns brought in veteran Derek Barnett for depth, but the job could still go to one of the players battling for it, including Isaiah McGuire, Julian Okwara, Benton Whitley, or Mike Hall Jr. Hall lined up on the edge yesterday and came away with a big sack.
At linebacker, Winston Reid and Nathaniel Watson are set to lead the group while still trying to lock down that third starting job among Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams. Rookie Justin Jefferson, the Alabama product, is another name to keep an eye on.
The secondary will feature Tre Avery, Michael Coats Jr, Jeremiah McClendon, and Tyler Hall at corner, with rookie Emmanuell McNeil-Warren joining second-year safeties Donovan McMillion and Christopher Edmonds.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Are Being Pushed Toward A Breaking Point Over Watson
The reaction around Deshaun Watson has kept spilling over since his controversial press conference and the Browns decision to hand him the starting job over Shedeur Sanders. Even from outside Berea, the frustration is hard to miss, and ESPNs Dan Orlovsky went as far as suggesting Browns fans should think twice about showing up for home games as a form of pushback. Watson later issued a public apology for his comments, but it has done little to calm the broader unease hanging over the team.
For Cleveland, the timing only adds to the tension because its first two games are on the road, leaving the home crowd waiting until Week 3 to make its feelings known in person. By then, the Browns will already have spent another stretch answering questions about quarterback choice, accountability and how much patience is left in a fan base that has already been asked to absorb plenty. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Young Talent Could Pay The Price For This QB Decision
The Browns are moving forward with Deshaun Watson as their starter for the upcoming season, a choice that immediately puts the offense under a brighter spotlight. Cleveland has made enough changes around him to suggest it wants a cleaner operation, including tweaks to the offensive line and coaching staff, but the broader concern remains whether the unit can finally get more out of a quarterback whose recent efficiency numbers have left plenty of room for doubt.
For young players trying to grow into bigger roles, that matters. Denzel Boston, Quinshon Judkins and Spencer Fano all stand to be shaped by the kind of offense Watson can support, and if the passing game stalls or the pressure issues linger, their chances to thrive could be squeezed before the season really gets rolling. The Browns are betting on continuity and upside, but the margin for error is already thin. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Secondary Suddenly Has A Roster Problem Before Week 1
The Browns secondary has spent much of training camp trying to get settled, but the group keeps running into bad luck at the worst possible time. Rookie cornerback Michael Coats Jr. was carted off the field during a recent practice after suffering a leg injury, adding another concern to a defensive backfield that has already taken hits this summer.
Coats latest setback comes after he had already dealt with an ankle injury in the first preseason game, making this his second leg issue in two weeks. Cleveland has already seen multiple injuries pile up in the secondary during camp, including a season-ending injury to Damarri Mathis, leaving the Browns with a roster puzzle to sort out with Week 1 approaching. [Read more 🡒]