The Browns’ first preseason game under Todd Monken didn’t deliver a clean answer at quarterback, and that was only part of the story. Cleveland’s 2026 preseason opener against the Bears was more about sorting through problems, bright spots, and a few players who helped themselves - or didn’t - than anything on the scoreboard.
Deshaun Watson got off to a solid start. He looked comfortable early, worked the middle of the field well, and his only incompletion at that stage came when TE Harold Fannin Jr. dropped a pass.
But once the pace picked up, Watson’s rhythm faded and the offense went with it. He wasn’t the only issue, but he left the door open for Shedeur Sanders to make a push next week.
On 4th down, Watson held the ball too long, which led to a fumble and turnover after what looked like a quick-set line expecting a fast throw.
The offensive line had its own issues, especially in the run game. There were reasons to expect improvement from Cleveland’s new front, but the results were uneven.
Rookie Spencer Fano, who has had a strong camp, stayed in longer than the other starters and didn’t have a clean outing. Runs up the middle were nearly wiped out, and the second unit got handled by Chicago’s second and third stringers.
Pass protection had some decent moments, but the group still lacks power.
There were some encouraging signs at receiver, though, and rookie KC Concepcion was the biggest one. Monken seems ready to use him like his Zay Flowers, finding ways to get the ball in his hands as often as possible.
Concepcion caught three passes, including a pop pass, and scored on an end-around. His speed jumps out, and Monken’s rub-route usage should create even more room for him.
Denzel Boston only had one catch, but his size-speed combination fits neatly alongside Concepcion.
The Browns also got mixed results in the defensive backfield. There are still questions about whether they’ll keep four or five safeties, plus how the cornerback depth chart shakes out behind Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, and Myles Harden.
Chris Edmunds didn’t help himself in the safety battle, while UDFA cornerback Michael Coats Jr. did. Coats picked off a pass and added a nice breakup, though he later left with an ankle injury in the second half.
Monken also showed he’s not shy about rolling the dice. Fans hoping Kevin Stefanski’s fourth-down tendencies would disappear may be disappointed. Even in preseason, Monken didn’t lean toward taking the easy points or punting and playing defense.
There are still bigger defensive concerns, too. The pass rush was mostly quiet, aside from a few snaps against former Cleveland OT Jedrick Wills.
That may not mean much with vanilla preseason game plans, but it’s worth noting, especially with DE Myles Garrett traded away. Cleveland has added several veteran pass rushers, which suggests the team knows depth at defensive end is an issue.
Special teams, at least, were not a mess. Concepcion’s big return stood out, and the Browns avoided the usual parade of flags and ugly mistakes that can make that phase of the game painful.
The defense as a whole wasn’t disastrous, but it did give up too many gash plays. Too often, defenders were out of position or overpursued.
With Garrett gone and Jim Schwartz replaced by Mike Rutenberg, there’s real reason for Cleveland fans to wonder whether the unit that carried the team for a couple of years is headed backward. It’s early, but that concern is already on the table.
Sanders had his moments, then ran into the same wall Watson did, just against a different group of backups. He opened the second half with a couple of good throws and showed some pocket movement on one play.
Later, he delivered a nice ball to Gage Larvadain on the sideline in the Cover-2 hole near the end of the third quarter, even though the pass fell incomplete. But the overall operation looked slow, including the time he took in the huddle.
His overthrow by about five yards led to an interception, and while there’s always a chance Malachi Corley ran the wrong depth, the result looked like a bad throw.
In Other News...
Deshaun Watson Just Reignited The Browns Problem Fans Wanted Gone
The Browns are using their preseason opener against the Bears to give Deshaun Watson another turn as the starting quarterback, a reminder that his path back is still part of the conversation in Cleveland. Watson has not played since October 2024 because of Achilles injuries, and the teams depth-chart decisions continue to carry extra weight with the season approaching and uncertainty still hanging over the most important position on the roster.
Clevelands salary-cap limitations make it difficult to bring in meaningful competition or simply move on from him, which leaves the club managing both the football and financial sides of the situation at the same time. The Browns are planning to designate Watson as a post-June 1 release in March 2027, a move that would bring dead-cap hits but finally close the book on the contract obligations that have shaped so much of the roster conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Linebacker Battle Just Opened A Surprising Starting Opportunity
The Browns first unofficial depth chart of the 2026 season offered an early glimpse at how the linebacker room is shaking out, and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold emerged as one of the more interesting names on it. The undrafted free agent from USC has worked his way into a role with the base 4-3 defense, positioning himself ahead of Nathaniel Watson, Winston Reid and rookie Justin Jefferson in a group that is still sorting itself out.
Mascarenas-Arnolds climb has also come at a time when Carson Schwesinger is sidelined with a minor injury, opening the door for more reps and a longer look in camp. Even if the depth chart is unofficial, the placement suggests the Browns view him as a legitimate piece of the roster puzzle, and he is now widely expected to make the 53-man roster. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Just Put More Pressure On The Browns Quarterback Plan
Deshaun Watson got an extended look in the preseason opener against the Bears, and on paper the first half checked plenty of boxes. He completed more than 70 percent of his passes for 129 yards and a touchdown, the kind of line that can quiet some of the noise around Clevelands quarterback situation, even in August.
But the play-by-play did not look nearly as clean as the stat sheet. Watson appeared uneasy in the pocket and took a strip-sack, while his mobility never really showed up the way it usually can, which keeps the focus on how sharp and stable he can be once the games start counting. Shedeur Sanders also added another layer to the discussion with a mixed outing that included an interception, and the Browns now have more than one quarterback performance to weigh as the competition gets closer to the point where it has to mean something. [Read more 🡒]