The Browns are out of installation mode and into the part of camp that starts to matter more: preseason football.
Cleveland opens Saturday in Chicago against the Bears, then comes home for a joint practice with the Buffalo Bills before hosting Buffalo at Huntington Bank Field in preseason Week 2. The final tune-up comes against the AFC Championship winning New England Patriots. Todd Monken has already hinted that starters could see preseason action, though the Browns still haven’t said exactly who will play or when.
That uncertainty only makes the next few games more important for a few players fighting for position, snaps and, in some cases, a roster spot.
At the top of the list are Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, who have drawn most of the attention throughout camp and should each get a chance to start a preseason game unless Monken changes course. Watson has recently been getting more first-team work, which suggests he may be the front-runner in the competition.
If he gets the nod against Chicago, the Browns need a clean outing. Through 11 training camp sessions, Cleveland’s quarterbacks have thrown 17 interceptions combined, so any sharpness from either passer would be a welcome change.
The receiver battle has also tightened up, especially with Jamari Thrash already set to miss the entire season because of injury. That leaves Tillman as the lone Berry draft pick still fighting for a spot in the wide receiver room.
Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Isaiah Bond look like roster locks. If Cleveland keeps six receivers, that would leave two openings for Tylan Wallace, who is expected to be a core special teamer, and Tillman, who is entering his fourth pro season.
He’ll be competing for that final spot with Malachi Corley and former preseason standouts Gage Larvadain and Luke Floriea if the Browns go with six.
Tight end is another place where the preseason could shake things out. Harold Fannin Jr. is firmly installed as the starter after leading the Browns in receiving yards last year, but the depth chart behind him is still unsettled.
Cleveland brought in Stoll in free agency and then added Joe Royer and Carsen Ryan on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Royer has missed all of camp because of a personal matter.
That gives Stoll a chance to get plenty of run in the preseason, especially if Fannin is held out after being banged up since the end of last season.
Up front, the Browns made a notable move on Monday when Monken elevated No. 9 overall pick Spencer Fano into the starting offensive line group at camp. The rookie had been rotating with Dawand Jones, who now has a chance to show Cleveland he’s healthy and in shape before Week 1.
Jones could still carve out the backup swing tackle job, as long as Fano and veteran right tackle Tytus Howard are both good to go. A strong preseason from Jones would help Monken and offensive line coach George Warhop trust him in that role while they keep developing rookie Austin Barber and shifting KT Leveston into guard depth.
In Other News...
Joe Thomas Sees One Browns Reality Fans May Hate
Joe Thomas has seen enough Browns football to know when a roster is pointing toward a reset, and the former left tackle thinks Cleveland is already acting like a team with a bigger quarterback plan in mind. With Myles Garrett traded away, the roster feels more like a rebuild than a quick fix, and Thomas suggested the Browns are preparing for the kind of draft that can change a franchises direction rather than trying to force a short-term answer under center.
The current quarterback picture does not look like the endgame from Thomas view, even with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders in the mix. Cleveland also has multiple first-round picks to work with, which gives it the kind of ammunition teams need if they decide to move up for a preferred prospect, and that is why the 2027 draft is starting to sound like the real target as the Browns search for their next long-term solution. [Read more 🡒]
Browns QB Battle Is Raising A Bigger Concern Before Preseason
The Browns still have not settled their Week 1 quarterback, and Todd Monken is using the preseason to let both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders get turns under center before making anything official. That kind of setup usually buys a team time, but it also puts a sharper spotlight on every practice rep, especially when the offense is trying to sort out timing, command and clean operation at a spot that drives everything else.
What has made this competition feel a little less straightforward is the sloppiness showing up around the edges. Reports out of practice have pointed to penalties and uneven execution in two-minute work, the sort of sequence that can expose a young offense in a hurry and leave a coach visibly irritated. With preseason games approaching, the Browns are still searching for clarity, and the bigger concern may be less about who wins the job and more about whether the offense can get organized enough to support whoever does. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken Is Already Under Pressure After Browns Camp Blowup
A rough training camp day has already put Todd Monken in an uncomfortable spotlight as he prepares for his first NFL preseason game as a head coach. After a practice session went off the rails because of repeated offensive mistakes, Monken cut things short and later said the moment left him needing to take a hard look at how he was coaching a Browns team built around a young roster and a staff still learning on the fly.
Monken has since tried to steady the tone around camp, but the episode was a reminder that patience can run thin quickly when a new regime is trying to establish itself. With Cleveland still sorting through growing pains in a season that will test both players and coaches, the bigger question now is whether the sideline response becomes a one-off frustration or a sign of deeper pressure ahead. [Read more 🡒]