The Browns’ preseason opener in Chicago didn’t take long to tilt the wrong way. Cleveland jumped ahead 10-0, then watched the game spiral into a 34-10 loss after surrendering 34 straight points to the Bears.
Deshaun Watson got the start and, as expected, played the first half. The 30-year-old quarterback helped engineer a solid drive with the starting offense, but the tone changed in the second quarter when he lost the ball after backup right tackle Austin Barber was beaten off the edge.
That performance only sharpened the quarterback conversation around the Browns. After Saturday, it sure feels like it’s Watson’s job to lose. That leaves the long-term answer under center - Shedeur Sanders - with college football Saturdays on the table this season.
Sanders took the field in the third quarter and then opened the fourth with a costly interception. He finished 6-of-11 for 79 yards with an interception and a 39.6 quarterback rating.
Gabriel also threw a wild interception in the fourth quarter. Sanders will get another shot in Week 2 of the preseason against the Bills, but the turnover issues, presnap problems and general chaos on his dropbacks are enough to have Cleveland thinking ahead to the 2027 quarterback class.
There were brighter spots elsewhere. KC Concepcion was excellent in his first start for the Browns, catching three passes for 27 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown on a motion handoff.
Denzel Boston added one catch for 15 yards. Since Cleveland plans to start both rookies in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they were pulled before Watson even finished his day.
The offensive line had its share of rough moments, but rookie left tackle Spencer Fano looked the part. The Browns appear set to roll with Fano at left tackle next to Zion Johnson, with Elgton Jenkins at center, Teven Jenkins at right guard and Tytus Howard at right tackle. Austin Barber and Dawand Jones look like tackle depth, while KT Leveston appears to be the preferred backup guard.
Cleveland also showed it plans to lean on the run. The opening series featured three straight Quinshon Judkins carries, and Dylan Sampson got work both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield. Still, Ahmani Marshall was used as the RB3 ahead of Raheim Rocket Sanders, a competition worth watching over the final two preseason games.
Defensively, the Browns turned to four undrafted rookie cornerbacks, and two of them left with injuries. Michael Coats Jr. picked off a pass at the end of the first half before being ruled out with an ankle injury, while Nate Evans exited with a quad injury. Behind Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit, the secondary doesn’t have much proven depth.
The front seven wasn’t immune to the depth concerns either. Undrafted rookie tackle Tyreak Sapp saw significant snaps alongside last year’s UDFA Adin Huntington. That kind of usage won’t matter as much once the regular season starts, but if injuries pile up, Cleveland’s top-ranked defense from a year ago could look very different.
Special teams work was spread out, too. Wes Pahl was first up at punter, holding for Andre Szmyt’s 50-yard field goal in the first half and handling the kickoff to start the second half. Corey Bojorquez then took over after halftime and punted once for 51 yards.
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 🡒]