Cleveland’s preseason home opener against Buffalo didn’t deliver a win, but it did sharpen the Browns’ quarterback picture and spotlight a few players who helped themselves along the way.
Shedeur Sanders took the first big swing at the job on Saturday and, at least for one night, made a strong case. He handled the weather delay, settled in quickly and directed an 11-play scoring drive on the Browns’ opening possession. Deshaun Watson, by contrast, got his chance with the third-string group in the third quarter and turned in a rough outing that left plenty for Todd Monken and the staff to sort through.
There was also good news on the defensive line, where Mike Hall Jr. returned healthy and flashed some versatility. With Mason Graham, Maliek Collins and now Alex Wright dealing with injuries, Hall’s timing could not have been better.
Sanders looked sharp from the start. He completed his first eight throws and finished his best stretch by finding Luke Floriea for a 7-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. He also moved the chains on fourth-and-2 with a 16-yard throw to Blake Whiteheart and later connected with Floriea again for 23 yards on third-and-15.
The one blemish came when he threw behind Jermaine Terry, and the rookie tight end bobbled the ball before Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin came away with the interception. Terry is described as a roster longshot, and the play came with the kind of caveat that matters in August: he likely hasn’t had many quality practice reps with the quarterbacks.
Even with that miscue, Sanders’ night was solid enough to stand out. He also had a two-minute drive that fizzled, but overall he did what the Browns could reasonably have asked for with a lineup full of backups around him. The stat line backed it up: 9-for-11, 74 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 87.1 passer rating, plus 2 rushing yards, 1 sack and 2 pressures on 13 dropbacks.
Floriea was one of the other clear beneficiaries of Sanders’ sharp play. He was open on the touchdown, but the connection itself told the better story.
The two were on the same page, with Floriea settling into space in the back of the end zone for an easy score. Both of his targets came on third down, and both turned into a conversion or a touchdown.
He looks like a practice-squad type, but he gave the coaches something to think about near the edge of the roster.
McMillon kept making his case at safety, too. He led the Browns with five solo tackles and made a clean play in the backfield against Trent Sherfield, dropping him for a 1-yard loss. The second-year Pitt product has continued to outplay Chris Edmonds for one of the depth spots.
Wilson added his own burst to the special teams battle. The undrafted rookie averaged 31.0 yards on kick returns, with a long of 38, and he also handled three punts, including one that produced 17 yards.
Cleveland’s punt and kick return jobs are still up for grabs, though first-round wideout KC Concepcion is expected to be involved. Wilson remains a long shot against names like Gage Larvadain and Malachi Corley, but he looked useful in that phase.
Watson’s quarter, though, was the part of the afternoon that turned sour. His first two drives produced negative-1 yard, and he also floated one high over the middle for an interception.
He averaged just 2.9 yards per pass attempt, and even after the staff kept him out there for a final drive that reached the fourth quarter, the result never changed. The possession stalled in Bills territory on downs, and the boos followed Watson and the Browns off the field.
Zinter also hurt his own cause. The former third-round pick is trying to hold onto a roster spot, but he was called for two holding penalties on third-down pass plays, with one accepted and one wiping out a 13-yard Sanders scramble that would have moved the chains. He goes into the final preseason game firmly on the bubble.
For a game Cleveland lost 31-7, the biggest takeaway was impossible to miss: Sanders made the day his, and Watson did the opposite.
In Other News...
Browns Fans Are Suddenly Split Over Shedeur Sanders Noise
Shedeur Sanders has quickly become one of the more talked-about names around the Browns, and not just because of what he might do on the field. Since Cleveland selected him in last years draft, the quarterback has drawn a growing split between parts of the fan base and the local media, with some supporters pushing back hard against the criticism they feel he is getting.
Todd Monken added another layer to the conversation by saying the Browns will announce their starter soon, with the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars set for Sept. 13. For now, there has been no official word on any roster move involving Sanders, but the noise around him has only made the quarterback discussion feel more charged as the regular season gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Edge Rush Suddenly Has A Problem Fans Can't Ignore
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Derek Barnett is the latest answer, giving Cleveland a veteran presence with nine NFL seasons behind him. It is the kind of move teams make when they need someone who can step in quickly and understand the job without much ramp-up time, and it adds a proven body to a position that suddenly looks thinner than it did a few weeks ago. The bigger question now is how the Browns plan to manage the rest of the edge depth as they wait to see how the rest of the room settles. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Calls Out How Bills Tragedy Was Made Public
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What stood out in Allens remarks was his frustration with how the news surfaced before the family was ready to share it. Social media accounts had pushed the story out before the official announcement, turning a private grief into a public scramble. The Bills continue to ask for privacy for Oliver and his family, and the broader unease around the situation underscores how quickly sensitive information can escape long before those closest to it have a chance to speak on their own terms. [Read more 🡒]