Todd Monken’s first preseason game as head coach of the Cleveland Browns featured some early highlights but ended in a 34-10 defeat to the Chicago Bears.
As expected, Cleveland’s quarterbacks were a mixed bag. Deshaun Watson’s day looked a lot better in the box score than the eye test showed. Shedeur Sanders got the third quarter and didn’t fare much better. Dillon Gabriel’s turn in the fourth quarter was mostly a disaster.
The good news? Cleveland’s rookie wide receivers more than looked the part, and the team came out of this one relatively healthy. As expected, there were some good moments and plenty of frustration as a number of third- and fourth-string players auditioned for final roster spots.
Here are our instant reactions from the Browns’ defeat to the Bears.
Immediate takeaways from Browns' up-and-down preseason opener
- KC Concepcion was a major winner in his preseason debut. He fielded the Browns’ first punt return and was probably a shoestring tackle away from taking it to the house. He scored later in the first half on a running play, showing elite concentration and instincts to keep his lower body off the turf and fight to the front pylon. Concepcion looks like the real deal.
- Deshaun Watson’s stats didn’t match the eye test from his first real football action in almost two years. Working with the Browns starters against a collection of Bears backups, Watson completed 73 percent of his passes and threw for 129 yards. But he often held the football and looked uncomfortable in the pocket, including taking a strip sack on a fourth-and-2 play in Bears’ territory early in the second quarter.
- The field goal operation was smooth and could be a major strength. Andre Szmyt split the uprights on his lone attempt, a 50-yarder in the first quarter. Cleveland’s offense could be a mixed bag in 2026, but Szmyt appears poised to pick up where he left off last season.
- UDFA Michael Coats Jr. could surge up the Browns' depth chart after this game — if he’s healthy. Coats left the game in the second half with an ankle injury, but he made some big plays in the first half, starting with a nice pass breakup on a third-down pass by Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent. Coats added an interception later in the half. There are depth cornerback jobs up for grabs in Cleveland, and Coats just made a strong case.
- Drops and offensive line miscues hampered the Browns’ starters once again. Watson’s best drive saw him manage a first-and-25 situation after right tackle Tytus Howard was called for tripping. Watson later put a third-down pass right on Harold Fannin Jr. in the red zone, but Cleveland’s star tight end dropped the football. The Browns have been working to clean up some of the sloppy football that’s crushed them in years past, and Monken has work to do in that department.
- It was a rough outing for Shedeur Sanders with Cleveland’s backups to start the second half. His best play came on third down facing an all-out blitz, with Sanders calmly buying time deep in his drop and finding Luke Floriea deep for a 35-yard gain. But there were more lowlights than highlights for Sanders in this one. He botched a QB-center exchange, had multiple passes batted down in a clean pocket, and threw an interception on a badly misplaced pass on his final drive.
- The battle for the Browns’ final roster spot at safety may have had some movement, as one of the contenders for that job, Chris Edmonds had a couple of glaring missed tackles. One of them came on the Bears’ first touchdown, with Edmonds trailing wideout Maurice Alexander in coverage over the middle and stumbling as Alexander shook free for a 25-yard score.
- Rookie left tackle Spencer Fano started the game and got some extra work in the first half. Monken removed the starting offensive linemen after two series, only leaving Fano on the field as Watson continued working into the second quarter.
- The Browns may have a fantasy football sleeper on their roster in Dylan Sampson, at least in points-per-reception formats. He looked explosive on the Browns’ biggest play, a 43-yard catch-and-run on a short throw near the line of scrimmage from Watson.
- Cleveland’s running game could become a point of emphasis after this one. Starter Quinshon Judkins averaged 2.3 yards per carry in limited action. Sampson gained just 6 yards on four carries. Cleveland worked Ahmani Marshall as its third running back in this one, and he managed just 4 yards on six carries.
- Julian Okwara, who’s battling for Cleveland’s No. 4 spot at defensive end, had a one-handed sack of Bagent that will likely be celebrated by coaches on film this week. The Browns worked out old friend Za’Darius Smith this week and appear to be seeking upgrades at the position, but based on the preseason opener, it’s Okwara’s job right now.
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