Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears: 4 reasons to watch

Aug 29, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Thad Lewis (3) hands the ball off to Cleveland Browns running back Jalen Parmele (35) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Cleveland Browns defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-7. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns finally close out the preseason tonight when they take on the Chicago Bears at Solider Field.

While the majority of the starters will remain in street clothes for the game, with “four or five” roster spots still undetermined, according to head coach Mike Pettine, there are still reasons to watch the game.

The first is the battle for potentially a final slot among the wide receivers.

The Browns primary wide receivers are Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline, Andrew Hawkins, Travis Benjamin and Taylor Gabriel, and Marlon Moore has a spot mostly locked up as a special teams player. Pettine has also said the team wants to see what Moore brings to the field as a wide receiver.

So that is six players, which is how many the Browns kept last season. While it seems unlikely that they will add another player to the position group, if they do it will come from the trio of Vince Mayle, Terrelle Pryor and Josh Lenz.

“There are still some good position battles going on.” – Head coach Mike Pettine

Of the three, Lenz is the only one who has really done anything so far through the preseason, and he was singled out by Pettine as one of the players in the mix for the last roster spot, so make of that what you will.

Mayle is a fourth-round draft pick, but he has struggled in his recovery from off-season thumb surgery and hasn’t shown much in his time on the field.

But both Mayle and Lenz have shown more than Pryor, who has missed all three preseason friendlies and has barely practiced.

If all three can go tonight, it will be interesting to see how they perform against a Chicago secondary that will most likely be filled with players who will be out of the league come Saturday’s roster cut downs. While it seems unlikely that the Browns will keep another wide receiver, especially since they have options if they really like Mayle or Lenz, we have to think that the entire body of work from each player, rather than just what occurs tonight at Soldier Field, will be the determining factor.

Second is the quarterback situation.

The Browns are only going to keep two quarterbacks on the roster, but that doesn’t mean they may not need a third one somewhere down the road this season – especially since Josh McCown is 36 and Johnny Manziel has a balky elbow.

With Connor Shaw out for the year and Thad Lewis being the type of quarterback who is always available, a solid night from Pat Devlin could keep the former Delaware quarterback on the Browns’ radar.

For those of you not familiar with Devlin, here are his strengths and weaknesses from his old draft profile at NFL.com:

"Strengths: Devlin looks the part of an NFL quarterback with his great height and build. Has a quick, over-the-top delivery without wasted movement. Has enough arm strength to make all the NFL throws. Shows excellent accuracy on go routes and fades. Flashes the ability to make sound adjustments, work through his progressions, and hit his third or fourth option."

"Weaknesses: Despite excellent completion percentage, he doesn’t consistently display pinpoint accuracy. Ball can get away from him at times, especially when his footwork and drop discipline are lacking. Appears rattled by pressure up the middle in his face. Will gamble at times. Needs more consistency understanding complex zone coverage schemes."

If Pryor “deserves” a roster spot simply because he “looks like a wide receiver,” then Devlin probably deserves at least a quick look because he “looks the part of an NFL quarterback.”

Jul 30, 2015; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Jamie Meder (66) during training camp at the Cleveland Browns practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Third is to see how the depth chart at defensive line shakes out.

It was a bit surprising then the Browns released Phil Taylor earlier this week, but now that reports have come out that he may need more knee surgery, it is easier to see the Browns’ thinking.

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The decision was also helped by the emergence of Jamie Meder who, along with Dylan Wynn, Billy Winn and Jacobbi McDaniel are among a group of players working to add depth to what will hopefully be a more talented defensive front this year.

“We’re very confident in the group that we have. We feel the defensive line is going to be the strength of what we do defensively,” Pettine said earlier this week. “We are confident with the youth in that room. We were able to add Randy (Starks) this offseason. John Hughes is back healthy. Jamie Meder has stepped up and proven that he can play at a high level in this league. Danny Shelton and (Xavier) Cooper and Des (Desmond Bryant) are playing at a high level.

“We knew that coming into – it was a good problem to have – it was still a problem figuring out how to get the roster set. We are very confident in the group that we have.”

Finally, it is worth watching because you just never know what will happen.

Last year Isaiah Crowell made the final roster after rushing for 102 yards in the preseason finale, and every year a player has a big day, leaving Browns fans to salivate over the prospect of the team finding a hidden gem.

When the player’s name comes up tomorrow morning, do you really want to be the one person who doesn’t know what everyone is talking about?

Next: The Browns and RG3? What year is it?

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