Preseason games mean absolutely nothing in the NFL, but Todd Monken and the Cleveland Browns needed this one.
With their starting unit on the field, the Browns were at least competitive in the first half of their preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. But with their second- and third-stringers out there — which was essentially the entire second half against the Bears and the full preseason Game 2 against the Buffalo Bills — Cleveland was outscored 55-7.
It was hard to know what to expect with the starters resting in Thursday’s preseason finale against the New England Patriots and Dillon Gabriel getting the start at quarterback.
The Browns couldn’t have exceeded expectations more.
Gabriel posted a near-perfect passer rating as the Browns put 27 points on the board in the first half, and the Browns’ backups looked like the more polished unit compared to the defending AFC champions in their 37-13 win at Huntington Bank Field.
Monken’s Browns have a lot of work to do, starting with trimming their roster down to the regular-season limit of 53 over the weekend. But there were several things to feel good about for Browns fans in this one, including these immediate takeaways after the game went final:
Dillon Gabriel, Luke Floriea and several Browns hopefuls made the most of one final audition
- The summer of Luke Floriea continues! The fan favorite and Mentor, Ohio, native had touchdown receptions on each of the Browns’ first two drives — and he nearly had a hat trick after a third was overturned on replay. Floriea’s had an awesome camp, and if the Browns decide to keep six wide receivers on the initial 53-man roster, he may have just cemented his spot.
- Cornerback was a position group worth paying attention to for the Browns, especially after the team’s decision to claim Mekhi Blackmon off waivers prior to the game. That made every game rep even more important — and D’Angelo Ross had one of the Browns’ worst of the night. He was beat off the line by Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams and got caught looking back for the ball as the ball floated over his head for a walk-in 45-yard touchdown. For a player firmly on the roster bubble, that wasn’t the kind of final impression you’re looking to make.
- Speaking of final impressions, safety Donovan McMillon timed his break perfectly on a first-half interception. The play was called back by a phantom pass interference penalty that was so bad it had Al Michaels and the rest of the Thursday Night Football broadcast chuckling in the booth. McMillon has come on strong over the past couple weeks and has a good chance to make the roster.
- Wide receiver Gage Larvadain has had a strong summer himself, but the mental miscues that plagued his rookie season in 2025 as Cleveland’s top punt returner came back at a bad time early in the second half. Larvadain fielded a punt at his own 11 and proceeded to try to reverse course and flip the field while running backwards toward his own goal line. He wound up losing 9 yards and was lucky he wasn’t tackled in the end zone for a safety. The dropoff from KC Concepcion to Larvadain at punt returner feels rather large, which is why the latter is likely headed for Cleveland’s practice squad.
- Browns rookie Justin Jefferson was among the defensive standouts — and he needed it. The fifth-round linebacker was always expected to need some development on defense and likely find a role on special teams in Year 1, but he was probably the Browns' sixth linebacker behind returning players like Winston Reid, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, and Nathaniel Watson. Jefferson led the Browns in total tackles (9) and solo tackles (3), adding an interception, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup. It was an important night for the rookie.
- Cleveland will likely carry at least one undrafted rookie pass rusher, and Khordae Sydnor has quietly outplayed the more-talked-about Logan Fano. Sydnor had a sack for the second straight game, though it was more of a coverage sack than an exceptional individual play. Still, he made five total tackles, batted down a pass, and recorded a tackle for loss. He’s made a strong case to make the team. It could be a different story for Fano.
- The entire second-string offensive line deserves some flowers for giving Gabriel ample time in the pocket and helping the offense dictate the entire first half. The guard play from Austin Barber and Zak Zinter especially was rock-solid. The Browns’ entire group is new and a work in progress, but guys seem to be settling into their roles. Thursday night was a great sign.
- Browns fans finally got their first look at Taylen Green, and the speed and scrambling ability was as advertised. Green rushed eight times for 66 yards in the game, with the majority coming on scrambles. But scramble yards in the preseason, facing vanilla defenses with fringe NFL personnel, is a useless stat. Green only attempted seven passes for 27 yards in the entire second half. He showed some poise and moxie for a young player, but the Browns missed an opportunity to put their sixth-round quarterback in the pocket and truly evaluate him as a passer, which is the area where his game needs work.
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