5 winners (and 2 losers) from Browns preseason game against Green Bay

Football is back. The Cleveland Browns had their preseason debut on Saturday, hosting the Green Bay Packers.

It wasn't an ideal showing overall as they lost in a lopsided game. They also suffered a couple of injuries, including a concerning one for backup center Luke Wypler.

The final score isn't what matters in these games, however. Instead, it's all about players fighting for roster spots. With that being the case, let's take a look at some winners and losers from their first game of the preseason.

Winner: Myles Harden, Cornerback

A seventh-round pick from South Dakota State, Myles Harden was labeled a potential steal as soon as the Browns made the selection. Even with a deep stable of cornerbacks, he was expected to contend for a spot on the 53-man roster. After one game, he might have already earned that spot.

Harden first showed off his physicality when he stuffed Samori Toure on a receiver reverse for a one-yard gain. That same drive ended when Harden made another strong tackle on third-and-11, stuffing Joel Wilson for a four-yard gain. He finished with five tackles and has even more hype surrounding him than before.

Loser: Siaki Ika, Nose Tackle

A third-round pick in 2023, Siaki Ika was a non-factor as a rookie. This shouldn't have been a surprise after seeing a huge drop-off in performance during his final season, which was followed by a poor showing at the NFL Combine. Still, the Browns reached farther than Stretch Armstrong ever could and added Ika only to get zero tackles in four games — he was a healthy scratch in the other 13.

In year two, he hasn't gotten off to a much better start.

Ika came in late in the second quarter and was on the field for a second-and-seven. His first snap saw him jump and draw a flag for being offsides. The penalty was picked up since the Packers gained 14 yards on a pass to Grant DuBose. Ika was quickly pulled from the game afterward, which is a terrible sign for a player who is far from a lock to make the team.

Winner: Devin Bush, Linebacker

When the Browns lost Sione Takitaki in free agency, they responded by signing Devin Bush. A first-round pick out of Michigan in 2019, Bush spent four years in Pittsburgh and one year in Seattle. Seen as a bust, there wasn't much excitement over his arrival. That could change following his performance on Saturday.

Bush showed off his strength early when he stuffed A.J. Dillon on a third-and-two in the first quarter. That's no easy task given Dillon boasts a 247-pound frame. The Browns stuffed Green Bay again on the following play, forcing a punt. In all, Bush had six tackles, proving he might be another free agency home run from general manager Andrew Berry.

Loser: Ronnie Hickman, Safety

Ronnie Hickman had a solid start to his NFL career in 2023. The undrafted free agent from Ohio State was pressed into action due to injuries and didn't disappoint. He had 25 tackles and a pick in 10 games and exceeded expectations in coverage.

That's why it was a surprise to see him burnt on the opening drive as Dontavyion Wicks got past him for a 65-yard touchdown.

After the play, Hickman was limping off the field. It wasn't an ideal start and the injury meant he wasn't able to redeem himself either.

Winner: Isaiah Thomas, EDGE

Defensive end is arguably the deepest position on Cleveland's roster. Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Za'Darius Smith make up their starters but they could go into the game with Ogbo Okoronkwo and Alex Wright as starters and be just fine.

The depth doesn't end there either. Cleveland also has Isaiah McGuire, a fourth-round pick in 2023. His presence kept Isaiah Thomas off the field last year but he reminded everyone on Saturday how good he can be.

Thomas had one tackle for a loss but his play was felt beyond that. He had multiple quarterback hurries and was key in the turnover on downs in the first quarter. Devin Bush was praised (rightfully so) for stuffing A.J. Dillon but Thomas was the one to initially clog up the running lane, forcing Dillon to push it outside where Bush was waiting.

Winner: Jamari Thrash, Wide Receiver

The Browns are going to have a tough decision on their hands come cut-down day. They have several wideouts who can play and will have to expose someone to waivers they don't want to. Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman are locked into their spot. Then, there's David Bell and Jamari Thrash who both had strong showings, although Thrash was the more electric player on Saturday.

Thrash hauled in his first reception during a second-half drive for five yards. He made two more receptions on the same drive, one for 22 yards and the other for 16. That was three receptions for 43 yards, showing why there was so much hype surrounding him when Cleveland selected him in the fifth round.

His performance, as well as Bell continuing to be a solid option, could lead to the decision to keep six wideouts.

Winner: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Quarterback

Cleveland's preseason star in 2023 was rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He might be again in 2024.

DTR was efficient on Saturday, throwing for 134 yards on 14-of-18 passing, and should have had a touchdown if not for a penalty. He added just two yards on the ground but even that was impressive as he hurdled a defender on a fourth-down conversion.

Cleveland's offense on the whole struggled but DTR was the exception. He's clearly not suffering any ill effects from the hip injury that ended his rookie campaign and proved to be a better option than Tyler Huntley — although he wasn't bad either.

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