The Cleveland Browns are just days away from hitting the road to face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field for their preseason opener. After 13 days of training camp practices, their first true test of the offseason will come on Saturday against Ben Johnson's team.
The Browns have every incentive to get their top starters on the field. Despite what some reports have suggested, head coach Todd Monken insists the quarterback competition is far from over, and this dress rehearsal will help assess where the quarterbacks stand.
That's why Monken wants to see the starters out there for at least one series. However, of all position groups, he seems to be expecting a lot from the new-look offensive line.
“If we’re going to evaluate the quarterbacks, we’ve got to make sure we can protect them," Monken said. "I mean, we’ve got to play the guys up front. If we want to evaluate the quarterbacks, as best as we can, irrespective of who [the Bears] have in the game, we’ve got to evaluate the quarterbacks and how they’re able to function and score points.”
The Browns' offensive line will be put to the test in the preseason
The Browns revamped the offensive line this offseason, but some of their expected starters have missed practice time with injuries. Fortunately, all of the projected starters appear to be healthy and practicing without limitations ahead of the opener. The one exception may be center Elgton Jenkins, who did not participate in Wednesday's final practice of the week.
No. 9 overall pick Spencer Fano has secured the starting left tackle job, and Teven Jenkins, the projected right guard, has been back practicing after missing about a week. Aside from Elgton Jenkins, only reserves Zak Zinter and Parker Brailsford have been out with injuries.
That means the Browns will likely roll with Fano at left tackle, Zion Johnson at left guard, Luke Wypler at center (in place of Elgton Jenkins), Teven Jenkins at right guard, and Tytus Howard at right tackle as their five-man unit to face the Bears on Saturday.
The offensive line has gotten mixed reviews over the first two weeks of training camp. It has won some battles against the Browns' stout front seven, but execution and a constant revolving door due to injuries and position battles have left plenty to be desired.
Training camp and the preseason are the right times to make mistakes and adjustments, but with the potential QB1 on the field, the offensive linemen will be under a ton of pressure from the jump. The Bears will likely play hungry guys trying to make the team, and they'll look to make a statement against the Browns' new-look offense.
Deshaun Watson has had plenty of opportunities to prove himself in Cleveland, even if it was with a different coaching staff. Shedeur Sanders, on the other hand, was put in a tough spot behind a banged-up and underperforming O-line as a rookie. Improved pass protection should help the coaching staff make a fairer assessment of the former fifth-round draft pick.
Fans shouldn't expect perfect execution on Saturday. It's still early, and the starting offensive line needs reps together to get on the same page.
That said, they'll probably be the key to finally ending the team's most crucial ongoing position battle.
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