RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Cleveland Browns' first preseason game is officially in the books, with head coach Todd Monken's squad dropping the game against the Chicago Bears , 34-10 .
While the score tells one story, there were plenty of takeaways from the recent matchup that could shake up the 53-man roster heading into Week One. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Browns ' preseason matchup against the Bears.
Winner: Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion
The Browns' rookie wide receiver duo of KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston was on full display in Chicago this weekend.
Monken was not afraid to unleash Concepcion in his first preseason game, as the most recent first-round pick recorded three catches for 27 yards, while also picking up a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Boston did not see as much action, but still managed to finish with one catch for 15 yards to convert on third down.
The rookie KC Concepcion is in for 6! CLEvsCHI on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/fC7gG5NpsM
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026 While it's the first preseason game of the year, Monken's early usage of the rookie playmakers on offense should be a positive sign for fans.
Loser: The quarterbacks
If you thought we would gain clarity on the quarterback battle this week, you would be completely wrong.
Veteran Deshaun Watson received the first preseason start out of the bunch, and despite a solid start to the contest, he would lose momentum by the end of the first half. As for the pair of second-year quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, both would throw an interception, while Sanders had numerous balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. There were some flashes of potential from Sanders, as he connected with wide receiver Luke Floriea for a 35-yard completion, but the lack of help from the offensive line also played a key factor in the quarterback's woes.
deep shot through pressure 😮💨 #CLEvsCHI on News 5 and NFL Network pic.twitter.com/QzfpBciGE0
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 15, 2026 Winner: Michael Coats Jr.
General manager Andrew Berry has knocked it out of the park once again in the UDFA department with cornerback Michael Coats Jr.
The former West Virginia standout did an excellent job in coverage during Saturday's contest, finishing the day with two pass deflections and one interception in the middle of the second quarter. However, Coats departed from the game after sustaining an ankle injury, cutting his impressive showing short.
Michael Coats Jr. reads it like a book for the INT CLEvsCHI on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rrP4mGhxgb
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026 Outside of star defensive backs Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, the Browns' cornerback unit lacks depth. But the sudden rise of Coats could be significant help for the defense this year.
Loser: Offensive pace/operations
One of the biggest issues the Browns have dealt with this offseason is the offense picking up the pace and operations of Monken's scheme. Unfortunately, the issues were put on blast in the first preseason contest.
In the first quarter, Cleveland was forced to take a timeout because the play clock expired, and they also picked up a delay-of-game penalty on the same drive. This continued into the second half, with Sanders under center and multiple plays coming down to the wire.
The quarterback battle is one issue to worry about, but regardless of who wins the job, the offense will hold the unit back in 2026 if it isn't quickly addressed.
Winner: Winston Reid
With plenty of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, third-year linebacker Winston Reid made a strong case for himself to make the 53-man roster on Saturday.
Reid ended his first preseason matchup with 6 total tackles, three solo tackles, and three pass deflections. The 27-year-old played in 16 games for the Browns during the 2024 season, finishing with 23 tackles and a half-sack. Now, Reid has an opportunity to make the 53-man roster if he can continue his dominance throughout the rest of the preseason.
Loser: Run game
The passing game was not the only element that was impacted by the offensive line.
Cleveland had a total of 108 rushing yards on 27 carries for an average of four yards per rush. If it weren't for rookie Davon Booth's impressive stint on the last drive (four carries for 54 rushing yards), the Browns' leading rusher would have been Concepcion, whose lone carry was his touchdown run in the second quarter.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Winners and losers from Browns' preseason game against Chicago Bears
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