The quarterbacks take center stage for the Cleveland Browns preseason opener with the Chicago Bears, but there will be plenty of other areas to pay attention to when the game kicks off on Saturday.
After months of speculation and debate over the Cleveland Browns roster and the pivotal decisions that await Todd Monken to trim it to 53-players at the end of August, the preseason has finally arrived.
Cleveland's first exhibition takes it to the Windy City to face the Chicago Bears. It's the first opportunity for players to prove themselves worthy of making the final roster. And for Monken to start learning more about his team's overall identity on both sides of the football.
While the quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders figures to draw most of the attention on Saturday, there are plenty of other players and position groups worth watching.
1) Spencer Fano and O-Line
Fano is expected to solidify the Browns' massive void at left tackle that's gone unfilled since Joe Thomas retired in 2018. There's been noticeable progress made by the rookie dating back to the spring and through the first two weeks of training camp by Fano, culminating in Monken officially promoting him to the starting LT role this week.
Fano has been tested by Jared Verse throughout practice, but Saturday will be his first opportunity to face a different opponent and get some different looks. That extends to the entire o-line, though, as well. The entirely revamped group continues to struggle with pre-snap penalties and is still working out some kinks. Each preseason game should help those efforts.
2) Receivers Down the Depth Chart
As things stand, five wide receiver spots seem accounted for with Denzel Boston, KC Concepction, Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond and Tylan Wallace. Teams tend to keep six receivers on the 53, which leaves one job, hypothetically, up for grabs.
There have been some real standouts at camp down the depth chart, including Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain. There are others like Cedric Tillman who have been pretty consistent and squarely on the roster bubble. Malachi Corley offers a unique skill set and has made some plays at camp as well.
Who stands out most on the preseason stage will likely determine who earns that last spot.
3) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
We've seen the Toledo product in spurts so far at camp, making some plays, including an interception last week. He's been rotating in-and-out quite a bit, but the preseason will give him a stage to be on the field for an extended period of time and start to provide a deeper look at what his role will look like.
4) Tight Ends Not Named Harold Fannin Jr.
The efforts to find a weapon at tight end to complement Fannin Jr. have been largely uninspiring. Of course, it hasn't helped that Joe Royer hasn't arrived yet and there's no telling when or if he ever will.
Saturday's showdown with the Bears will be the first opportunity for someone to start standing out as a reliable TE 2 and even TE3. Keep an eye on Carsen Ryan in particular, who is trying to prove he can wear multiple hats in the backfield, inline and in the slot.
5) Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
Mascarenas-Arnold has been one of the best stories of camp. With Carson Schwesinger dealing with an injury of some sort and missing practice, Arnold has been primarily running with the first team.
Obviously, Easton made the 53-man roster last year as an undrafted rookie, but in year two he may just emerge as a legitimate depth option for a position group that is top-heavy. Seeing how he continues to blossom on the field against another team will be worth monitoring.
