One more preseason game separates us from the final round of roster cuts and the official start of Week 1 of the regular season.
Saturday night is the last time for bubble players to show they belong on the roster, and it'll also be the first time we'll get to see how QB Jacoby Brissett operates with the first-stringers. The Browns are planning to give Brissett snaps for the first time this preseason as they look for the offense to build momentum with him into Week 1, and his performance will be a big component of how successful the Browns view their last preseason game of the year.
Check out photos of players and coaches working to prepare for the teams final preseason game against the Chicago Bears Saturday
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Offensive guard Hjalte Froholdt (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Offensive guard Hjalte Froholdt (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Running back Demetric Felton (25) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Assistant Special Teams Coach Stephen Bravo-Brown during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) and Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Jacob Phillips (50) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Assistant Defensive Backs Coach Brandon Lynch during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Wide Receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Dakota Allen (56) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) and Center Brock Hoffman (57) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Brownie the Elf on a field goal post during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
A helmet during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 25, 2022.
1. Efficiency with Jacoby
One of the biggest things the Browns have wanted to see every week of the preseason has been a smooth, efficient operation on offense. Now, they'll look to see that from Brissett, who is set to be their starter for the first 11 games of the regular season.
Brissett, a seventh-year veteran, was signed to the Browns because of his history of being able to step in and start on short notice and run the offense at a steady pace. He's done a serviceable job of protecting the football and has thrown 36 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions in 1,208 career pass attempts, and he's been working toward establishing chemistry with each of the top Browns receivers since he began taking first team reps a week ago. The Browns want to see some of that progress show up Saturday.
2. A big game from a WR
Whether it's Brissett at QB or Joshua Dobbs or Josh Rosen, the Browns also would love to see someone from the receiver room step up with a big game. There hasn't been a ton of clarity from training camp and preseason practices over who will be relied on after Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones at the position, and a steady performance from the likes of David Bell, or Anthony Schwartz would certainly be welcomed as the offense looks to build some momentum heading into Week 1. The same could be said for any of the other receivers — Ja'Marcus Bradley, Javon Wims, Mike Harley Jr., Daylen Baldwin, Easop Winston — as the Browns look to solidify roles at wide receiver.
3. Answers at other position battles
In addition to wide receiver, the Browns will have to make potentially tough decisions on who to keep at defensive end, tight end and safety.
At defensive end, Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney and third-round rookie Alex Wright, who looked strong in joint practices against the Eagles last week, will anchor the top of the room, but who among Isaac Rochell, seventh-round rookie Isaiah Thomas, fourth-year veteran Chase Winovich and Curtis Weaver will join them? The fourth and likely final safety spot will come down between 2021 sixth-rounder Richard LeCounte III, Jovante Moffatt and undrafted rookie D'Anthony Bell, who has looked strong in the preseason. At tight end, Miller Forristall, Nakia Griffin-Stewart, Zaire Mitchell-Paden and Nick Guggemos are all competing for the third role on the depth chart.
Big performances in the final preseason game could be the deciding factor at all those positions.
