The NFL Preseason is in full swing and there’s plenty of action to catch as the rest of the first week’s slate continues on Saturday. One such game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET between the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears – with the former testing out young talent for the new regime while the latter is looking to start knocking off the rust in preparation for another postseason run.
Here’s a prediction and pick for Browns vs. Bears in the NFL Preseason on Saturday, courtesy of odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Browns vs. Bears preview
The preseason really doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things, so it shouldn’t be used as a measuring stick for a team’s future performance. However, for the clubs themselves, there are reasons that these games do matter.
The Browns are in year one of a new era after hiring Todd Monken as the franchise’s head coach. Now, he and his staff will be trying to get a firsthand look at their roster in game action for the first time. The starters are expected to play at least one series, but aren’t likely to get much more work than that. That means Quinshon Judkins should get a few carries to get rolling, but may not stay out there for long. The other names are very interesting, though.
With a quarterback battle on tap, veteran Deshaun Watson will play the first half while youngster Shedeur Sanders is expected to work the second half. Evaluation of that position is the biggest story to watch for Cleveland, though it should be noted Watson supposedly has the upper hand in training camp thus far. Either way, neither one seems to bring significant stability despite the flashes they may show. And beyond that, the weapons they’re throwing to may vary, though rookie wideout Denzel Boston has received plenty of acclaim this offseason. Of course, Harold Fannin Jr. is the most notable pass catcher on the roster, but may see his work limited with the starters as well.
For the Bears, they’re entering year two of the Ben Johnson era and have high expectations after winning the NFC North and taking a trip to the playoffs last season. Given that success, there won’t be many starters on the field this Saturday as the team rests key pieces to protect their health. Don’t expect Caleb Williams to get any snaps, while Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, D’Andre Swift and other weapons likely won’t make appearances either.
What that does leave Chicago with is Tyson Bagent at quarterback. The 26-year-old has played only a handful of meaningful reps at the NFL level over his three seasons but did show flashes of quality back in 2023 for a stretch, so while he’s not competing for a starting job, he could provide some stability in this matchup. Salvon Ahmed should get work at halfback and Jahdae Walker could see a significant role as the wideout fills in for the injured Luther Burden III, too. This defense will also be testing its depth, trying to see what players can shore up a unit that’s already dealing with some injuries from camp.
Browns vs. Bears prediction, pick
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Browns as a three-point favorite in this matchup with -180 odds to win on the Moneyline. The Bears are a +150 home underdog with the game total set at 40.5 combined points.
To be clear, betting on NFL Preseason can prove very tricky. Established names don’t see much action, especially in the earlier weeks, and there’s much more variance in these games due to the roster shuffling and how deep of a player pool coaches draw from.
Typically, you’d want to look at what group will rely on the starters more for some guidance betting a game like this. However, there won’t be many first-string guys on the field to begin with, which makes things slightly tougher to project. This is a case in which I’m happy to bank on the better coaching and discipline from Ben Johnson’s team and target an outright win at plus value, or otherwise just take the under and hope for a sloppy game. There’s just no telling what Watson and Sanders provide for Cleveland, and integrating an all-new offensive scheme under Monken will likely lead to some growing pains since everything is so fresh. That’s enough for me to fade the favorites.
