- The Cleveland Browns are 3.5-point road favorites as they take on the Chicago Bears
- Browns QB Deshaun Watson will get the start as be battles for QB1 with Shedeur Sanders
- See below for the Browns vs Bears picks, odds and starters for August 15
One of the feel-good stories of last season, the Chicago Bears start Year 2 of the Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams era as they kick of their preseason slate against the Cleveland Browns.
The Bears are one of only seven teams with minus odds to make the NFL playoffs in the NFC, with a star in Williams starting the year 10th in the NFL MVP odds.
Not surprisingly, the Browns again find themselves in transition, with new head coach Todd Monken trying to revive a franchise that just dealt Myles Garrett to the Rams.
Action gets underway this afternoon at 1pm ET from Soldier Field in Chicago, with NFL Network carrying the broadcast.
Read below as I share my Browns vs Bears picks, odds and glimpse into who’s in for Saturday.
Browns vs Bears Expert Picks
- Bears +3.5 (-120 at bet365)
Monken announced that Cleveland’s starters would play at least one series in preseason Week 1, but don’t let that fool you.
In their franchise battle for QB1, Deshaun Watson will get the first start, though we will see second-year pros Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel get reps against the Bears.
Watson hasn’t taken a snap since 2024, and he was literally one of the worst pivots in the NFL before an Achilles injury sidelined him for the better part of two years. I’m not confident he can even move an offense, let alone making any big plays down the field.
And even if Williams and most of the notable Bears will sit, backup Tyler Bagent is a preseason stud. He’s led the Bears to a 6-0-1 record in his last seven starts, while putting up 718 yards passing and eight total touchdowns.
Chicago has a plethora of veteran options looking to find their way onto the receiver depth chart, including Scotty Miller and Zavion Thomas, and they’ll be working against an inexperienced secondary.
Johnson has the Bears always pushing offense — even in the preseason — as evidenced by their 30.3 point-per-game clip in his first preseason action a year ago.
They should be able to overwhelm the rebuilding Browns and cruise to this cover.
Browns vs Bears Odds
Odds as of August 15th from bet365. Click here for a bet365 Sportsbook promo code to bet on for NFL this season.
Chicago has been pegged as a -170 favorite to win outright, but taking them on the spread offers a more lucrative +100 payout, if they can win by at least four points.
The Browns, meanwhile, find themselves as +145 underdogs on the moneyline. They are getting points on the spread, and that comes with a tax, in the form of -120 odds paid out if Washington covers.
The total is set at 40.5 points, with both ends of the betting spectrum offering -110 odds.
The Bears find themselves in the middle of the pack in the latest Super Bowl odds, with Cleveland in its usual range, pulling in as a Bottom-3 team.
CLE Browns vs CHI Bears Notable Week 1 Players
There doesn’t seem to be a ton of regular players that will see significant time Saturday, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t notable players to watch as they battle for roster spots and playing time in the regular season.
Check below for the players expected to play that are worth keeping an eye on.
Cleveland Browns
- DeShaun Watson (QB): Cleveland has gotten nearly zero return for a record $230 million contract they doled out for Watson, but it’s his chance to get a leg up on second-year pivots Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel
- KC Concepcion (WR): Cleveland’s first-round pick is a talent infusion the team needs, especially at receiver.
- Denzel Boston (WR): The Browns’ second-round pick, also expected to make big strides this year.
- Dylan Sampson (RB): If Quinshon Judkins is the RB workhorse, Sampson should be the pass-catching, change of pace back for this offense.
Chicago Bears
- Dillon Thieneman (S): Chicago’s Round 1 pick has had his problems in coverage at camp, but we’ll see how he handles game situations.
- Kaden Davis (WR): A UFL invite, Davis has formed a nice rapport with Bagent at camp, and is vying for a spot in the receiving room.
- Salvon Ahmed (RB): After four years with the Dolphins, Ahmed is trying to lock down the No. 3 RB spot on the depth chart.
- Austin Booker (DL): A 2024 5th-round pick, Booker picked up 3.5 sacks in Weeks 15-17 to close out the year. Unearthing a pass rusher would be good news for any team.
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