Browns vs. Eagles: 5 matchups to watch in Philadelphia
While it's likely the Browns won't face many of the players that were key to Philadelphia's championship run, the Eagles are an extremely talented team from top to bottom. Backup quarterback Tanner McKee and Philly's second-team offense are coming off an impressive performance in their preseason opener against Cincinnati, and the team bolstered last year's top-ranked defense this offseason by drafting Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Texas safety Andrew Mukuba with their top two selections in April's draft.
As the Browns look to build on last weekend's 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, they'll be trying out a new quarterback against the Eagles, as rookie third-round pick Dillon Gabriel is likely to start. Fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, coming off an admirable debut performance against Carolina, is not expected to play after suffering an oblique injury in practice this week.
With a new quarterback and a matchup against a talented opponent on the horizon, there will be plenty to watch on Saturday. Here are five matchups to keep an eye on when the Browns take on the Eagles:
Diontae Johnson and Jamari Thrash vs. Eagles secondary
The competition for the Browns' third receiver spot in the starting lineup appears to be, at this point, wide open. Johnson, while having plenty of NFL experience under his belt, has seriously struggled with consistency during his six-year NFL career. While Johnson didn't catch either of his targets against the Panthers last weekend, Thrash did catch both of his, albeit only for nine yards in total. Both players played roughly an equal number of snaps against Carolina, with Thrash playing 18 snaps and Johnson playing 16.
The Eagles' secondary, meanwhile, is a deep unit even without 2024 draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The Eagles are in the midst of a competition of their own at the outside corner spot opposite Mitchell, with third-year pro Kelee Ringo and the newly acquired Jakorian Bennett battling. The team also signed former first-round pick Adoree' Jackson this offseason, and added the aforementioned Mukuba to the safety room via the draft. The Eagles' defensive backfield will provide a quality challenge to Johnson and Thrash as they each look to separate themselves in the Browns' receiver room.
Browns' pass rush vs. Eagles offensive line
The Browns' defensive line had an impressive start to the preseason, and they'll get to face a unit coached by one of the NFL's best position coaches in Jeff Stoutland this weekend. Philadelphia selected two tackles in April's draft – Michigan's Myles Hinton and Texas' Cameron Williams – and brought back one of their former draft picks in Matt Pryor earlier this offseason.
The Browns' defensive line, meanwhile, flashed against the Panthers, even without Myles Garrett. Alex Wright recorded a sack in his return to play, and depth players Julian Okwara and Adin Huntington both had standout nights. A unit that might be the Browns' very best will look to stack impressive performances this weekend, and the Browns' top draft pick, Mason Graham, will have an opportunity to build on a strong debut.
Nickel defenders vs. the Eagles' pass-catchers
The Browns' competition to find a starting nickel began to take shape against the Panthers. Veteran Nik Needham recorded a second-half interception on Andy Dalton, while Myles Harden and Cameron Mitchell each played a significant portion of snaps on defense.
The Eagles' receivers will present a formidable challenge for this group. Johnny Wilson caught several contested targets from McKee last week against the Bengals, and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper led the team in every receiving category, hauling in six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown.
After an impressive start to the preseason, a matchup against a decent receiving corps will provide Needham an opportunity to take a real lead in this competition.
Dillon Gabriel vs. the Eagles' defense
Just as fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders took his first NFL snaps against the Panthers, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel will make his preseason debut on Saturday against the Eagles.
Gabriel likely won't be playing against a starting unit like Sanders was, but the Eagles' defense is a deep group; in addition to any aforementioned additions, the team also added former Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari in free agency and drafted former Nebraska defensive tackle Ty Robinson in the fourth round in April. With Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett again not expected to play against the Eagles, the Browns should get an extended look at Gabriel like they did with Sanders last week, and getting live in-game reps for another quarterback will be helpful for the Browns as the team gets closer to deciding who will start for them.
Carson Schwesinger vs. the Eagles' run game
The Panthers' top two running backs, Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, were not efficient against the Browns last Friday. The two picked up just 17 yards on six carries – in part because of the impressive debut of Browns second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
Schwesinger played just 13 snaps against the Panthers and finished the night tied for the team lead in total tackles with six. The rookie showed an impressive ability to quickly get off blocks and stop the run in his limited playing time.
He'll get another opportunity to impress against a talented Eagles backfield that had three different running backs average over five yards per carry in their preseason opener.
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