# Nick Pedone: Pedone describes the Browns' 2026 roster outlook, projecting starting roles for rookies KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Spencer Fano, an immediate impact from safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Elgton Jenkins starting at center with Parker Brailsford as his backup, and Justin Jefferson as a rotational defender/special teams contributor.

**Claimed:** Aug 14, 2026
**Pundit:** Nick Pedone — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/nick-pedone
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/browns/onsi/what-todd-monken-s-first-three-weeks-of-camp-tells-us-about-browns-vision-01m00rc1hp6d

5 checkable claims — 5 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 4.

> KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have both already locked up starting receiver roles, while No. 9 overall selection Spencer Fano as left tackle locked up.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Parker Brailsford to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Parker Brailsford, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **K.C. Concepcion to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: K.C. Concepcion, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Denzel Boston to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Elgton Jenkins to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Elgton Jenkins, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Spencer Fano to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Parker Brailsford — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/parker-brailsford
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/browns
- K.C. Concepcion — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/k-c-concepcion
- Denzel Boston — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/denzel-boston
- Elgton Jenkins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/elgton-jenkins
- Spencer Fano — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/spencer-fano

## What others said about the same people

- Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100)
- Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100)
- Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100)
- John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashod Bateman: In his Week 2 waiver wire column, Fitzmaurice recommends a slate of pickups he expects to outperform their current rostership (Kaelon Black, Deebo Samuel, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith and others), lays out several depth-chart expectations (Black as the 49ers' No. 2 back, Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over in Cleveland, Penix returning for Atlanta), and flags Fool's Gold/drop candidates such as Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne and Rashid Shaheed. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6218d3c2-61e7-4ace-9976-b51eeefdf22c (scored 0)
- Bill Huber on Chris McClellan: Huber's first Packers rookie progress report projects second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse to hold onto his spot with the No. 1 defense, third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan to start in Week 1, and fifth-round lineman Jager Burton to be the team's top interior backup rather than a starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dcf9daae-b511-490c-b438-173cf91e8597 (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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