Antwaan Randle-El, the playcaller: Takaways from the Chicago Bears' 34-10 preseason win over the Browns

For the first time since the NFC Divisional Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Chicago Bears were back at Soldier Field on Saturday.

On Saturday, there was a key moment of separation at an important position as well as a first-time play caller who acted like anything but a first-timer.

Here are our takeaways from the Bears’ 34-10 win over the Browns in their first of three preseason games.

Play-caller Antwaan Randle-El shines

Last year in the preseason, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle got a chance to call offensive plays for Johnson’s offense.

This preseason, his assistant head coach got his shot.

Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle-El got a chance to call plays on Saturday, and will leave Soldier Field having rave reviews from how he called the game.

Everything was cleared by Johnson, but all the ideas and calls came from Randle-El.

"Has anyone ever better first outing than Antwaan Randle-El?" Quarterback Tyson Bagent said. "I thought he did a great job. But that’s just who he is, he’s always prepared."

Even one of the most experienced players on the Bears’ roster in Case Keenum saw glimpses of what could be in Randle-El’s future.

Considering how much Keenum has seen as a player, he didn’t hold back.

"I know he’s going to be a head coach," Keenum said. "There’s no, for lack of a better term, coach speak. It’s all real. It’s very relatable."

This echoes what Johnson said about his wide receivers coach.

Sometimes, giving an assistant the chance to flex their knowledge a bit beyond what their position group focus usually limit them to.

"He's an outstanding coach," Johnson said. "Sometimes when you're put in certain position rooms, you kind of get labeled one thing or another. And here's the thing about El, I think he's got a chance to be an offensive coordinator in this league. I think he's got a chance to be a head coach this league. I think he would do a phenomenal job in both those respects."

The left tackle battle continues

Saturday was another litmus test for the Bears’ left tackle job.

Until Saturday’s game, it didn’t feel like either Kiran Amegadjie or Jedrick Wills Jr. had separated themselves as the top left tackle with Braxton Jones out.

Against the Browns, one player emerged as the better option between the two participants.

Amedadjie started Saturday, and Wills rotated with him. Amedadjie played the entire first quarter, and Wills played in the second quarter except for at the end of the half. Amedadjie played in the two-minute offense.

Amedadjie said it was a little disjointed. Playing for a while and leaving didn’t create a lot of continuity. 

While Johnson said he needed to watch the tape to properly evaluate how each of those two played, it says something the coaches wanted Amegadjie back in there for the two-minute drill.

This was more opportunities for Amegadjie to show he’s taking in the lessons the coaching staff wants to impart on him in order to improve.

"It's a daily process, thinking about every time I'm on the field, the little things that he and the whole staff have kind of impressed upon me that they need to see for me and the things that I see for myself, that I need to get better at," Amegadjie said. "It's a daily process of thinking about those things, focusing on those things during practice, before practice, after practice, kind of with everything I do."

It hasn't been an easy start to Amegadjie’s career. When he was a third-round pick out of Yale, he was expected to be competing for a starting job or have one already.

Outside of one start on Monday Night Football against Minnesota in his rookie year, which left plenty to be desired, Amegadjie is taking all the small wins in stride.

"I've started one game in three years and I've been injured multiple times, so there's obviously that level of frustration," Amegadjie said. "I'm not the player that I want to be yet, obviously. 
When I'm working towards that, everybody has a different path to the NFL. And as a competitor, obviously, it is frustrating to not be out there. That's not be healthy, but, you know, I'm healthy now and I'm focused on staying on the field as long as I can."

None of this truly matters if Jones returns this week, which Johnson said he expects Jones to return soon. Jones has been the best offensive tackle in the room in camp, and the only reason he didn’t run away with the job is because he suffered a minor injury during one-on-one drills in camp.

If Saturday is any indication, then Jones has a chance to seize the starting job with consistent performances against the Bengals in the joint practice and, if the coaches want him to participate, next Saturday’s preseason game vs. the Bengals.

Saturday’s injury report

Johnson had key updates after Saturday’s game.

First, the players who participated in the win over Cleveland who didn’t finish. Tight end Nikola Kalinic injured his right knee, safety Xavier Woods injured his groin and linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II injured his shoulder during Saturday’s game. All three of them didn't finish the game. Linebacker Nephi Sewell is in concussion protocol, too.

He also had updates on key starters.

Johnson said he expects offensive tackle Braxton Jones and pass rusher Montez Sweat to be back soon, even as soon as this week. However, when asked about defensive back Kyler Gordon Johnson simply said: "Unknown."

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