BEREA ― There was a better way Browns rookie KC Concepcion could've scripted his first NFL game than the way it went for him in the preseason opener at the Chicago Bears. "I mean, I really wanted to score on a punt return," Concepcion said on Day 14 of Browns training camp Aug. 17. In defense of the first-round wide receiver, that opportunity seemed like, for a moment, it was going to happen for him. Concepcion fielded the first punt from the Bears and had an alley to his right, but slipped on the wet turf. Subscribe to Browns Insider newsletter
Still, a 31-yard gain on Concepecion's first touch isn't something to just brush aside. Except it is when you're and ultra-competitive pro football player trying to make an immediate impact, and you feel like it was just a simple swipe of a Chicago special-teamer's hand that prevented you from scoring. "Yes, for sure," Concepcion said. "I forgot what number he had tripped me up. I literally saw a green wide open." Not scoring on the first and only punt return opportunity he had in the game aside, Concepcion came out of Chicago pleased with his overall debut. He ended up playing 25 offensive snaps, which was all but eight of the offensive snaps the Browns played in the first half. Concepcion was targetd four times by quarterback Deshaun Watson in the half, with three catches for 27 yards. The one that he didn't catch bounced in front of him. "Yeah, he's a very talented player," Watson said after the game. "He is going to make a lot of plays for this team and he's going to continue to just get better as the more time he plays and get those reps and get out there. Once Coach Schema plays to get him the ball, he can be very dangerous." Concepcion's abilities in the punt return game and, obviously, the passing game. That's why the Browns drafted him No. 24 overall out of Texas A&M University in April's first round. There was another aspect of the offense where Concepcion was expected to help the Browns, and that was the run game. He immediately showed his skill there as well, taking a handoff 14 yards around the right end for the Browns' only touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. "So we had like a little jet sweep," Concepcion said. "My dog Ty (wide receiver Tylan Wallace), he had an amazing block for me. He set the edge. I take pride in never being tackled by a cornerback. So you know I saw the edge. I fought through the tackle. I kept my balance to score." Concepcion's first game, even if it was just a preseason one, couldn't have gone better in terms of showcasing all of the reasons why the Browns prioritized him in the draft process. It was the Zay Flowers model, to go with the oft-used example to a player Todd Monken coached as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator. Buy Cleveland Browns tickets The question for the next couple of weeks for Monken, now the Browns' head coach, is how much to utilize Concepcion in the preseason games against the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. The wide receiver is obviously going to be a prime contributor in Aug. 20's joint practice with the Bills. Monken said that's the balance because he knows just how much Concepcion will be utilized once the season opens in Jacksonville in September. "Well, from what we saw when we drafted him and then getting him here, I hope we're trying to get him the ball as often as we can," Monken said Aug. 17. "I mean, that dude is explosive. He's tough. He's got great contact balance. He understands situational football. Part of that is punt return. We talked about it before the game. Do we want to put him back? Do we want to put him at risk? … We got to find a number of ways to get him the ball. Again, with his explosiveness, his quickness, his contact balance. So whether that's punt return, kick return, screens, shallows, down the field routes, he's going to be a real weapon for us." Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: How KC Concepcion showed his versatility for Browns in preseason opener