Thaddeus Lewis

Thaddeus Lewis doesn’t see Saturday’s preseason game against Tampa Bay any differently than the previous two.

In the veteran quarterback’s eyes, his job remains the same. The only difference is he’s one step closer to the top of the depth chart.

Lewis likely will serve as the Browns’ second and final quarterback against the Buccaneers. Johnny Manziel is expected to be sidelined because of a sore elbow, and Connor Shaw remains out indefinitely with an injured thumb, leaving Lewis and starter Josh McCown as the two healthy options behind center for Cleveland’s most important game before the regular season.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Lewis said. “You have to go out there and show that you’re capable of stepping in and the offense not losing a beat as if Josh or Johnny was in there. Josh is the starter and you put another guy in, can he continue to do the job that a starter would do, and that’s the opportunity I would have Saturday, and that’s what I look forward to doing.”