Shedeur Sanders’ first start as a member of the Cleveland Browns took place earlier than many anticipated it would.
Sanders was tapped to start Cleveland’s first preseason game despite being fourth on the team’s quarterback depth chart. The fifth-round rookie’s opportunity came as Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel dealt with injuries while coach Kevin Stefanski had 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco sit out the game.
As a result, Sanders was given a chance to handle the bulk of the Browns’ offseason reps. He and Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley were the only two quarterbacks to see action during the game, which gave the Colorado product an ideal chance to state his case for a spot on Cleveland’s 53-man roster.
How did Sanders do in his extensive opportunity? Here are the winners and losers of Sanders’ Browns debut against the Carolina Panthers.
WINNERS
Shedeur Sanders
Sanders was given a chance to play a majority of Cleveland’s preseason opener against the Panthers. He did not disappoint in extensive action.
Sanders played most of the first three quarters of Friday’s game kept the Browns offense moving, reading the field well and demonstrating sharp accuracy throughout the contest. The 23-year-old was able to thread the needle a couple of times, including on his first touchdown pass, where he threw a strike to Kaden Davis that zipped by two defenders.
Additionally, Sanders showed great pocket awareness throughout the contest. He was able to scramble away from pressure on numerous occasions and showed an ability to navigate the pocket while still positioning himself to make downfield throws.
Notably, he hung in amid pressure on his second touchdown pass of the day. His running back made a nice pick-up in pass protection, which allowed Sanders the time needed to find Davis open in the end-zone.
The biggest area for improvement for Sanders came when dropping back to avoid sacks. On several occasions, Sanders dropped back 10-plus yards behind the line of scrimmage and attempted to scramble around oncoming defenders to create a game. He was sacked just twice despite that, but as Caleb Williams learned last season, that may not work against higher-caliber NFL defenses.
Still, Sanders certainly built some positive momentum during Friday’s performance, during which he completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns with a 106.8 passer rating. That could prove crucial for him he jockeys for a role in a wide-open quarterback room.
Deion Sanders
‘Coach Prime’ would have relished seeing his son have success in the NFL in any circumstance. Still, there’s little doubt the Browns quarterback’s solid debut will be sweeter for his father after the 23-year-old signal-caller endured during the Colorado product’s draft slide.
Sanders told USA TODAY Sports’ Brent Schrotenboer watching his son last until the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft ‘did hurt’ him emotionally. Despite the dramatic fall, the 57-year-old coach remained steadfast his son would perform well at the NFL level.
‘He’s gonna be a problem after tonight,’ Sanders said on eve of his son’s debut. ‘I promise you that.’
Sanders lived up to that billing in his preseason debut, and his father relished the opportunity to praise him for a job well done during the contest.
Kevin Stefanski
Stefanski has to be happy with what he saw from Sanders on Friday. He deserves credit for giving the fifth-round rookie extensive playing time, even if he had little choice in the matter given the injuries to other quarterbacks on Cleveland’s roster.
The bigger reason Stefanski is a winner? Sanders’ performance gives the Browns a bit of excitement at quarterback. That’s something that was undoubtedly lacking in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL season.
Many wanted to see Sanders in action but weren’t sure how the fifth-round rookie would perform. Now that he has performed well, Stefanski could have an ace up his sleeve to insert into Cleveland’s lineup if he needs a spark. That’s nice for any coach to have, but especially for one coming off a 3-14 season.
Joe Flacco
While Sanders was the big winner of Friday’s game, Flacco still has to be feeling confident after it. The 40-year-old veteran is presently favored to start and saw only one member of his legitimate competition for the starting job, Sanders, see action in the game.
Pickett and Gabriel’s inability to suit up in preseason Week 1 should allow Flacco to maintain an advantage in the race for Cleveland’s starting job. Sanders stated his case to be a part of the race given his performance against the Panthers, and Pickett or Gabriel could still give Flacco a run for his money if they can play in preseason Week 2.
For now, Flacco should be viewed as the favorite to begin the season as Cleveland’s top quarterback.
LOSERS
Dillon Gabriel
Gabriel and Sanders entered training camp engaged in a battle for Cleveland’s third-string quarterback job. Sanders took advantage of the strong opportunity he had to stake his claim to that role against the Panthers.
As for Gabriel, he missed Cleveland’s preseason opener while dealing with a hamstring injury. The malady is considered minor, but nonetheless, his absence opened the door for Sanders to close the gap between the two rookies in the Browns quarterback room.
The reason the battle between Gabriel and Sanders is so important is that the fourth-string signal-caller could be in danger of being released. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported Cleveland is ‘more likely than not’ to keep all four of its quarterbacks, but few NFL teams have devoted four, 53-man roster spots to quarterbacks in recent seasons.
With Sanders looking good Friday, Gabriel could find himself a little closer to the chopping block than he’d like. He will have to change that over the final two weeks of the preseason.
Kenny Pickett
Pickett was expected to battle Flacco for Cleveland’s starting job. He may find himself wondering how secure his roster spot may be after Sanders’ performance.
As mentioned, the Browns may prefer to keep four quarterbacks on their active roster. After all, Flacco is 40 and may not play much longer, so having a trio of young passers could benefit the team.
But if not, could Pickett be the odd man out? He was initially viewed as the top competition for Flacco, but with Sanders performing well in the preseason and Pickett missing time due a hamstring injury, the gap between the two could be closing.
Add in the presence of Gabriel, on whom the team spent a third-round pick, and Pickett could find himself in a tight, three-man battle for the backup job.
So, while Pickett still seems favored to be Cleveland’s No. 2 quarterback to open the season, his footing there is more precarious than it once was.
NFL teams that passed on Shedeur Sanders
Yes, Sanders’ preseason start is just one game. Still, the rookie’s debut looked a lot better than those of most fifth-round quarterbacks the NFL has produced in recent seasons.
Does that mean every NFL team who passed on Sanders will end up regretting it? Maybe not yet, but Sanders has at least given the quarterback-needy teams who let him last until the fifth round something to chew on.