Shedeur Sanders to Play 'Majority' of Browns' Preseason Opener vs. Panthers, HC Says

Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is set to see extensive action during the Cleveland Browns' preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.

According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said during a radio interview that Sanders will play the majority of Friday's game, adding, "Fifty plays of game work, which I think will be great for him."

Stefanski had previously announced Wednesday that Sanders would start against Carolina, and that neither Kenny Pickett nor rookie Dillon Gabriel would play due to hamstring injuries.

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who is currently listed as the starter on Cleveland's depth chart, is not expected to play in Friday's game either, per Chris Bengel of CBS Sports.

Despite already having a four-way battle for the starting quarterback job, the Browns signed Tyler Huntley this week, and he will be the one who spells Sanders when he comes out of Friday's game.

Sanders, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and current University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, was selected by the Browns with the No. 144 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

He played two seasons at Colorado under his father, and he put up some big numbers in 2024, going 9-4 as the starter and completing 74.0 percent of his passes for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Sanders was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting, putting him in the conversation to be the first quarterback off the board in the 2025 NFL draft.

That distinction went to Cam Ward, who went first overall to the Tennessee Titans, and Sanders suffered a precipitous and shocking fall from there.

Not only did Sanders fall out of the first round, but he ended up being the sixth quarterback taken way down in the fifth round, as rumors and speculation swirled about concerns over how he handled the pre-draft process.

Despite that, Sanders landed in an opportunistic situation, as the Browns don't have a clear starting option who stands out above the rest at quarterback.

Flacco is likely the favorite since the 40-year-old veteran has the most experience by far, but given the likelihood of the Browns being a struggling and rebuilding team, Stefanski may favor giving a younger signal-caller a look.

While Sanders is listed as a third-string along with Gabriel on the Browns' depth chart right now, a strong performance against the Panthers could go a long way toward putting him in the starting conversation.