Shedeur Sanders Says He Didn't 'Play Up to Par' Despite Throwing 2 TDs in Browns Debut

While outside observers and analysts were showering him with praise, Shedeur Sanders wasn't celebrating his performance in the Cleveland Browns' 30-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Friday's preseason game.

Speaking to reporters after the win, Sanders said he felt like he "didn't play up to par" despite throwing two touchdowns.

"Did I play up to par? No, I don't feel like I did," the rookie quarterback said. "But overall, the main goal was to win, and that's honestly what we did."

With injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, the Browns relied heavily on Sanders in their first preseason game. The 23-year-old responded by going 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns in nine drives, not counting a kneel down at the end of the second quarter.

There has been a lot written about how the Browns have used Sanders through the first two weeks of training camp. He hasn't taken any reps with the first-team offense, including on Friday night because it was all projected backups who started against the Panthers.

Sanders has responded to the questions by saying all the right things and performing well in training camp practices.

Wherever Sanders ends up on Cleveland's depth chart when the regular season begins won't matter. Joe Flacco, the presumptive Week 1 starter, isn't a long-term solution for the organization at the age of 40.

There could come a point when Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski decides to build toward the future. Sanders has outplayed fellow rookie Gabriel, who has reportedly been struggling in camp prior to suffering a hamstring injury, and might warrant an extended look during the season.

At the very least, Sanders' preseason debut boosted his stock and should lead to more extended looks in the coming weeks. His next appearance in a game will likely come on Aug. 16 when the Browns take on the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.