AUGUST 6: Kevin Stefanski confirmed (via Cabot) the Browns will indeed turn to Sanders to start their preseason opener. It is not yet certain if Huntley will play, Stefanski added (via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling). With Flacco not suiting up and Huntley uncertain, Sanders would stand to see significant game time due to Cleveland’s injury situation.
AUGUST 5: Injuries have stalled the Browns’ four-man quarterback competition. They will lead to an unlikely starter to open Cleveland’s preseason docket.
Shedeur Sanders, who has yet to take a first-team snap during training camp, is expected to start the Browns’ exhibition opener Friday, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. Recently deemed a long shot to win the starting job, Sanders will receive this opportunity due to injuries sustained by Kenny Pickett and third-rounder Dillon Gabriel.
The Browns will pass on Joe Flacco playing in this game, per Cabot, and they added Tyler Huntley — who spent the 2024 offseason in Cleveland — as another option for this contest. Pickett has acknowledged he is losing ground due to the hamstring injury he sustained, one that has Flacco positioned as the best bet to start in Week 1. The Browns have plenty of intel on Flacco, so holding out their 40-year-old option makes sense.
Sanders’ participation in the game is interesting by itself, as the fifth-round rookie is battling a sore shoulder. It is evidently not a notable enough issue to prompt the Browns to sideline him for their preseason debut against the Panthers. Gabriel joins Pickett in nursing a hamstring injury.
Mentioned for months as a likely first-round pick, Sanders saw his stock nosedive during a pre-draft process he handled poorly. The second-generation NFLer’s attitude alienated teams, and a lower-than-expected football IQ preceded a stunning drop to the fifth round. Sanders arrived two rounds after the Browns chose Gabriel, calling ownership involvement into question. Jimmy Haslam has said GM Andrew Berry made the call to draft Sanders, who was certainly a value add at No. 144. But he has not been deemed a serious threat to open the season as Cleveland’s starter. Two speeding infractions since being drafted also brought unwanted attention to the polarizing prospect.
That said, Sanders has shown improvement since being buried on the depth chart during the Browns’ offseason program. Still, not taking a first-team rep during camp does not point to a likely regular-season starting assignment. Flacco’s age and Pickett’s shaky NFL work to date could open the door for Gabriel or Sanders to make starts at some point, but Gabriel losing time to this hamstring issue does not help his cause.
Sanders’ preseason outing will give him a chance Gabriel now lacks, and it will be interesting to see if the Browns’ view of the two rookies — Gabriel has held an edge on the two-year Colorado starter throughout his short Cleveland stay — heading into the second preseason week.
Even though it’s only preseason, I think the Browns may be setting a record with six QBs under contract at one time.
So you wanted them to go into the 1st preseason game with only 1 quarterback they wanted to play? Did you read the article? Gabriel and Pickett are hurt. Watson isn’t available all year and they don’t want to play Flacco. That leaves only Sanders. That’s why they signed a guy familiar with the system in Huntley
lol when did OP say they expected them to only go with 1 QB
Just explaining why they have 6 quarterbacks under contract. They could have 10 if they wanted. What matters is who is actually active when the season starts
Kenny Pickett got a smart agent
Hamstring injuries are easy to fake
If Pickett doesn’t play, he won’t need an agent. He is getting close to his last opportunity.
Interesting take. Why do you say that?
I’m sure everyone will be very normal about this.
🏆
Good time for him to make an impression, even if its just reading defenses, since I feel he will get cut eventually. I hope he proves me wrong.
Getting cut from Cleveland isnt the end of the world but he hopes to put something good on tape for the future.
He’s not getting cut and he really likes playing in Cleveland. He’s a very humble young man….here’s his shot. Gabriel will head to IR and Sanders will shoot up the depth charts
He very much isn’t a humble young man, from the sounds of it his attitude during interviews sunk his draft stock.
Lots of talent, wait to see if he learned anything from his draft experience.
He’s happy playing in Cleveland for now….until they start losing and he’s not playing.
Sanders is the browns starting quarterback week 1. The lowly browns are IMO grateful 4 their own bad luck. Sanders is most talented QB in the room.
Be nice if they have him do more than handing off or running with the ball.
I heard they signed Huntley because Sanders has a sore throwing arm – thus it is odd that they would start him.
That logic doesn’t logic for the folks in the front office
He had a slightly sore shoulder. They held him out for a practice but he’s been back this week. He’s about the only option to start, since the Browns made it clear they’re not playing Flacco in the 1st preseason game.
(Personally, I’d put Flacco out there for a series or two).
Sanders has earned this start and as a Browns fan, I’m excited to see him run the offense in the preseason.. Dillon Gabriel hasn’t looked good in camp and now his injury opens the door wide open for Sanders to pass him on the depth chart…..
There’s a big difference from playing against starters and guys that’ll end up cut or on the practice team and not play. The whole narrative of oh Gabriel’s looked bad and sanders has looked good goes out the window. Neither will be long term starters in the nfl. But the whole narrative of who’s looking good and who’s not goes out the window. That’s basically like saying my stock charger looks good racing against Camrys, rather than Lamborghinis.
And everything I’ve read says that Gabriel is clearly ahead of Sanders, so somebody is writing garbage. If he’s what he says he is, he should smoke preseason defenses. We shall see.
Well, he’s starting and will most likely face most of the 1st team defense
So before he even plays in an nfl game you are already declaring him not a “long term starter in the nfl”.
With this much knowledge why are you posting on trade rumors and not running a team? That’s right quit talking out your a$$ none of us know which rookies with impress this year.
Typical glazer. In today’s landscape of the nfl, you need to be more mobile, and if you aren’t, you need to have a rocket arm. Sander’s has neither. Projections and analytics say he won’t be a nfl starter, nor will Gabriel long term. Just say you’ve never played sports at a serious level, and are just glazing. With a user name with kid in it, more than likely you’re an armchair glazer, presumably around 18-19.
Gotta ask – What is a glazer?
Says the guy that thinks he can predict the nfl and how far players will go. Again what team do you work for with all this NFL knowledge you have?
Also if you don’t know who 123kid is you’ve lived under a rock the last 20 year. Xpac says “SUCK IT”
Oh you’re a wrestling nerd. I never said I was with the nfl, I said high level sports, or understanding analytics. You’re proving my point even more. I’ve got a baseball reference for my many years playing professional sports, and managed. But hey, all you had to say was that you don’t understand analytics.
Joe Burrow isn’t particularly mobile and he doesn’t have a rocket arm.
Burrow throws with elite anticipation, unlike the rather.
That’s not what you said. You said they need to be mobile or have a rocket arm to succeed.
You’re a little slow, it’s okay pal.
Looked great first preseason game. Me 1 you 0 big surprise
He played the worst defense in the nfl last season. The first three drives against starters he couldn’t move the ball. Congrats though, Kenny Pickett looked great in the preseason three seasons ago too.
You mean the same Kenny Pickett who is now a starter in the NFL just like Sanders. Enjoy the crow
Kenny Pickett is a starter?! Man! I never realized he lead the Eagles and was the winning qb in the Super Bowl last season, or that he instead of Flacco was announced as the starter for the browns! I must be out of the loop, and not know anything. That must be some good Seagull meet you’ve been eating.
I’m rooting for Sanders and i do think he’s the starter by the time this season is over
Lol
On a 2 win team going absolutely nowhere.
Guess I better go shopping for some popcorn.
Flaco (6′-6″) looks like a giant in the photo next to Sanders (6′-1″).
I am curious as heck how Sanders plays. For me, it’s one of the story lines leading into the regular season of high interest for me. From a supposed 1st round pick to a 5th round pick.
But more interesting was how irate some commentators were that Sanders fell. Guys like Mel Kiper. Some saying his slide was due to overblown off-field concerns, like Deion’s media presence or Shedeur’s perceived arrogance, rather than football ability. Some speculated the NFL was punishing Sanders for his high-profile persona or his father’s outspokenness.
Sanders himself saying, “We all know this shouldn’t have happened.”
Here is his chance to prove others wrong. Or that so many were right that he was right to slide.
Sanders hasnt had many snaps woth 1st team offense, and has been lucky to get whatever snaps are available. So it’s almost a no win situation. He’ll be scrutinized pretty hard in this game.
Probably his attitude and flunking his interview with Daball caused him to drop. Word travels fast and a bad attitude can keep you unemployed.
I don’t have any horses in this race but I hope he balls out just to shut all the experts up; even temporarily
Not saying he can ball out
Saying I hope he does
I’m an agent of chaos …
Balling out in the preseason means absolutely nothing. Especially if the starters only play one series.
That’s sounds a lot like “damned if you do…”
Let him play entire game.
Sanders slid for more than attitude problems. How many “headcases” star in the NFL? I do think he has NFL-starter talent but has things to work on before he can be considered a top-tier QB.
I’ll be very interested to see how does this Friday. I’m rooting for him.
Also: his quotes and press conferences seem to belie the narrative that he is arrogant. Possibly, he came across that way predraft, but it’s good to see he learned and adjusted from that.
why not ? no matter what they do .. the browns perpetually get the position wrong .. so why not start the unexpected value draft pick ? who knows .. they’ve eventually have to get it right