No fifth-round pick in the NFL this preseason is drawing more intrigue than Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. In his debut Friday night against the Carolina Panthers, Sanders put together a promising performance that could give him an early boost in the team’s wide-open quarterback competition.
With Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined by injuries, Sanders got extended playing time in the Browns’ 30–10 win. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and added 19 rushing yards on four carries.
It wasn’t flawless—some pre-draft concerns, like holding onto the ball too long, were evident. While he only took two sacks, there were several plays where he danced around in the backfield waiting for something to open up. Against a weak Carolina defense that rested its starters after one series, it worked; against stronger defenses, that habit could be costly.
Still, that’s part of the learning curve for a rookie QB. The Browns kept the game plan simple with safe throws, allowing Sanders to showcase his accuracy—one of his biggest strengths in college—and lead multiple scoring drives. He executed what was asked of him and did it well.
Sanders’ journey will be one of the NFL’s most-watched storylines this preseason and beyond. Once considered a first-round lock, he slid to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and wasn’t even Cleveland’s first QB selection, as the team drafted Gabriel ahead of him. But with a quarterback room consisting of Joe Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel, and the uncertain status of Deshaun Watson, the competition is wide open.
On Friday, Sanders took his first real step toward making a case for himself. There’s a long way to go, but it was an encouraging start—for both him and the Browns.
