Shedeur Sanders looks locked in for his first NFL start in the Browns' first preseason game Friday night against the Carolina Panthers. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
CHARLOTTE, NC
The most anticipated Browns preseason opener in the franchise’s expansion era was the first one in 1999.
That was after three years of no football in Cleveland as a result of Art Modell’s move of the old Browns to Baltimore. Browns fans were starved for football and that exhibition game opener was celebrated as a huge event. The fact it was the first look at franchise QB hopeful Tim Couch, the first overall pick in the 1999 draft, added to the excitement.
Shedeur Sanders’ NFL preseason debut Friday night against the Carolina Panthers ranks right up there. Because of his immense popularity nationwide, it should set a new TV ratings record for a Browns preseason game, if such records are kept. It will also be carried on NFL Network.
“For sure,” agreed Joe Flacco, the 18-year NFL veteran who will get the night off and observe Sanders like Browns fans – and Sanders fans – everywhere. “You know, it’s so funny because I don’t really think of it that way. We’re just kind of going to work every day and doing our job and we’re in the [QB] room together. But yeah, that’ll make it exciting.”
Sanders’ debut as the starter in Game 1 came through a series of unexpected developments. He would have played, coach Kevin Stefanski affirmed, but not started, if not for hamstring injuries suffered in recent days by QB2 Kenny Pickett and QB3 Dillon Gabriel.
Stefanski ruled out both to improve the chances of them returning to full participation next week for joint practices against the Philadelphia Eagles – the pivotal checkpoint of the Browns’ QB competition.
Since Flacco also will not play, the Browns rushed to sign Tyler Huntley, who was with them in the 2024 training camp, to fill out the game. Stefanski said that Sanders and Huntley will be the only QBs to play. Stefanski wouldn’t say if their playing time would be divided into first half and second half.
And while the Panthers intend to start their regulars on offense and defense for 8 to 12 plays, the Browns will send Sanders out there with only a few starters – whom Stefanski wouldn’t name – and without the benefit of practicing a single period in 11 camp days with the first-team offense.
Stefanski seems unconcerned with the challenge awaiting Sanders.
The coach didn’t even give Sanders extra reps in the Wednesday joint practice against the Panthers. Sanders has worked mostly with the third and fourth offensive teams, but recently has gotten more exposure to the second team.
“I think it’s just preseason ball, where you may have some ones going against twos, and twos going against ones,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “There’s different guys in there at different times, but I think both sides, particularly in that first game, it’s all about playing fast. So you typically don’t see a ton of looks that are unusual, per se. So if you stick to your rules and you stick to what you’ve been taught over the last few weeks, you should be able to operate and function well.”
Stefanski has always said the backup quarterback must be able to step in and be ready whenever he is called. So he may see this as an unforeseen opportunity to expose Sanders to the hazards of the backup role. He’s done it with other backup QBs in the past.
“Shedeur has gotten reps with all the different centers and has gotten reps with different guys throwing to them during practice,” Stefanski said. “So I feel real confident that the guys will have a good feel for who’s playing next to them, the left tackle and the left guard, that there may be some batteries that are a little bit different, you know, but I think the guys have worked very hard to just be on the same page.”
What are the expectations for Sanders?
“My expectations for Shedeur are no different than the rest of the guys,” Stefanski said. “Honestly, we expect them to go operate. It’s when you get these preseason games, you try to keep it very simple so guys can play fast. All concepts that our players know, [so that they] can kind of not think too much and just play ball.
“For all of our players, it’s about taking the practice field to the game field. That’s what’s most important. The same plays that we’re running in these practices will be the same plays we’ll run in the game. So just to all of our players, you always tell these rookies to make sure that the game is just an extension of practice.”
If it were any quarterback other than Sanders starting, there wouldn’t be nearly the anticipation surrounding this game.
“Oh, it’ll be interesting,” Flacco said. “I think we’ll all be sitting there watching and being excited for, you know, football to be going real time. And I think he’s probably excited about that, too.
“I mean, your first time to go in the NFL, I remember mine. I didn’t get to play until the last two minutes of [my first preseason] game. It’s something that he’ll remember forever. Most of us have dreamt about this moment since we were five, six, seven, eight-years old. So for him to get a chance to go out there and actually take the field, even though it’s preseason we’re all going to be on the sidelines and at home enjoying it.”
Regardless of the results, Stefanski intends to pick up the QB competition next week with Flacco, Pickett and Gabriel ahead of Sanders.
But on this night, it’s Sanders’ showtime, and everybody will be watching.