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Shedeur Sanders impresses in NFL preseason debut: Detailing how Browns rookie QB performed vs. Panthers

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Sanders stated his case to move up Cleveland’s QB depth chart

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It doesn’t matter how you get to the NFL. Really, the only thing that matters is what you do when you get there and are given an opportunity. For Shedeur Sanders, who famously fell from a projected top-five pick all the way to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, he made the most of his NFL debut and may have just crashed the party in the Cleveland Browns crowded quarterback room.

With veteran Joe Flacco (the presumptive Week 1 starter) resting, along with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both sidelined with hamstring injuries, Sanders was given the start in the Browns preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. And the rookie balled out, playing nearly three full quarters. In that time, Sanders completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 138 yards and two touchdowns. On top of that, he had some highlight plays in the exhibition that’ll certainly create enough buzz to warrant consideration to move up the depth chart.

From the jump, Sanders seemed quite comfortable, even if the initial drive was an underwhelming three-and-out. There, Sanders was let down by his pass catchers, with Diontae Johnson dropping his first pass and then Kaden Davis losing field position on third down after double-clutching a reception. While Sanders’ night began with two punts and a turnover on down, he started to heat up in the second quarter.

After a muffed punt gave the Browns the football inside the red zone, Sanders showed nifty footwork, rolling out to his left and throwing a dime to Davis for the first of two touchdowns on the night for the duo.

WATCH: Browns’ Shedeur Sanders tosses first touchdown pass in NFL preseason debut vs. Panthers
Cameron Salerno
WATCH: Browns' Shedeur Sanders tosses first touchdown pass in NFL preseason debut vs. Panthers

Sanders showed poise in the pocket, but was most eye-popping throwing on the run. On that initial touchdown, he showed his ability to roll out to his left. His most impressive throw of the night, however, flashed his ability to roll right two drives later. With a defender in his face, Sanders completed a 30-yard pass to Luke Floriea, who made a tremendous one-handed catch.

While the Sanders hype train is likely already off the rails, it’s fair to point out that it wasn’t a perfect showing. He nearly threw an interception when throwing into traffic on a pass intended for Gage Larvadain in the second quarter. On the following play, Sanders tried to do too much when feeling pressure on his right and scrambled. Instead of throwing the ball away, he ran out of bounds for a loss.

Coming out of the halftime locker room, Sanders also seemed to cool off a touch from his white-hot second quarter. The Browns had back-to-back punts with some shaky command from Sanders, but he and the unit recovered with another touchdown drive with four minutes to go in the third quarter. On that march to the end zone, Sanders completed both of his pass attempts, including a 25-yarder to tight end Brenden Bates.

Even with those nitpicks, it’s hard not to feel encouraged by what Sanders put together on the field on Friday night. And if he continues to stack these types of showings together throughout the summer, it could be enough to make coach Kevin Stefanski seriously consider him for the starting job, whether that be as soon as Week 1 or at some point during the 2025 campaign.

For more on Sanders’ debut, check out the highlights from our live blog below.

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Browns win over Panthers 30-10

With the bottom of both teams’ depth charts playing out the string in the fourth quarter, the Browns were left feeling good about their depth as Snoop Huntley threw a touchdown to Cade McDonald, giving them 30 unanswered points by the fourth quarter. The Panthers would finally get back on the board with a field goal, but it was too late to change the outcome of the game: The Browns took the win 30-10, opening their preseason in style as Shedeur Sanders’ debut sparked what is sure to be a full week’s worth of hype around Cleveland before their next preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Browns and Panthers make quarterback changes, Shedeur Sanders’ night over

Following Andy Dalton’s interception and the Browns’ third touchdown of the night, the Panthers have made a switch at quarterback, subbing Dalton out for second year pro Jack Plummer. Plummer moved the ball to midfield, but the drive would stall and the Browns would force a turnover on downs after Donovan McMillion broke up a pass intended for James Mitchell.

And with that, Shedeur Sanders’ night is over: With the Browns taking possession of the football, Snoop Huntley has entered the game at quarterback and has taken the helm of the Browns offense late in the third quarter.

Shedeur Sanders will complete his first NFL preseason game having gone 14-of-23 with 138 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball four times for 19 yards.

Nik Needham interception sets up Browns’ third touchdown of the night

The Browns had already been plus one in the turnover battle after recovering a muffed punt, and Nik Needham put yet another notch in that column, intercepting Andy Dalton to give Cleveland the ball at midfield and set up yet another scoring drive led by Shedeur Sanders.

While a Sanders pass to Sal Cannella was invalidated by an illegal man downfield penalty on Jason Ivey, the Browns immediately responded after Brenden Bates turned a pass from Sanders into a 25 yard catch and run. Then, Ahmani Marshall ripped off a 12 yard run to set Cleveland up deep in the red zone, and the drive would end in dramatic fashion with Gage Larvadain scoring the team’s third touchdown of the night on a fourth down jet sweep. With the extra point sneaking through the upright, the Browns now lead the Panthers 21-7.

Browns go three-and-out on Sanders’ second drive of third quarter

After the turf monster got a hold of Andy Dalton and short-circuited another Panthers drive, the Browns would respond with sloppy offense of their own as Shedeur Sanders took the field for his second drive of the third quarter. Two pre-snap penalties set the Browns back, and by the time those were resolved, the Browns found themselves in a 3rd and 18 after a Sanders pass to Brenden Bates fell incomplete.

Sanders completed his third down pass to Sal Cannella, but it was well short of the sticks and the Browns were forced to punt again.

Shedeur Sanders sacked by Damani Richardson on first drive of second half

After the Browns defense kept the Panthers from doing much of anything with their first possession of the second half, Shedeur Sanders returned to the field for yet another drive at the helm of the Browns offense. Sanders’ first drive of the second half followed up his two touchdowns in the second quarter, but similar success was not to be had.

Sanders’ first pass intended for Chase Cota (incidentally, the son of former Panther Chad Cota, whose heroics against the Steelers clinched the Panthers their first-ever division title in 1996) was broken up and incomplete, and a handoff to Trayveon Williams would set up a third down that got blown up by Damani Richardson on a safety blitz. Sanders took a sack, and he appeared to say something to someone downfield as he got up afterwards.

Browns lead Panthers 14-7 at the half

The Panthers’ drive in the final minute of the first half ended with an incomplete pass to McMillan on 3rd and 3, and a punt downed at the 19-yard line would put a bow on the first half with the Browns up 14-7. Shedeur Sanders took the kneeldown with four seconds to go, sending the Browns to the locker room with the lead and opening the regulator on the Shedeur Sanders Hype Train — with a little assist from his famous father on X.

Sanders will finish the first half 11/18 passing with 103 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 113.9 passer rating, as well as three carries for 20 yards.

Shedeur Sanders throws second touchdown of the half to Kaden Davis

Late in the first half, the Shedeur Sanders to Kaden Davis connection came in handy for the Browns yet again, but not without a huge assist from Luke Floriea: Floriea made a spectacular one-handed grab down the right sideline, gaining 29 yards to put Cleveland well in Panthers territory — The play would come at a cost, however, as Floriea came up grabbing his left hamstring afterwards. Floriea would leave the game to get stretched out on the sideline.

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