CLEVELAND (AP) — Less than 24 hours after Shedeur Sanders delivered an impressive performance in his NFL debut, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski remains tight-lipped about a pressing question on the minds of Cleveland fans: Will Sanders take the helm with the first-team offense ahead of next Saturday’s second preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles? “We need to get through the next couple of days from an injury standpoint and see where everybody is,” Stefanski stated on Saturday. “I’m really focused on all of our quarterbacks’ development and every single one of these reps last night, how important they are. So that’s what I’m focused on more than anything.”
In the Browns’ 30-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Sanders showcased his skills by playing nearly three quarters, racking up 45 snaps. He successfully directed three touchdown drives over 10 series, which included a kneel down at the end of the first half. Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and threw two touchdown passes. Perhaps the most reassuring statistic for the team was that the Browns did not commit a turnover during the game.
Despite his standout performance, Sanders is currently listed as the fourth-string quarterback and has not taken any snaps with the first string throughout the first three weeks of practices. His opportunity to start in the preseason opener arose due to injuries sidelining both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel with hamstring issues. While veteran Joe Flacco handled most of the workload during joint practices the previous Wednesday, Sanders made a compelling case for why he deserves a chance against starting players.
The Browns are scheduled to practice again on Monday at their team facility, followed by a trip to Philadelphia on Tuesday for joint workouts with the Eagles on Wednesday and Thursday. Sanders remains patient with the development process set by the Browns, reflecting a mindset he has maintained since being drafted in the fifth round as the 144th overall pick in April. “I just don’t think that deep into everything because there’s nothing you’re going to be able to control,” Sanders remarked when asked if he feels he's getting a fair chance in the competitive quarterback landscape. “The most you can do is perform when your number is called, at least do the bare minimum and win the game. That’s what I feel like we did today and definitely things I’m able to grow off of.”
During the game, the coaching staff had the opportunity to evaluate how Sanders performed in various scenarios, including red zone efficiency and third down situations. Sanders also faced challenges starting several series deep in his own territory. “You don’t want to show much, but also you want to put your players in positions where you can evaluate them,” Stefanski explained. “We kind of did it all last night, including a jet sweep to Gage Larvadain for the touchdown. We want to win because they’re keeping score, but you also want to vary your run types, vary your pass types so you’re learning more about each one of your players.”
According to the NFL’s Next Gen stats, Sanders faced pressure on 12 of his 27 drop-backs. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 81 yards while under duress, including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Davis that put the Browns ahead 14-7 in the second quarter. Although he was sacked twice, Sanders displayed agility by evading potential 15 to 20-yard losses on several scrambles. Known for his accuracy, he showcased his skills with a pinpoint second touchdown pass to Davis and a remarkable 30-yard completion to Luke Floriea, who made a spectacular one-handed catch over four Carolina defenders.
“That next step is getting in the game settings and taking the practice field to the game,” Stefanski said, praising Sanders' performance. “While there are game plans that will be more complicated as you get going and certainly as you get to the season, we want to put our guys in as many situations as possible, and I thought those guys handled it really well.” In other updates, Stefanski mentioned that Floriea is dealing with a hamstring injury and defensive back LaMareon James is currently in concussion protocol.
