Sanders shines in Browns preseason debut against Panthers

Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders makes a strong early case in Cleveland's QB depth chart.

Sanders shines in Browns preseason debut against Panthers

With veteran Joe Flacco resting and Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined by hamstring injuries, Sanders started the Browns preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns across nearly three quarters of action. The night began with a three and out, a muffed punt and a turnover on down, but Sanders warmed up as the game moved along, connecting with Kaden Davis for two scoring passes after a muffed punt gave Cleveland red zone life.

Sanders showed poise in the pocket and flashed accuracy on the move. A 30 yard strike to Luke Floriea came as he rolled right under pressure, and a later 25 yard connection to Brenden Bates helped stretch the drive late in the third quarter. He faced a couple of hiccups including a near interception and a scramble out of bounds when closed in by defenders, but recovered with another scoring drive. The performance gave the Browns a tangible signal that Sanders can be more than a development project, even as the team waits for the other quarterbacks to regain health.

This preseason outing lands in a larger context: Cleveland faces a crowded quarterback room and a need for clearer depth beyond the veteran starter. Sanders’s mobility and accuracy on the run add a new dimension to the Browns’ options, but a single exhibition is not a verdict. The challenge for the coaching staff will be separating clean decision making from the jitters of summer football and aligning Sanders’s learning curve with the expectations that come with being a 2025 fifth round pick who has already drawn outsized attention.

If Sanders continues to stack these performances, the Browns may reassess how quickly he climbs the depth chart. Yet any real shift will depend on consistency, command under pressure, and how he handles bigger stages in the coming games. For now, Cleveland has a compelling summer narrative to monitor as the calendar moves toward Week 1.

Highlights

The quarterback competition remains open as summer practices continue.