Sanders to play majority of preseason game

Sanders is set to play the majority of Friday night’s exhibition against Carolina, giving Cleveland a clear early test.

Browns plan for Shedeur Sanders to take about 50 snaps vs Panthers

Shedeur Sanders will have an extended debut for his first preseason action on Friday night. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the team’s radio broadcast that Sanders will play the majority of the contest against the Panthers, translating to about 50 plays of game work, which Stefanski called a great opportunity for the rookie. Tyler Huntley, who re-signed with the Browns this week, is expected to relieve Sanders late in the game.

For reference, the Ravens and Bengals each ran 60 total offensive plays in their Thursday exhibition matchups. Sanders, Huntley, and veteran Joe Flacco are Cleveland’s only healthy quarterbacks at the moment. If rookie Dillon Gabriel weren’t dealing with a hamstring issue, he would likely have started Friday’s game and split first-half work with Sanders taking the second half. Cleveland is not planning to play its starters after a joint practice with Carolina this week. Sanders will work with the same teammates he’s trained with in the offseason, such as rookie receivers Gage Larvadain and Luke Floriea, and with second-team targets like Diontae Johnson, Kaden Davis, and DeAndre Carter due to those injuries.

The plan signals a pragmatic approach to evaluating Sanders early in the pro schedule, focusing on live reps rather than a long demonstration drive. It also underlines the team’s need to assess not just his readiness but how he meshes with players outside the starter group as injuries reshape the quarterback depth chart. The decision to lean on a fixed cohort of receivers during this period suggests Cleveland wants cleaner data on timing and decision-making under real game pressure.

This preseason move also reflects a broader NFL trend: coaches increasingly balance evaluation with player development, keeping starters on the sideline while giving backups a chance to prove themselves. For Sanders, the test is not only the Panthers’ defense but the consistency of his chemistry with teammates he has trained with all summer. The result could influence how the Browns allocate reps in future joint practices and early-season plans.

Highlights

Friday night serves as a concrete step in Cleveland’s quarterback timeline.