Colin Cowherd Slams Media's Claim That Shedeur Sanders Is Being 'Sabotaged'

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be starting for the Browns in their preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. The former Colorado Buffaloes star is currently the No. 4 quarterback on the Browns depth chart, but will get the nod with the injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.

Kickoff for Browns vs. Panthers is scheduled for Friday, August. 8 at 5 p.m. MT on NFL Network.

Cowherd: "Great Ones Would Consider This An Amazing Opportunity"

Shedeur Sanders Cleveland Browns Starting Quarterback NFL Preseason Carolina Panthers Colin Cowherd Colorado Buffaloes — Jul 28, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders has gone nearly all of training camp playing with the second and third stringers of the Browns offense. The game against the Panthers will be on elf the first times he will be playing with the starters.

There has been talk in the media that this is unfair to Shedeur and he is being set up for failure. Colin Cowherd of FS1 doesn’t buy this at all. He weighed his thoughts on The Herd.

“Shedeur Sanders has been with the Browns through OTA’s, rookie minicamp, and training camp. He knows the playbook, head coach, the coordinator, and his teammates,” Cowherd said. “And because he only gets one practice with the one’s it’s sabotage. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

"Because he only gets one practice with the 1s it's sabotage? You've got to be kidding me."@colincowherd thinks Shedeur Sanders starting the Browns preseason opener is a golden opportunity for the rookie pic.twitter.com/Mxg8cHiOYY
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 6, 2025

Cowherd brought up another point. First teamers don’t play much during a preseason game. Sanders will likely only get a series or two with the first team before other players down the depth chart sub in. It’s an opportunity for Sanders to prove himself.

“The great ones would consider this an amazing opportunity, and he probably does. We got to stop this,” Cowherd said. “The other part of this that is ridiculous is how many reps do first team guys play in the preseason? He’s going to end up playing with twos, threes, and fours; which is what he’s practicing with.”

MORE: Shilo Sanders Turns Head Of Cleveland Browns GM Before Preseason Games

MORE: What Deion Sanders Said About Returning To Dallas, Big 12 Championship Game

MORE: Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Doesn’t Hold Back On Travis Hunter Opinion

MORE: Joe Flacco Reacts To Shedeur Sanders Starting Cleveland Browns' Preseason Opener

Quarterbacks Finding Success With Limited Practice

Cowherd also used a couple examples of quarterbacks that recently have been thrown into much tougher situations than Sanders and were able to succeed.

“Josh Dobbs was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings and had to start and did not get a single practice,” Cowherd said. “Three touchdowns, no picks, 102 passer rating, completed 66 percent of his throws. Didn’t know the playbook, teammates, coordinator, coach, didn’t get a practice. Won a game.”

Dobbs showed up to Minnesota and was thrown right into the fire and performed well. Then there was Baker Mayfield with the Rams. Since that start with the Rams, Mayfield has became the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This spot start in a short week helped turn his career around for the better.

“Baker Mayfield came to the Rams on a Tuesday. Had to play Thursday against the Raiders,” Cowherd said. “98-yard fourth quarter game winning drive with a single practice in he highly sophisticated Sean McVay offense."