Browns May Give Shedeur Sanders Extended Audition As Starting Quarterback

The Colorado product impressed at times in a win over the Raiders.

Shedeur Sanders will start for the Browns against the 49ers Sunday. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Browns will trot out Shedeur Sanders as their starting quarterback Sunday afternoon against the 49ers—but that may not be his final start of the season.

Cleveland is open to giving Sanders an extended audition as its starter, according to a Saturday afternoon report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Sanders, 23, debuted against the Ravens on Nov. 16 after an injury to quarterback Dillon Gabriel. He completed just four of 16 passes in that game, but fared better during the Browns' 24–10 win over the Raiders on Sunday—completing 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The Colorado product—long a celebrity due to his famous father, Hall of Fame cornerback and wide receiver Deion Sanders—started the season mired in a four-way quarterback battle with Joe Flacco, Gabriel and Kenny Pickett. Both Flacco and Pickett now play for other teams, while Gabriel remains injured.

Shedeur, a surprise fifth-round pick in April's NFL draft, finished eighth in the Heisman voting with the Buffaloes a year ago.

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