Analyzing Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Final Preseason Game

What went wrong for Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in his final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

After a successful victory in the Cleveland Browns' final preseason game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, the fanbase saw a new twist in rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders' journey in the National Football League.

Obviously, this was not the same Sanders fans saw two weeks ago when he received the start against the Carolina Panthers in the first preseason game. The fifth-round pick completed three of his six passing attempts for 14 yards. However, Sanders was also sacked five times for a loss of 41 yards, giving him a net total of -27 yards. And when the Browns had a two-minute drill in the fourth quarter down one point, Stefanski decided turn the ball over to Tyler Huntley for the final drive of the contest.

Despite Sanders' rough end to the preseason, many fans and people within the media placed the blame on a combination of poor offensive line play and head coach Kevin Stefanski's play calling. But what was the real reason behind the rookie quarterback's unsuccessful performance on Saturday?

What Went Wrong For Shedeur?

I mentioned last week in my rookie quarterbacks breakdown article that he used his legs too soon or attempted to overextend a play.

"It's great to have a quarterback that can use his legs when a play breaks down like Sanders, however, there were a few instances where he opted to use his legs too soon or tried to overextend a play instead of throwing it away. Sanders will eventually learn when it's time to officially quit on a play with more experience."

Both critiques were big knocks for him coming out of college, so I was not surprised to see it carry over to his first preseason start. Unfortunately for Sanders, the Rams defense did a significantly better job of rushing the young quarterback, which put his habit of overextending on full display. This included a 24-yard sack on 2nd and 12.

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— Dylan Feltovich (@DyfeltClips) August 25, 2025

Even though Sanders came off his first read, he had a clean pocket and a perfect look at a wide-open Cota. However, instead of a staying strong in the pocket and potentially hitting Cota for what would have likely been a first down, Sanders slips out of the pocket despite having the time to throw. It looked as if he got through all his reads, but committed to leaving the pocket too soon despite having time and open receivers.

Another issue involving Sanders' pocket presence that fans saw on Saturday was him drifting into pressure.

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— Dylan Feltovich (@DyfeltClips) August 25, 2025

Sanders put wide receiver Cade McDonald in motion, and Rams' cornerback Shaun Jolly follows him, which could be an indicator of man coverage. The play call is a simple mesh concept between Chase Cota and Sal Cannella, with McDonald and Kaden Davis running a bench concept on the right. Sanders' first read was to the left side of the field, which is correct due to the bench concept being a good man beater. However, McDonald and Davis were slow to get out of their routes, causing Sanders to panic. Instead of resetting his feet and finding Cota underneath, Sanders tried to climb back up, forcing the pocket to collapse.

This play, however, was in jeopardy from the beginning. While in shotgun, Sanders receives the snap and takes a three-step drop back with a hitch. But when you look at where he started to where he ended his drop back, Sanders clearly drifted to his left and caused more self-inflicted pressure on himself.

The Verdict

It's clear that Sanders had a rough outing against the Rams. But despite what most people believe, this is completely normal for a rookie quarterback, especially for a player who was selected on day three of the NFL Draft. There were many issues from college that the former Colorado star needed to fix upon his arrival at the professional level, which is why he is viewed as a developmental quarterback by the organization.

In order for Sanders to find success in Cleveland, however, he must learn how to play within the structure of the offense. Stefanski's system requires the quarterback to make timely throws and get through his progression. So far this preseason, Sanders has shown glimpses of being capable to run the offense, but has not been consistent like fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Luckily, he'll have a full season to learn under a veteran quarterback in Joe Flacco, who thrives in Stefanski's system. The 23-year-old will have plenty of time to improve his pocket awareness throughout the course of this season, which will greatly benefit the trajectory of his career.