What to Expect From Shedeur Sanders in Browns Preseason Opener

The Cleveland Browns have exuded patience with Shedeur Sanders so far, and that shouldn't change in Friday's preseason matchup with the Carolina Panthers

Jul 28, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the offense during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Everyone seems to have an opinion on Shedeur Sanders being slated to start the Cleveland Browns' first preseason game on Friday night against the Carolina Panthers.

And while many believe the Browns, who have failed to identify a true franchise quarterback for nearly three decades now since returning to town, think Cleveland has set Sanders up for failure in this game, others see it as a great opportunity for the fifth-round pick to showcase his talent that was seemingly overlooked during April's NFL Draft.

As things stand entering Friday night, Sanders is one of two quarterbacks expected to play in Carolina, with veteran Tyler Huntley being the other. Huntley joined the team just this week with rookie Dillon Gabriel and veteran Kenny Pickett nursing hamstring injuries. Meanwhile, 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco is being protected at all costs as the team's current front-runner for the starting job.

So with all the fanfare and debate surrounding Sanders as he gets ready to take the field Friday night, what should fans realistically expect from the Browns rookie?

First and foremost, Sanders is poised to get the majority of reps on Friday night, which is something Kevin Stefanski gave credence to during the preview show for the game on Thursday.

“Obviously, Shedeur will get the majority of the game, so he’s going to get 50 plays of game work which I think will be great for him," Stefanski told Nathan Zegura on 92.3 The Fan. "Snoop (Huntley), we’ll get him in there later in the game as well.”

“Obviously, Shedeur will get the majority of the game, so he’s going to get 50 plays of game work which I think will be great for him. Snoop (Huntley), we’ll him in there later in the game as well.”

🚨 @Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on the QB plan for Friday’s preseason opener 🏈 pic.twitter.com/Y6heUnPr6H

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 7, 2025

With Huntley only arriving three days ago, it makes sense that his reps will be more limited. It also paves the way for Sanders to receive a solid runway to showcase what he can do.

For what it's worth, Stefanski has played his third and fourth-string quarterbacks in some capacity in every single Browns preseason opener since he took over as head coach in 2020, excluding that 2020 preseason, which was canceled due to the pandemic.

The names of QBs who have suited up in those roles include Dorian Thompson-Robinson (2023 & 2024), Huntley (2024), Kellen Mond (2023), Josh Rosen (2022) and Kyle Lauletta (2021). Each QB played a varying percentage of offensive snaps in Cleveland's preseason openers over that span, ranging from 26% for DTR in 2023, to 65% for Kyle Lauletta in 2021.

On average, though, the six QBs played about 40% of the offensive snaps, but if Sanders plays 50 snaps, it's likely he'll finish well above that mark for the game.

Dec 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) throws a pass during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

What's also worth noting is how many pass attempts each quarterback made previous preseason openers. Here are each player's stat lines by year:

2024

DTR: 14-18, 134
Huntley: 6-9, 41 yards

2023

DTR: 9-10, 102 yards 1 TD 26%
Kellen Mond: 7-12, 79 yards 1 TD

2022

Josh Rosen: 6-7, 56 yards

2021

Kyle Lauletta: 19-27, 212 yards 2 TDs

Understanding how the Browns view Sanders at this point, as a player still very much getting acclimated to the NFL, the Kyle Lauletta stat line feels a bit ambitious for Sanders, but if half the plays are pass plays, he'd come awfully close to it. Conversely, the seven pass attempts from Rosen in 2022 are way too low.

The 2024 Thompson-Robinson figures, where the 2023 fifth-rounder tossed 18 passes, is probably a good floor projection for where Sanders' pass attempts end up, but exceeding 20 seems likely with a snap count around 50.

Given how the Browns have handled Sanders to this point – showing patience rather than rushing him on the field – the narrative that Stefanski is setting him up for failure is overblown. Cleveland's head man is going to call plays he knows Sanders is comfortable with, especially against the Panthers' first-team defense early on.

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski watches quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) participate in drills during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One thing that is abundantly clear about Sanders, though, is that he's a gamer. When those stadium lights are beaming down on him and he's out there on the field, he has a knack for putting on an absolute show. It's up to Stefanski to set him up for success; what Sanders does with those reps is totally on him.

If the outcome is a SportsCenter-worthy highlight reel, he'll give Stefanski and the Browns something to think about in their quarterback competition.