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Shedeur Sanders named Browns starting QB vs. Panthers

The Carolina Panthers will face Shedeur Sanders in his Cleveland Browns debut.
Jeremy Brener|
Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders throws during training camp.
Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders throws during training camp. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are facing off against the Cleveland Browns in their preseason opener this week and their opponent has named their starting quarterback.

"Sanders, the Browns fourth-team quarterback who has yet to take a snap with the first-team offense, is expected to start the game, a league source tells cleveland.com," Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot wrote.

"He’ll get the nod because Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are both nursing hamstring injuries, and the Browns don’t want Joe Flacco, 40, playing in the preseason opener."

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is all smiles during NFL training camp
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is all smiles during NFL training camp. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Pickett, Gabriel and Flacco out, Sanders will see a majority of Cleveland's snaps while new signee Tyler "Snoop" Huntley should also see some action.

Sanders was in consideration to be the No. 1 overall pick during the college football season, but a poor pre-draft process knocked him down all the way to the fifth round of the NFL Draft, where the Browns picked him up.

During his senior season at Colorado, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Though Sanders hasn't had much experience with the Browns first-team offense, he'll have plenty of chances to get acclimated against a Panthers defense that is aiming for a lot of improvement in the upcoming season.

The Panthers have seen a bit of Sanders during their joint practices this week, but things will change once the two teams take the field on Friday night for their big matchup.

Kickoff between the Browns and Panthers is set for 7 p.m. ET on Friday inside Bank of America Stadium.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders heads back to the sideline during NFL training camp practice
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders heads back to the sideline during NFL training camp practice. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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