Making one of the most anticipated NFL debuts this weekend, Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders passed his first test. It might have only come in preseason action on the road against the Carolina Panthers but Sanders showed touch, accuracy, and willingness to make tough throws to all levels of the field. Getting the start in the Browns’ preseason opener, Sanders finished the game 14-of-23 for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He finished the game with four carries for 19-yards.
He fired two first half touchdowns, both of which were impressive plays far different from some of the wide open windows he saw in the Big 12 at Colorado. His first score came fitting a throw in a tight window while moving left, keeping the pass away from the closing corner and complete to WR Kaden Davis for a 7-yard score.
It turned around a slow start, including a failed 4th-and-one conversion.
Sanders followed things up with a two-minute drill that put the ball in the end zone right before the half. Again, he made a tough throw over the middle, finding Davis for their second touchdowns of the game.
His second half started slow but a third quarter interception thrown by Panthers’ QB Andy Dalton put the Browns in plus-territory. Sanders completed a 25-yard pass to put Cleveland in scoring range. Driving inside the 5-yard-line and going for it on 4th and 2, Sanders handed off to WR Gage Larvadain on a jet sweep for the touchdown, putting the Browns ahead 21-7.
Sanders made a share of mistakes, too. His college habit of scrambling and running backwards in an effort to create and extend continued. At the NFL level, those plays are much harder to consistently pull off. Sanders nearly threw an interception over the middle but the Panthers’ defender dropped it and some of his completions, including one by rookie WR Luke Floriea, were aided by great snags. Still, Sanders’ overall debut was a solid start even if it serves as just one step.
Sanders’ draft story is well-documented. After weeks of speculation he would be a first-round pick to the Steelers, Pittsburgh and the rest of the NFL repeatedly passed on him. He fell to the fifth round before the Browns traded up for him to stop his fall. The Steelers selected Ohio State QB Will Howard in the following around, whose debut may not happen this preseason after breaking the pinky finger on his throwing hand during practice.
The three other top quarterbacks on the Browns’ roster didn’t play Friday night. Fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel sat out due to a hamstring injury while veteran and ex-Steeler Kenny Pickett missed the game for the same reason. Joe Flacco was rested. Once Sanders’ night was done, he gave away to former Baltimore Raven Tyler “Snoop” Huntley late in the third quarter. The Browns’ quarterback battle is yet to be decided, though Flacco is considered the frontrunner.
Cleveland’s next preseason outing will come Saturday, August 16 against the Los Angeles Rams.