Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made his preseason debut in a 30-10 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Sanders finished 11 of 18 for 103 yards, two touchdowns, and a 113.9 rating. It was an impressive preseason debut for the young QB. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski reacted to Shedeur’s performance against the Panthers.
Stefanski pointed to Sanders’ consistency for the Browns, per NFL insider Tony Grossi.
“I think that’s one of his strengths,” Stefanski said.
It’s what most NFL head coaches look for in their starting quarterbacks, and while the Browns won’t give Shedeur the QB1 title right away, he’s made quite the first impression in Friday’s win.
“Honestly, I’m pleased with the way Shedeur played,” Stefanski said. “I’m pleased with the way the offense operated tonight. All things moving forward, as we continue to practice, will be focused on all of our guys’ development.”
The Browns will face the Eagles on the road next Saturday in their second preseason matchup.
Shedeur Sanders’ impressive Browns preseason debut
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski gushed over Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders. After the Browns’ 30-10 win against the Panthers, Sanders reacted to his performance.
“On the team’s behalf, I think I ran the offense pretty well,” Sanders said. “I feel like I got to my decisions and there are some things I could’ve done better, and different processes where I could speed my feet up. You know, I’m grateful for the opportunity and thankful that we won, but there’s still time to go to work.”
For Stefanski, these opportunities are valuable reps for Sanders’ early NFL career.
“The situations were invaluable for Shedeur. For all of our offense,” Stefanski said. “We got a third one where he had a quarterback sneak. I mean, there’s just a lot of football, and that’s by design, with him getting a ton of reps in this game, and he’ll get a ton of reps next week as well. That’s all part of our development of our young players.”
Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, both caught by wide receiver Kaden Davis. He added 19 rushing yards on four carries, demonstrating mobility and poise. He also finished with zero turnovers. Sanders showed comfort in the pocket against the Panthers, and while it’s only one start in his preseason debut, his mix of mobility and relaxed approach in the pocket is encouraging for a rookie QB.
Sanders will get his second chance next Saturday.
