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Amid a slew of injuries to their quarterback room, the Cleveland Browns made an important decision on Tuesday. According to longtime Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot on X (formerly Twitter), rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is slated to start the team's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers Friday night.
#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is expected to start Friday night's preseason opener on the road vs. the #Panthers with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both nursing hamstring injuries, source tells clevelanddotcom: —-> https://t.co/rGobOe9RtW
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 5, 2025
“#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is expected to start Friday night's preseason opener on the road vs. the #Panthers with Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel both nursing hamstring injuries, source tells clevelanddotcom,” posted Cabot on Tuesday afternoon.
After his NFL draft slide earlier this year, the expectations for Sanders have certainly been tempered to an extent. However, the fifth-round pick is surely eager to prove that he deserves to compete for the team's starting signal caller spot. Can Sanders impress in his pro debut Friday in Carolina? The rest of the league will surely be keeping an eye on just how well the former Colorado football standout does in Charlotte.
Can Shedeur Sanders seize Browns' starting QB role from Joe Flacco?
With third round pick Dillon Gabriel and trade acquisition Kenny Pickett both working through hamstring injuries, it's time to see what Sanders can finally do at the helm of the starting offense. According to Cabot, the ex-Buffalo has not taken a snap with the number one unit in training camp. However, with Gabriel and Pickett out, it's time to see what he can do when given the keys to head coach Kevin Stefanski's attack.
Veteran Joe Flacco is the current leader for the top quarterback spot. It's unlikely that Sanders will move from fourth to first on the depth chart over the next few weeks. However, it's entirely possible he could work his way into the number two role. If Gabriel and Pickett continue to nurse their current ailments, then Sanders will undoubtedly receive more opportunities. Will Sanders show why so many people were shocked over his draft fall? Or will he fall flat in his debut? The Browns and their fanbase certainly hope it's more of the former, and not the latter.
