There’s not a extra intriguing fifth-round draft decide taking part in within the NFL this preseason than Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He made his first look for the Browns on Friday night time of their preseason opener in opposition to the Carolina Panthers and delivered a fairly promising efficiency that will have given him a pleasant step ahead within the crew’s quarterback competitors.
Sanders performed a lot of the Browns’ 30-10 win over the Panthers, finishing 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and working for 19 yards on 4 carries.
He had the chance to play most of Friday’s recreation, given the accidents to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.
It was not an ideal efficiency by any means, and a number of the pre-draft issues that existed with Sanders have been completely on show on Friday, together with his tendency to carry on to the ball a bit too lengthy. Whereas he solely took two sacks, there have been a handful of performs the place he ran round within the backfield ready for one thing to develop. It didn’t harm him on this recreation in opposition to a Carolina protection that was one of many NFL’s worst a yr in the past and didn’t play its starters for greater than a sequence. That type of play could not work effectively in opposition to higher defenses, and positively not starting-caliber gamers.
However these are a number of the rising pains and studying experiences which are going to come back for a rookie quarterback. And there have been way more positives than negatives in his play on Friday night time.
The Browns did not ask him to do a ton, and gave him plenty of secure throws, however he demonstrated robust accuracy (one in all his greatest strengths in school) and led a number of scoring drives earlier than leaving the sport.
He did what was requested, and he did it pretty effectively.
Sanders’ play and improvement are going to be one of many greatest storylines to comply with within the NFL each this preseason and into the common season.
He entered the 2025 NFL Draft course of as one of many supposed prime quarterback prospects within the class and appeared like a lock to go someplace within the first spherical. He not solely didn’t go within the first spherical, however he additionally fell to the fifth spherical and was not even the primary quarterback chosen by the Browns (they took Gabriel forward of him).
Most often, a fifth-round rookie can be an afterthought as a part of a crew’s quarterback competitors. However this isn’t a traditional circumstance. The Browns have a roster stuffed with unhealthy quarterback choices, together with veterans Joe Flacco and Pickett, in addition to the 2 rookies. That doesn’t even get into the mess that’s Deshaun Watson if he’s ever wholesome sufficient to play this season. It’s as wide-open a quarterback competitors as you may ever have within the NFL. The accidents to Pickett and Gabriel opened one other door for Sanders to probably stroll by means of.
On Friday, he did his half to start out taking some steps towards it.
There’s nonetheless a protracted technique to go, nevertheless it was no less than encouraging for him. In addition to the Browns.
