CLEVELAND, Ohio — The NFL has a way of laughing at the best-laid plans of coaches and general managers. Just ask the Cleveland Browns, who now find themselves likely starting rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in Friday’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers due to a rash of injuries at the position.
When the Browns drafted Sanders, there was no expectation he’d be taking first-team snaps this early. But as Orange and Brown Talk podcast host Dan Labbe noted, “This is not a league where you can consistently make plans and stick to them.” The NFL’s unpredictable nature has accelerated Sanders’ development timeline in dramatic fashion.
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