The Browns intend to start QB Shedeur Sanders in their first preseason game—but that’s not that big a deal. When you actually look at the circumstances, it’s probably the most logical decision to make. Not because he is destined to be their future franchise quarterback, but because he is the healthiest non-veteran quarterback.
Both Kenny Pickett and third-rounder Dillon Gabriel are nursing injuries, and Joe Flacco has a contusion to the birth certificate. That leaves the Browns with just Shedeur Sanders and the recently-signed Tyler Huntley. And the fact that they just signed Huntley shows how strongly they feel about the health of Pickett and Gabriel. Although Pickett has returned, he missed three practices and has worked in a limited capacity.
The Steelers drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round, then traded up for Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Considered a potential first-round prospect in the pre-draft process, his slide generated one of the biggest storylines in recent NFL Draft history. Whether it ought to have or not is another matter, but nevertheless, it did.
Shedeur Sanders himself is returning from injury, dealing with a shoulder issue. He has seen the least amount of reps of all the Browns’ quarterbacks, but availability is the determining factor. Cleveland listed Flacco as its starter on its first official depth chart. Evidently, it doesn’t want to expose the 40-year-old to unnecessary hits at this juncture.
It’s possible that one day Sanders will be the Browns’ starting quarterback, certainly. On the whole, the reviews of his training camp so far have been positive. Even going back to the spring, Zac Jackson of The Athletic, for example, wrote positively of his performance.
His starting the first preseason game, however, is not the green flag some might think it is without knowledge of the team’s current situation. Presumably, the Browns only intend to play Sanders, and perhaps one of the injured quarterbacks on a limited basis, if deemed available. If not, Tyler Huntley would play, and potentially play a lot.
The real question is how much the Browns want Shedeur Sanders to play in this game. Especially with the recent concerns about his shoulder, would they want him starting an entire game? I would think perhaps, not, but maybe they feel good about his shoulder after all.
Of course, there’s always Deshaun Watson lurking in the shadows, the unwanted multimillionaire. At this point, he isn’t healthy enough to practice, but he could be soon. The Browns will have a decision to make then—and they may just release him rather than lose Pickett or one of the rookies, Sanders or Gabriel.
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