Establish a foundation for QB Shedeur Sanders
The Browns are starting one of their two rookies in the first preseason game, with QB Shedeur Sanders earning the first start as QB Dillon Gabriel recovers from a hamstring injury. Stefanski said that Sanders knew he would see game action during the preseason and will have the opportunity to showcase what he has learned in training camp out on the field.
"When you get these preseason games, you try to keep it very simple so guys can play fast," Stefanski said. "All concepts that our players know can kind of not think too much and just play ball."
With the Browns in the midst of a quarterback competition, the game reps for Sanders will be important for evaluation of how he handles facing an NFL defense and manages the offense.
Pressure QB Bryce Young and the Panthers' quarterbacks
QB Bryce Young is entering his third NFL season and has established himself at the helm of the Panthers' offense. Young threw for 2,404 yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2024 season and took only 29 sacks. While Young won't play the entire game on Friday, how the Browns' defense applies pressure early in the game will give them necessary reps against another young NFL quarterback.
"The playmaking and game changing ability hasn't changed," DE Myles Garrett said. "I think it's just him finding his own confidence, being comfortable in the role and then allowing him to lead and standing behind him. I think that was big for him. He's only going to continue to settle in and become a bigger and bigger playmaker."
With some of the Browns' starters also not playing, who exactly takes the field for the defensive line and front seven is still to be seen. However, any combination of their young players or new additions to the roster – such as DT Mason Graham, LB Carson Schwesinger, DE Isaiah McGuire, DE Sam Kamara or DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – will get crucial game reps to their players and help build out roles over the course of the preseason. The game experience in seeing another offense and utilizing their attack-style defense to rush the passer and create takeaways will prove beneficial for their younger players.