The NFL world is waiting to see what Shedeur Sanders can do, as the young quarterback will be the starter for the Cleveland Browns on Friday night's Week 1 preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
With Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel nursing hamstring injuries, and Joe Flacco being the presumed starter, the Browns will allow Sanders to take the field and play for the majority of the game.
Naturally, more than just fans and pundits are waiting for Shedeur to take the field, as his father Deion Sanders has also been waiting for this moment.
Deion spoke out to reporters about Shedeur starting for the Browns.
"He's approaching it like a [regular-season] game. ... He's thankful and appreciative of the opportunity," Deion stated.
It makes complete sense that Shedeur will treat the preseason game as a regular season game. This could potentially be the only time he starts this season.
As stated, Flacco is the clear starter for the Browns, which is why he is not being played during the first preseason game. He might suit up for Week 3, which is generally considered the "dress rehearsal" for all 32 teams.
Shedeur also appeared fourth on the depth chart when the first unofficial depth chart was released by the Browns. Sitting behind Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel means the young signal caller needs to heavily impress coaches to even land the backup spot.
Shedeur has a huge opportunity in Friday's game. Should he sling the ball all over the field and showcase elite skill, he might just leapfrog his way to the backup position.
If he impresses everyone on a huge level, he could even start for the Browns at some point this season. This is assuming Flacco does not play well, which has been his M.O. through the last few seasons.
Shedeur recently made headlines when it was revealed that he blocked Deion from watching him practice, as he stated he had more work to do to "get where he is going." Now, he can happily allow his father to see him play in his first professional start.
Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi also predicted that Shedeur would get 50 plays, meaning he could play well into the second half of the game.
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