Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders to start in Browns preseason opener against the Panthers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie Shedeur Sanders will start Cleveland's preseason opener Friday night against the Carolina Panthers. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Tyler Huntley, who signed with team earlier this week, is also expected to play if he can get up to speed with the playbook. Joe Flacco, Cleveland's projected starting quarterback this season, is healthy but will not play. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel will sit out while rehabbing from injuries, Stefanski said. "My expectation for Shedeur is no different than the rest of the guys," Stefanski said prior to the team's joint practice with the Panthers. "I just expect him to go out and operate. When you get in these preseason games you try to keep it very simple so guys can play very fast. It's all concepts that these guys know and don't have to think too much about." Stefanski was initially coy during his news conference when asked directly if Sanders would start, saying "we're going to work through it. (Huntley) just got here yesterday and I want to see how he is doing with the terminology." However, the Browns communications staff confirmed later to The Associated Press that Sanders will start. Pickett and Gabriel were scheduled to participate in 7-on-7 drills in practice, but not team drills. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Sanders fell to the fifth round of the NFL draft after winning the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award following his final season playing for his father Deion Sanders at Colorado. Sanders remains fourth on the Browns' depth chart, but injuries have increased his reps in practice. He took some reps with the second team in practice Wednesday. Sanders has had some recent shoulder soreness, but Stefanski said that is no longer an issue. Sanders played two seasons at Jackson State before transferring to Colorado, where he played for two more seasons. He played in 50 games in college, completing 1,267 of 1,808 passes for 14,353 yards with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also ran for 17 touchdowns. Panthers coach Dave Canales had previously said Bryce Young will start at quarterback against the Browns, a notable change from last year. The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick did not play in the first two preseason games last year and only saw action in one series in the preseason finale. Carolina's starters are expected to play one or two series against the Browns, per Canales. Canales said his decision was based on having a young team, adding that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to get players some reps and develop some chemistry. Young said he's "super excited" about the chance to play more in the preseason. "Every year we're a new team, so I think it's just a great opportunity for us to, at the first opportunity we can, get out there and try to establish ourselves, get more and more comfortable (and) get reps," Young said. "I think it'll be a great thing for myself, for all of us, just to kind of get our feet wet a little bit in the preseason." Young wouldn't say if not playing much in the preseason contributed to his slow in 2024. He was benched two games into the season after the team started 0-2 and was outscored 73-13 by the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. He didn't return to the starting lineup until Oct. 27 after Andy Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident midseason. Young said he didn't have any input with Canales in the decision to play more in the preseason this year. "I trust the coaches and the decisions they make," Young said. "I'm sure that they look at things from a year-to-year basis, whatever they feel like the team needs. Whatever decision is made, that's the best for the team. There's no pointing fingers, there's no blaming. And again, all that's last year. This was a decision for this year. I'm excited for it, and that's all I'm focused on."