Shedeur Sanders enjoyed a quality preseason debut in the Cleveland Browns’ 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Despite Sanders’ strong performance, Kevin Stefanski didn’t immediately make it clear whether that would help the 23-year-old rookie move up Cleveland’s crowded quarterback depth chart.
‘We’re really just focused on developing our players,’ Stefanski told reporters when asked about the Browns’ quarterback competition in a postgame news conference. ‘We’re in evaluation mode. I’m pleased with where the guys are, but I’m not diving into the quarterback competition.’
Sanders, listed as the team’s fourth-string quarterback, started and played a majority of Cleveland’s preseason debut. He was granted the opportunity as the team’s 40-year-old listed starter, Joe Flacco, was held out of the game while second- and third-string quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel missed the game due to hamstring injuries.
Sanders played 10 of Cleveland’s 13 drives, completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns across his extensive action. The Colorado product was sacked just twice, did not throw an interception and posted an impressive 106.8 passer rating.
Stefanski called the reps Sanders received ‘invaluable.’ He also implied the young quarterback would have a big role in Cleveland’s offensive game plan in the team’s preseason Week 2 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
‘He’ll get a ton of reps next week as well,’ Stefanski said. ‘That’s all a part of our development of our young players.’
Still, it remains unclear whether that development will include a move up Cleveland’s depth chart.