The Cleveland Browns apparently want to start Shedeur Sanders at quarterback in their first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

On Friday, August 8, the Cleveland Browns will face the Carolina Panthers in their first preseason game.

Rookie Shedeur Sanders is expected to start at quarterback. This is according to ESPN.

Browns @ Panthers and more: Selected NFL preseason games are available on Joyn

Another great opportunity for the fifth-round pick to prove himself. Both of his competitors, Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett, are out with thigh injuries.

At least there is fierce competition in Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns: Six quarterbacks on the team

Joe Flacco is currently being touted as a potential starter for the regular season. Deshaun Watson is still out with a long-term injury.

In addition to the five quarterbacks, the franchise signed Tyler Huntley as its next playmaker in response to the injuries to Pickett and Gabriel.

This means the Browns currently have six quarterbacks. Nowhere else is the competition for the position tougher. Sanders is impressing in training camp in terms of statistics. Nevertheless, his future remains unclear. The preseason should provide further insights.

Shedeur Sanders is the Browns QB1… pic.twitter.com/O9dTgtDRZU

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 3, 2025

So far, Sanders has had the least amount of training sessions with the team’s first string. He was allowed to train with the substitutes instead. The Browns and Panthers are currently training together before they face each other on Friday.

In April, Sanders fell to the fifth round of the NFL Draft after many experts had predicted he would be a first-round pick. The pressure couldn’t be greater.

Sanders even banned his own father and NFL legend Deion from the team’s training camp so he could focus better.