The Cleveland Browns and Shedeur Sanders’ traveling road show is off and running. The most talked-about team that isn’t expected to be a contender is off to a fast start thanks to its 30-10 win against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.
Sanders started the game due to hamstring injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, and dazzled. The Browns rookie completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He had a clean sheet with no interceptions and rushed for 19 yards on four carries.
Now that he has a solid performance, the scrutiny will be ratcheted up, and the hype will go even further than it already has.
A Look at Shedeur Sanders’ Next Preseason Game
Now that Sanders has gotten his feet wet with his first live professional snaps, he will inevitably face higher expectations. He faced the Panthers’ first-string defense on his first two drives and scored no points. Only after the second team defense took the field did Sanders start to cook.
This angle of Shedeur Sanders’ first TD 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/qAggKGkHdU
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 10, 2025
The Browns will face significantly stiffer competition the next two weeks. Here’s a look at their next two games in the preseason:
Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland travels to Philadelphia to take on an Eagles team likely to sit most of its stars. Jaylen Hurts and Saquon Barkley won’t see much time on the field, but the Eagles could send their first-team defense for the first series or two.
They’d present a far stiffer test for Sanders, Gabriel, or Pickett than the Panthers, as the Eagles run two deep at most of their starting defensive positions and have one of the best overall rosters in the NFL.
It’s too early to say who will start at quarterback for the Browns, but if Pickett’s hamstring heals up, the Browns will likely give him significant snaps to determine whether or not trading for him was worth it. Pickett’s got a lot riding on any appearances he makes after Sanders’ impressive performance against the Panthers’ backups.
Los Angeles Rams
The Browns wrap up the preseason on August 23 when they host the Los Angeles Rams in Cleveland. The Rams were a surprising contender in 2024 and enter the 2025 as one of the favorites in the NFC.
However, quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the Rams big-name starters are likely to see little playing time until the regular season starts.
Stafford’s been suffering from back problems and recently received an epidural. This has raised concerns about whether or not he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.
For the Browns, veteran Joe Flacco is the presumed starting quarterback and likely won’t see the field. This will be the last chance for Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders to seize the backup job.
