If you live under a rock and have not heard, Shedeur Sanders got the start in Cleveland’s first preseason game.
In the start, Sanders finished 14 of 23 with 138 passing yards, two passing TDs, and 19 rushing yards. He looked impressive in his NFL debut.
During an in-game interview with Aditi Kinkhabwala, Sanders said, “Whenever it’s my turn, I feel like I’ve got to take advantage of it. I did some good, some bad. I know moving forward I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Sanders showed tremendous poise and repeatedly said he could have done better and needs to improve during the interview. Here is the full interview between Sanders and Kinkhabwala.
Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders had the #NFL world buzzing, but fresh off the field, he vowed to be better. “Whenever it’s my turn I feel like I’ve got to take advantage of it. I did some good some bad. I know moving forward I won’t make the same mistakes twice.” #Browns pic.twitter.com/6XFKfm1M5a
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 9, 2025
Despite the strong showing in his NFL debut, Sanders is still listed as the fourth QB on the Browns’ second unofficial depth chart.
Cleveland Browns’ Second Unofficial Depth Chart Lists Shedeur Sanders As Fourth QB
Shedeur Sanders had a solid performance in his NFL debut, but it was not enough to move up the depth chart yet.
Here is the Browns’ second unofficial depth chart QB list:
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Dillon Gabriel
- Shedeur Sanders
Despite Pickett and Gabriel not suiting up due to injuries in the first preseason game, they are still listed above Shedeur Sanders on the depth chart.
While the depth chart remains unofficial until week 1 and things can change, it will still be an uphill battle for Sanders to climb the pecking order.
Kenny Pickett has no upside. Dillon Gabriel is hurt and did not play in Week 1 of the preseason. There is no reason, even in an unofficial depth chart, for Sanders to be listed below Pickett and Gabriel.
Will Sanders Start In A Game In 2025?
Joe Flacco is going to start in Week 1. All signs point to the veteran QB being under center for Week 1. The question is, how long will the Browns start him before moving on? Flacco is 40 years old, and while he may still be able to throw the ball well and command Kevin Stefanski’s offense, he can’t move the way a younger QB like Sanders can.
Cleveland has a very daunting schedule early. It is a wise move to start the veteran early and let Sanders learn from the sidelines for the first half of the season. Here is Cleveland’s first eight games before their week 9 bye:
- Week 1: vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 2: @ Baltimore Ravens
- Week 3: vs Green Bay Packers
- Week 4: @ Detroit Lions
- Week 5: vs Minnesota Vikings
- Week 6: @ Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 7: vs Miami Dolphins
- Week 8: @ New England Patriots
Based on this schedule, it is very possible that the Browns do not win a game in their first eight games. They will be underdogs in each contest. Frankly, it would be a surprise for Cleveland to win more than two games in the first eight weeks of the season.
After their Week 9 bye, they have a road game against the New York Jets. This is the perfect opportunity to bench Flacco after what will likely be a very poor start for the Browns QB against one of the top defenses in the NFL.
Come Week 10, the Cleveland Browns will likely bench Flacco and start either Pickett, Gabriel, or Sanders.
Pickett should not be a candidate to start, as he has very minimal upside. This leaves it between two rookies, Sanders and Gabriel, to battle it out for the starting job.
Sanders impressed in his preseason debut, while Gabriel did not play. If Gabriel is unable to suit up and play again in week 2 of the preseason, this will give Sanders the edge needed to leapfrog him on the official depth chart.
Shedeur Sanders also makes the most sense to get some starts for financial purposes. The Browns will likely be irrelevant by Week 10, so there will be nothing to lose for the front office to give him a well-deserved opportunity. Not only will it get more eyeballs on the team and improve merchandise sales, but it will give Cleveland and other teams around the NFL a chance to see if Sanders can be a starting QB in the league.
