Kevin Stefanski entered this offseason with one clear goal — avoid a repeat of last year’s disaster, when the Browns had the league’s worst scoring offense, averaging just 15.2 points per game. The quarterback room became a madhouse, with four players locked in a cutthroat race for the starting job. Headlines followed every snap, every throw, every misstep. Yet the chaos ended in a way that felt almost eerie. “It’s Shedeur, by default,” Mike Florio said, a remark that pushed the rookie in front of the Panthers in preseason. No doubt that Shedeur Sanders had the talent and the work ethic. But the reason he emerged as QB1 for the preseason was not only about skill. It was about circumstance, timing, and the gridiron’s unpredictable nature.

The answer to Shedeur Sanders’ sudden rise was a rough string of injuries that seemed to clear his competition with one swipe. Everyone assumed that the Week 1 starter would be Joe Flacco. Flacco was sidelined for precautionary reasons, and both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel were nursing hamstring issues. Sanders stood as the only fully healthy option under center. The Browns closed the week with a joint practice against the Panthers on Wednesday, gearing up for their preseason opener on Aug. 8.

Before that practice, head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear that several starters would sit in the first preseason game. The joint session was used to get critical reps for veterans and starters, while preseason snaps would go to younger players. “We’ll rest some starters. Some players will play, obviously holding out some guys due to injury,” Stefanski explained. Gabriel and Pickett were among those ruled out for Friday, though both took part in 7-on-7 drills during the joint work. Stefanski confirmed that only Sanders and Tyler Huntley would take the field at quarterback.

Despite the injury setbacks, Stefanski is not ruling out Pickett and Gabriel for the long term. In a post on X, Browns beat reporter Daniel Oyefusi noted, “Pickett returned to individual drills and some 7-on-7 work this week. Kevin Stefanski said the hope was that he and Dillon Gabriel returned from their hamstring injuries for joint practices with the Eagles next week. But Pickett has said he’ll have to monitor his running for weeks, which wasn’t a good sign.”

As for Gabriel, the approach is purely precautionary. Stefanski’s answer about why his NFL debut is on hold was straightforward. “Just being very careful with him. Don’t want to expose him to any unnecessary strain, if you will.” That decision opened the door for Sanders to take full control of the spotlight, and he has wasted no time making the most of it.

Shedeur Sanders wipes the floor with the Panthers

The 23-year-old found himself at the heart of headline-waving preseason games in league history. His rapid rise was fueled by speculation, with some analysts framing Kevin Stefanski’s choice to start him as a setup for failure. ESPN’s Louis Riddick was one of the loudest national voices suggesting the team might be hanging Sanders out to dry before his debut. But as the game kicked off, that narrative was put to the ground. Riddick posted only twice during the game — after Sanders’ TDs — writing simply, “Wow play #1” and “Wow play #2.”

Sanders’ first big moment came against the Panthers with his debut NFL touchdown pass. It was a sharp seven-yard strike to Kaden Davis, slipping the ball between two defenders. The score came on his fourth drive, just two plays after a muffed Carolina punt put Cleveland in a prime scoring position. The timing and execution showed why he had been so hyped up during his NCAA career.

By halftime, Cleveland held a 14-7 lead. On his second touchdown drive, Sanders faced a tense 2nd and 12 at the 43-yard line. Under pressure, he extended the play and found rookie wide receiver Luke Floriea for a highlight grab. The catch itself was stunning — a one-handed haul that set up Sanders’ second touchdown to Davis. Yet moments later, Mary Kay Cabot delivered the blow on X: “#Browns Floriea out for game with hamstring injury.”

Despite the unshakeable injury bug, the Browns wrapped up their first 2025 preseason game with a beaming scoreboard that reads 10-30 against the Panthers, with everyone rallying around Sanders.