Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Myles Garrett Shares Honest Opinion of Shedeur Sanders As Rookie Named Starter for Browns First Preseason Game

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski has named rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders as the starting quarterback for their first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

The Browns currently have 5 signal callers under contract, but with Deshaun Watson most likely out for the season, the role for the starter is up for grabs between the others.

Currently, though, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel are all either hurt or rested, which means Sanders has a great opportunity to maximize his snap count and show the team what he is capable of.

QB Shedeur Sanders will start in Browns preseason opener. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/Z611TnShRk
— NFL (@NFL) August 5, 2025

Garrett Shows His Support For Sanders

Following the Browns’ practice session with the Panthers, Cleveland’s star pass rusher, Myles Garrett, was asked about his thoughts on Sanders, especially since the two were spotted in conversation during practice.

The All-Pro defensive end had positive things to say about his teammate, as he complimented Sanders’ unique work ethic while also adding how eager he was to see how the rookie leads the offense in the preseason.

“I mean, he’s funny, he’s optimistic, light-hearted, but he works hard, you know he takes it seriously, his craft, and he’s watching what the others are doing, and you know doing it his own way, and which only he can. So, you know looking forward to see him these preseason games and know how he manages the offense. But I think he looks good.”

NEWS: #Browns star Myles Garrett says that rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has a special work ethic and could be the next great.

“He's light-hearted. He works hard. He takes it seriously his craft. Looking forward to seeing him in these preseason games”pic.twitter.com/FigcH18FNh
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 6, 2025

This offseason has been a roller coaster ride for the former Colorado Buffaloes signal caller. Widely expected to be selected in the top 5 at this year’s draft, Sanders’ fall to the fifth round was a major storyline in late April and early May.

However, ever since he arrived in Cleveland, several reports indicate that he has been progressing well during the OTAs, mandatory mini-camps, and now even in the training camp.

Interestingly, though, despite being named as the starter for tomorrow night’s game, the Browns did not give him any first-team reps during their joint practice with the Panthers. Throughout the off-season, Sanders has been the 4th quarterback on the Browns’ depth chart, but a good showing on Friday could perhaps catapult him up a couple of notches.

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns

Myles Garrett

NFL

Shedeur Sanders

Devavrat Kulkarni

nfl

I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!