Shedeur Sanders is getting the call in the Cleveland Browns' preseason opener on Friday night, and despite what some may think, this isn't some elaborate setup to make the rookie flop under the lights, opined Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
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And Florio is correct. Last thing Cleveland wants is for Sanders to fail.
The Browns drafted him. They have no reason to tank his debut. They simply need him.
With Joe Flacco wrapped in metaphorical bubble wrap, and Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined by hamstring injuries, Sanders is the next man up for the preseason opener. He very well could be at the bottom of the depth chart. And if not the bottom, third in line.
Either way, while it's not exactly how you draw it up for a first taste of NFL game action, it's still a chance. And a big one.
Live reps are gold for a rookie quarterback, and Sanders will get plenty against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. If he plays well, people will notice. Fans will notice. The buzz will grow. Maybe he climbs the depth chart. Maybe he makes things interesting in Cleveland's quarterback room. Is it likely he jumps over Gabriel, Pickett, and Flacco before Week 1? Probably not. But stranger things have happened in the NFL.
For a player whose draft stock tumbled this spring, starting a preseason game is more than just an audition. It's a reset button. Tonight, we'll see if Sanders presses it.
