CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) \u2014 Rookie Shedeur Sanders will start Cleveland\u2019s preseason opener Friday night against the Carolina Panthers.<\/p>\n
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Tyler Huntley, who signed with team earlier this week<\/a>, is also expected to play if he can get up to speed with the playbook. Joe Flacco, Cleveland\u2019s projected starting quarterback this season, is healthy but will not play. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel will sit out while rehabbing from injuries, Stefanski said.<\/p>\n \u201cMy expectation for Shedeur is no different than the rest of the guys,\u201d Stefanski said prior to the team\u2019s joint practice with the Panthers. \u201cI just expect him to go out and operate. When you get in these preseason games you try to keep it very simple so guys can play very fast. It\u2019s all concepts that these guys know and don\u2019t have to think too much about.\u201d<\/p>\n Stefanski was initially coy during his news conference when asked directly if Sanders would start, saying \u201cwe\u2019re going to work through it. (Huntley) just got here yesterday and I want to see how he is doing with the terminology.\u201d<\/p>\n However, the Browns communications staff confirmed later to The Associated Press that Sanders will start.<\/p>\n Pickett and Gabriel were scheduled to participate in 7-on-7 drills in practice, but not team drills.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Sanders fell to the fifth round of the NFL draft after winning the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award following his final season playing for his father Deion Sanders<\/a> at Colorado. Sanders remains fourth on the Browns\u2019 depth chart, but injuries have increased his reps in practice. He took some reps with the second team in practice Wednesday.<\/p>\n Sanders has had some recent shoulder soreness, but Stefanski said that is no longer an issue.<\/p>\n Sanders played two seasons at Jackson State before transferring to Colorado, where he played for two more seasons. He played in 50 games in college, completing 1,267 of 1,808 passes for 14,353 yards with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also ran for 17 touchdowns.<\/p>\n Panthers coach Dave Canales had previously said Bryce Young will start at quarterback against the Browns, a notable change from last year. The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick did not play in the first two preseason games last year and only saw action in one series in the preseason finale.<\/p>\n Carolina\u2019s starters are expected to play one or two series against the Browns, per Canales.<\/p>\n Canales said his decision was based on having a young team, adding that he couldn\u2019t pass up the opportunity to get players some reps and develop some chemistry.<\/p>\n Young said he\u2019s \u201csuper excited\u201d about the chance to play more in the preseason.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery year we\u2019re a new team, so I think it\u2019s just a great opportunity for us to, at the first opportunity we can, get out there and try to establish ourselves, get more and more comfortable (and) get reps,\u201d Young said. \u201cI think it\u2019ll be a great thing for myself, for all of us, just to kind of get our feet wet a little bit in the preseason.\u201d<\/p>\n Young wouldn\u2019t say if not playing much in the preseason contributed to his slow in 2024.<\/p>\n