August football in Charlotte usually feels like standing in a sauna with a helmet on. But for the Cleveland Browns, the 2025 preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers wasn't just another exhibition. It was a 30-10 statement. If you just looked at the box score, you saw a blowout. You saw a "W." But if you actually watched—honestly, if you really watched—you saw the birth of a very weird, very fascinating quarterback controversy that nobody expected to happen this early.
Everyone was talking about one name. Shedeur Sanders.
The kid came in as a fifth-round pick with more "hype-to-draft-slot" ratio than maybe any player in NFL history. He didn't just play; he started. Because of a weird string of injuries to Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett, and with Joe Flacco getting the "old man rest" treatment, Shedeur was tossed into the deep end. He sank for a minute. Then he swam.
The Shedeur Sanders Debut: More Than Just Highlights
The first drive was ugly. Three plays, zero yards, and a very long walk back to the bench. People on Twitter were already calling him a bust. It’s preseason, right? Overreactions are basically the law. But then, things got interesting. A muffed punt by Carolina’s Trevor Etienne gave the Browns a short field, and that’s when Shedeur flipped the switch.
He didn't look like a rookie on that first touchdown. He rolled left, kept his eyes downfield, and squeezed a 7-yard pass to Kaden Davis through a window that looked about the size of a toaster. It tied the game at 7-7. From that point on, the Browns scored 30 unanswered points.
Sanders finished 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He also scrambled for 19 yards. Was it perfect? No. He still holds onto the ball way too long—a habit he brought over from Colorado—and he took two sacks that probably should’ve been throwaways. But the poise? That’s real. Even LeBron James was tweeting about it. When the King weighed in, saying people need to give the kid his credit, the "preseason doesn't matter" crowd finally went quiet for a second.
Why the Browns First Preseason Game Actually Matters for the Roster
Preseason games are usually for the guys who will be selling insurance in three weeks. This one felt different. The Browns' defense was basically playing keep-away. After the Panthers scored an early touchdown on a Bryce Young scramble to Jalen Coker, Jim Schwartz’s unit turned into a brick wall.
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Alex Wright and Julian Okwara were living in the backfield. It’s easy to dismiss sacks in the preseason, but the way Wright beat his man off the edge looked like regular-season form. Then you have the young guys. Carson Schwesinger, the rookie linebacker out of UCLA, led the team with six tackles. He was everywhere. If you’re looking for a dark horse to make the 53-man roster and actually contribute on special teams, he's the guy.
The QB Room is Officially a Mess (In a Good Way)
Tyler Huntley came in late and looked... surprisingly sharp? He went 6-for-8 and threw a touchdown to Cade McDonald. Think about the depth chart right now:
- Deshaun Watson: Still the $230 million man, but currently on the PUP list.
- Joe Flacco: The veteran safety net who didn't even suit up.
- Kenny Pickett: The local reclamation project (currently hurt).
- Dillon Gabriel: The third-round rookie (also currently hurt).
- Shedeur Sanders: The fifth-round sensation who just won the first game.
Kevin Stefanski is going to have some long nights in the film room. You can't keep six quarterbacks. Someone is getting cut or traded, and Shedeur just made himself un-cuttable.
The Little Things: Special Teams and "Gage-ing" the Talent
Corey Bojorquez is still a weapon. Seriously. His first punt went 62 yards and pinned the Panthers at their own 7-yard line. In a game of field position, having a punter who can flip the field like that is a luxury most teams don't have.
And don't sleep on Gage Larvadain. The kid is small, but he's lightning. He had a 4-yard rushing touchdown on an end-around that left the Panthers' secondary looking at each other in confusion. He’s the kind of gadget player that keeps defensive coordinators awake at night. He might not be a WR1, but he’s a "get the ball in his hands and pray" kind of player.
What This Means for the Rest of the Summer
Winning 30-10 is great for morale, but the real victory was the lack of major injuries. In the preseason, a win is actually just "nobody tore an ACL." The Browns got out of Charlotte healthy and with a lot of "good" problems to solve.
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The defense looks deep. The offensive line, even with some starters sitting, held up well enough for the run game to find some rhythm. Trayveon Williams and Ahmani Marshall didn't break any 50-yarders, but they were consistent. They moved the chains. They did the "boring" stuff that wins games in December.
Actionable Insights for Browns Fans
If you're trying to figure out what to watch for in the next few weeks, focus on these three things:
- The Backup Edge Rotation: Alex Wright looks like he's ready for a massive leap. Keep an eye on how much run he gets with the starters in the next game against Philly.
- Shedeur's Internal Clock: He’s got the arm. He’s got the "it" factor. Now, can he learn to throw the ball out of bounds? If he stops taking those coverage sacks, he’s going to be a problem for the rest of the league.
- The Wide Receiver Logjam: Beyond Jerry Jeudy and Amari Cooper, the spots are wide open. Kaden Davis and Cade McDonald both caught touchdowns in this one. Every rep counts for them.
The Browns head to Philadelphia next. It won't be as easy as the Panthers game, and the joint practices leading up to it will probably tell us more than the game itself. But for one Friday night in August, the Browns looked like a team with way more talent than they have roster spots for. That’s a hell of a place to be.