Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will start for the Cleveland Browns in their preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. With the team’s first three quarterbacks, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel, unavailable, Sanders will get the most playing time, around 50 snaps, according to coach Kevin Stefanski.This game could be a defining moment for Sanders, who was drafted in the fifth round despite high expectations following a record-breaking college career at Colorado. Though his potential was evident, Sanders has been relegated to fourth on Cleveland’s depth chart, leaving him with limited chances to prove himself.With this rare opportunity, sports television personality Nick Wright believes this could open the door for Sanders to find a better situation elsewhere, especially an NFC contender.“A best case scenario for Shedeur … if I'm Shedeur, I am hoping beyond hope, I get three quarters that I look decent, and the Los Angeles Rams call the Browns, so I can be their third string quarterback,” Wright said on his show on Thursday.“Because the Rams story right now is Matt Stafford's got a bad back, and that is really concerning. And their backup quarterback, while a fine backup quarterback, has his own injury concerns, which is Jimmy Garoppolo.”As Wright put it, Shedeur Sanders would face no immediate pressure to start at LA currently but could quietly develop into a long-term option. He also added that for the Browns, a trade could turn a fifth-round pick into a fourth-round return.What to expect of Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland’s preseason gameShedeur Sanders’ preparation for the game has mostly come from limited reps in training camp. He’s spent time rotating in with different offensive and defensive units, taking snaps from multiple centers and throwing to a mix of receivers during team drills. He’s also stayed after practices to get in extra work and improve his timing.While he will play a lot on Friday night, Sanders won’t be working with the Browns’ starting receivers Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman. The QB will be throwing to backups and likely working behind a second-string offensive line.That means Shedeur Sanders will need to show he can handle the pressure, avoid turnovers and limit any mistakes. If he can protect the ball and show the same accuracy and touch that once had him projected as a top-50 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, this game could lead to a bigger part in Cleveland’s unsettled quarterback room or catch the attention of another team.