"Just make him the starter already": NFL fans buzz as Shedeur Sanders in line to start second preseason game

Shedeur Sanders was named by Kevin Stefanski as the Browns' QB1 against the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. The coach also told the media that Kenny Pickett and Gabriel Dillon remain sidelined with hamstring injuries.

Sanders, No. 4 on the Browns’ quarterback depth chart, started in their preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers last Friday. Stefanski’s decision to start him for the second time in as many games sparked a lot of fan reactions.

“Just make him the starter already,” one fan wrote.

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“Yeah, it looks like the owner, GM, his work ethic, & popularity is overruling the HC!! LFG🔥🔥🔥,” another fan wrote.

“Might as well give him all the preseason time,” a fan said.

“The fact that Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett would be ahead of him on the depth chart is laughable,” another fan said.

“No reps in joint practice but let’s throw him out there to start again lmao The @Browns are THE WORST FRANCHISE in SPORTS HISTORY…” a fan tweeted.

“NFL coach ego is insane. Admit you made a mistake already and just cut Dillon Gabriel and Pickett,” one fan wrote.

Sanders played well versus the Panthers. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two scores. He added 19 more yards on four carries, conceding two sacks.

That performance earned him prais from fans and analysts. However, it also raised hopes that it might translate to a more consistent role for him. With his major competitors for the starting role still injured, hell get another opportunity to stregthen his case.

Shedeur Sanders gets heartfelt message from his father Coach Prime

Getting picked by Cleveland in the NFL draft meant Shedeur Sanders will not be coached by his father for the first time in his career. Shedeur played for Deion Sanders as his offensive coordinator in high school. In his collegiate career, Shedeur joined him at Jackson State and moved together to Colorado.

In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Deion sent a message to Shedeur.

“We might be separate, but we’re still together,” Deion wrote on Tuesday.

The upcoming college football season would be Coach Prime's third year with the Buffaloes. He earned a contract extension this offseason.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez