Aug 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Jack Heflin (93) grabs the jersey of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Former NFL QB Questions Browns' Handling of Shedeur Sanders vs Rams

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 10:57 AM ET

After much anticipation, Shedeur Sanders finally made another preseason appearance for the Cleveland Browns. He got the start against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, with fellow quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel sidelined with hamstring injuries and Joe Flacco resting.

He performed well in that opportunity, completing 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He took just two sacks for six yards while rushing four times for 19 yards, playing an efficient game, culminating in a 106.8 passer rating. That high-level performance from the fifth-round pick inspired takes that he should be the clear quarterback of the future for the Browns and should be the primary development piece for the franchise moving forward.

His second stint in the preseason didn't go as well. Playing with the third team behind Flacco and Gabriel against the Los Angeles Rams, Sanders went just 3-of-6 passing for a measly 14 yards. The worst part was that he took five sacks for a total of 41 yards lost. A fifth-round quarterback struggling in his second preseason game isn't exactly breaking news, but things have been different for Shedeur Sanders and the Browns, and likely always will be.

Derek Carr questions Head Coach Kevin Stefanski's handling of Shedeur Sanders vs. Rams

There's no doubt that Shedeur Sanders played poorly in his five drives for the Cleveland Browns. However, there was an opportunity for him to redeem himself with the game on the line after the Los Angeles Rams took the lead, 17-16, with just over four minutes left in the contest.

Instead of letting Sanders go out and try to win it for Cleveland, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski sent Tyler Huntley out for the final series. The Browns ended up marching down to the Rams' 22-yard line and nailing a game-winning field goal.

There was plenty of pushback on Stefanski's decision to yank Sanders right before the most important drive of the matchup. Among the detractors was former NFL quarterback Derek Carr, who posted on X:

"I need to understand why we don't get to see [Shedeur Sanders] run this 2 minute drill? Wouldn't you want to see your young QB operate in this situation? Get him more reps for the future? I didn't see the whole game so maybe he already showed enough? Help me understand this..."

There's certainly some merit to Carr's questioning of Stefanski's choice. With Cleveland already expected to roster four quarterbacks in Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders, it's not like Huntley is a large part of the team's future plans. Getting those reps in would have been invaluable to evaluate and develop Sanders.

Plus, it's not like Huntley did anything spectacular. He finished with exactly 1-of-1 passing for seven yards and two rushes for another eight. Maybe Sanders would have given the game away, but who cares about the end result of a Week 3 preseason game?

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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