Shedeur Sanders will start the Cleveland Browns’ second preseason game, but he may not have most of the team’s full starting offense around him against the Buffalo Bills.
The Browns and Bills will hold a joint practice Thursday before their preseason matchup on Saturday. Browns head coach Todd Monken plans to use the controlled setting to give his starters extensive work against Buffalo’s first-team units.
If both coaching staffs see enough during the practice, many established starters could sit out the game.
“We both talked about that if we see enough out of our ones, our older players, what we want to see on Thursday, they would not play in the game,” Monken said. “We agreed upon that. The plan is that we’ll play our ones a significant amount against each other on Thursday in a controlled environment. Not that the other guys aren’t going to get reps, but in a controlled environment and see where we’re at.”
That could leave Sanders working with a mixture of starters and reserves in his biggest opportunity of the quarterback competition. It may also complicate any direct comparison with Deshaun Watson, who started the preseason opener with Cleveland’s first-team offense.
However, the joint practice should give Sanders valuable snaps against one of the AFC’s top teams. Watson will also take first-team snaps during the session.
“I would assume if it’s anything like we’ve practiced before, that it’ll be on point with what we want and what we see,” Monken said. “And then we get to see where we stack up against one of the premier teams over the last 10 years making the playoffs. I’m excited for that because in that practice we get to see our ones against ones. And so that’s going to be fun. I’ve got a lot of respect for Joe and the staff there and what Sean McDermott initially started and where Joe’s trying to take it.”
Shedeur Sanders Laments Costly Interception
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Cleveland Browns looks to pass the ball during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on August 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Sanders entered in the third quarter of Cleveland’s 34-10 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears. He completed 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
Sanders flashed his playmaking ability, completing a 24-yard pass to Gage Larvadain and converting a third-and-13 with a 35-yard strike to Luke Floriea. However, his outing ended on a sour note when he overthrew his intended target and was intercepted by Beanie Bishop Jr. Sanders said he made the correct read but failed to execute after the ball slipped out of his hand.
“So that’s what makes me be mad a little bit because of it,” Sanders said. “But any decision I make, I know it’s the right decision. I just didn’t execute the decision, but the right decision was made. So every day I look and I see about decision-making, and that’s how I grade myself off of.
“Obviously turning the ball over and all that stuff is not great and you won’t survive a long time in the league doing that. But as long as my eyes and my feet and everything were in the right place, being able to execute it, it just may happen. So I look at the positive of things. I’m alive, I’m breathing. I’m able to come up here and talk to y’all. So I can’t be that down.”
Sanders will need to avoid costly mistakes against Buffalo. It is likely his final extended opportunity to change the direction of a competition that appears to be leaning toward Watson.
Browns QB1 Decision Looming After Bills Game
The Browns will likely settle on their starting quarterback after the Buffalo game. That would allow the winner to lead the first-team offense against the New England Patriots on August 27 in Cleveland’s final preseason game, which could serve as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.
Watson appears to have the momentum, although he did not deliver an overwhelming performance against Chicago. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, finishing with a 98.2 passer rating. Watson helped Cleveland build a 10-0 lead but also lost a fumble on a second-quarter strip-sack.
Monken praised Watson’s performance but maintained that the competition remains close enough for Sanders to receive the same opportunity with a preseason start.
“I did feel going into the game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position,” Monken said. “So it would be unfair to not go into the next game and allow Shedeur that opportunity, albeit a different team, certainly at home. There’s no guarantee that the same players will be playing this game, but it’s the closest you have. And we owe it to both players who have really handled it well and have competed at a high level.”
The Browns open the regular season on September 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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