Shedeur Sanders arrives for first NFL preseason start with cohort carrying scythe

Shedeur Sanders made quite an entrance at Bank of America Stadium for his NFL preseason debut. Ahead of the game, Sanders walked into the underbelly of the venue with a massive chain around his neck. Meanwhile, his friend blasted music through a speaker behind him while appearing to be holding a scythe.

Evidently, Sanders is ready to be the Panthers’ grim reaper. Sanders is expected to start for the Browns despite being listed as the team’s fourth option at quarterback on the depth chart.

Sanders was shoved into the preseason starting slot after quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel each suffered injuries in training camp. The Browns don’t plan on playing their QB1, Joe Flacco, on Friday evening.

The Browns signed free agent quarterback Tyler Huntley earlier this week. He will serve as Sanders’ backup against the Panthers.

While Sanders looks confident ahead of his preseason debut, others are concerned the former Colorado standout isn’t prepared. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi previously reported Sanders isn’t receiving any first-team reps at practice and has even been forced to throw against equipment staff members. On Tuesday, First Take host Stephen A. Smith claimed the Browns aren’t doing Sanders any favors.

“He’s being set up to fail,” Smith said. “There’s been 11 practices, if I remember correctly. He’s been playing against the third unit. He’s fourth on the depth chart, and then suddenly you throw him into the starting lineup, and he hasn’t had any reps with the first team at all. Think about that.

“So you just gonna throw him to the wolves like that, huh? I mean, if he had first-team snaps in practice, I don’t say that. But he doesn’t. And then all of a sudden, he’s starting tomorrow night. It’s like you want him to fail. I’m not accusing the coaches of doing this. I’m not accusing the GM of doing this. But that owner, Mr. Haslam, that’s a different animal right there.”

Smith’s suspicion toward Haslam is due to the owner’s previous comments about Sanders. When reporters asked Haslam about the Browns’ decision to draft Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, Haslam distanced himself from the move.

“That’s (Browns general manager) Andrew Berry’s call. Andrew made the call to pick Shedeur, just like who’s going to start or what play we’re going to call is Kevin (Stefanski’s) call,” Haslam said. “But that’s Andrew’s call. He made the call…  If you just told me Friday night driving home, y’all are going to pick Shedeur, I would say, ‘That’s not happening.’”

Shedeur Sanders and the Browns will square off against the Panthers at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air live on the NFL Network.