Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken acknowledged areas of improvement in second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders following the team's preseason opener, despite a performance that included uneven play. Sanders, competing for a starting role, has drawn praise from Monken for his development.
"He really has [gotten better] in terms of climbing the pocket and working through his progressions," Monken told reporters after the game. He also noted Sanders' ability to overcome challenges during the game, stating, "Maybe the most positive thing we did was we overcame some penalties — we overcame a first-and-25, we overcame a couple other penalties, and we hit that big third-and-13 that Shedeur did."
Sanders' outing against the Bears saw him complete 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards, with one interception. He also added two carries for three yards. In his rookie season, Sanders made seven starts and one additional appearance, accumulating 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while completing 56.6 percent of his passes. He also recorded 169 rushing yards on 21 carries with one touchdown.
The Browns' preseason opener also marked the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson, who played for the first time in 22 months after rupturing his Achilles on October 20, 2024. Watson completed 11-of-15 passes for 126 yards but lost a fumble during the game. Dillon Gabriel, a third-round draft pick in 2025, went 5-for-8 for 23 yards and threw one interception.
The Browns lost the preseason opener to the Bears with a score of 34-10. The team is scheduled to host the Bills on August 22 for their next preseason game. Their regular season is set to begin on September 13 in Jacksonville.