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Shedeur Sanders Set to Start as Deshaun Watson Clears Protocol
Cleveland still lists Watson as questionable for Sunday at New Orleans. Sanders took the first-team reps and is set for his first start this season.
Shedeur Sanders will make his first start of the season Sunday at New Orleans, Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken announced Friday. Deshaun Watson cleared concussion protocol Saturday and remains questionable for the game.
Sanders worked with the first team throughout the week. Watson missed practice Wednesday and Thursday and took part in individual drills Friday, but did not take team reps. Monken said that gap in preparation led Cleveland to go with Sanders.
“I liked his confidence, liked the way that he operated,” Monken said in remarks published by the Browns.
Sanders had appeared twice in relief this season, completing one pass against Carolina in Week 3 and two against Pittsburgh last week. He started seven games as a rookie last season, when Cleveland went 3–4 in those starts.
Sunday’s game gives the 5–3 Browns another test up front after Pittsburgh sacked Watson eight times. The Saints enter with seven sacks from Chase Young and 5½ from Carl Granderson. New Orleans is 2–5 and hosts Cleveland at the Caesars Superdome at 1 p.m. ET.
