Anyone hoping to have their appetite for football whetted by the first week of NFL preseason games likely emerged from the action still experiencing some hunger pangs.
Swaths of starters sat throughout the league in Week 1 of the exhibition slate, and many of the key figures who did take the field only stayed in for a drive or two before giving way to backups and long-shot roster hopefuls. But viewers who properly scaled back any expectations still could scavenge some meaningful morsels from young players.
The week was not without its notable story lines, with top picks Cam Ward and Travis Hunter both making their unofficial professional debuts. Yet just as was the case in April, Shedeur Sanders seemingly eclipsed all of his peers when it came to commanding attention, and the passer delivered more than enough fodder for several days of discussion.
Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 1 of the preseason:
The Cleveland Browns quarterback's performance should be accompanied by the proper caveats. Operating alongside other backups against the second-stringers for the NFL's worst scoring defense in 2024, Sanders still isn't a threat to burst from the back of the Browns' quarterback competition to the front as a potential Week 1 starter. But capitalizing on his most extensive action of the summer should be categorized as an unquestioned victory for the fifth-round signal-caller from Colorado, who flashed plenty of reminders of his accuracy, touch and overall command by leading three touchdown drives and completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers. Sanders gave himself a C+ for his outing afterward, acknowledging a continued need for improvement in the face of pressure by speeding up his process. But even though a starting spot any time early in the fall is likely out of reach, he has renewed relevance in the quarterback room and gave Cleveland strong incentive to keep giving him looks in both the rest of the summer and down the stretch of his rookie season.
