CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie Shedeur Sanders will start Cleveland’s preseason opener Friday night against the Carolina Panthers.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Tyler Huntley, who signed with team earlier this week, is also expected to play if he can get up to speed with the playbook. Joe Flacco, Cleveland’s projected starting quarterback this season, is healthy but will not play. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel will sit out while rehabbing from injuries, Stefanski said.

“My expectation for Shedeur is no different than the rest of the guys,” Stefanski said prior to the team’s joint practice with the Panthers. “I just expect him to go out and operate. When you get in these preseason games you try to keep it very simple so guys can play very fast. It’s all concepts that these guys know and don’t have to think too much about.”

Stefanski was initially coy during his news conference when asked directly if Sanders would start, saying “we’re going to work through it. (Huntley) just got here yesterday and I want to see how he is doing with the terminology.”

However, the Browns communications staff confirmed later to The Associated Press that Sanders will start.

Pickett and Gabriel were scheduled to participate in 7-on-7 drills in practice, but not team drills.

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Sanders fell to the fifth round of the NFL draft after winning the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award following his final season playing for his father Deion Sanders at Colorado. Sanders remains fourth on the Browns’ depth chart, but injuries have increased his reps in practice. He took some reps with the second team in practice Wednesday.

Sanders has had some recent shoulder soreness, but Stefanski said that is no longer an issue.