Browns, Bills Agree to Rest Starters for Preseason Game

The Cleveland Browns will start Shedeur Sanders at quarterback in their second preseason contest against the Buffalo Bills. Aside from Sanders, the Browns are expected to limit the number of other first-string players on the field. The Bills will follow a similar approach, keeping most starters on the bench for the Saturday game.

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Head coach Todd Monken explained that both teams discussed using their starters during Thursday’s joint practice and then resting them for the Saturday game. He said the coaches will evaluate “our older players” in a controlled environment on Thursday and, based on that assessment, keep them off the field on Saturday. Monken added that the quarterback plan for the coming days will remain unchanged regardless of Thursday’s outcome, noting that Deshaun Watson, who started the first preseason game, is slated to play in the third quarter of the upcoming matchup.

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• “We both talked about that if we see out of our ones, our group, our older players what we want to see on Thursday, they would not play in the game,” — Todd Monken, browns head coach

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The joint practice between the Browns and Bills is scheduled for Thursday, after which both teams will finalize their lineups for the Saturday preseason game. The Browns will field Sanders as the starter, while the Bills’ starter lineup will be similarly limited.

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