4) The Browns’ QB situation will generate a LOT more chatter in the coming weeks. Cleveland already had the league’s most fascinating quarterback competition going on with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett operating alongside rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. That battle became even more interesting after Sanders, the fifth-round pick whom many expected to go much higher in the draft, completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his preseason debut at Carolina. It’s important to apply some perspective to this performance — after all, Sanders was playing largely because Pickett and Gabriel, the two players listed ahead of him on the unofficial depth chart, were nursing injuries — but we know that’s not going to happen in today’s hot-take landscape. There’s a reason Sanders has been the fourth quarterback in the Browns’ rotation throughout the spring and summer. There’s also a reason why he attracts more attention than any other quarterback on the Browns roster. There’s a large contingent of people who believe Sanders is talented enough to earn the starting job at some point, even though the Browns haven’t shown any interest in pushing that narrative. His play in a nationally televised game is only going to inspire more of that talk, even though it already feels like the 40-year-old Flacco is the team’s most likely starter at this stage. He is the most accomplished signal-caller on the roster — one who came off the couch to lead this same team to the playoffs in emergency duty two seasons ago — and that means plenty for a team that wants to start winning more games.

The injuries to Pickett and Gabriel also forced the Browns to sign Tyler Huntley, who played against the Panthers, as well. But Sanders has been the player who generates the most conversation, and that will continue as long as he keeps playing at a high level. So, buckle up for plenty of talking heads dissecting what Sanders did this past weekend and what it will mean going forward. It will make for fun debates. It just won’t make life easier for the Browns as they try to clarify the most important position in sports.