The Cleveland Browns are off to a rough start this season, to the surprise of no one. They are in the midst of a significant rebuild and do not have the roster to compete with some of the top teams in the league.
One of the substantial question marks on their roster is the quarterback. Joe Flacco has been their starter so far this season, but he has not played well, with a QB Impact Score of 53.9, one of the lowest in the league. That has opened the door for rookie Dillion Gabriel to take over as the starting quarterback. However, he is not the rookie most people want to see.
Browns Setting Themselves Up for QB Controversy
The Browns decided to draft two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft: Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Sanders might be the most popular rookie despite being a fifth-round pick. As the son of Deion Sanders, he has been in the news plenty during his college career, and his drastic fall in the draft was well documented.
Sanders debuted in the preseason, and he showed flashes of someone who could become an NFL starter. However, the Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski opted to go with Gabriel this week.
Former NFL player Robert Griffin III thinks the Browns locker room wants them to go with Sanders. Griffin III said, “He (Sanders) is the quarterback they need to start because he is the one who is going to provide a spark… The locker room believes in Shedeur Sanders.”
The Cleveland Browns need to start Shedeur Sanders because although the Coach doesn’t want him, the locker room does.
Watch full conversation here: https://t.co/aRc4AYMGCZ pic.twitter.com/EhgNCPMJfr
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 30, 2025
While the Browns have already decided on Gabriel for Week 5, he could be on a short leash with Sanders waiting in the wings.
Sanders Seems Like the Popular Choice
We heard throughout training camp and the preseason that Sanders looked like the best quarterback. Many of the veterans seemed to gravitate to the young QB, and with a lost season in Cleveland, it only makes sense to see what Sanders can do.
Gabriel is being put into a challenging position because if he fails right away, fans will be chanting for Sanders. We have seen the Browns struggle to develop young quarterbacks in recent years, and if that continues, then it will not matter who they start.
