The Cleveland Browns have been a mess when it comes to the quarterback situation this entire season. While their history suggests they aren’t going to be able to figure it out, they do have two rookies on the roster and a veteran who should likely come back from injury next season. For the time being, that should be enough to give the fan base some hope. But given the personnel and how the franchise has operated this century, it is hard to be optimistic.
When Dillon Gabriel took the starting job from Joe Flacco for the first time in Week 5, he became the 41st quarterback to start for Cleveland in the 21st century. The number is undeniably wild, but it is made even more complicated because of the support and popularity from a large section of the football world towards their backup quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. But while the majority of the NFL clamors for Sanders to get the role, a former linebacker is going against the grain.
Does Dillon Gabriel Deserve the Starting Nod Over Shedeur Sanders?
Taken 94th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Gabriel went 50 draft picks before Sanders’ name was called by the Browns. Over the course of the summer, the two were engaged in a continuous quarterback battle.
With training camp and preseason serving as major pit stops, it seemed clear that he was the choice that the coaches in Cleveland were going to roll with. As a result, he started the season as the QB2 behind veteran Joe Flacco.
But after a brutal start to the season from the former Super Bowl champion, the organization decided to switch in Week 5, with Sanders being elevated to the QB2 role after Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Still, there has been a ton of vocal support for the second-generation star to be the starter over Gabriel. However, Emmanuel Acho says the position belongs to Gabriel, at least for now.
The former NFL star turned media analyst spoke on the latest episode of “Speakeasy”, and his logic was rather straightforward. “Gabriel hasn’t done anything to suggest he should be a starter forever. But he hasn’t done anything to say put Shedeur over him.”
Going a step further, he believed the 33rd-ranked quarterback on PFSN’s QB Impact deserved the spot he had. “If you’re a third-round pick, you gonna get an opportunity. Gabriel should get more opportunities before being benched.”
Acho’s logic is solid. The Browns, at 1-5, are likely done vying for a playoff spot. Instead, they can use the rest of the season to determine where the two quarterbacks on the roster stand and whether they should try to add a new man under center in the 2026 NFL Draft.
