The Cleveland Browns just shook up their QB room, but don’t sleep on Shedeur Sanders. Insider reports that the team refused to gamble with Sanders’ potential, keeping him from running an offense built for Gabriel.
Rushing him now would be a mistake, and the team isn’t making rookie errors.
Why isn’t Shedeur Sanders Starting With Cleveland Browns?
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, there’s a specific reason why Sanders isn’t the backup quarterback behind Gabriel for the game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Browns are focused on making sure Sanders has a successful outing, so they want him to come into the game with a game plan that suits his abilities.
If Sanders had to step in as the backup because Gabriel got hurt, he’d need to follow a game plan designed for Gabriel, which might not fit Sanders’ skills.
“When he plays, they want him to do so with a game plan that is made for him to thrive. As the backup, if he was forced into action, he’d be running a game plan built for Gabriel, rather than one built to his strengths. Is that fair to Sanders?” Rapoport stated.
As much as I want Shedeur Sanders to start, I have no desire to hate-watch Dillon Gabriel. That’s another young man chasing his dream. If he’s not the guy, praying for his downfall won’t be necessary. 🤷🏾‍♂️
— GOWIE (@DaKidGowie) October 5, 2025
Head coach Kevin Stefanski thinks Flacco is better suited to jump in quickly if Gabriel has to leave the game. Sanders isn’t the backup because Stefanski believes Flacco would handle the situation better if Gabriel had to exit suddenly.
However, this doesn’t imply that if Gabriel were out for a longer period, the Browns wouldn’t consider Sanders in the coming weeks; they would just want him to have enough practice before his first start.
The move shows how the Browns are focusing on Sanders’s long-term growth. Sanders was a fifth-round selection (No. 144 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft from Colorado. The team is committed to allowing him the time he needs to develop without pushing him into situations he’s not ready for.
The team benched 40-year-old Flacco, who is ranked 34th in PFSN’s Quarterback Impact, who had been starting for the first four games of the 2025 season, choosing to go with 24-year-old rookie Gabriel, a third-round pick (No. 94 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. This change aims to revive the offense and improve the team’s -6 turnover differential after four weeks.
Also, this decision sends a clear signal to the team that everyone has to raise their game to back up the new recruit. The Browns chose Gabriel despite him being 5-foot-11, confident that it won’t be a problem on the field, considering he has a wealth of college experience with 63 games started in FBS history.
The Browns call Gabriel “a computer” in private because he picks up and processes information so quickly.
Gabriel adds mobility that Flacco doesn’t have, and the team thinks he will do a better job of protecting the ball to reduce turnovers. But going up against the Vikings’ defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, known for his aggressive pressure from all sorts of angles, will be a real challenge.
Flacco holds the position of No. 2 quarterback and serves as a team captain. If Gabriel gets injured, he’s ready to jump in, using his 18 years of NFL know-how. He dealt with being benched professionally, supporting Gabriel as expected.
