The Cleveland Browns are making a quarterback change ahead of their Week 5 game in England against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Browns have benched Joe Flacco, and Dillon Gabriel will be making his first career start. Shedeur Sanders, meanwhile, will remain the inactive emergency third quarterback on the depth chart.
Although many fans are surprised that Sanders will remain inactive, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski opened up on the quarterback situation. He claimed that the team has been ‘very intentional about every minute’ with what Gabriel and Sanders have been doing.
“The big thing for us, it goes back to that intentionality of what we do,” Stefanski said. “That’s [quarterbacks coach] Bill Musgrave, that’s [offensive coordinator] Tommy Rees, that’s our player development team. Everybody understanding that we’re bringing our guys along. And it may, on one day, mean meetings, may, on one day, mean a physical individual drill — if you will, at practice, while this side’s doing this, these guys are doing that. So, just like, big picture being very intentional about every minute that you have.”
It’s clear that the Browns have had a plan for how they will handle the quarterback situation this season. Cleveland could look to get both Gabriel and Sanders starts this season, but for now, Gabriel will be the starter for the time being.
Gabriel Explains How He Stayed Ready
Gabriel spent the first four weeks as the backup quarterback, waiting for his chance.
Although Gabriel did get into two games, it was when the games were out of hand. But, during practices, Gabriel said he took every rep he could as he wanted to make sure he would be ready if the time came, he would start.
“Yeah, a lot of walk-throughs, a lot of meetings you got to be really tuned into,” Gabriel said to the media. “And then I think, just, you look at all the work, from beginning of OTAs and working minicamp to now. I think that’s all installation that you can really pride yourself on, and the reps built up. So moments that build up, and then to get here, but like I said, it’s extreme focus on just doing my job at a high level and continue to do that for one another.”
Gabriel has gone 3-for-4 for 19 yards and one touchdown in two games.
Browns Coach Explains How Sanders Can Earn Playing Time
Although Stefanski says the team has been very intentional in how they have handled the quarterback situation, many have wondered what Sanders needs to do to rise up the depth chart.
Stefanski says the rookie QB just needs to continue working hard in practice as he has been doing.
“All of our players, and I include Shedeur in this, are working extremely hard. We just finished our period after practice that we do every single day, just finished a red zone 7-on-7 period where Shedeur and the rest of the younger guys are working on 10 reps,” Stefanski said. “So, he needs to continue to do exactly what he’s been doing and continue to do what all these guys are doing, which is just keep working.”
Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Browns.
