The Cleveland Browns will roll with Dillon Gabriel as their starter on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Still, Baltimore is doing its due diligence on Cleveland’s high-profile backup, Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland has made it clear that Gabriel will start in Week 11 and has shown no indication that the third-round rookie is in danger of being replaced by Sanders any time soon.
“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said this week when asked about a potential timetable for Sanders playing. “We’re committed to getting better as an offense. Dillon is certainly committed to improving in every way he can. And at the same time, all of our young players are developing and working extremely hard behind the scenes to make sure they’re getting better every day.”
The Ravens aren’t leaving anything to chance. With uncertainty swirling around Cleveland’s offense, Baltimore is preparing for the possibility that Sanders could enter the game.
“Definitely. We always look at that. Our scouts do a great job of preparing us [for] who could possibly be coming into the game, and we always do that with backup quarterbacks, because you want to know what you could potentially be facing,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “So, we’ve definitely done some work on [Shedeur Sanders both] last game and getting ready for this game.”
Browns Not ‘Eager’ to Play Shedeur Sanders
The Browns are remaining patient with Gabriel despite a lack of results on the field. Cleveland is 1-4 with Gabriel as the starter and he’s done little to spark the offense. Gabriel has passed for 869 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions this season.
As Stefanski’s comments make clear, the Browns have offered little clarity on Sanders’ timeline or when he might see meaningful snaps. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s currently no internal push to get the rookie on the field.
“Coming out of the Week 9 bye, the Browns’ plan was to give Dillon Gabriel a fairly long runway of games to evaluate what they have in him. But as we see with young quarterbacks and teams in transition all the time, those plans can change,” Fowler said. “The public pressure in Cleveland is mounting. But I simply haven’t sensed that the Browns have been eager to turn to Shedeur Sanders.”
Browns Defend Dillon Gabriel’s Performance
The Browns handed play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees after the bye week, hoping to spark the offense. While the unit showed small signs of improvement, the same issues persisted. Inconsistent execution and a lack of explosive plays ultimately sank Cleveland in a 27–20 loss to the lowly New York Jets.
Gabriel’s play has left much to be desired, but Rees still has faith in his rookie.
“Nobody’s gonna bat a thousand. Certainly, I don’t bat a thousand calling it,” Rees told reporters on Thursday. “Nobody’s going to bat a thousand in really anything they do. But I would say he grades out where we want him.”
Gabriel will get another chance to prove himself on Sunday against the Ravens. Baltimore is a hefty 7.5-point favorite for the matchup.
