The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room isn't the NFL's best, but it's one of the most unpredictable.
None of their three signal-callers were on the team last year, as backups Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are rookies while starter Joe Flacco was on the Indianapolis Colts last season after leading the Browns to the 2023 playoffs. They signed the latter player back to the team this past offseason, and he's totaled 631 passing yards on a 61.1 completion percentage with two touchdowns and four picks through three games.
Additionally, the 40-year-old Flacco is 28th in the NFL with a 37.5 quarterback rating, and Cleveland has yet to top 17 points in a game this year. The team did upset the Green Bay Packers 13-10 at home on Sunday, but that was more because of the defense.
If Flacco doesn't improve, there's a chance that either of the two rookies will start at some point this season. Gabriel has the advantage over Sanders as of now, given that he's No. 2 on the depth chart.
Sanders opened up about how he's handling the situation on Saturday, via Cleveland.com's Mary Kate Cabot.
“This is something my dad (Deion Sanders) used to say: ‘if you’re up there doing something every day, you better be getting better at it,” the 2025 fifth-round pick said. “So that’s how everything’s going. Everything we do in this building, it’s a learning thing. It’s learning every day. I’m in a great position to be sitting back, understanding the game plan, understanding everything that the NFL is."
“I’m ready for my opportunity whenever that happens," he continued. "But in this time that I’m not out there physically playing, I would say I’m growing everywhere.”
Shedeur Sanders could leapfrog Dillon Gabriel with practice reps
Cleveland picked Gabriel two rounds ahead of Sanders in this year's draft, and he also passed for more yards in the preseason. Gabriel completed 25-of-37 attempts (67.6%) for 272 yards with one touchdown, one interception, one fumble, and two sacks, while Sanders completed 17-of-29 passes (58.6%) for 152 yards with two touchdowns and seven sacks.
While Gabriel has earned the No. 2 role so far, Sanders could take it if he impresses in practice. The Colorado alum mentioned how scout team reps are his chance to shine, via Cabot.
“Whenever I get on scout team, that’s my game day,” he said. “Everybody knows. So that’s me having a game every week. I look at it, I have six games a week, so I’m happy rather than just having one game a week, on the weekends. The scout team receivers, all of us, we all know every day is game day and we definitely approach everything in that fashion.”
Sanders has 13 more weeks (not including the bye) this season to prove himself, unless the 1-2 Browns make the playoffs.