The Cleveland Browns gave rookie Dillon Gabriel his career start on Sunday, as Cleveland took on the Minnesota Vikings in London, England.
Gabriel played well in his first taste of NFL action, completing 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. But his lack of explosiveness and big plays left a lot to be desired.
Bomani Jones, in an episode of his podcast The Right Time, put the Browns' other rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders on blast, noting that if he can't get the starting nod ahead of Gabriel, that its a knock on his talent at the position.
Bomani Jones calls out Shedeur Sanders for not being able to supplant Dillon Gabriel
Jones ripped into Sanders, disappointed by the fact that the once projected first-round draft pick couldn't beat out Gabriel for the backup position in training camp.
"Dillon Gabriel looks like he’s playing with his big brother’s friends. He doesn’t seem like he should be out there playing football. But I’m going to say this, though. If Shedeur Sanders can’t get himself on the field for the team Dillon Gabriel plays for, maybe he should go do a podcast. This young man here is not going to play a whole lot of NFL football," said Jones.
To Jones' point, given their predraft rankings, Sanders should've been easily able to beat out Gabriel for the backup position behind Joe Flacco. But maybe that's why the former Colorado Buffalo ended up being a fifth-round pick.
Gabriel, a Heisman trophy finalist last year, ended up being selected in the third round ahead of Sanders, which shows that Cleveland thinks more highly of the former Oregon Duck than Sanders as a prospect.
Regardless, with Flacco now on his way to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sanders will presumably be promoted to the backup quarterback position behind Gabriel and will likely get the next crack at the starting gig in the event the former Oregon standout gets benched for poor play or goes down with injury.
More Browns news:
- Jerry Jeudy reveals how he feels about new Browns starter Dillon Gabriel
- Browns' Myles Garrett raves about rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel
- Deion Sanders reacts to Shedeur Sanders' pantomime response to Browns starting Dillon Gabriel
- ESPN analyst gives Shedeur Sanders advice after Dillon Gabriel gets the starting job
- Joe Flacco opens up on Browns benching for Dillon Gabriel
- Browns insider provides update on trade rumors surrounding Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders