There’s no doubt that Kevin Stefanski’s favorite from the very start of the preseason was Dillon Gabriel, the quarterback selected in the third round of the recent NFL Draft – ahead of Shedeur Sanders, who was taken two rounds later with the 144th overall pick. Gabriel was given first-team practice reps from that point on and remains the Browns’ starting quarterback today.
When training camp began, Shedeur Sanders was listed as the fourth option at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, and he never moved up the depth chart. In fact, for the first preseason game, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel were projected to start. However, both players suffered injuries that week, which opened the door for Sanders – and he made the most of it.
The former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback played aggressively right from the start and, most importantly, looked confident. Sanders finished the game with two touchdown passes against the Carolina Panthers’ starting defense. It was expected that this performance would earn him more consideration from Kevin Stefanski, but it didn’t. He remained the last option and has since been practically invisible to Stefanski.
Shedeur Sanders could play against the Baltimore Ravens
Next Sunday, the Cleveland Browns return home for the first time since October 19, when they defeated the Miami Dolphins. However, the atmosphere is expected to be tense and hostile toward head coach Kevin Stefanski. The reason is simple: fans are fed up with Dillon Gabriel’s performances. His mistakes have been glaring, and there’s been no sign of improvement to give the team hope.
Browns fans are desperate for Kevin Stefanski to finally give Shedeur Sanders a chance – and that opportunity could come this Sunday, according to team insider Mary Kay Cabot: “There are still eight games left. There will be opportunities for Shedeur Sanders to play. He may even get to play Sunday depending on what happens. There’s plenty of time left to let Dillon develop and then see what you have in Shedeur,” she said during an episode of 92.3 The Fan.
This makes complete sense. The Browns are facing one of the best teams in the AFC – the Baltimore Ravens. It’s possible that Lamar Jackson and company build such a large lead that Stefanski has no choice but to bring in his backup quarterback, which would be Shedeur Sanders.
In fact, back in Week 2 of this season, the Browns and Ravens already met, and Baltimore crushed Cleveland 41-17. In that game, Joe Flacco started, but Dillon Gabriel entered in the fourth quarter due to the lopsided score – and that’s when he threw his first NFL touchdown pass. This time, the story could repeat itself, only with Shedeur Sanders getting his chance instead.
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