The Cleveland Browns were without Shedeur Sanders on Saturday, which gave rookie Dillon Gabriel a golden opportunity to prove why the team drafted him ahead of Sanders. Facing the Philadelphia Eagles, the Oregon product got his first real chance to show what he could do.
The pressure was on Gabriel after Sanders impressed in Week 1 with 138 yards and two touchdown passes. Matching that performance was never going to be easy, and Gabriel came up short.
He finished with 143 passing yards but a pick-six courtesy of Texas rookie safety Andrew Mukuba marred no touchdowns, and his day. Still, outside of that costly mistake, Gabriel delivered a respectable performance in his first NFL start.
Currently, the pecking order appears clear. Veteran Joe Flacco is the frontrunner for the starting job, with Kenny Pickett slotted in as the backup. That leaves Gabriel and Sanders battling for the third spot on the depth chart — or perhaps showcasing themselves for another team if Cleveland decides to deal one of them.
With trade rumors already swirling, every snap matters. How GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski manage this crowded quarterback room could have ripple effects long before the start of the season.
For now, Gabriel has the edge simply because he’s healthy and getting reps, while Sanders works his way back from an oblique injury. The window for Sanders to prove he belongs on the active roster is shrinking by the day.
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One thing’s for sure: the Browns’ quarterback battle is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing storylines of the preseason.
Whether it’s Gabriel capitalizing on his chance, Sanders mounting a late push, or the front office shaking things up with a trade, Cleveland’s QB3 decision could influence not just this season — but the team’s future.