The Cleveland Browns are making a quarterback change for their Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings, naming rookie Dillon Gabriel the starter over Joe Flacco.
It’s not shocking that Flacco didn’t make it through the full 17 games, but it’s a bit surprising that he only lasted this long.
Some fans surely were hoping that Shedeur Sanders would be the one getting the nod instead of Gabriel, but that reportedly is not close to happening.
In light of Flacco getting benched, it’s eye-opening that Sanders is still the third-string quarterback.
Analyst Tony Grossi said that’s likely due to Sanders’ poor performance in the preseason finale, which showed how far away he is from being ready to play in an NFL regular-season game.
“The pecking order was set from day one, and it never changed. The only thing that changed was Kenny Pickett was traded. You guys completely minimized that [Los Angeles] Rams game. Preseason games are important for rookies. If they don’t improve from one appearance to the other, it’s a setback, and that’s what happened in the Rams game with Shedeur. I don’t care what the circumstances were. It was an awful performance and it was a shock and revelation to the Browns. He’s probably farther behind now than he was at the beginning of training camp,” Grossi said.
"It was an awful performance and it was a shock and revelation to the Browns," – @TonyGrossi says Shedeur Sanders' preseason performance against the Rams is a factor why he's still QB3. pic.twitter.com/mMxFPwPmUZ
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 1, 2025
While that may be upsetting to Sanders believers, it’s obvious the Browns are seeing things behind the scenes that let them know he isn’t ready.
It’s disingenuous to want Sanders to be rushed into a role he isn’t prepared for, because if he plays and flames out, he may never recover.
Gabriel has looked ready for a while and has proven he can get the ball out quickly and avoid turnovers, which could be all the Browns need at the moment, given how great the defense has been and how promising the running game looks with Quinshon Judkins.
As for Sanders, he won’t get any closer to the field unless more changes are made.
NEXT: Dillon Gabriel Sends Strong Message After Being Named Starter
