The Cleveland Browns went into their Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions riding high after taking down the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, but reality hit them hard as they were thrashed to drop to 1-3.
The loss warmed up Joe Flacco’s hot seat even more, as the starting quarterback threw two more interceptions and lost another fumble, giving him eight turnovers in four games.
That is why one analyst recently made the case that it’s time for the Browns to give rookie Shedeur Sanders a chance to replace Flacco.
“Shouldn’t Shedeur start over Dillon Gabriel? Here’s my thinking. They want to see what Shedeur Sanders is. He’s a throw-in. He’s an asset. Dillon Gabriel is going to be here as their backup quarterback, in your mind, for the next four or five years. There’s no rush in getting him in there. Let’s see what Sanders can do,” Tony Rizzo said.
Rizz says there's a case to be made to start Shedeur Sanders this week instead of Dillon Gabriel this week…
Do you agree? https://t.co/h21dzik68O pic.twitter.com/sSFm7NoP0H
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 30, 2025
Co-host Tony Grossi pushed back and wondered if the locker room would be on board with the third-string QB starting over QB2, and said Sanders is more of a long-term project than Gabriel.
Gabriel looked good in relief of Flacco in the Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and he has been the backup on the depth chart for a reason.
Few expected Flacco to start all 17 games, as he hasn’t started a full regular season in eight years, but most expected him to be better than this and last longer than a month.
Sanders may play at some point this season, but it would be unprecedented for him to leapfrog Gabriel and get to start a game before him.
NEXT: A Bright Spot Is Emerging Amid Browns' Early Struggles
