The Cleveland Browns continue to face challenges at quarterback.
Dillon Gabriel has yet to show he can be a long-term solution after his first four NFL starts. If anything, his early performances have only reinforced the doubts scouts and fans had when the Browns selected him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite this, the team does not appear ready to turn to Shedeur Sanders.
Analyst Tony Rizzo raised questions about the Browns’ approach to their other rookie quarterback.
“What is keeping Sanders off the field? It’s not [the back injury]. The kid hasn’t taken any No. 1 reps. To be honest, people think he’s behind Bailey Zappe. Is it because he’s a fifth-round pick? Deion [Sanders] and I want to know,” Rizzo said.
Rizz wants to know what is keeping Shedeur Sanders off the field. pic.twitter.com/btZUY9xDq2
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) November 4, 2025
It could also be that he is behind in his development and, contrary to what some fans believe, he’s not ready to play in an NFL game.
Whatever the case, Gabriel hasn’t gotten any better with all of his first-team reps.
With the Browns failing to get anything going on offense, not giving Shedeur Sanders a chance would be a disservice.
At this point, they could even give Zappe an opportunity to play.
That’s how poorly the offense has fared, and it’s hard to imagine things getting much better, even with the change to coordinator Tommy Rees as the play-caller.
NEXT: Insider Highlights How Play-Caller Change Could Impact Browns
