The Cleveland Browns have finally decided to change their depth chart at quarterback.
Joe Flacco will no longer be the starter, and Dillon Gabriel will now be QB1.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Browns are done with Flacco.
In addition, that doesn’t mean Shedeur Sanders is any closer to taking the field.
“Shedeur Sanders will remain the QB3. Joe Flacco is the backup,” Jordan Schultz wrote on X.
Shedeur Sanders will remain the QB3. Joe Flacco is the backup. https://t.co/LhbmITwgyg
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 1, 2025
This is the correct decision to make as the Browns head into a Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings in London.
The Browns are turning to Gabriel because they want to win, and Sanders isn’t ready to be just one play away from potentially taking the field.
Perhaps if the Browns see he’s making strides, they could bump up Sanders on the depth chart later on, but if not, then leaving him as the emergency quarterback is the right move.
Sanders has a huge fan base, and they want to see him thrive.
Of course, the Browns would benefit the most from him becoming a star.
Yet, the fact that Flacco’s benching isn’t enough to make him the backup speaks volumes about where he is in his development.
While his fans might take this the wrong way or blame the Browns for it, they have to remember he’s a fifth-round draft pick.
Every NFL team passed on Sanders multiple times before the Browns selected him at No. 144 overall, and he will have to prove that he’s ready, just like everybody else.
NEXT: Browns Bolster Offensive Line Depth With New Signing
