The Cleveland Browns traded quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, that didn’t automatically make Shedeur Sanders the backup to Dillon Gabriel.
The fact that they parted with the veteran doesn’t necessarily mean that Sanders is ready to play in an NFL game, which is why head coach Kevin Stefanski has pumped the brakes on that speculation.
That’s not because the Browns don’t want Sanders to succeed.
If anything, it’s the opposite, at least according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.
“Shedeur Sanders is expected to play at some point this season. When he does play, they want him to be successful. The best way for a quarterback to be successful is to go through the week of practice getting the ones, play when the game plan is designed for him, and go out there and run what you’ve practiced. If Shedeur is the backup, none of that would happen. What they may end up doing is saying, ‘You know what, we have Bailey Zappe, just have him come in and be the backup in case something happens to Dillon Gabriel.’ … Knowing what I know, that makes the most sense,” Rapoport said.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: Is Shedeur Sanders now the backup QB for the #Browns? Not necessarily. pic.twitter.com/vGkDLVt4Uy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 8, 2025
The quickest way to ruin a rookie quarterback is by throwing him into a game when he’s unprepared.
Yet, many fans continue to push for Sanders to take the field as if he has shown that he’s ready, and that’s seemingly not the case.
There are some hurdles that need to be cleared first, and while Gabriel is only one year older than him, he played six years in college and in multiple offensive systems.
Some players just need more time than others, and as much as everybody wants Sanders to succeed, the Browns wouldn’t be doing him any favors by rushing him into action.
Hopefully, Gabriel will play well enough so that fans and the media actually give him some credit instead of talking about his backups.
NEXT: Details Emerge About Why Browns Traded Greg Newsome
