The Cleveland Browns have moved on from Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback, but they’re keeping him around.
The veteran is now Dillon Gabriel’s backup, a decision that has drawn some hot takes on social media.
Notably, that includes former Browns QB Robert Griffin III, who criticized their decision to leave Shedeur Sanders as the third-stringer.
“The Browns are starting Dillon Gabriel and there is no excuse not to make Shedeur Sanders the backup,” Griffin posted on X.
The Browns are starting Dillon Gabriel and there is no excuse not to make Shedeur Sanders the back up.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 1, 2025
Granted, it’s hard to give the Browns the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks.
Then again, context matters.
If Gabriel gets injured, Sanders might not be ready to take the field.
Flacco has no doubt played poorly, and fans may not want to see him anymore, but he’s an experienced QB who has come off the bench many times.
It’s interesting that no one seems to consider the possibility that Sanders isn’t ready to play in an NFL game.
Throwing him into action if he’s not ready will only harm his development.
Of course, if Gabriel plays poorly, it might make sense to bench him and see what Sanders can do.
But Gabriel was taken two full rounds ahead of him in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Browns will be as patient as they can with the player they think has a better chance to succeed in their offense.
Sanders has a path to the QB2 spot, but just like Gabriel had to grind to earn QB1, he’ll need to overcome some challenges of his own.
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