The Cleveland Browns have a new starting quarterback.
Dillon Gabriel now has the job, and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders will have to keep waiting for his chance to play.
According to ESPN analyst Chris Canty, that’s a sign of a split between the head coach and the front office.
“It’s clear that Dillon Gabriel is Kevin Stefanski’s guy and Shedeur Sanders is Andrew Berry’s guy. We have the versus between the general manager and the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. This feels like the first moment where there’s a fissure, where there’s a fracture in that working relationship,” Canty said.
"It's clear that Dillon Gabriel is Kevin Stefanski's guy and Shedeur Sanders is Andrew Berry's guy. We have the versus between the general manager and the head coach of the Cleveland Browns."@ChrisCanty99 | @ESPNCleveland https://t.co/GpTPVnYF0b pic.twitter.com/QrPmgvlqM4
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) October 9, 2025
There have been no public indications that show that disconnect, so it might be speculation on Canty’s part.
Also, the media and former athletes have done a great job of keeping the conversation centered around Sanders.
Gabriel isn’t the only rookie quarterback in the NFL, yet no one seems to be talking about when the Tennessee Titans will give Brandon Allen a chance to replace Cam Ward, or whether Jameis Winston should be starting instead of Jaxson Dart for the New York Giants.
The Browns selected Sanders at No. 144 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, knowing all the distractions and unwanted attention that would come with him.
Also, given their reputation for failing to develop quarterbacks, it’s easy to understand why some people might not trust their vision for Sanders.
But he was a fifth-round pick for a reason, and he will have to prove that he’s ready and earn his opportunities, and if it doesn’t happen, so be it.
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