CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation has become one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason, with particular attention focused on how the team is handling rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. While both players have shown flashes during minicamp, their drastically different developmental paths reveal much about the team’s short and long-term quarterback strategy.
“Despite Kevin (Stefanski)’s protesting, it continues to look exactly like it has all spring,” observed Orange and Brown Talk podcast host Dan Labbe. “Where there are times where Shedeur Sanders is by himself and Dillon Gabriel is with the two veterans. When they do go to teamwork, Dillon Gabriel is the one who works with the first team. Shedeur Sanders continues to work down the depth chart.”
This consistent pattern of practice reps speaks volumes about how the coaching staff views these young quarterbacks. While Sanders – the fifth-round pick who garnered significant attention at Colorado – has made some eye-catching throws, it’s Gabriel who is being fast-tracked into a potential backup role.
Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot offered insight into the methodology behind this approach: “They are using mostly Dillon and Kenny (Pickett) to try to figure out what works in this offense and what doesn’t. It’s a new scheme. They have to throw some things out. They have to put some things in and they’re not putting all of that on Shedeur’s plate as the fourth-team quarterback. They’re trying to get Kenny and Dillon possibly ready to play, maybe to be the starter and the backup, possibly.”
This reveals a pragmatic developmental strategy – Gabriel and the veteran Pickett are essentially serving as the testing ground for Tommy Rees’ new offensive system, while Sanders is being brought along more gradually.
What makes this particularly fascinating is that Sanders has consistently delivered some of the most impressive throws in the practices open to media. As Labbe noted, “Even though every practice we see maybe two or three throws from Shedeur that are like, hey, that was a good throw. That’s the type of throw that you saw at Colorado that made you think maybe this guy could be a first-round pick or a second-round pick.”
Yet despite these flashes, the Browns remain committed to their developmental timeline. “There’s obviously something there that’s causing them to say, no, we still want to pump the brakes on this and slow play this with Shedeur, but we’re gonna go full steam ahead with Dillon Gabriel at this point,” Labbe observed.
This discrepancy between eye-catching plays and actual practice reps has created a sort of disconnect for observers. The “eyeball test” might suggest Sanders has higher upside, but as Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock pointed out, “The reps don’t lie. Where these guys are taking reps right now, I think it does tell us a lot. Whether they want it to or not.”
Part of the explanation may lie in the overall readiness of each player to handle the full offensive system. Sanders is working with a lighter mental and physical workload, which naturally leads to some cleaner execution, while Gabriel and Pickett are being tasked with more complex responsibilities.
“When he’s ready for more, he’ll get more,” Cabot explained regarding Sanders. “But I think it’s very significant right now that they’re throwing first-teamers at Dillon. Dillon is playing with the first-team offense against the first-team defense. I mean, those are choice quality reps that he’s getting.”
The strategic implications seem clear: the Browns are positioning Gabriel to potentially serve as the backup quarterback behind a veteran starter, likely Joe Flacco or Pickett. Sanders, meanwhile, is on a longer developmental timeline.
“This ... it’s fascinating how this might play out,” Cabot said. “But I think we can kind of see now sort of the division between Dillon and Shedeur and that Shedeur, it’s not that he cannot close the gap, we can’t stress that enough, he can close the gap, but he’ll have to prove it in training camp.”
The dynamic could shift dramatically once training camp begins in late July, particularly with fans in attendance. As Labbe pointed out, when Sanders makes highlight throws in training camp, there will be “3,000 fans going crazy for Shedeur Sanders,” potentially creating additional pressure on the coaching staff’s development plan.
For now, though, the reps tell the story – and they reveal a clear hierarchy in the Browns’ quarterback room.
