When Will Cleveland Browns Rookie Dillon Gabriel Make Preseason Debut?

After Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders dazzled in his preseason debut, when will fellow rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel see some preseason action? The former Oregon Ducks star was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was not in uniform for Friday night's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, watching from the sidelines as fellow rookie signal-caller Shedeur Sanders threw two touchdown passes in limited playing time. When will the former Oregon Ducks star get a chance to prove himself outside of practice situations?

Sanders led a majority of drives for Cleveland's offense on Friday thanks in part to injuries in the Browns' quarterback room as Gabriel and Kenny Pickett nurse hamstring injuries. Before tweaking his hamstring, Gabriel seemed to be rising up Browns coach Kevin Stefanski's unofficial depth chart, earning some reps with the first-team offense.

Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski talks to the media during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Kevin Stefanski On Dillon Gabriel's Return

During the week before Cleveland's preseason matchup with Carolina, Stefanski was asked by reporters if both Pickett and Gabriel would be available for the team's next preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 16.

“That’s the hope. We’ll see how it progresses. I think with all these injuries, you gotta take it as one day at a time," said Stefanski.

Despite not playing against the Panthers, Pickett and Gabriel did participate in the teams' joint practice before the preseason matchup. Some questioned why the two injured quarterbacks practiced, arguing that Sanders needed the reps after being named the starter against Carolina.

Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throw passes during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Kevin Stefanski was asked if Shedeur Sanders could receive first-team reps in practice next week, especially in light of Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel’s injuries.

“We need to get through the next couple days from an injury standpoint and see where everybody is. I’m really…

— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 9, 2025

Looking ahead to Philadelphia, Stefanski spoke to the media about potential practice plans for the week, but the Browns coach did not reveal much.

"We need to get through the next couple days from an injury standpoint and see where everybody is. I'm really focused on all our quarterback’s development," said Stefanski.

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Shedeur Sanders' Performance In Preseason Debut

Despite having limited reps in training camp, Sanders turned heads while leading Cleveland to the win. Sanders completed 14 of 23 pass attempts for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Stefanski spoke to reporters after the game and shared some of his takeaways from the rookie quarterback's performance.

Aug 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) reacts after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"The situations were invaluable for Shedeur and all of our offense," Stefanski said. "We got a third-and-1 where he had a quarterback sneak. I mean, there's just a lot of football and that's by design with him getting a ton of reps in this game, and he'll get a ton of reps next week as well. That's all part of our development of our young players."

While speaking to the media, Stefanski also said that the Browns expect Sanders to receive a large amount of reps against Philadelphia on Aug. 16. Does this mean that Gabriel and Pickett will be sidelined for another week of the preseason?

As Sanders continues to progress, some are wondering if the former Buffaloes star has passed Gabriel on the depth chart. Unlike Gabriel, Sanders has not practiced with Cleveland's first-team offense, but his preseason experience could give him an advantage over the former Oregon Ducks quarterback.