Browns Digest

Browns legend makes bold claim about Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel

With so many opinions coming out about the Browns QB situation, one former Cleveland Pro-Bowler gives his hot takes on each rookie.
Paul Keren|
Oct 26, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) looks on during warm up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) looks on during warm up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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As the Cleveland Browns have trudged to a 2-6 start to the season, much has been made of the intriguing quarterback situation still brewing. With Joe Flacco starting off the season as the starter before being shipped away to division-rival Cincinnati, and now the chunk of games that third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel has started, there is still no clear answer. 

Gabriel has now started the Browns' past four games, with a record of 1-3, and stats of 702 passing yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. While those stats don’t sound terrible, most Browns fans and analysts have pointed out the passive nature that Gabriel has shown. 

Gabriel ranks last in the NFL in yards per attempt (4.9), air yards per attempt (5.8), deep pass percentage (3.5%), and has just managed 175.5 yards per start. When the rushing attack isn’t working, and Gabriel is not pushing the ball down the field, it causes for concern.

Former Browns Pro-Bowl cornerback Joe Haden aired out some of his concerns on the Honor The Land show on the BIGPLAY Sports Network. 

“Dillon Gabriel, I don't think he's the answer. I don't want to seem like I'm forcing Dillon out of there, like I want to give him a valid shot.”

Haden is expressing what it seems like many Browns fans are going through right now. While Gabriel hasn’t been very bad, and he has only started four games, is Gabriel going to be the guy for Cleveland moving forward? It is a tricky question to be confident in saying that he is. 

“I think Shedeur Sanders is going to be a very good quarterback, and I would like to give him a chance. If we go throw him in there hopefully he’s gonna throw more of these deep passes.”

Haden also expressed that he thinks that Shedeur is way better than Dillon at passes that just move the team down the field. 

The Browns are on bye this week, so one might think that they have a lot of time to get Shedeur ready for next week’s game against New York. The other case is that Gabriel has only started four games, so the overreactions saying that he will never be a good quarterback do seem far-fetched. When you have a rookie quarterback behind you, it makes the situation challenging, though. The case always comes down to people clamoring for what they haven’t seen yet because what you haven’t seen, you don’t know. 

So the spectacle will go on in Cleveland, and whether Gabriel or Sanders starts, people will give their opinions.

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Paul Keren
PAUL KEREN

Hi, I’m Paul, I’m from Northeast Ohio, and a recent graduate of Kent State University. As an Ohio native, I’m a huge fan of the Browns, Guardians, and Cavaliers. Just don’t ask me about my favorite college team, though.

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