“I understand the question, especially when we are struggling the way we are on offense,” HC Kevin Stefanski said when asked if he would bench Joe Flacco, after another poor outing in a 34-10 loss to the Lions. Although Flacco got off to a good start, going 5-for-5 for 70 yards, he went on to throw two interceptions and lost a fumble as the Browns failed to capitalize on their good start. Now, a former Browns star has come out with scathing criticism of Flacco and has demanded a change in the QB position.

T.J. Ward, a former Cleveland Browns safety with an eight-year NFL career, including a notable 2010 rookie season with two interceptions and a Pro Bowl selection, adds a veteran’s perspective to the growing discussion in Cleveland. In one of the X posts by BrownsNation.com cited Ward’s words, “It’s rookie time in Cleveland. Flacco’s run is over. Time to move on.”

There were discussions on it before as well, but this sentiment comes on the heels of the Browns’ recent performance in week 4 against the Detroit Lions. The major focus lies on Joe Flacco, whose performance in Week 4 was subpar. Flacco went 16-of-34 passing (50%) for 184 yards with a fumble and two interceptions. He posted a 39.3 passer rating. 

This was not very different from the week 3 performance. While Flacco was once an elite quarterback, his performance this season, at age 40, has shown a clear decline. Given the team’s struggles, the Browns seem to be taking their time to make the decision of a potential change at the quarterback position. When asked about how Kevin Stefanski, the head coach, felt about the performance, he said, “It’s frustrating because we know you can’t do those things and expect to win on the road; we have to get it fixed.”

The Browns did try to fix things, with just about five minutes remaining. They brought in Dillon Gabriel to sub for Flacco’s position. Though Dillon tried to save the day, he only managed to throw one pass in a 3 and out possession. 

But the drama didn’t stop there, as apparently, Shedeur Sanders was left ‘devastated’ as he didn’t get minutes on the gridiron again.

Was Shedeur Sanders upset because Dillon Gabriel played in place of Joe Flacco?

Even though the Browns were struggling, Kevin Stefaski didn’t decide to bench Joe Flacco at once; he played for most of the game and only brought in Dillon Gabriel as the game approached its end. But that wasn’t enough to change the game’s scoring. 

Coming to QB options, the Browns have a pair of promising rookie quarterbacks in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel, a third-round draft pick, is currently listed as the primary backup. Shedeur Sanders, selected in the fifth round, is the team’s third-string option. So, having Dillon play as a sub was definitely not that great for Sanders to watch. This can be seen in the X post by BricksCenter, which reads “Shedeur Sanders was devastated watching Dillion Gabriel sub in over him 😭.”

Especially as Sanders has been vocal about his readiness to play the QB position. Speaking to ESPN, he had said, “If you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I’m capable of doing better than that,” he added, “I’m ready to play right now.”

Despite the speculation, a report from Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirms the Browns have no intention of trading Sanders this season, suggesting they are committed to developing him for the future.