Browns Veteran Gives Final Verdict on Dillon Gabriel After Turning On Shedeur Sanders

When the Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and then grabbed Shedeur Sanders two rounds later, the attention was inevitable. Sanders’ name alone brought buzz, especially after his slide down the board. That spotlight, though, worked both ways. Every slip from Gabriel was quickly used as ammo to push Shedeur’s case, until the conversation on pocket-passing shifted the tone. Because in week 2 against the Eagles, Gabriel went 3-of-4 on tough, tight-window throws, while Sanders, in his own spotlight game against the Panthers, went 0-for-4 in similar spots. Suddenly, the narrative flipped.

The reps mattered, sure, but it was the preparation, the way he processed everything step by step, that really stuck with them. Because, mind you, Gabriel had sustained a hamstring injury and had to grind through rehab. First, easing back with individual drills, then 7-on-7, and finally full teamwork. So, the coaching staff kept circling back to one thing: how he carried himself. Gabriel had already earned quiet respect inside the building by the time he lined up to start Week 2 of the preseason. And now in the eyes of a legend.

Asked whether the rookie showed enough to justify that third-round pick—and quiet some of the noise—Joe Thomas didn’t hesitate. “You saw a quick release. He was going through his progressions and his reads very quickly. He was comfortable in the pocket,” he said, while adding, “The vast majority of his reps… he was throwing the ball on time, on the money, to the right guy.” For a rookie under the weight of comparisons, that steadiness mattered as much as any flashy throws. What impressed Thomas most came in the moments after things went wrong.

Gabriel had a rough patch in the preseason finale against the Rams, but instead of unraveling, he responded with composure. “Sometimes rookies… if you have a bad play or a couple in a row in the NFL, it’s easy to go in the tank,” Thomas said.

Gabriel’s numbers vs. the Eagles in Week 2: 13-of-18 for 143 yards for 1 INT. Vs. the Rams: 12-of-19 for 129 yards and a touchdown, capped by that sharp two-minute drill drive. He showed the mentality of a long-term pro.

And the Browns didn’t wait quite long on their decision. Kevin Stefanski announced Gabriel would open the season as Joe Flacco’s backup, crediting not only his preseason games but also his work in practice and the meeting rooms. He converted six straight third downs against the Eagles and showed enough poise to rebound from mistakes. For a rookie facing such heavy scrutiny, Gabriel left August with more than a roster spot. So, where does this leave Shedeur Sanders?

Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are facing different realities

When Shedeur Sanders walked into Cleveland, the headline practically wrote itself—the son of a legend, Deion Sanders, here to change a franchise. And for a fleeting moment, it felt like destiny. Against Carolina, he looked every bit the promise. 14/23 completions for 138 yards and 2 TDs, leading to a 30-10 win. Yes, excluding the peculiar statsheet. “He was money. He was lights out,” Joe Thomas said, admiring how Sanders was the version the Browns hoped they were drafting: the playmaker who knew when to strike. For a city waiting on a new quarterback chapter, that game was a spark.

But sparks fade fast when old habits catch flame. The Rams game turned into a mirror of every scouting report that dropped him down draft boards. “As soon as he lost confidence in his protection because he was getting hit, now all of a sudden he just continues to drop deeper and deeper and deeper,” Thomas explained. It wasn’t just sacks; it was the inability to self-correct, the frustration that swallowed him up. His stat line told the story in bold: 3-for-6, 14 yards, one fumble, and five sacks in just two quarters. That’s the weight of college flaws dragging him into the NFL spotlight.

And now the verdict is final. Kevin Stefanski slotted Shedeur as QB3, the emergency man behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. Yes, he made the roster, but not the way his “Shedeur Army” imagined. The Browns even brought in Bailey Zappe for the practice squad—a not-so-subtle reminder that the league doesn’t wait on hype. But can Shedeur rewrite his story?