Preseason should be like a Sunday grocery shop: fast, efficient, and preparing you for the upcoming week. However, Kevin Stefanski keeps running into the same dilemma every shopper dreads. And that is trying to choose the right option when nothing feels quite right. Throughout the league, veteran players such as Joe Flacco are consistent, young guns such as Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are trying to prove themselves, and prospects such as Shedeur Sanders have long-term potential. The Browns themselves have their cart full already, but whether the pick pays off at the checkout remains to be seen.

The Browns head coach is facing a decision that’s both timely and inescapable. Rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was previously thought to be fighting for backup snaps, saw his momentum derailed when he committed a vicious pick-six against the Eagles. A play that appeared forgivable until the All-22 revealed him looking away from two open receivers, fixating on Deontay Johnson, and throwing into traffic. Analyst Mike didn’t mince words on his channel Mickerophone, declaring the interception “100% on Dillon Gabriel”.

As Mike explained the whole play, he said, “Gabriel kept his eyes on Deontay Johnson and Johnson only. He attempted to feed him the ball with him being legitimately a foot away from another receiver. Hence, resulting in the route being jumped and crucial points going the other way.” Dillon definitely messed up the whole play and got intercepted.

He even compared it with how Shedeur Sanders had run the same idea a week prior with composure, methodically working through progressions before throwing a touchdown. That disparity has only served to expand the Cleveland quarterback competition gap. Kevin Stefanski needs to make a difficult decision: Whether to invest further in Gabriel’s shaky development or take a ride on Sanders’s growing confidence and output.

Although they have declared that Joe Flacco will start Week 1 against the Bengals. At age 40, he’s the lone quarterback to have survived camp without a soft-tissue ailment. His consistent hand in practice has made him the obvious choice. But stability doesn’t fix all of Flacco’s issues. Behind him, the backup depth chart is cloudy. Kenny Pickett, who is nursing a hamstring, has spent most of camp as the No. 2. Gabriel, who’s served in Pickett’s place, hasn’t done enough to instill confidence. And Sanders, who got limited reps, has created the most buzz. Well, it’s not just the Browns’ dilemma.

The Saints are weighing Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough, with head coach Kellen Moore acknowledging Tuesday that the battle is “very, very close.” Moore added, “We consider all facets of this quarterback battle. Numbers, experience, reps, everything. It’s going all the way back to the beginning of training camp. All is very, very tight between this crew.” The Indianapolis Colts, on the other hand, have already identified Daniel Jones as their Week 1 starter. It means the Saints are the only team that is not sure about their starter. Moreover, Shedeur Sanders’s rise in the Browns has been giving the rival QBs a scare.

Fellow QB feels the heat from Shedeur Sanders’ rise

Kevin Stefanski’s cautious approach may be meant to keep things steady, but inside the facility, the quarterback battle has already started shaping up. The chatter intensified after Dillon Gabriel’s rough outing against Philadelphia. When asked about how he blocks out the noise surrounding Cleveland’s QB competition, his answer, while brief, sparked a wave of debate, turning fellows into rivals.

“Yeah, it’s just part of it. There’s entertainers and there’s competitors, and I completely get that. But competing is my job. And that’s what I’m here to do.” For others, that one “entertainers” comment had a razor edge. One that seemed to be a shot at rookie Shedeur Sanders. Even though he has stolen a lot of the Browns’ preseason attention with his confidence, accuracy, and play-extending capabilities.

However, Gabriel later clarified that his words had nothing to do with his own teammates. He reiterated his faith in the system and said the “outside noise” regarding Sanders would not disrupt the work he and his unit are doing every day. It was a reset that was needed, the sort quarterbacks must periodically create when some errant quote gets magnified in the around-the-clock football gossip machine. But it also highlighted just how far Sanders’s on-field work has infused the discussion.

Despite all the hubbub, Sanders has been impressive. In two preseason appearances, he has thrown 14 of 23 for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions with a 106.8 passer rating. That effectiveness, combined with his cool-headedness amid pressure, has only increased the voices clamoring for Kevin Stefanski to put him into games. Though Sanders is questionable with an oblique injury, his brief but impressive resume is making waves. The rookie hasn’t merely met the moment. Indeed, he’s putting Cleveland’s quarterback corps on notice as well.