Somehow, the Cleveland Browns can never seem to find what they’re looking for. History shows that, and so does the current scenario. Rookie quarterback Dillion Gabriel has barely impressed anyone, while Shedeur Sanders is a story of what could be. But if you pay attention to former Browns’ CEO Joe Banner’s words, the head coach and general manager, too, are a part of the problem.

“I think Stefanski is a good coach but not a great coach,” Banner confessed on The Rich Eisen Show. “He has had six years now.”

That’s not new coming from him. Two months ago, the 72-year-old shared the same belief on X, and he had reasons to do so. After all, Stefanski joined the team as the head coach in 2020, and since then, he has gone 42-50. Further, Banner also had some thoughts about general manager Andrew Berry.

“I think he has had a fair chance to really demonstrate that they can build a roster. If they fix the quarterback problem, they can go a long way. I don’t think they’re there yet either. They got to make some front office changes,” he opined.

His thoughts aren’t isolated. Many fans feel the same, and they even voiced their opinion after quarterback Joe Flacco was traded. They grew even more vocal after the veteran put up a stunning performance for the Bengals and defeated the Steelers. However, trading away Flacco wasn’t the only mistake Berry made.

Remember Deshaun Watson?

For a while, Berry has been criticized for signing the quarterback to a fully guaranteed contract, considering he barely played. Plus, the past two offseasons have been difficult with free agent misses. That said, Berry also got some things correct.

He did somewhat good in the 2025 draft class. Second-round picks Quinshon Judkins and Carson Schwesinger were sound decisions. And first-round pick defensive tackle Mason Graham seems to be developing well.

But Banner wouldn’t say the same about Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Joe Banner doesn’t think the rookie quarterbacks are good enough

The QB position has been a problem statement for a while, and Banner is just as exasperated. While a section of fans would love to see Sanders play after Gabriel failed to do much, Banner believes neither of them is the solution to the team’s woes. 

“They’re doing the right thing and seeing if the young quarterbacks have what it could take or they just have to pick somebody this year. I don’t think either of them has what it takes, in my opinion,” he said.

Dillon Gabriel entered the NFL with good college credentials, over 18,700 passing yards, 155 touchdown passes, and a resume that included First-team All-American and Big Ten MVP honors at Oregon in 2024. Drafted 94th overall in the third round by the Cleveland Browns, Gabriel hasn’t lived up to expectations.

He has completed 85 of 142 passes (59.9%) for 702 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions so far. As for Shedeur Sanders (a fifth-round pick, 144th overall), the rookie QB has yet to start any regular-season games.

With no other option available for the team, Banner believes that they will hope to get lucky in the draft. “I think they’re trying to end up with as high a pick as they can,” he said. 

Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza are two options they can consider. But with the current season still young, one can only hope that Sanders, too, gets the opportunity to showcase his talent. Perhaps he might get a chance later in the season.