By now, you’ve probably seen the numbers: 3-for-14 one day, 1-for-6 the next. That’s Dillon Gabriel’s camp stat line from last week. But the bigger story? He tweaked his hamstring. And then there’s Shedeur Sanders. Or, maybe more accurately, the absence of Shedeur Sanders. On a day when Gabriel couldn’t go, you’d expect the rookie from Colorado to seize the moment. Except he didn’t take a single team drill snap on Saturday. Not one. The reason? Arm soreness. This one feels like the kind that raises eyebrows, especially considering how quiet Kevin Stefanski has been about it. No major concern, they say.

Michael Lombardi, the Browns insider, laid it out bluntly on the August 5 episode of 92.3 The Fan, “It would be hard to put the kid in a position where he could be successful. Look, the quarterback position, and you’re the head coach of the team, you’ve got to be able to stand in front of the team and say, this player gives us the best chance to win the game.” Right now? Neither Gabriel nor Sanders gives Kevin Stefanski that option. Not honestly. Not even hypothetically.

And this isn’t a vendetta against young quarterbacks. It’s a cautionary tale. As Lombardi pointed out, Pittsburgh only started Ben Roethlisberger when Tommy Maddox got hurt. It wasn’t ideal, it was necessary. Caleb Williams was anointed as Chicago’s savior last year, but how many games did he actually win? How many moments did he lose?

Lombardi added, “I think it would be unfair to any young quarterback to put them into the fire… Unless you’re going to win with defense, win the kicking game, run the ball, and just limit the quarterback.” Sounds simple.

But the Browns HC doesn’t have that kind of margin right now. The defense might be good. The special teams? Fine. But the offensive identity is murky. And in that kind of fog, the last thing Kevin Stefanski could do is to toss a rookie into the fire and hope the burn heals. This isn’t a knock on talent. Gabriel’s got zip. Shedeur has pedigree. But neither is healthy. Neither is making plays. And more importantly, neither is available.

That’s why they had to find someone from the outside.

Kevin Stefanski brings a Pro Bowler in hopes of a miracle

Kevin Stefanski saw the writing on the depth chart. Joe Flacco is 40. Kenny Pickett is banged up. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are also doubtful. A quarterback room in name only. So he did the only logical thing a head coach can do when the camp reps start looking like open mic night, he called Tyler Huntley.

And not for the first time. Huntley, now 27, spent last year’s camp with the Browns. He didn’t make the 53-man roster, but he made an impression. Enough of one, apparently, for Cleveland to give him another shot, this time under very different circumstances.

He brings a resume that shouts talent. Pro Bowl alternate in 2022. A guy who once helped the Ravens limp into the postseason when Lamar Jackson went down. And most recently, a stopgap starter for the Miami Dolphins, where he went 2–3 with three touchdowns, three interceptions, and flashes of competency between costly mistakes.

Is he perfect? No. Huntley’s 10 interceptions and 13 fumbles in limited NFL action (25 games, 14 starter) prove he’s no miracle fix. But in a training camp defined by rookies not practicing and backups barely holding it together, Kevin Stefanski needed someone who could function. And function now.

More than anything, Huntley gives Stefanski a professional. A guy who can call plays, lead huddles, and if absolutely necessary, start a preseason game without the entire operation imploding.