The hype train started moving for Dillon Gabriel the second his name was called on draft day. Not a slow roll-out of the station, either. We’re talking a full-throttle launch, with fans and Kevin Stefanski already penciling him in as the next big thing in Cleveland’s future. But hype is easy. Reality? That’s the hard part. Now here we are, deep into August, and the Gabriel conversation has shifted from ‘when he takes over’ to ‘when he actually gets on the field.’

The Browns’ quarterback room, which looked like a revolving door for the whole offseason, has the hinges creaking, and half the guests are limping. Kenny Pickett and Gabriel? Hamstring issues. Joe Flacco? Still in the building, but not in the plan for this week. And Tyler Huntley? He’ll get a share of the snaps, but this is really about one rookie everyone’s curious about.

Shedeur Sanders, #QB4, stepped into the bright lights against the Panthers in Week 1 of the preseason. “That’s the hope,” Stefanski said when asked if Gabriel and Pickett might return for the next preseason game against the Eagles. “We’ll see how it progresses. I think with all these injuries, you gotta take it as one day at a time.” Translation: Still holding out hope for Gabriel, but it’s all wait-and-see right now. For now, the rookie gets the stage. Most regulars are sitting out. The roster bubble guys are suiting up. And Shedeur? He’s going to get plenty of snaps – even if, not long ago, his receivers were equipment managers.

Gabriel’s hamstring setback came at the worst possible time. Before it, he was earning some first-team reps in camp, slowly rising in Stefanski’s unofficial pecking order. And while his early weeks in camp brought accuracy issues – particularly in the red zone – he also flashed moments that made you understand the pre-draft excitement. The problem is, every missed rep now puts him further behind, and Stefanski knows the clock’s ticking.

But Gabriel isn’t sulking about it. “It’s life,” he said Aug. 4. “You want certain results, but sometimes it doesn’t go your way…It starts with me as the quarterback who touches the ball every single play, but it’s the ultimate team sport, and that’s why you love competing in it.” Still, the Browns need to see if Gabriel can be the No. 2 when the season starts. If yes, they can trade either Flacco or Pickett. If not, they may be forced to carry four quarterbacks. That decision hinges on health, and health hasn’t been on Gabriel’s side.

Kevin Stefanski is not ready to hand Shedeur the keys just yet

Here’s the thing – while Gabriel rehabs, Sanders has stepped in and made his own case. Against Carolina, the rookie completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards, two touchdowns, and tacked on 19 rushing yards. And he had no nerves; just confidence. “I wasn’t nervous, so I didn’t really have too much adrenaline,” Sanders said. “It was just getting comfortable, that’s all it is…I felt like I knew the answers to the test.”

Stefanski? He liked what he saw, but don’t mistake that for a fast-track promotion. “I’m pleased with the way Shedeur played,” he said. “I’m pleased with the way the offense operated[Friday]. All things moving forward… will be focused on all of our guys’ development and getting these guys ready to play for the season.” That’s coach-speak for: don’t start talking quarterback controversy just yet. Mary Kay Cabot reported, “Kevin Stefanski was happy with Shedeur Sanders’ performance but isn’t yet ready to say if he’ll get his first reps with the starting offense in joint practices vs. the #Eagles this week.”

And that’s the balancing act. Hold out hope for Gabriel’s return, keep Sanders engaged without anointing him, and make sure the veteran options don’t start feeling iced out. It’s a quarterback room with potential, headaches, and just enough mystery to keep Browns fans refreshing their feeds.