The friction within the Cleveland Browns‘ locker room just took an interesting turn, one that connects two quarterbacks at distinctly different stages of their careers. Amid quarterback uncertainty, rookie Shedeur Sanders appears to be taking a page from Deshaun Watson’s playbook.

Sanders has quietly expressed his feelings about his playing time. Browns beat writer Brad Stainbrook reports that the rookie “liked” an Instagram post calling for the team to start him after the bye week.

Stainbrook shared on X, “Browns QB Shedeur Sanders liked my Instagram post where I called for the team to start the former Colorado quarterback following the bye week.”

The message that caught Sanders’ attention was blunt and direct. “I’ve seen enough of Dillon Gabriel,” Stainbrook said. “It’s time for the Browns to start getting Shedeur Sanders ready after the bye week. Give him two weeks to take time, settle in, and make his first NFL start. You didn’t draft him to sit forever… and this offense needs a spark.”

The Cleveland Browns had high hopes for Dillon Gabriel early in the season, but the rookie has yet to deliver consistent performances. The blowout defeat to New England emphasized it. Gabriel went 21-of-35 for 156 yards and two touchdowns, but his two ill-timed interceptions crushed any chance of a comeback.

Meanwhile, Sanders missed the game due to back issues.

Despite the setbacks, Kevin Stefanski has maintained that Gabriel will remain the starter. Yet with Cleveland holding just two wins and an offense ranked among the league’s least effective, many believe it’s the perfect time to give Sanders a shot. He was elevated to QB2 after Joe Flacco’s trade, but the rookie is still waiting for his chance to take the field.

Sanders’ recent “like” might not seem like much, but in today’s NFL, subtle social media gestures can speak volumes. It mirrors Deshaun Watson’s quiet online moves earlier this season, and hints at deeper frustration brewing inside the Browns’ locker room.

Deshaun Watson’s subtle jab resurfaces amid Sanders’ move

A person named Chad left a post citing supposed evidence that Watson had “liked” his vicious takedown of Stefanski after Joe Flacco’s huge victory against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.

Chad ranted while his Buckeyes crushed Wisconsin. He asked, “This is a real, genuine question. Are we sure Deshaun Watson is even bad? I mean every quarterback: Baker Mayfield, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco; every quarterback Kevin Stefanski has had is not f—–g good. Then they go to a different team and f—–g find themselves again and are f—–g awesome?” The video went viral on TikTok, especially after the coach’s own quarterback liked such a cryptic post.

Watson is currently out with an Achilles injury. In three seasons, he has made just 19 starts, never quite reaching his Houston-level supremacy.

In 2024, he played only seven games, throwing for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and posting a 79.0 passer rating, far below the elite 8.8 yards per attempt he recorded during his peak with the Texans.

Now, with both Watson and Sanders subtly signaling frustration toward Stefanski, questions are mounting about whether the coach’s system is holding back Cleveland’s quarterbacks.