The Cleveland Browns finalized their quarterback hierarchy with some surprising moves that left one rookie’s dreams temporarily shattered. After shipping Kenny Pickett to Las Vegas and officially cutting Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, veteran Joe Flacco claimed the starting job, with Dillon Gabriel earning backup duties behind him. The biggest shock came when head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Shedeur Sanders would serve as the designated third-string “emergency” quarterback.

Shedeur had put in tremendous work throughout the rookie minicamp: only player in NFL rookie minicamp history to throw for 400+ yards and 5 TDs in consecutive days. Then, during the training camp: best completion rate and no picks. But maybe the preseason wasn’t how Stefanski would have liked. The fifth-round pick finished the preseason with 2 TDs over 152 yds, completing only 17 of the 29 attempted passes. Major highlight came in the first game against the Panthers… But he faded against the Rams in the finale, completing 3 out of 6 passes for 14 yards. So, his fall in the depth chart was maybe his own doing.

That’s where it opened the door for Dillon, and the Dawg Pound got its answer about the backup situation. 92.3 The Fan’s Ken Carman broke down the decision on social media. Carman’s analysis on X revealed exactly why Stefanski chose Dillon Gabriel over Shedeur… And it had nothing to do with talent. “Because when Dillon Gabriel goes in, if he has to go in sooner because of injury, if he has to be thrust into a position, he is going to do exactly as Kevin says. There’s already the knowledge of the offense that’s there. So, he’ll be able to do it. It’s not that Shedeur will go out on his own and completely defy Kevin Stefanski,” he explained. The message was crystal clear: Gabriel follows orders without question, making him the safer choice despite Sanders’ superior arm talent.

Against the Eagles, when Shedeur missed the game due to an injured oblique, Dillon methodically moved the Browns downfield on the opening drive, completing all four passes and converting three crucial third-downs attempts. His disciplined approach led to a touchdown on that opening series, showcasing exactly the type of controlled execution Stefanski craved. Gabriel later converted six consecutive third-down situations before throwing a costly pick-six, but his overall command impressed the coaching staff.

Carman elaborated on Gabriel’s appeal: “For Dillon, there’s already that knowledge of the offense where if things go bad with Joe, if there’s an injury, and I know that Dillon’s slight, but man, he’s going to be able to do exactly as he’s told. And he may put himself in a bad spot.” That willingness to sacrifice personal glory for system adherence became Gabriel’s trump card. With Shedeur out of the picture, Kevin Stefanski’s bold QB decision is about to shake things up.

Kevin Stefanski explained the decision

Stefanski cleaned house Monday. The August 26th announcement confirmed Gabriel as the backup. But his reasoning remained diplomatically vague. “I think you factor in everything, truly. You look at it from a bunch of different angles. We made the decision and feel comfortable with Dillon serving that role,” the head coach stated. Behind those careful words lay a preference for predictability over potential.

The Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Raiders for a 2026 fifth-rounder and handed Dillon the backup job. Simple as that. That left Flacco as the vet QB1, and Shedeur picking up the scraps at QB3. The competition wasn’t particularly close once the preseason games started. Gabriel threw for 272 yards on 25-of-37 passing with solid decision-making. Sanders managed 152 yards on 17-of-29 attempts. Both rookies had their moments, but Gabriel’s consistency won out.

“It’s such an all-encompassing evaluation,” Stefanski told reporters. “Everything the guys did in the games was important. We also saw a lot of them out here in practice and how they are at their craft. He’s certainly somebody that we think is getting better and better.” Gabriel’s college track record probably sealed it. Six seasons across UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon produced ridiculous numbers: 65.2% completion rate, 18,722 passing yards, 155 touchdown passes against 32 picks. He added 1,209 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns for good measure.

Cleveland wasn’t shopping for a project that came with fanfare. That was always the case. Especially behind an aging starter. So, Gabriel gives them exactly that. Stefanski made the safe bet. But was it safe, not going with Shedeur? Only time will tell.