“Nobody cares how many reps you got whenever you get in the game. Nobody cares if you took a snap before. Everybody cares about production.” Shedeur Sanders wasn’t making a general statement during minicamp. That was a mission brief, delivered with the kind of calm urgency that says: I know where I stand, and I know how to move. While Dillon Gabriel was getting reps with the 1s and flashing timing routes in red zone drills, Sanders was grinding on the opposite field – running backups through the paces, learning Kevin Stefanski’s codeword symphony, and getting grilled by coaches. Why? Because Gabriel showed up with a firm handshake and intangibles. No, really. 

In a spicy preseason breakdown that predicted the Browns to crash under 4.5 wins, The Athletic didn’t mince words: “Shedeur Sanders should get a much-needed win and beat out Dillon Gabriel for the No. 3 job, as the Browns will learn you can’t draft a short quarterback in the third round just because he has a firm handshake and intangibles.” Translation? Stefanski better hope Gabriel isn’t just a charming camp arm.

Because if Shedeur Sanders keeps stacking solid reps – and he’s already doing just that – the Browns may have botched this call. For now, Shedeur’s still repping with the fourth string. But that might not last long. Because when camp hits its stride in August, the film room won’t care what round you were taken in. It’ll care what you do in 11-on-11s when the chaos starts.

Let’s break down the stats for better context:

So yes – Gabriel took fewer sacks, thanks to Oregon’s elite O-line. But in almost every other metric, Shedeur was the more productive passer. Higher completion percentage. More yards, touchdowns, and more responsibility under pressure. Colorado’s protection issues weren’t just a stat – they were a warzone.

Yet Shedeur Sanders still delivered over 4,100 passing yards and nearly 40 touchdowns. That’s not just production. That’s resilience in chaos, which just so happens to be the exact situation Cleveland quarterbacks walk into on Sundays. And that’s the irony: Stefanski could’ve had the battle-tested QB who already knows what it’s like to throw from a collapsing pocket. Instead, he picked the polished prospect who rarely had to.

And now, according to Browns OC Tommy Rees, Sanders has already started flipping the switch. “He’s worked his tail off…you could tell on the mental side of the game and learning the system and calling it – he’s put a lot of work and time and effort into that.” Sure, Gabriel has been sharper pre-snap. But post-snap? That’s where Shedeur shines. His touch, timing, and command in those last two weeks of spring ball turned heads. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about development anymore – it was about competition.

The Browns’ QB competition just got real

Let’s recap the cast of this quarterback carousel:

• Joe Flacco, 40, is back in Cleveland after a one-year detour and seemingly holding “pole position.”
• Kenny Pickett, already on team No. 3, with his Steelers baggage still unpacked.
• Dillon Gabriel, third-rounder, compact frame, clean release, solid in structure.
• Shedeur Sanders, fifth-rounder, lightning post-snap, rising fast.
• Deshaun Watson, a $230 million bookmark no one’s talking about anymore.

Cleveland insists this is an open competition, and Stefanski has stuck to his ‘no favorites’ mantra. “I look at competition as a really good thing…especially when you like the guys that are competing for the job like we do. So I think it only elevates everybody’s play,” Stefanski said before the draft. But actions speak louder than coach-speak. Gabriel is getting the early reps that matter. Shedeur? He’s earning it the hard way.

Still, there’s a reason Shedeur Sanders believes his moment is coming. “So in every aspect I view things as I’ve got time — time to be able to grow and mature,” Shedeur said. He closed spring ball strong – tighter footwork, better reads, and fewer of those drifting dropbacks that plagued him at Colorado. The guy who got sacked 94 times over two seasons now looks a little more NFL-ready. Shout-out to Tom Brady, who told him to study. He did.

And Stefanski can only keep the QB hierarchy in place for so long. Joint practices with the Eagles (Aug. 13 & 14) and the first preseason game (Aug. 16) will likely force the issue. If Sanders balls out while Gabriel plays it safe, the fans – and maybe the front office – will start asking the tough questions. Bottom line: Stefanski chose Gabriel first. But that doesn’t mean he chose right. The guy with the intangibles may have opened the door. But the guy with the production is about to blow it off the hinges.