In the crucible of an NFL training camp, opportunity isn’t just valuable—it’s survival. For a rookie quarterback, reps aren’t casual tosses; they’re oxygen. You fight for them, you cling to them, and sometimes you have to wait for a crack in the depth chart just to inhale the same air as the veterans. The Cleveland Browns‘s quarterback room was always going to be crowded—four arms, one future—but few expected the imbalance that has emerged. Now, a growing chorus is asking the same pointed question: Has head coach Kevin Stefanski already picked his quarterback of the future? And is that quarterback Dillon Gabriel? If so… where does that leave Shedeur Sanders?
In the early days of OTAs and minicamp, the Browns’ quarterback reps were expected to be shared, balanced, and merit-based. After all, this wasn’t a one-man room. The Browns had brought in Joe Flacco for leadership, Kenny Pickett for competition, and drafted two rookies, Gabriel in the 3rd round, and Sanders in the 5th round, to develop behind them. On paper, that’s a healthy system. Let the best man rise. Give the kids time to grow. But that’s not what happened.
As far back as May, Dillon Gabriel wasn’t just getting looks; he was leading 11-on-11s. Week after week, insiders reported that he was not just rotating with the big men on the team but starting with them, even when every QB on the roster was healthy. Veteran Cleveland reporter Daryl Ruiter was the first to call it out. Ruiter emphasized that while Gabriel was handed an opportunity, he wasn’t earning it. This wasn’t just an observation; it was an indictment.
Ruiter explained to 92.3 The Fan, “The Browns aren’t treating Gabriel like a third-round pick,” he said on-air. “They’re treating him like a first-round pick. He’s first up on 11-on-11s. And that’s not new. That’s going back to minicamp and OTAs. The way the organization is treating him. And that is a legitimate player, not a development player, a legitimate player to play for this football team.” At first, it felt like a rotation. Then it became a pattern. Now, it feels like a preference.
”Well they aren’t treating Dillon Gabriel like a 3rd round pick… they’re treating him like a 1st round pick.”
@RuiterWrongFAN in response to @KenCarman saying he can’t treat Shedeur Sanders like a regular 5th round pick
: https://t.co/SuwmYWWjwW pic.twitter.com/nJm3JgBWjU
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 8, 2025
But Stefanski might not just be seeing the player in front of him; he might be seeing the college legend. Dillon Gabriel’s college career was the stuff of record books. Spanning six seasons across UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon, Gabriel threw for an eye-popping 18,722 yards and 155 touchdowns. He left college football ranked among the top 10 of all-time in total TD passes and total yards, combining experience with durability and statistical output. And Stefanski, consciously or not, may be guilty of letting Gabriel’s college resume outweigh his NFL reality. Ruiter’s words contradict Stefanski’s vision with Gabriel: “He’s not good! Not an NFL quarterback right now. Maybe he will be someday. But right now, he’s not.”
And while Gabriel was being groomed for gameday from Day 1, another rookie quarterback on the same roster, drafted just two rounds later, who couldn’t even get regular team reps, has finally received an opportunity in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers.
Are Shedeur Sanders’ days of disrespect finally over?
For weeks, Shedeur Sanders was effectively considered invisible at Browns camp. He wasn’t competing. He wasn’t struggling. He just wasn’t part of the plan. But the Browns’ quarterback room has unraveled quickly. Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel are all battling injuries, thinning the depth chart down to just Shedeur Sanders and veteran Tyler Huntley, who was only signed earlier this week.
Ruiter explained what he expects from the team on game day, and emphasized how plans change, “It should be Joe Flacco, week 1. Then if circumstances dictate, then you go to Kenny Pickett, and then if circumstances dictate, then you go to Dillon Gabriel. But as I said earlier guys. They never intended to draft Shedeur Sanders. They never intended to have him start the preseason opener, yet here we are.”
And here we are indeed. Suddenly, Sanders isn’t just a depth option; he’s the only healthy rookie standing. With preseason action kicking off, Sanders is now expected to get significantly more snaps than he would have under normal circumstances. That unexpected workload gives him a legitimate platform to showcase his talent. Cover’s Jared Hochman predicts, “That’s more than enough time for him to record at least one passing TD and amass 150+ passing yards — we’ve seen QBs with extended action this preseason total 120, 144, 123, 252 (!!!), 147, and 205 yards.”
Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, comes with his strong résumé. He played three seasons at Jackson State and Colorado, totaling 7,623 passing yards and 65 touchdowns. His poise, accuracy, and leadership were praised throughout college, and many scouts believed he had the tools to develop into a long-term starter at the next level. Can he transcend with a single preseason game?
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