The Cleveland Browns officially made a quarterback switch ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The Browns are turning to rookie Dillon Gabriel after Joe Flacco started in the first four games of the season, leading the team to a 1-3 record.
More News:NFL World Sends Prayers to Mark Sanchez Following Stabbing Incident
The Browns have a unique situation at quarterback this season with two rookie quarterbacks on the roster. It makes sense for Cleveland to let Gabriel start first, as he was taken in the third round of April’s draft. However, the Browns have Shedeur Sanders, a fifth-round pick, sitting at No. 3 on the depth chart and only plan to use him as an emergency option in London.
More News:Unfortunate Weather Event Led to Vikings Ruling Out JJ McCarthy
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network provided clarity as to why the Browns aren’t moving Sanders up the depth chart just yet amid Flacco’s struggles in the early season. Cleveland’s game plan is tailored for Gabriel, and Flacco is better suited to execute that plan than Sanders if something happens to Gabriel. Still, the Browns are planning to give Sanders a shot at some point this season.
“The Browns want Sanders to be successful when he’s out there,” Rapoport wrote. “When he plays, they want him to do so with a game plan that is made for him to thrive. As the backup, if he was forced into action, he’d be running a game plan built for Gabriel, rather than one built to his strengths. Is that fair to Sanders?
The expectation is that Sanders will play at some point this season when he’s ready. When he does play, it would be with a full week of practice and a game plan built for him.”
It’s unclear when the Browns to plan to let Sanders get his shot during the regular season. Cleveland expects Gabriel to have growing pains as he learns the position, and they don’t view the QB1 job as a “week-to-week proposition.”
For more on the Browns and the NFL, head to*Newsweek Sports*.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published October 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM.