The Cleveland Browns look to have set themselves up to fail in the 2025 season after moving on from their starting quarterback after just four games while leaving two rookies in a rough position
03:59 ET, 15 Oct 2025
View 3 Images
Dillon Gabriel has been put in a rough spot with the Browns
The Cleveland Browns must be coming to terms that they have a much bigger issue than the quarterback that is holding them back, and it's something that has hampered them for decades. A lack of clear direction, a plan.
The Browns signed Joe Flacco and traded for Kenny Pickett this offseason, before drafting Dillon Gabriel in the third round. A day later, the Browns then dipped back into the draft to end Shedeur Sanders' long, unexpected wait by selecting him in the fifth round. Almost immediately, it was clear that this pick was made by the owners of the team - rather than general manager Andrew Berry or head coach Kevin Stefanski. This, to many people, was a sign of disfunction and disorganization within the franchise.
Article continues below
A quarterback battle would ensue with all four aforementioned quarterbacks competing against each other, with Flacco being named the start, Pickett the back-up and rookies Gabriel and Sanders as the third and fourth-choice quarterbacks.
Article continues below
READ MORE: Colts sign new QB after working out four players with Chiefs Super Bowl heroREAD MORE: Caleb Williams makes feelings very clear on Troy Aikman's MNF commentary about him
Fast forward just four weeks through the season, Pickett has been traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and they have already given up on Flacco being the starter - moving to Gabriel to give him a shot.
While many would argue that the 2025 season already looks to be a lost one for the Browns, meaning that starting a veteran in Flacco would be pretty much pointless for the future of the franchise - it just shows a clear lacking in direction.
What's more, the Browns are not set up to let a rookie quarterback succeed.
View 3 Images
Andrew Berry has made some bizarre decisions over the last five years
Despite spending multiple draft picks on their offensive line and skill positions, their offensive players are hugely struggling. This has left Gabriel, a third-round rookie, in a dire situation.
And if Sanders gets his chance in the coming weeks, which he probably will, it's tough to imagine a world in which he will not struggle.
The Browns have already made this mistake with Baker Mayfield. They drafted an uber-talented quarterback with the first-overall pick and failed to build the right team around him before giving him up on and letting him walk.
He now looks like one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
The Browns replaced Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson in a trade that might be the worst in NFL history.
Andrew Berry appears to be playing battleships as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. He is entering the season without a clear plan that he's willing to stick to. Instead, he's trying one thing and if that doesn't work then trying something completely different until he gets a hit.
And through the last five years, he's not been hitting on much at all.
Gabriel threw the ball 52 times in their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers while being in a brutal situation with struggling wide receivers - being reliant on a rookie tight end.
View 3 Images
Shedeur Sanders is being set up to fail
After the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin criticized the Browns' lack of direction. He said: "Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us because it doesn't make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening-day starter to a division opponent that's hurting in that area. But that's just my personal feelings."
The Browns cannot keep doing this. They cannot keep recycling quarterbacks in hoping that one of them slots in and magically turns them into a winning franchise.
Article continues below
They must build a team that is ready for a quarterback to slot in to. A team that is ready for a quarterback.
The Browns are showing that they are no way near being ready. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are being set up to fail, and they'll need to pull a miracle to turn the franchise around.
**Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. **Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99** so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.**