Back in April, the Cleveland Browns decided to take two rookie quarterbacks in the NFL Draft. The team drafted Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the 3rd round, then later traded up to get Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders in the 5th round. No need to rehash the reps distribution between the two, but both Sanders and Gabriel have gotten their first NFL game experience in some form of fashion.
Sanders started in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers after Gabriel did not play due to suffering a hamstring injury. Last Saturday, the roles were reversed. Sanders sat out with an oblique injury and Gabriel made his debut against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Both have shown they can operate the offense
For as much unwanted backlash that this coaching staff gets at times, it’s only right to acknowledge that the offensive staff did a good job in preparing both Sanders and Gabriel. As far as the reps go between the two during training camp, it shouldn’t be a talking point. In terms of an operational standpoint, Sanders and Gabriel operated the offense about as well as they did. Granted, it’s preseason, but the little details matter.
Pre-snap, diagnosing, and having successful drives are what count. Sanders looked comfortable and operated the offense effectively, while Gabriel focused more on efficiency and playing on time. Did both quarterbacks make mistakes?
Yes, but keep in mind they are rookies.
Dillon Gabriel has a ceiling, and it’s an accurate one
During the pre-draft evaluation process, I realized that Gabriel has a clear ceiling if he were to be drafted by an NFL team. Low-ceiling. Low-floor. Closer to a system QB/game manager. Gabriel has limitations in his game; he’s not the most athletic and he doesn’t have a big arm.
However, he plays with rhythm and timing, which is a prerequisite in a Kevin Stefanski offense. In his preseason debut, Gabriel led a scoring drive in which he played on time, and made the necessary throws needed. As far as the mistakes, he made two. However, those mistakes he made shouldn’t have received the amount of backlash that it did.
The pick-6 he threw early in the 2nd half isn’t clearly all on him. The spacing for the routes that were being run was poor and it led to Gabriel forcing a throw that shouldn’t have been made.
Gabriel was also responsible for a fumble due to a botched handoff.
Gabriel showed he is capable of running an offense while also slightly revealing his ceiling as a quarterback.
Sanders has a ceiling, but he needs to adjust in order to play in this offense.
Quick clarification. When Sanders made his debut in the preseason opener, Sanders played about as well as anyone could’ve imagined. Minimal reps didn’t stop him from making the most out of his opportunity when quarterbacks Kenny Pickett & Dillon Gabriel were out with injuries for the opener. Sanders showcased his accuracy and his willingness to extend plays when given the opportunity. Good throws and processing also can’t be ignored. In terms of his ceiling, Sanders is closer to a game manager than being a game changer.
The term “game manager” can be viewed as a negative in the game of football, but it shouldn’t be. Is Sanders a good player? Yes. Is he a game-changer? Not quite. His athletic limitations prevent him from being that; he just doesn’t have the ability to play out of structure more times than not.
When Sanders does play out of structure, it doesn’t end well. Sanders can operate in the offense Stefanski has; however, he needs to dial back his tendency to play out of structure. It’s not in his game, but Sanders is trying to force it to be. The occasional scramble is fine, but trying to spin out of trouble and make throws from insane angles is something he should get rid of. Stefanski had this issue in some way with quarterback Baker Mayfield when Mayfield was here.
Granted, the two quarterbacks are different, but both have the ability to try to make something out of nothing when that’s not their game. Sanders’ ceiling in this offense could be similar to Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers, which isn’t a bad thing, but he has some things to work on and clean up.
We are just one set of preseason action in on both Gabriel and Sanders; there is a lot of time for both quarterbacks. Then again, with two first-round picks in 2026, both need to prove something sooner rather than later.
What are your early takeaways on Sanders and Gabriel?
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