By Evan Massey

Copyright newsweek

Entering the 2025 NFL season, Cleveland Browns fans were excited about getting a chance to see their two rookie quarterbacks see the field. Both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were widely expected to end up playing at some point throughout the course of their respective rookie season.

Now that the season is four weeks old, the Browns have shown no signs of moving on from Joe Flacco as their starter.

Through the first four games of the season, Flacco has been disappointing. He has thrown for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions, while completing just 58.1 percent of his pass attempts. Those numbers are not going to get the job done.

Read more: Micah Parsons Takes Jab at Jerry Jones After Packers-Cowboys Game

Despite his slow start to the season and a 1-3 record, head coach Kevin Stefanski seems to be in no rush to put his young quarterbacks on the field. Finding out what Cleveland has in both Gabriel and Sanders should be a necessity this season.

Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns warms up before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 28, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Granted, there were hopes of shocking the NFL and being a playoff contender. The Browns should go ahead and acknowledge that those lofty goals simply are not going to become a reality this season.

That being said, it doesn’t sound like Cleveland even wants Sanders to sniff the field this year.

Another new update has come out about the former Colorado standout. Jason Lloyd of The Athletic shared a new report about where the Browns stand when it comes to Sanders. He believes that it’s time for Cleveland to give Gabriel a shot, but then added that if it doesn’t work out the team should return to Flacco as its starter.

“If he is a mess, they can always go back to Flacco in a few weeks,” Lloyd wrote. “(Yes, I said Flacco, not Shedeur Sanders. It seems clear Sanders is viewed as a developmental pick. Barring injury, I don’t expect to see him on the field anytime soon.)”

Once again, it has been made very clear that the Browns do not want to put Sanders on the field.

Why they are so against Sanders playing remains a mystery. Sure, he may not be fully ready for the NFL, but neither is Gabriel. Before next offseason, Cleveland needs to know if it has a legitimate quarterback on the roster or not.

Read more: Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers Drops Surprising Hint About NFL Future

After spending two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on quarterbacks, it would be a shame to see the Browns take another in the first round of the 2026 draft without knowing what they currently have. Both Gabriel and Sanders should see playing time this season.

Regardless of that argument, Cleveland seems to have its mind made up right now. Sanders isn’t going to see the field anytime soon. That could change, but the Browns seem pretty steadfast with that goal.

For more on the Cleveland Browns and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.