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It’s time for the Cleveland Browns to find out what rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders can do. After Week 4, rookie QB Dillon Gabriel replaced a benched Joe Flacco, who has since been traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco, the veteran stopgap, struggled with turnovers before his trade. But Gabriel, a third-round pick out of Oregon, hasn’t looked like the answer, going 1–4 in five starts. Despite that, head coach Kevin Stefanski has said Gabriel will remain the team’s starter. The Browns, however, would be better off giving Sanders a look. At this point, development should take priority over winning. Here’s why Sanders should play now: 1. The Browns have nothing to lose playing Shedeur Sanders After a 2-7 start, the Browns have slipped out of the playoff race. With their offense slumping, don't bank on them suddenly improving. Over its past five games, Cleveland has averaged just 18 points, well below the league average. With that in mind, the Browns should start prioritizing the development of young players, such as Sanders. Leaving the 23-year-old rookie on the bench does nothing for his development. If he struggles, the losses still count the same. If he flashes potential, it changes the team’s outlook entirely. The Browns aren't contending for a Super Bowl anyway and should be entering full-blown rebuilding mode this offseason. 2. What if Shedeur Sanders is a star? The offense features promising skill players, including rookie running back Quinshon Judkins and rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Per StatMuse, the RB ranks first among rookies in rushing yards (561 in eight games). The TE, meanwhile, is fifth among rookies in receiving yards (396 in nine games). Now all the unit needs is a viable starting QB. Perhaps that could be Sanders, who finished second in the FBS in touchdown passes (37) and fourth in passing yards (4,134) in his final season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024. Sanders fell to pick No. 144 in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft because of poor interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine and maturity concerns. However, that would be forgotten if the former Colorado star becomes the guy in Cleveland, and he may have the tools to do so. "Shedeur Sanders is one of the purest passers from the pocket in college football and the NFL Draft class," wrote Bleacher Report's Dame Parson in his scouting report. "He has the mental aptitude and accuracy to become a franchise-leading quarterback." 3. Can Shedeur Sanders be that much worse than Dillon Gabriel? Gabriel ranks second to last among 33 eligible QBs in completion percentage (58.6 percent) and last in yards per pass attempt (five). In a 27-20 Week 10 loss to the New York Jets, he completed 17-of-32 passes (53.1 percent) for 167 yards and two TDs, posting a below-average 88.9 passer rating. Gabriel's issues may stem from his size. Listed at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, he lacks the ideal stature for an NFL QB. Sanders, meanwhile, is 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, decent size for the position. Stefanski has dismissed questions about the QB's size hindering the offense, but he should admit that it can create problems. He should also realize Gabriel could be better suited as a backup. 4. The 2026 NFL Draft class looks weak at QB The Browns may be tanking to position themselves to take a QB in the 2026 draft, but they may soon find the class is thin at the most important position. "It's not a stellar class," a scout told ESPN's Pete Thamel in a story published Nov. 8. "If you add the maybes [who have eligibility and could leave school], now it gets interesting. The top is better than last year's class, for sure." Oregon QB Dante Moore is reportedly planning to return to school next season, and Alabama QB Ty Simpson could do the same. That would leave Indiana's Fernando Mendoza as QB1 in the draft, but he may not be a franchise-altering talent. In his scouting report for Mendoza, CBS Sports' Mike Renner wrote he doesn't frequently make "NFL throws." Letting Sanders develop may be better for the Browns than reaching on a QB in the draft. They've already experienced enough instability at the position, having started 41 QBs since the team returned to the NFL in 1999. 5. Week 11 could be a good time to make his debut On Sunday, the Browns host the Baltimore Ravens (4-5) at 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS). Baltimore has won three straight games, but it still has problems in the secondary. The Ravens rank 27th in the league in passing yards allowed (249.4) and 19th in passer rating allowed (93.7). Over Baltimore's past three games, the unit has surrendered 264.7 passing yards per game.
