For many, including DBN staff and readers, the constant focus on QB Shedeur Sanders with the Cleveland Browns can feel mind-numbing. The problem is that QB Dillon Gabriel hasn’t done enough to quiet all
the noise. Sadly, conspiracy theories are running wild with fans and media sharing what they think is actually happening that is keeping Sanders on the bench.
Some of the reasons being speculated make sense, including Sanders not being ready, wanting to be certain that Gabriel can’t turn it around before benching him as a rookie, and not wanting to force Sanders to play the rest of the season out if he also struggles.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Browns want to give Gabriel a long runway and have given no indication that Sanders will be taking the field anytime soon:
Coming out of the Week 9 bye, the Browns’ plan was to give Dillon Gabriel a fairly long runway of games to evaluate what they have in him. But as we see with young quarterbacks and teams in transition all the time, those plans can change. The public pressure in Cleveland is mounting. But I simply haven’t sensed that the Browns have been eager to turn to Shedeur Sanders.
We know that “a fairly long runway of games” at least means Week 11 versus the Baltimore Ravens.
So far, in five starts and seven total games, Gabriel has completed 89% of his passes for 869 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. His 5.0 yards per attempt is by far the lowest in the NFL for qualified players, with Bryce Young’s 5.6 and Cam Ward/Kyler Murray at 6.0 ahead of Cleveland’s quarterback.
Gabriel is also at the bottom of yards per completion and yards per game passing this season.
Still, leading to a lot of conspiracy theories, Sanders will not be seeing the field anytime soon. As Fowler notes, things can change quickly in the NFL with bad teams, but HC Kevin Stefanski has been steadfast in his support of Gabriel and what the team needs to do around him.
Does this national report surprise you? What do you think the reason is that Sanders can’t see the field despite Gabriel’s struggles?
Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below
