Shedeur Sanders Gains Meaningful Edge Over Dillon Gabriel

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Quarterback Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns know Joe Flacco is their QB1, at least for the season opener, but the rest of the chips in the position group have yet to fall.

Kenny Pickett has yet to take a snap through two preseason games, as he battles a hamstring injury. However, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel have each played in/started one game with meaningfully different results.

Sanders connected on 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two TDs against the Carolina Panthers, while Gabriel went 13-of-18 for 143 yards and an INT that the Philadelphia Eagles defense returned for a touchdown. Each rookie signal-caller took two sacks.

It is about more than just the numbers, however, and Nick Wilson and Jonathan Peterlin of 92.3 The Fan explained Tuesday the edge Sanders has gained on Gabriel during preseason play to this point.

“I saw a guy who looked like a system quarterback, but a system backup. I didn’t see anything special,” Wilson said. “He is an undersized quarterback who I don’t know he works under center.”

Sanders’ debut was a different story.

“With Shedeur, there is something there. There is something palpable there that you can see,” Wilson continued. “Shedeur was better. And when we get to just the basic eye test, Dillon looked like the maxed version of what he’s going to be able to do.”

Peterlin chimed in to finish the point.

“[Gabriel] looks like somebody who was preparing to be a backup quarterback his entire career … and Shedeur didn’t. Shedeur looked like somebody that you can actually make a starting quarterback and develop around,” Peterlin said. “There was a stark difference between what you saw with Shedeur and what you saw with Dillon.”

Dillon Gabriel Caught Heat for Postgame Comments Some Felt Were Aimed at Shedeur Sanders

GettyCleveland Browns quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel (left) and Shedeur Sanders (right).

Gabriel got himself into hot water following his start against the Eagles with a comment during the postgame interview.

“You know, there’s entertainers and there’s competitors, and I totally understand that,” Gabriel said. “But my job is to compete. And that’s what I’m focused on doing.”

Some fans and media members took Gabriel’s statement as a jab at Sanders, which Gabriel denied.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasn’t among them, but called Gabriel out for the remark regardless.

“I never believed he was talking about Shedeur Sanders. I totally believed him when he said he was talking about the media,” Smith said. “Having said that, Dillon Gabriel, respectfully, it was stupid — a very dumb comment to make.”

Browns Likely to Roster 4 Quarterbacks Heading Into Week 1

GettyQuarterback Dillon Gabriel of the Cleveland Browns.

Gabriel’s comments aren’t likely to cost him anything, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the team is probably going to carry four QBs into the season.

“I expect the Cleveland Browns to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster,” Schefter said. “They’re gonna keep both rookies, they’re gonna keep Flacco, so we’re really talking about Kenny Pickett, and I expect he makes the roster because quarterbacks are currency.”

The only other Browns quarterback to take a snap in a preseason contest this month besides Sanders and Gabriel is Tyler Huntley. Cleveland brought him in to pick up some throws during a period of time when both rookies and Pickett were all out with injuries.

But even though Huntley has played in more preseason games than any of the five active signal-callers currently in Browns’ camp, he’s the one most likely to exit ahead of Week 1. Deshaun Watson remains on the injured list as he rehabilitates a twice-torn Achilles tendon.a