Even if Shedeur Sanders manages to win the starting job for the Cleveland Browns this season, his long-term future with the franchise remains uncertain, as Cleveland continues to scout some of the top quarterback prospects expected to be available in the upcoming draft.
The Browns selected both Dillon Gabriel — their current starter — and Shedeur Sanders in this year’s draft. Gabriel came off the board in the third round, while Sanders slid to the fifth after once being viewed as a potential first-rounder. Cleveland remains committed to evaluating both rookies, but with two first-round picks in next year’s draft, neither passer is guaranteed to be the team’s long-term answer under center.
Insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com believes the Browns will use at least one of those picks on a quarterback and named some of the college stars the team is starting.
“I do think the Browns will draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2026 draft with one or both of their first-round picks, their own and/or the Jaguars from the 2025 draft day trade. The Browns have been heavily scouting the top quarterbacks such as Oregon’s Dante Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson and South Carolina’s Lanorris Sellers,” Cabot said. “They’re in need of a franchise QB, and will undoubtedly take one in this class, even if Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders show great promise.”
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Dealing With New Injury
Sanders was inactive on Sunday against the New England Patriots after a back injury late in the week. It’s an unfortunate setback for Sanders, who was set to serve as the primary backup to Gabriel on Sunday.
Heading into the matchup, there was growing chatter that Gabriel needed to show more if he wanted to solidify his hold on the starting job and keep the Browns from considering a look at Shedeur Sanders.
“The Browns definitely want to see more points from Gabriel and the offense, and don’t have him on a short leash. But the passing game does need to improve, or they’ll undoubtedly find themselves tempted to turn to Sanders sooner than perhaps they want to,” Cabot said.
The Browns’ offense entered Sunday averaging 270.7 yards and 16.1 points per game.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Eager to Learn
The Browns surprised many by taking Gabriel in the third round. He came with a decorated college resume, which included six seasons and 64 starts. The knock on Gabriel was his height — 5-foot-11 — which is not the typical size of a franchise quarterback.
Gabriel has been praised for his “processing power” and grasp of the playbook. Now, it’s about translating that to the field, where he has to take more chances downfield. Gabriel is averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt.
“There’s still a lot for me to learn, and I hope I never stop learning,” Gabriel said. “I want to continue to learn and get better, and that’s what I would say. But like I said, it’s day by day. It’s week by week. You’re going to continue to grow, and you want to keep that going in a positive direction.”
Cleveland is heading into its bye week and will face the winless Jets out of the break.
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