Dillon Gabriel will remain the Cleveland Browns‘ starting quarterback for now, but the rookie needs to start producing in a hurry to keep his job.
Gabriel took over as the Browns’ starter in Week 5. He’s posted a 1-3 record so far and has not provided the spark that the team hoped for after benching veteran Joe Flacco. Gabriel has passed for 702 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. More concerning has been his unwillingness to look downfield. Gabriel is averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt — the lowest in the NFL among starting quarterbacks.
The Browns plan to give Gabriel — a third-round rookie — a longer leash than Flacco. But if he doesn’t turn it around soon, the Browns will start thinking about Shedeur Sanders.
“I think the Browns need to give Gabriel a little more time to come up the learning curve and develop more timing and rhythm with his skill players before they sit him down. I would think they’d want to give him at least another four games or so before seeing what Shedeur Sanders can do down the stretch if he’s ready,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said. “But Gabriel must show improvement in the passing game and put some points on the board to keep his job. … It’s not fair to the defense or the rest of the team to field a quarterback who isn’t getting the job done when there are alternatives.”
Browns Announce Major Offensive Change
The Browns are not changing quarterbacks but they are swapping play callers. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has relinquished the duties, and first-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will now call the plays on game day. Stefanski said he made the decision after weighing it over the bye week.
“Yeah, I look at everything, every week. Certainly, the bye week gives you an opportunity to look at everything and bottom line is we have to better — we have to better in a lot of facets on the offensive side,” Stefanski said. “I just felt like Tommy is somebody that I believe in. Obviously hired him here a couple years back because I really believe in Tommy as a coach, and he’s done everything that we’ve asked and I just feel like this is the right time for this.”
The Browns’ offense currently ranks near the bottom of the league in yards (263.5) and points (15.8) per game.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Dealing With Back Injury
Sanders did not play during the Browns’ Week 8 matchup due to a back injury he suffered later in the week. He tested it out pregame but the team did not feel like he was ready to assume the backup role. Elevated practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe stepped into that spot.
Sanders received treatmeant on his back through the bye week. He was absent from practice on Monday as the Browns returned from the break. Stefanski did not have much of an update on his fifth-round rookie.
“Still dealing with the back injury, but getting better,” Stefanski said.
Sanders has said previously that he expects to be ready for Sunday’s game against the one-win New York Jets.
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