The Cleveland Browns made an interesting choice to select two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Cleveland took Dillon Gabriel in the third round before taking Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round. In training camp, the two rookies, alongside Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, were in a competition for the starting job.
The Browns ended up trading Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders and named Flacco the starter, with Gabriel as the backup. Although Sanders is the third-string quarterback, former NFL quarterback and now ESPN analyst, Dan Orlovsky, believes Sanders has all the talent to be a starting quarterback.
“He’s a young man who is really intelligent and has a high-level football IQ,” Orlovsky said to ESPN Cleveland. “I bet if we sat down at the board or watched tape, he could just rattle off what’s happening – what to do with the ball, how to read the defense, all of it.
“He just needs a lot of reps at NFL speed to fully understand how legit that speed is, the pass rush, the change of coverage, the windows opening and closing, what he can and can’t do, what he can and can’t,” Orlovsky added. “He needs growth and development in that, which is what we said when he came out of Colorado. But is he physically talented enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL? I still believe the answer is yes.”
It’s an interesting take from Orlovsky, who believes Sanders has all the talent to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. But, to begin the 2025 season with the Browns, Sanders will be the third-string quarterback and an inactive on gamedays for the time being.
Sanders Will Serve as Scout Team QB for Browns
With Sanders being the third-string quarterback for the Browns, he will be the scout team quarterback in practice.
Sanders will mimic the opposing team’s starting quarterback in practice for the defense. On gamedays, he will dress as the emergency third-string quarterback and will only be allowed to play in games if Flacco and Gabriel both get injured.
Sanders lost the Browns’ backup quarterback job to Gabriel, who also beat out Pickett, leading to the trade. After the decision was made, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he’s comfortable with Gabriel as the backup quarterback.
“We feel comfortable with Dillon serving that role,” Stefanski said. “Kenny’s a guy I think very highly of, and so do I wish him well. He’s a really good football player, but those are the type of decisions that you have to make.”
Cleveland will open their 2025 NFL season on Sept. 7 at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Browns Bring Back QB to Practice Squad Roster
Cleveland did make another quarterback move, bringing back Bailey Zappe to the practice squad.
Zappe was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs, and after passing through waivers, he signed to the Browns’ practice squad. The former fourth-round pick played for Cleveland during the 2024 season, starting one game.
Zappe went 16-for-31 for 170 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions in his lone start with the Browns. He’s now back in the organization to add even more depth to Cleveland’s quarterback room.
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