The Cleveland Browns went into training camp with four quarterbacks, two of whom were rookies. Now with the preseason wrapped up, some decisions are ahead. Maybe not on roster spots because the Browns might wind up keeping them all. However, where Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel fall on the depth chart is a major talking point.
Joe Flacco will be the starter and if you ask Gerald McCoy, Gabriel should be the backup. Kenny Pickett is the fourth guy in this situation but has yet to feature for Cleveland in the preseason due to injury. McCoy has seen enough from Gabriel to slot him behind Flacco.
“I think right now the backup is Dillon Gabriel because we haven’t seen Kenny Pickett play,” McCoy said. “We haven’t seen him play. He’s been banged up with the hamstring. But Dillon Gabriel, he’s played well both preseason games. He put two really good preseason games together. The first game versus Philly, 5-5 on third down, went down today and had two scoring drives, operated the two-minute drill, flawlessly. He showed what he could do as the backup right now and I think right now he’s the number two.”
Both rookies got an extended run on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Rams. Gabriel for sure looked better, completing 12 of 19 passes for 129 yards. Sanders only put up 14 passing yards on three completions, taking a few sacks in the process.
There is some confidence from Sanders he will wind up on the roster. After all, Cleveland did use some valuable draft capital to acquire a second quarterback in the class.
McCoy does see where the issues for Sanders currently stand. Some of the situations are not ones that the quarterback can control, like when he is inserted into the game. McCoy would like to see Sanders clean up some areas of his game before getting a real look at playing time.
“He looked like a fifth-round pick and I think a lot of people put so much pressure on him because of his last name,” McCoy said. “We gotta show him some grace. You can’t control certain things. You can’t control who you go out on the field with. That’s up to the coach. You can’t control when you go out there. That’s up to the coach. But you can control is what you do once you’re out there. Sometimes you just gotta get the ball out of your hand and see a completion. Just get a few completions, get the ball out your hand and then move the sticks.
“I think today he was pressing a little bit. He seen the two quarterbacks that played before them; they played really good and he wanted to go out there and make something happen. But he’s competitive. He’s a Sanders. He does not want to go out there and not make something happen. And it cost him today, held the ball a little bit, took a step back with retreating and holding onto the ball, trying to scramble and just make a play. Sometimes you have to just step, get the ball out of your hand and play the next play. It caught up with him today.”
The Browns open on Sept. 7 with a divisional foe, going up against the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco will be the first guy out there and if everything goes to plan, the only one. The Browns are hoping the veteran presence can help guide the team throughout the season.
If something were to happen to Flacco, a plan needs to be put in place. McCoy would rock with Gabriel, while hoping Sanders can continue to improve with practice reps.
