The hits keep on coming for Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who won’t start the team’s third preseason game of August before NFL cut down day at the end of the month.
Head coach Todd Monken explained the decision to media members on Tuesday, August 25, citing a desire for more information on Dillon Gabriel as the reason for Sanders’ shelving.
“We’re not playing him because we’d like to see Dillon more,” Monken said. “[The way it] worked out last game, that was unfair to him. So in order to do that, to see more of [Gabriel] and yet see Taylen [Green], there’s just not enough reps. That’s the reason. … We wanna see more of Dillon, and it just hasn’t worked out — trying to get those other guys reps.”
Browns May Be Showcasing Dillon Gabriel in Game 3 of Preseason in Bid to Trade QB
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Cleveland currently has four QBs on the roster, and while some analysts have predicted the team might try to hold onto all of them ahead of Week 1, there is a stronger likelihood the Browns attempt to trade one of their signal-callers, or end up cutting one.
In that context, Gabriel might be passing for his future in Cleveland against the Patriots on Thursday. He threw just one attempt against the Buffalo Bills last weekend, which fell incomplete. Gabriel was also only 5-of-8 for 23 yards and an interception vs. the Chicago Bears in the preseason opener.
It is unclear if Gabriel could garner any value back in a trade this offseason after the Browns spent a late third-rounder on him in 2025. However, the team could also be looking to increase interest in Gabriel around the league by showcasing him against New England this week — all in an attempt to move the QB.
Shedeur Sanders Likely Gets Chance to Start This Season if Deshaun Watson Struggles, Suffers Injury
GettyCleveland Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders (left) and Deshaun Watson (right).
Green is a sixth-round rookie with elite athletic upside playing on a cheap contract, so he’s likely sticking with the Browns into the season. Deshaun Watson is the starter, even after the media fiasco that ensued following Cleveland’s ugly loss to the Bills, so he’s also obviously going to be on the team Week 1.
It is theoretically possible that Cleveland looks to deal Sanders, or at least listens to offers, if Gabriel either somehow plays well enough to convince Monken and company that he’s a viable backup to Watson, or if Gabriel plays so poorly that the Browns can’t trade him at all.
Sanders could feasibly attract a Day 3 pick from a team like the Detroit Lions with meaningful questions at the QB2 spot. However, the more likely scenario is that Sanders remains with the Browns as Watson’s backup and eventually gets a chance to start again in Cleveland in 2026, either due to injury or poor play.
Sanders played the final 16 quarters for the team in 2025, starting the last seven games. Gabriel, meanwhile, is a candidate for release if the Browns can’t trade him for a Day 3 draft pick before the league’s cutdown day on Sunday.
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