All things considered, Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel was probably on borrowed time even before he suffered a season-altering concussion against the Ravens in Week 11. Gabriel, a third-round pick of the Browns in April, was pulled from that game after halftime and replaced by Shedeur Sanders, the team’s fifth-round pick. Sanders has had his ups and downs, but he beat the Raiders, with considerable help from the defense, 24-10.
So the Browns are coming back with Sanders in Week 13, and it would be a surprise at this point if Sanders does not start the remainder of the team’s games.
If that’s the case then the sum total of Gabriel’s first NFL season will go down in the books with a 1-5 record as a starter, plus two other relief appearances. He was 109-for-184 passing, a 59.2% completion rate, totaling 937 yards. He had seven touchdowns and two interceptions, cracking the 200-yard mark only once.
Shedeur Sanders: Dillon Gabriel ‘Been Good’
It’s entirely possible that Gabriel won’t start another game for the Browns, regardless of what happens with Sanders. Even his most enthusiastic supporters would have a hard time pointing to any one characteristic that makes Gabriel an NFL-caliber quarterback. His mental ability to process at the line, and make quick, accurate throws was supposed to be his strength, but his completion percentage and his 8.91% sack rate belie that notion.
Sanders, speaking to reporters this week, said that Gabriel has not changed his approach or demeanor since coming back from his concussion and landing on the bench.
“He’s a hard worker. He’s the same guy,” Sanders said. “I feel like a lot of people in this locker room, he’s the same within every situation they’re in. You understand? He spent a lot of years in college, so he got experience in a lot of different areas and a lot of different people. So, he knows how to, like, bond and mesh with different people. So, since he been back, he been good. He been good. He’s been cool throughout everything.”
Browns ‘Are Great Teammates’
Despite the possibility of his NFL future slipping away, coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Gabriel has handled the benching gracefully.
“Our guys are great teammates,” Stefanski said. “That’s what I appreciate about the guys on this football team. You push each other, you pull each other when you need to. So, he’ll be in that backup role, and he’ll do everything in his power to help this football team, everything in his power to help Shedeur.”
Shedeur Sanders Reveals Dillon Gabriel Reaction to Browns Benching