by: Nick Geddes 2 hours ago NickGeddesNews
The Cleveland Browns (1-3) are benching quarterback Joe Flacco in favor of rookie signal caller Dillon Gabriel for Sunday’s Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings (2-2). Shedeur Sanders will remain third on the depth chart.
Sanders, drafted alongside Gabriel in April, was asked about the quarterback change and his role remaining the same. Rather than speak, he pantomimed answers back to the media, per Spencer German of 92.3 The Fan.
Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders only pantomimed answers to questions about the QB change and his role as QB3. pic.twitter.com/YmXjvj6YYc
Sanders has not been active for any of Cleveland’s four games this season, instead running the scout team in practice. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Sanders slipped to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft . Up until the day of the draft, he was widely expected to come off the board in Round 1.
He finished his first preseason in Cleveland completing 17-of-29 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He was sacked seven times.
The Browns were always going to see what they had in either Gabriel or Sanders — or both — this season. After failing to surpass 17 points in any game, they are turning to Gabriel, who’s been ahead of Sanders in the pecking order since they were drafted.