Sportsnaut
A popular Ohio sports radio host and football expert suggested this week that the Cleveland Browns are in no rush to put Shedeur Sanders in games because his potential success would embarrass their decision makers.
After another ugly loss in Week 8, the Browns are 2-6 and headed to a fourth losing season in the tenure of head coach Kevin Stefanski. A major reason for their struggles is an offense that’s scored 20 or more points just once this season.
Entering the 2025 campaign, the team tried to address its long-running issues at the QB spot by throwing a lot of options at the problem. They brought back Joe Flacco, traded for former first-rounder Kenny Pickett, and shockingly used not one, but two picks in the draft on QBs. However, three of those players have not fixed the problem.
Pickett was traded before the season. Flacco was benched after a 1-3 start, and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel has not given fans reason to believe he can elevate the unit after four starts. Following a 13-point showing this weekend, it is understandable that Browns fans want a change to fifth-round pick, Shedeur Sanders. Yet, all indications are that the team is not looking to take the starting spot away from Gabriel anytime soon.
It is a surprising course of action since a first-round investment was not made into Gabriel, and giving Sanders an opportunity couldn’t hurt. Especially since he played well during the preseason. However, during a Tuesday edition of WFAN in Columbus, OH’s morning show “T-Bone and Tyvis,” NFL veteran and football expert Tyvis Powell offered up the best explanation yet for why Cleveland has little interest in seeing Sanders succeed.
The former Ohio State star and Cleveland native believes Stefanski and the Browns brain-trust are scared that Sanders coming in and playing well will make them look bad. In his opinion, their talent evaluators probably felt that Gabriel was among the top two QBs in the draft. That is why they did not use their first pick in April on a signal-caller not named Cam Ward.
“Once you open up that door and let Shedeur come in, you’re admitting Dillon Gabriel is not the answer. And you’re going to tell this fanbase we were wrong. We missed on this quarterback. You don’t want to do that right now,” said Powell.
Powell admitted things could change at any time, and owner Jimmy Haslam has said publicly he would like to see Sanders play this season. He also mentioned that at no point has Gabriel shown undeniable proof of his upside in his four starts, either.
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