"It’s harder to put him out" - NFL Insider reveals why Shedeur Sanders fell behind Dillon Gabriel in Browns’ spring reps

The Cleveland Browns selected Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the third and fifth rounds of the 2025 NFL draft, respectively. Both players thrived in college, amassing a respectable number of stats and awards in the 2024 CFB season.

Gabriel took more reps than Sanders with the first team players in the spring sessions. Following mandatory minicamp, NFL insider Albert Breer spoke about the rationale behind the Browns' decision on "92.3 The Fan" on Tuesday:

"He had a bigger learning curve than Dillon Gabriel. There were teams that were stunned by how little Shedeur knew relative to what they thought. He was pretty far behind. "I think Shedeur—and this isn’t any fault of his own—had a lot more ground to cover than Dillon Gabriel. Because of that, it’s harder to put him out there with the first team." (8:51)

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The Colorado Buffaloes product mostly worked away from the other quarterbacks, as he got as many practice reps as possible against the backups. Shedeur Sanders remains the fourth-string QB on the roster in the lead-up to preseason. Veterans Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and Dillon Gabriel are listed ahead of him on the ESPN depth chart.

What's next for Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders?

Dillon Gabriel impressed in rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. Gabriel took a good number of reps with the first team as he attempts to prove to the coaching staff that he deserves to start in Week 1.

Shedeur Sanders also impressed in his first taste of professional football training. He performed admirably in the rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp. Furthermore, he showed impressive aptitude when the veterans were introduced to training.

Gabriel and Sanders have their work cut out to make the active roster for Week 1. One of them may be cut or sent down to the practice squad ahead of the Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. So, training camp and preseason will be very significant for the high-potential rookies. The question of who will be the Browns' starting QB in 2025 is still very much up for debate.

Edited by John Maxwell