JJ Watt breaks down why Kevin Stefanski won't bench Dillon Gabriel for Shedeur Sanders despite Browns' offensive struggles

Dillon Gabriel was promoted to starter in Week 4. He has yet to register his first NFL win, and fans are urging the Cleveland Browns to turn to backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The team dropped to 1-5 after Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, former Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt doesn't think the fifth-round pick will become a starter anytime soon.

Watt explained why Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski would not bench Gabriel.

"If the Browns thought Shedeur Sanders would give them a better chance to win, he would start," Watt tweeted on Sunday. "And maybe that day does come. I know there are many people out there very much looking forward to seeing what he’s capable of at this level if given the chance. Myself included. But jobs and livelihoods are on the line, coaches and front offices don’t just hold players back for no reason."

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Watt argued that the Browns' offensive struggles are not new. The team has not managed to breach the 17-point mark in 11 consecutive games.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year believes the franchise put itself in this position when it drafted two quarterbacks in the same year. Watt added that whoever got to play first was always going to have the distraction of the other signal-caller.

"It leaves no room for error, making mistakes, growing, maturing and getting the benefit of the doubt in the court of public opinion," Watt tweeted.

Gabriel went 29 of 52 passes for 221 yards in Sunday's 23-9 defeat. Cleveland's offense failed to reach the end zone, with all points coming from Andre Szmyt's field goals. The Browns averaged just 3.3 yards per play compared to the Steelers' 5.8.

Dillon Gabriel on getting hit and sacked by the Steelers

Dillon Gabriel was sacked six times by the Steelers on Sunday. He addressed the media following the loss and held himself accountable for getting hit and sacked constantly.

“I think on the second, there’s things that I can help to do to try and get it out as quick as possible, just so we’re not in the negative on first and second down," Gabriel said. "So things, you know, we got to learn from.”

The rookie quarterback has been sacked eight times in the last two games and has thrown only two touchdowns. It's not clear how hot the Browns' QB1 seat is, but a few more losses might force Kevin Stefanski to give Shedeur Sanders an opportunity. The former Colorado Buffaloes star fell to No. 144 in April's draft and hasn't thrown his first regular season pass yet.

Cleveland will host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez