The Cleveland Browns will take on the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, August 23rd in the final game of the 2025 NFL preseason. Despite naming Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback for the regular season opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals, all eyes will be on the Browns quarterback competition between rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
On Tuesday’s episode of First Take, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith outlined what it will take for Sanders to usurp Gabriel on the Browns QB depth chart this week.
He definitely needs to play,” Smith said on the show. “But I do think he did have a better performance than Dillon Gabriel between their outings. I mean, I thought his performance was more polished.”
NFL Fans To Get One More Look At Sanders vs. Gabriel
NFL Preseason Stats: Sanders vs. Gabriel
- Sanders: 14/23, 138 yds, 2 TDs, 0 TOs (vs. Panthers)
- Gabriel: 13/18, 143 yds, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 1 Fumble (vs. Eagles)
Despite being taken two rounds later in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders has out-performed Gabriel in their lone preseason starts.
Sanders finished 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his outing versus the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, Gabriel finished 13-of-18 for 143 yards but had an interception returned for a touchdown and was also credited with a fumble versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
What’s even more impressive is that Sanders’ performance came after getting significantly less on-field work during team drills during training camp. In 14 training camp practices, Sanders had 100 pass attempts, compared to 160 for Gabriel.
The former Colorado QB and Heisman Trophy candidate did not throw an interception in training camp and showed a propensity for taking care of the football in his start against the Panthers, a trait that could ultimately give him the edge over Gabriel when it matters most.
Will Sanders Start A Regular Season Game In 2025?
Only six quarterbacks over 40 years old have ever started 10 or more games in a season. If Flacco starts double-digit games in 2025, he’ll join the likes of Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers as the only quarterbacks to accomplish the feat.
“Now, Joe Flacco will start but we all know he’s on a one-year, $4.25 million deal — he ain’t the future. Hell, one would argue he’s not really the present. You’re just using him right now until you know definitely that you got someone you’re comfortable enough to put in there.”
Unless Flacco puts together a historic season, there’s reason to believe that the Browns could turn to their backup quarterback by Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. If Sanders wins the QB2 job, he will likely get a chance to spend at least a few games as the incumbent starter in Cleveland, if not longer.
With winnable games against Miami and New England on the schedule before the bye week in Week 9, Sanders could earn a chance to get a longer look under center in Cleveland.
If he does take over as the starter, NFL fans should mark down dates at home against Tennessee (Dec. 7) and on the road against Chicago (Dec. 14) as potential must-watch games for Sanders. Those matchups would pit him against the last two No. 1 picks in Cam Ward and Caleb Williams before ending the season off with true tests against potential playoff-caliber teams in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati.
