NFL Insider Boldly Predicts When Shedeur Sanders Might Replace Dillon Gabriel As Browns QB1

After a 1-3 start to the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns officially decided to bench veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and start rookie Dillon Gabriel for their Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings in London.

While Gabriel will undoubtedly be given a chance to prove himself, one analyst boldly predicted that the Browns will eventually switch from Gabriel to fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders at some point this season.

NFL Insider Predicts Timeline for Shedeur Sanders to Take Over as Browns QB1
Heading into the season after a long training camp battle, Sanders, who the Browns selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, opened the year as the team’s third-string and emergency quarterback behind Flacco and Gabriel.

The Browns’ offense has been a mess so far, ranking 30th in the league according to PFSN’s OFFi metric, while Flacco has been one of the worst quarterbacks in football, sitting at 34th in PFSN’s QBi metric.

With how much the offense has struggled, it was only a matter of time before one of the rookies got a shot. That chance came ahead of Week 5, as the Browns have officially named Gabriel the starter for their matchup with the Vikings.

CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones explained that, for now, the Browns don’t believe Sanders is ready to take over as the starter. Instead, he will continue to serve as the team’s third-string quarterback, with Gabriel holding the starting job and Flacco backing him up.

“Don’t be surprised if in 5, 7, 9 weeks we’re talking about a Browns team that is now starting Shedeur Sanders”

– @jjones9 on the Browns QB room pic.twitter.com/UatH15imEr

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 1, 2025

“Obviously, the Cleveland Browns do not feel that he is ready to be one snap away from playing in an NFL game,” Jones said. “That’s why he will remain as the emergency third-string quarterback. You will only see him if there are injuries to both Dillon Gabriel and Joe Flacco.”

As Jones points out, the Browns are hoping Gabriel can give the offense a much-needed spark, and they’re comfortable keeping Flacco in the backup role for now. However, he also noted that if Gabriel doesn’t deliver the boost they’re looking for, there’s a real chance Sanders could take over as the starter in as few as five weeks.

RELATED: Browns Announce QB Decision That Clears the Way for Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders

“Don’t at all be surprised if in five, seven, nine weeks, we’re talking about a Browns team that is now starting Shedeur Sanders,” Jones said.

With Gabriel named the starter and Sanders still sitting as the third-string, Jones appears to be right about the team not believing Sanders is ready to perform at a high level in the NFL just yet.

If Gabriel struggles, though, it’ll be interesting to see if Jones’ prediction comes true and Cleveland decides to hand the keys to Sanders, or if they ultimately choose to turn back to Flacco since he’s currently the backup.

It’s a storyline worth following as the season progresses. Gabriel will make his first start on Sunday, October 5, when the Browns face the Vikings in London, England. Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. ET, and coverage will be on the NFL Network.