Should Browns HC Stefanski stick with Gabriel as starting QB?

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) carries the ball during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Should Browns HC Kevin Stefanski stick with Dillon Gabriel as starting QB?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 9, 2025 7:12 PM ET

Is Shedeur Sanders that much worse than fellow Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel?

Gabriel now has a 1-4 record as a starter following a 27-20 loss to the New York Jets (2-7) on Sunday. Cleveland is now 2-7. Despite that, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear he's not planning on making a QB change.

"We're gonna stick with Dillon," the coach said in his postgame news conference. "We have to play better as an offense. We have to coach better, all of the above."

Kevin Stefanski isn't making a change, but is that the right choice?

Gabriel — a third-round pick out of Oregon — has had trouble with accuracy and hasn't consistently pushed the ball downfield. Entering Sunday, he ranked 29th among 31 eligible QBs in completion percentage (59.9%) and last in passing yards per attempt (4.9).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sports Illustrated (@sportsillustrated)

These issues were apparent against the Jets. The 94th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft completed 17-of-32 passes (53.1%) for 167 yards and two touchdowns. He also took six sacks.

Many of these problems may be tied to Gabriel's height. Listed at 5-foot-11, he may sometimes struggle to see over his offensive lineman. Sanders, meanwhile, is listed at 6-foot-2.

It remains unclear why the Browns have yet to give Sanders, a fifth-round pick, a shot. Perhaps it ties to maturity concerns, which teams had about him during the pre-draft process.

At a certain point, though, the Browns must accept that Gabriel may not be the guy, and they must figure out if Sanders (pick No. 144) can be. To his credit, the former Colorado star displayed elite accuracy throughout his college career. In two seasons in Boulder, he completed 651-of-907 passes (71.8%), setting the FBS record for completion percentage in a career.

The Browns (2-7) host the Baltimore Ravens (4-5) in Week 11, which may be a good time to roll out Sanders. Entering Sunday, Baltimore ranked 28th in the NFL in passing yards allowed (250 YPG).

Even if Sanders flops, at least the Browns will know neither of their rookies is the answer, and whether they should target a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft, perhaps Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. If they continue to start Gabriel, however, it will delay that crucial process.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

More must-reads: