Browns HC Downplays Dillon Gabriel Taking 1st Minicamp Snap Over Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski downplayed the significance of Dillon Gabriel getting the first quarterback rep over Shedeur Sanders during Friday's rookie minicamp.

"I wouldn't look into anything," Stefanski said when asked about the quarterback order on Friday (h/t ESPN's Brad Stainbrook.) "You'll see the whole weekend, going through the spring, we don't play too close attention to who's in there first."

Gabriel, drafted in the third round of the 2025 draft, and fifth-rounder Sanders split reps during Friday's practice.

Stefanski declined to answer if the order of reps would change as Browns rookie minicamp runs through Sunday.

ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi reported that Gabriel and Sanders "alternated about three dozen passes in individual drills before throwing to pass catchers," followed by 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills.

When asked about his first impressions of Gabriel and Sanders, Stefanski answered, according to the team transcript, "They were as advertised, but I thought both guys did a really nice job and there’s so much to work on."

"It’s the minutia of the position, it’s some technique things, it’s the operation needs to get better, all those things," Stefanski continued. "That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re going to work really hard over the next few days to get these guys ready for when they join the veterans on Monday.”

Stefanski was also asked about when the Browns planned to narrow down the team quarterback competition from four signal callers, with Gabriel and Sanders currently competing with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for playing time.

"We’ll work through all those things over the course of the next few weeks," Stefanski answered.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry spoke about how the team was handling their rookie quarterback situation in a Friday appearance on 92.3 The Fan.

"Because we have two rookie quarterbacks, we are structuring it a little bit differently," Berry said (h/t Athlon Sports' Jeff Hauser.) "We do want them to get a greater volume of reps than we typically do in a rookie minicamp. It's probably less about rookie minicamp and more about really taking advantage of opportunities really over the next four months."

Berry noted that the Browns have "typically taken four quarterbacks into camp." Last season the Browns went into training camp with Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tyler Huntley on the 90-man roster.

"I think the plans that we have for training camp and the preseason, there will be plenty of reps to evaluate all four of those passers," Berry said.

How the Browns view their quarterback room will become clearer when the team begins practicing with Flacco and Pickett.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently said on the Rich Eisen Show that he believes Flacco is in "pole position" for the starting role. Flacco getting the first snap this spring could be an indication the veteran quarterback is leading the race.