Browns QB Labeled Unfit for NFL After Competing Against Shedeur Sanders

Browns QB Labeled Unfit for NFL After Competing Against Shedeur Sanders originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation has been well-documented ever since the 2025 NFL Draft took place.

The Browns have Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders battling it out at camp in search of their next QB1. Deshaun Watson is injured once again, so the road has been wide open for someone to run away with the job.

But, as August has come and the season is approaching quickly, a decision must be made at some point.

As of late, the recent play from Gabriel, the former Oklahoma Sooners and Oregon Ducks QB, has not been promising and could end up causing him to be the odd man out.

To add on, one Cleveland radio host had a strong stance on Gabriel's performance throughout the past few months.

Dillon Gabriel Receives Harsh Assessment from Cleveland Radio Host

Daryl Ruiter, who is part of 92.3 The Fan, hopped on "The Ken Carman Show" and discussed the QB situation.

He was asked about his thoughts on Gabriel, and Ruiter didn't hold back one bit.

"He's not good," Ruiter said of Gabriel. "He's not an NFL quarterback. Not right now. And the fact they keep running him out there for first-team reps. ... They're cramming this guy down your throats, and it's not good.

"It's not a height thing and it's not personal," Ruiter continued. "I mean, he's rolling out and he can't hit guys that are wide open. He's not all that great in times during the warmup period. ... He's just not a good quarterback."

Gabriel, who was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, played well during his college career at Oklahoma and Oregon, but questions always remained about how he would translate to the NFL. During the draft process, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein predicted he could be a "decent backup" in the league.

However, that might not have been the Browns' idea when they drafted him.

"The problem that I have right now is that the Browns are forcing me to look at a third-round pick who has no business to be in contention to start a football game this year," Ruiter added. "They're forcing me to evaluate him like he is a first-round pick and like he is a starting quarterback in the NFL, and that's not fair to Dillon."

Ruiter concluded by saying it is "god awful" when he's on the field and even said he "brings the practice to a screeching halt" at times.

All in all, it's quite a harsh statement from Ruiter, but it's also telling of how the competition has gone thus far.

Who Has the Upper Hand in the Browns QB Battle?

Right now, it remains to be seen which direction the Browns decide to go.

Pickett has been nursing an injury as of late, but all four have seen a fair share of the workload through the camp session. Here is how each of them has done so far, according to ESPN Cleveland:

• Joe Flacco: 54-of-92, three touchdowns
• Dillon Gabriel: 62-of-113, four touchdowns, two interceptions
• Kenny Pickett: 23-of-34, three touchdowns, one interception
• Shedeur Sanders: 49-of-70, six touchdowns

As the stats show, Gabriel has attempted the most passes, but his completion rate is just over 50%, which isn't entirely promising.

Sanders has the most touchdowns, and both Falcco and Sanders have yet to throw an interception as of Friday.

The Browns' first preseason game takes place on Friday against the Carolina Panthers, and it will be interesting to see how head coach Kevin Stefanski distributes the workload.

Related: Browns Offer Telling Update on Kenny Pickett Injury, Impact on QB Competition

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.