Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel injury updates: Latest on battling Browns QBs in second week of preseason

Shedeur Sanders won’t be on the field Saturday for the Cleveland Browns against the Philadelphia Eagles due to injury. But, the former Colorado star could be back in time for next week’s preseason finale, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.

The Browns’ QB room is intriguing considering the injuries to Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. The evaluations are seemingly all over the place.

But Gabriel could be in line to start Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. It’ll be a game time decision while Sanders recovers.

“We’ll start with Shedeur Sanders, who we’re not going to see an encore performance from today, he’s being held out because of an oblique strain that he suffered last Wednesday,” Oyefusi said on SportsCenter. “The Browns said that he’s day to day, but there is some hope that he’ll be able to return to practice next week, in time for that preseason finale. Just getting some treatment and some rest. 

“In the meantime, fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, he’s been dealing with his own injury, hamstring tightness that kept him out of last week’s preseason opener, but there is some optimism that he’ll be able to start today’s game. Just going to be evaluated this morning before getting the all go. If he’s cleared, he’ll start. We’ll see a lot of him and Tyler Huntley behind him, but if not, it would just be Tyler Huntley as the only other available quarterback to play today.”

Sanders was a fifth round pick and the second quarterback Cleveland drafted this offseason, Gabriel.. The Browns also have Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Tyler Huntley on the roster while Deshaun Watson is recovering from an injury. It’s a crowded room, and the oblique injury is going to cost Sanders opportunities.

In his first preseason game, Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. However, Flacco, Gabriel, and Pickett didn’t play at all. As of now, Flacco is projected to be the starter, but given his age, there is an expectation that he will be replaced at some point. That’s where a kind of long-term tryout will likely go to the backup.

Saturday could be Gabriel’s first action and a chance to give him some value to the Browns this year, or heck, even a trade. The former Oregon, Oklahoma and UCF product has a lot of game experience from college and could be an intriguing QB to have in the room.

Without Sanders, and maybe Gabriel, the Browns kick off Saturday afternoon against the Eagles. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET.