The Browns’ QB situation has become much clearer in the coming days. Along with Joe Flacco being set to operate as the starter, the pecking order behind him has now been set. 
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Tuesday (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com) Dillon Gabriel will serve as the team’s backup quarterback. That news means fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders will work as QB3. Today’s update comes as no surprise given how training camp has played out.
Sanders has found himself last on the depth chart throughout the summer, whereas Gabriel has seen some time with the starting offense when healthy. Flacco has long been viewed as the top option, though, and the Browns’ logjam was cleared yesterday with the Kenny Pickett trade. Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, will start the campaign on the reserve/PUP list as expected. That leaves Gabriel and Sanders in place as backup and third-stringer.
“I think you factor in everything, truly,” Stefanski said when speaking to the media about the decision (video link). “We look at it from a bunch of different angles. So, certainly we made the decision and feel comfortable with Dillon serving in that role. It’s such an all-encompassing evaluation… We also saw a lot of them out here in practice and how they are at their craft. [Gabriel is] certainly somebody that we think is getting better and better.”
During his time in college, Gabriel drew praise for his accuracy. The UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon product was even the subject of trade talk one day after he was drafted, with suitors viewing him as a high-floor backup in the NFL. His chance to meet expectations in that role will present itself right away.
Sanders, meanwhile, will find himself on the active roster but he will not need to be on Cleveland’s gameday squad to be able to dress thanks to the current emergency QB rules. Multiple injuries will be required for him to see game action in the regular season.