NFL Network’s Kurt Warner Breaks Down Dillon Gabriel’s Debut as Browns’ QB1 | The Rich Eisen Show

So, this is a fluid situation. Kevin Stfansky speaking as I was speaking to lead the show about what the plan is at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and um this was him when asked about yeah Shadore Sanders being this could you imagine they trade Flaco and part of this thing is because everyone is focused on Shadore um and asked him if he’s going to be the second stringer at the end of the day decided um if Shadore is going to be your uh number two active quarterback for this weekend yet. Well, first I tell you is that Joe trade took us by surprise. That was uh not something that we saw coming. You know, they called us and um you know, that’s uh it was happened very fast and happened not too long ago. So, still working through all roster type of things. Um, I just I always have to be mindful of uh our players and our players development and you know I want to make sure that I’m always doing what’s best for our players and of course our team but um you know with young players I’m always thinking about last week making the change to Dylan. You have to think long and hard about that because these are these are young players that you’re so invested in their development. So uh I’ll let the week play out make a decision later on that. It’s a good answer. I mean, it’s it’s a reasonable nuanced answer, but the answer wasn’t to snap yes. It wasn’t like, “Yeah, we’ve seen enough from him over the last month.” And and it’s always a convers Let’s bring in Kurt Warner here. Uh because Kurt, you and I talk all the time about this um about when do you get guys who are not, you know, first or second string reps, right? I mean, again, we’re going off to London. This is a a something I bring up all the time around here was a couple years ago when we had a Titans game in London and we asked Vrabel in the production meeting, hey, you know, how’s how’s Will Levis doing? He goes, I don’t know. Like, you tell me when I can get him out there. Essentially, you tell me when I’m going to get him any snaps during the season. So, when you hear that answer from Kevin Stfansky, do you think what, Curtain? Um, yeah. I mean, yeah. I I think there’s a lot of nuance to all of it. And you know, just like he said, you know, making the decision to go with Dylan takes a lot of thought. Like, is he ready? What if it doesn’t have a lot of success early? Is that going to stunt his development? um you know, and then you start thinking, okay, if we go into a game and we’ve got two rookies, uh guys that have never played um at the NFL level and there are one and two guys, okay, you know, if we need to go to somebody that’s that’s been there before to kind of settle things down when a when a young quarterback doesn’t have um his best stuff, which we’ve all had those moments where we just haven’t had our best stuff, and sometimes you just need to make a change and get somebody else in there. do we want to go to another rookie quarterback in that situation and a guy that’s never played in this league? Um and so I just think there’s a lot that goes into it and it’s not always just um you know him not coming out and saying well Shadur is going to be our backup doesn’t mean Shadur isn’t making progress or they’re not comfortable or they don’t like where he’s at. I just think, you know, when he said, I gotta think about our team and I gotta think about our players and where they’re at and um and what we’re doing. If if we go, you know, two young quarterbacks and um you know, like I said, one struggles, well, shoot, we’re going to another guy that’s never played uh again or never played before and now, you know, we’re in this situation as a team going, “Oh my gosh, are we really in our best situation to have a chance to win this football game?” um as opposed to having a veteran guy that’s been there that maybe can settle things down and it’s not going to be their first action in the NFL if they’re you know put into that situation and have to play. Uh I’m sitting here on ESPN radio presented by Progressive Insurance uh for those who just rejoined us there uh on our Simo cast. That’s the voice of Curt Warner talking about Kevin Stfansky uh being asked if Shadore is going to be his number two this weekend and being non-committal and also being nuanced about how he had just learned about the trade just yesterday uh about Flacco. This this hasn’t really been in the in the hopper for long and he’s just reacting to to things. But at least Dylan Gabriel um didn’t didn’t struggle mightily last week, right Kurt? I mean I don’t know what you saw on film coming out of that London game in the stadium. you and I are going to be calling a game from this week. Jets, Broncos, but what did you see out of Dylan Gabriel Curry? Yeah, he definitely didn’t look overwhelmed. You I don’t think it was a great performance. Um but, you know, made some throws down the field that were NFL throws, made some good decisions. Um you know, gave him a chance to win, throw a couple touchdown passes. So, yeah. I mean, I don’t think it was a great um performance, but I thought it was a solid performance and something that you can definitely build on. And let me even add to to what I was saying you know with Shadur. I think we all know um you know what a lightning rod you know Shadore has been and his story and um you know a lot of people fall on both sides of this thing. We love Shadur. He should get a shot and other people like well okay he hasn’t shown enough and why are we talking about him so much instead of talking about Dylan Gabriel that there may be an element of that to it whether it’s fair or unfair. Um, you know, I think we’ve seen these things before. You know, Tim Tibo, um, was a lightning rod. And so, there came a point, he had had some success in the league. There came a point where nobody wanted to, uh, sign him as a backup. And you kind of shake your head like, well, he’s had success. He’s definitely a guy that can come in and galvanize your team. But I think a lot of teams said, “We don’t want to deal with that on a weekly basis.” uh as our backup quarterback, you know, we want the focus to be on our starter and we don’t want that pressure of people clamoring to get the backup in in that type of situation. Um and so, you know, I wonder if that could be an element of it too is like this is Dylan’s job right now and we want to focus on him and we want him to be the central piece and if he struggles, we don’t need everybody yelling, let’s go to the backup, go to the backup, go to the backup. Um, and so there could be an element of that that plays into this as well where it’s like, let’s get let Gil Dylan have the best opportunity to just have his chance to show us what he’s capable of to go through some struggles and us not have to worry about that next piece and that pressure u, you know, from that side of it. So, you know, maybe just another element that has to go through Kevin Stapansky’s u, you know, mind when when making these decisions. Hey, you made it all the way to the end. Thanks for that.

Pro Football Hall of Famer/NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner and Rich Eisen discuss the impact of the Flacco trade on the Browns’ depth chart.

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50 comments

  4. The thought that Shedeur was drafted way too low for his skills is not mentioned much. Want to start Dillon? Fine, but do justice by Shedeur and let’s start singing praises.

  6. You guys hv been watching him longer than I have! He is very unimpressive! Never had a plan for anything and the game plan he has is antiquated! His best play is word salad! I really feel he needs to back and start at HS coaching… work his way up! He had coddled dillon since day one and still is not certain he’s going to be his savior

  14. to be fair the criticism is fair because Stefanski is one of the worst coaches in the NFL. I mean he hasn't had any success in developing QBs and the Browns has not scored 20 points since 2023 lol when Winston was the starter and he wasn't calling the plays. He gave all the reps to pickett and Flacco in the offseason only to jettison them to other teams. Should have let Dillon and Sanders get more reps in the off season. Plus Dillon is already 2 years older than Sanders and played 6 years in college lol so he should be way ahead of sanders, but hes not. He didnt really have a long drive to take his team to the end zone. I mean his avg adot was 5 yards and they limited his plays to basic stuff not only because hes a rookie but hes limited due to his size and skills. Remember he got a lot of reps with the first team in the off season while Sanders didnt. So if Sanders can come close to his performance that should tell some things about Dillon's capability.

  16. my question is why not just cut him and move on. its amazing he didn't have this much understanding with baker Mayfield. Sorry but Dillon Gabriel is not Baker, Your Ex moved on and he is doing great with his new gf the Buc lmaooo

  19. So we all know Dillion has played alot of college football games about 5 1/2 seasons right? Dillion should be a step up for now. Sanders just has a higher potential ceiling. They both have different kind of games. Dillion is quick stuff. He tries to get the ball in his playmakers hands quick so they can make the plays. Sanders wants to make the plays down the field with his arm and accuracy. I think Sanders will struggle cause quick stuff is not his bag, and that offense line sucks. Better line Sanders cause he'll push the ball down field. All i can say Dillion better run some sluggos cause Pittsburgh will be ready for the quick stuff. Sad note. T.J. Watt will be rushing Dillion's blind side. Thats gonna be a problem. This is logic If Pittsburgh goes up early It will be a blowout. Cleveland has to control the game by running the ball and play action. If they get down fast. Everyone knows he has to throw the ball. Thats not his strength. You can't take short stuff while down by 3 touchdowns.

  20. Trading Flacco was another dysfunctional move by the Browns. Worked hard to sign him 3 months ago, now, somebody calls… and you say YES.

  22. The backup QB is an important position and you don't put someone in there unless you know they'll be ready to play. The Eagles literally traded for a backup at the start of the season because the backup got injured for a few weeks. They didn't just put the rookie draft pick into the backup role. It's actually crazy how stupid the media is about this stuff.

  26. I called this in the preseason I said, Flacco get four games and then they're going to start Dillon. Let the young man go out there and try to earn his paycheck. The problem is the Browns are an awful organization and have a poorly talented team around him. So it's just a matter of time until he fails. And then we will see Deion's kid to probably finish the season.

  33. I think everyone needs to relax. I think the coaching staff knows something about the quarterbacks. They are more confident with Dillon as of right now maybe because he’s consistent. Maybe he knows the playbook more maybe he’s more mature the way he carries himself and for Sanders I had no idea this was Deion Sanders son now that might play a role on why he was drafted high and why he’s been gaslighted because he’s Deion Sanders son like I said, I think the coaching staff knows something that we don’t nepotism is not good. I’m not saying that Sanders’s son is drafted because of nepotism, but I think the media needs to back off on wanting Sanders to start. They’re not the coaching staff.

  36. Kurt that sounds great but you know as a QB what kind of play calling DG was getting outside he couldnt see over the line never even heard about him college 6yrs ????? Everyone know hes not better then sanders i bet he will out shine him with no reps i put money on it GD will never be a first string QB for a team nothing against him I think he to small not that fast an hes throws was like 10yrds will not take long to figure him out

  41. The Browns should trade him if they will never use him. If they don't think he can play, trade him. Maybe no one wants him if they never play. How mean. Egos are in the Way

  45. Last year’s rookie QB moment was the Jayden Daniels Hail Mary against Chicago. Dillon Gabriel in an identical situation throws a checkdown. What are we doing here?!

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