Dillon Gabriel led the Cleveland Browns to a 31-6 win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7. But it did not hide the fact that the team is still one of the worst offenses in the league. With that, can Shedeur Sanders overtake his fellow rookie soon? Owner Jimmy Haslam gives a logical reason to hold your horses regarding the QB conundrum in Berea.

“Dillon has played three games, and that’s not a great sample (size). And one of them was in a monsoon,” Haslam told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo in the NFL’s fall meeting. “You could say he played two games. Shedeur’s making progress in practice, so we’re going to continue to work with both of those guys.”

Although he hinted at a possible start for the Colorado alum, Haslam also added that the coaches will decide if or when Shedeur Sanders is ready to play.

So far, the fifth-round pick has been leading the scout team reps and post-practice sessions, splitting them with Bailey Zappe, to hone his skills. In fact, HC Kevin Stefanski has been quite clear with his strategic approach.

“With a young quarterback, with Dillon starting, you want to make sure he gets a lot of the reps. It’s different when you have a veteran with Joe,” Stefanski clarified why Gabriel received first-team reps as a backup to Joe Flacco, but Sanders isn’t. He also noted that Sanders is “still getting reps in a bunch of periods.”

On the other hand, Gabriel has been a fresh(er) look for the Browns. So far this season, the Mililani-born has a completion rate of 59.8% for 546 yards and three TDs in 5 games, including 3 starts. He’s also been sacked ten times in the three starts. But at least he has not thrown any interceptions yet.

Yet, Gabriel’s rookie QB approach is hard to ignore.

That’s why Stefanski and his OC Tommy Rees are prioritizing Gabriel’s development first with more first-team reps. Through the entire QB room drama in Berea, Sanders has remained optimistic because, despite a 1-2 record now, Gabriel hasn’t been shining according to his stat sheets.

“You tend to get a little bit more excited when you see a light at the end of the tunnel,” Sanders told reporters earlier in October. “Whatever my role is here, I’m thankful.”

Although he hasn’t played a single game in the regular season, Sanders previously impressed everyone when he took the reins in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers. Stepping up when Flacco wasn’t playing and Gabriel was out with an injury, the Browns’ No. 12 completed 14 of his 23 passes for 138 yards and 2 TDs. However, he did fizzle out against the LA Rams in the preseason finale.

Still, Haslam did provide a hint of what’s next for Shedeur. Now, it’s going to be Kevin Stefanski’s call to have him on the field. But with limited practice reps and first-team exposure, is his moment really on the horizon?