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The Cleveland Browns may have to make a decision between Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

Dillon Gabriel is widely viewed as the odd man out in the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition. However, he could end up bumping Shedeur Sanders off the roster.

Long-time ESPN Cleveland Browns reporter Tony Grossi outlined the case for Gabriel as a legitimate backup option over Sanders, making clear that the former third-round pick could be exactly what a coaching staff looks for behind a starter.

“Gabriel’s a guy who’ll just keep quiet, he’ll study, he’ll stay up on the game plan,” Grossi said. “He’ll support the starter in any way he can. He’ll run the scout team, and if needed, he’ll play. That’s what you want out of a backup quarterback. Shedeur’s shadow is so huge. I think it’s one of the reasons teams shied away from him in the draft. If you didn’t like him as the starter, you did not consider him as a backup.”

Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is Lightning Rod

Albert Breer of The MMQB echoed that concern, tying it directly to the latest controversy surrounding Sanders’ camp. Earlier this week, Shedeur’s brother, Shilo Sanders, targeted veteran Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot on social media after she reported that Deshaun Watson had outperformed Shedeur during Cleveland’s voluntary minicamp.

“Deshaun Watson emerged from the Browns’ voluntary minicamp with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the two-man quarterback competition — and has the inside track to be named the Browns QB1,” Cabot reported in April. “The Browns have said that their quarterback decision will be based on performance alone as opposed to development and a potential high pick in next year’s QB-rich draft class, and if the season started tomorrow, Watson would be the starter.”

Shilo left a comment on an Instagram post with Cabot’s report telling her to “go make a sandwich.” The remark that went viral and drew widespread criticism.

“It seems like there’s always something going on around Shedeur,” Breer said on 92.3 The Fan. “This is hard to blame him for, it’s his brother. This is part of why he fell last year, quite honestly.”

Browns QB Dillon Gabriel ‘Running Own Race’

Gabriel took over for Joe Flacco as the Browns’ starter in Week 5 last season, going 1-5 over six starts while completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.

His tenure as the starter ended abruptly when a concussion suffered against the Ravens in Week 11 led to Sanders taking over as the starter. Gabriel did not get another shot after the injury.

When he spoke to reporters at the Browns’ voluntary minicamp, Gabriel addressed the current QB competition.

“I think I’m just running my own race and focused on what I can control,” Gabriel said. “That’s mastering my reps and doing it at a high level.”

The Browns have not released anything close to a formal quarterback depth chart. But Cleveland did introduce an intriguing wild card in sixth-round pick Taylen Green out of Arkansas. Green is a rare athlete at the position, turning heads during the pre-draft process with several eye-popping combine numbers.

He could ultimately carve out a spot as the third quarterback on the active roster if the Browns decide to install specialized packages designed to maximize his dual-threat ability.