Shedeur to back up Gabriel against Steelers

BEREA, Ohio -- Rookie Shedeur Sanders volition beryllium the backup backmost to starter Dillon Gabriel connected Sunday successful the Cleveland Browns' divisional roadworthy crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers, caput manager Kevin Stefanski announced Friday.

Stefanski was initially noncommittal connected whether Sanders, a fifth-round pick, oregon signifier squad backmost Bailey Zappe would backmost up Gabriel, a third-round pick, successful the aftermath of Cleveland trading Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals connected Tuesday. Sanders present finds himself successful the backup relation aft opening his NFL vocation arsenic Cleveland's No. 4 quarterback.

"I'm ever reasoning astir our players and what's champion for our players," Stefanski said. "And I privation to marque definite erstwhile it comes to young shot players, peculiarly astatine the backmost position, that you are intentional astir your decision-making, and that's truly each it is. So, excited for each our guys."

Sanders, the lad of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado shot manager Deion Sanders, has spent the archetypal 5 games of the play arsenic the team's No. 3 and exigency backmost who is inactive connected crippled days. The 144th wide prime successful this year's draft, Sanders got constricted reps amid a crowded backmost country during the summer. But helium made the Browns' 53-man roster arsenic Cleveland traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders and released Tyler Huntley. Through the archetypal period of the season, Sanders divided scout-team reps with Gabriel and Zappe.

"I deliberation the large happening determination is each of america play our relation passim the week and connected Sunday," Stefanski said. "And evidently that backup backmost relation is simply a small spot different. We're doing everything we tin to enactment the starter, and past you person to beryllium acceptable successful a moment's notice. That's conscionable the beingness of backup players astatine each position. And we've said that here, implicit the years, that you person to enactment acceptable truthful you don't person to get ready. But again, that's our occupation arsenic coaches, arsenic players, to beryllium acceptable erstwhile called upon."

Sanders connected Thursday said helium sees a "light astatine the extremity of the tunnel" and was thankful for immoderate relation helium was given.

"We're going to marque definite we bash everything we tin to marque definite Dillon's acceptable for the game," Sanders said. "Whatever that means. Each and each day, adjacent erstwhile Joe was the starter, preparing the close mode and beryllium acceptable to cognize that you could get retired determination astatine immoderate constituent successful time. I'm overly assured wrong myself. I cognize erstwhile I archetypal got here, I'm acceptable to play, but it's up to the coaches and immoderate determination they marque then, I'm good with."