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The Ravens are preparing for the possibility of Shedeur Sanders seeing the field for the Browns.
The Cleveland Browns will roll with Dillon Gabriel as their starter on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Still, Baltimore is doing its due diligence on Cleveland’s high-profile backup, Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland has made it clear that Gabriel will start in Week 11 and has shown no indication that the third-round rookie is in danger of being replaced by Sanders any time soon.
“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said this week when asked about a potential timetable for Sanders playing. “We’re committed to getting better as an offense. Dillon is certainly committed to improving in every way he can. And at the same time, all of our young players are developing and working extremely hard behind the scenes to make sure they’re getting better every day.”
The Ravens aren’t leaving anything to chance. With uncertainty swirling around Cleveland’s offense, Baltimore is preparing for the possibility that Sanders could enter the game.
“Definitely. We always look at that. Our scouts do a great job of preparing us [for] who could possibly be coming into the game, and we always do that with backup quarterbacks, because you want to know what you could potentially be facing,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “So, we’ve definitely done some work on [Shedeur Sanders both] last game and getting ready for this game.”
The Browns are remaining patient with Gabriel despite a lack of results on the field. Cleveland is 1-4 with Gabriel as the starter and he’s done little to spark the offense. Gabriel has passed for 869 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions this season.
As Stefanski’s comments make clear, the Browns have offered little clarity on Sanders’ timeline or when he might see meaningful snaps. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s currently no internal push to get the rookie on the field.
“Coming out of the Week 9 bye, the Browns’ plan was to give Dillon Gabriel a fairly long runway of games to evaluate what they have in him. But as we see with young quarterbacks and teams in transition all the time, those plans can change,” Fowler said. “The public pressure in Cleveland is mounting. But I simply haven’t sensed that the Browns have been eager to turn to Shedeur Sanders.”
The Browns handed play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees after the bye week, hoping to spark the offense. While the unit showed small signs of improvement, the same issues persisted. Inconsistent execution and a lack of explosive plays ultimately sank Cleveland in a 27–20 loss to the lowly New York Jets.
Gabriel’s play has left much to be desired, but Rees still has faith in his rookie.
“Nobody’s gonna bat a thousand. Certainly, I don’t bat a thousand calling it,” Rees told reporters on Thursday. “Nobody’s going to bat a thousand in really anything they do. But I would say he grades out where we want him.”
Gabriel will get another chance to prove himself on Sunday against the Ravens. Baltimore is a hefty 7.5-point favorite for the matchup.
The New Orleans Saints are finalizing preparations for the stretch of the 2025 season, with roster moves settling in and young players carving out their first real roles. But away from the practice field, one surprising off-field decision has drawn national attention.
As the franchise locks in its 53-man roster, focus should be squarely on football. Yet, the personal lives of rookies often become intertwined with the spotlight, especially when outside distractions collide with the demands of the NFL.
This week, a first-year Saint made a headline-grabbing decision unrelated to football. For him, staying in New Orleans’ long-term plans meant not only competing on the field, but also managing the pressures of celebrity attention off it.
That rookie is running back Audric Estimé, who recently secured a spot on the Saints’ 53-man roster after being elevated from the practice squad. Shortly after that milestone, he ended his relationship with a well-known social media celebrity, an online star with millions of followers and a massive global audience.
The influencer built her brand through music, lifestyle content and viral posts that turned her into one of the most recognizable young digital personalities. Her reach and visibility inevitably brought heightened scrutiny onto Estimé as he adjusted to life in the NFL and tried to solidify his role in New Orleans.
The rookie explained his choice candidly in a private conversation that has since circulated among team circles:
“Right now, I need to focus on building my career with the Saints. There were too many cameras, too many eyes on my life off the field. I need peace, I need focus – if not, I will lose my chance and get left behind in New Orleans.”
Fans immediately reacted across X and Instagram, some applauding Estimé for putting football first, others sympathizing with his former girlfriend and questioning the pressure placed on young players to sacrifice their personal lives. The split fueled debate over the challenges rookies face in balancing relationships with the ruthless demands of professional sports.
For Audric Estimé, cracking the 53-man roster is only the beginning. By cutting ties with distractions and the glare of social media celebrity culture, the rookie signaled that his priority is clear: proving himself in the Saints’ backfield and earning trust in New Orleans for years to come.