With the Cleveland Browns currently sitting at 1-3, the team chose to make a change at quarterback on Wednesday, announcing Dillon Gabriel as the starter over Joe Flacco.
Speaking to reporters, Flacco said Gabriel is ready to seize the opportunity.
“Listen. He’s into it, man,” Flacco said. “He’s ready to go.”
The decision to start Gabriel doesn’t come as a major surprise, as CBS Sports’ Matt Zentiz reported Tuesday that the “current belief” was Flacco would be replaced by the third-round pick for Cleveland’s Week 5 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
While 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders is also on the Browns’ roster, Gabriel was listed above his fellow first-year passer on the team’s latest unofficial depth chart.
Cleveland selected Gabriel with the No. 94 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft following an impressive senior season at Oregon in which he completed 72.9 percent of his throws for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns compared to six interceptions.
He finished No. 3 in Heisman Trophy voting for his efforts.
Gabriel’s first two NFL appearances came at the end of blowout losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions in Week 2 and Week 4, respectively.
He completed three of his four pass attempts for 19 yards and one touchdown without getting picked off across 10 combined snaps in both games.
The Browns will be hoping that the change under center can provide a spark to their offense. Cleveland is currently averaging a mere 279.8 yards and 14.0 points per game through four weeks.
Flacco struggled through the air prior to his benching, completing 58.1 percent of his throws for 815 yards and two touchdowns to go along with six interceptions in his first four starts.
Now, it’s Gabriel’s turn.
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