Gabriel replaced starter Shedeur Sanders for one snap in Sunday's 26-8 loss to the 49ers in Week 13, completing his only pass attempt for zero yards.
Gabriel was needed for one play when Sanders was required to leave the field following a sack during which he appeared to tweak his ankle. He was checked out by team trainers, triggering a mandatory removal, and Gabriel entered. Sanders will remain the starter for Week 14 against Tennessee.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Will serve as No. 2 in Week 13
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Gabriel will serve as the top backup to Shedeur Sanders in next Sunday's game against San Francisco, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Sanders replaced an injured Gabriel on Sunday and guided the Browns to a 24-10 win over Las Vegas. Gabriel, who cleared the concussion protocol Monday, will operate as the backup. Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said that he's "not looking past this week," suggesting the two rookie QBs could flip spots on the depth chart at any point.
Gabriel cleared the concussion protocol Monday, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
However, Gabriel is expected to lose his starting job to Shedeur Sanders, who is likely to be named the Browns' QB1 for next Sunday's Week 13 game versus San Francisco, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Gabriel showed very little in his time under center, refusing to challenge defenses deep or away from the line of scrimmage, resulting in 5.1 yards per pass attempt. Across eight games this season, including six starts, Gabriel has completed just 59.2 percent of his 184 pass attempts for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He's averaged just 117.1 passing yards per game. The Browns now will take a longer look at Sanders to see if either one of the rookies is a viable long-term solution headed into 2026.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Coach won't yet name QB for Week 13
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Following Sunday's win over the Raiders, coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal on a starting quarterback for next Sunday's Week 13 game against the 49ers, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
With Dillon Gabriel sidelined against Las Vegas due to a concussion suffered the previous week, Shedeur Sanders got the starting nod under center and was okay, completing just 11 of 20 passes (55 percent) for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 24-10 victory. His highlight throw was a 52-yard deep shot to Isaiah Bond down to the two-yard line. Sanders' touchdown was a dump-off to Dylan Sampson, which Sampson then took 66 yards to the end zone. Sanders' completion percentage left a lot to be desired, but there's no denying helping steer the ship to a win was meaningful for the rookie. However, Stefanski has said previously that Gabriel will remain the starter when healthy. Expect Stefanski to divulge more information on the topic later in the week.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Ruled out for Week 12
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Gabriel (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Raiders, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
That said, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic, coach Kevin Stefanski indicated Friday that the QB -- who has yet to fully clear concussion protocol -- "continues to get better...doing great." Gabriel's next chance to see game action will arrive Sunday, Nov. 30 against the 49ers, with Shedeur Sanders slated to start Sunday, backed up by Bailey Zappe.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Won't start Sunday
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With Gabriel still in concussion protocol, per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Shedeur Sanders will draw the start at quarterback for the Browns on Sunday against the Raiders.
When asked what the Browns' QB plans are after Week 12, coach Kevin Stefanski noted that at this stage he won't look beyond Sunday's contest. In any case, Gabriel is not in line to practice Wednesday, while Sanders is poised to make his first career regular-season start this weekend.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Not returning to Sunday's contest
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Gabriel (concussion) won't return to Sunday's game against the Ravens.
With Gabriel out for the remainder of Sunday's contest, Shedeur Sanders will handle the Browns' QB duties versus the Ravens. Gabriel will thus look to gain medical clearance ahead of next weekend's contest against the Raiders.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Holds job for another week
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Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said immediately following Sunday's loss to the Jets that Gabriel will remain the starting quarterback Week 11 against Baltimore, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
That Stefanski will stick with Gabriel, despite mounting evidence that the rookie is out of his depth, could indicate his confidence level in backup Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel had a few good moments in the Week 10 loss when new play-caller, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, added more designed rollouts. That resulted in No. 1 wideout Jerry Jeudy getting his hands on the ball more often and a season-high 54 yards rushing for the quarterback, but opposing defenses are not being challenged. Gabriel ranks 41st among NFL quarterbacks at minus-0.18 expected points added, and he's showing little evidence that improvement is coming.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Mixed bag in big loss
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Gabriel completed 21 of 35 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in Sunday's 32-13 loss to the Patriots. He added 13 yards on his only carry.
The rookie QB barely involved his wide receivers in the game plan, as just three of his 21 completions went to WRs, and his two TDs went to tight ends Harold Fannin and David Njoku. Gabriel also threw the first two INTs of his NFL career however, and he's failed to reach 200 passing yards in three of his four starts since replacing Joe Flacco under center for the Browns. Gabriel will get a chance to regroup on the team's Week 9 bye before taking on the struggling Jets in Week 10.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Plays game-manager role in win
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Gabriel completed 13 of 18 passes for 116 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and rushed four times for 12 yards in the Browns' 31-6 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.
The rookie wasn't asked to do much, and the fact the Browns were able to jump out to a 17-6 halftime lead gave head coach Kevin Stefanski flexibility in how he deployed his young signal-caller. Quinshon Judkins, who scored three rushing touchdowns, and the Browns defense, which picked off Tua Tagovailoa three times and also recorded a pair of sacks, did most of the heavy lifting, leading to Gabriel's lowest passing yardage total yet in three games as a starter. The 2025 third-round pick will face off with Drake Maye and the Patriots on the road in Week 8 next Sunday afternoon.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Can't get going in Pittsburgh
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Gabriel completed 29 of 52 passes for 221 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 23-9 loss to the Steelers.
Gabriel was constantly under pressure, taking six sacks while averaging only 4.25 yards per attempt. Positively, he did continue to show a connection with fellow rookie tight end Harold Fannin, as the duo connected for a 25-yard gain -- the longest of the day for both Gabriel and the team. Gabriel should have the chance to put together a better performance in Week 7 when the Browns host the Dolphins.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Solid in first NFL start
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Gabriel completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 21-17 loss to the Vikings. He added two rushes for five yards.
Gabriel drew his first NFL start in a tough situation, traveling overseas to London while facing one of the more intricate defenses in the league. He handled himself well, as he didn't turn the ball over and was sacked only twice. While Gabriel primarily worked in the short areas of the field, he did manage a pair of completions of more than 20 yards and led two lengthy touchdown drives. There will still be plenty of chatter about the quarterback situation in Cleveland, but Gabriel made a positive first impression as the team's starter.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Taking over as starter
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The Browns announced that Gabriel will start Sunday's game against the Vikings in London, Kelsey Russo of the team's official site reports.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the rookie third-round pick will take over the top job from Joe Flacco, who will move into the No. 2 role, who led the Browns to a 1-3 record through the first four games of the season. Fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, meanwhile, will remain third on the depth chart. Gabriel possesses more mobility than Flacco, who had been hit 19 times over the last two games according to Cleveland.com. The signal-caller's ability to provide some scrambling ability could prove to be helpful behind an offensive line that's been without both its starting tackles of late. That said, Gabriel could preside over a run-based attack headlined by rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, which could limit the quarterback's passing volume and his overall fantasy appeal.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Looks headed for Week 5 start
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Gabriel is expected to replace Joe Flacco as the Browns' starting quarterback beginning with Sunday's game against the Vikings in London, Matt Zenitz of CBSSports.com reports.
After limping to a 1-3 start to the season while failing to score more than 17 points in any game under Flacco's direction, the Browns look set to turn the offense over to Gabriel. The FBS career leader with 155 touchdown passes over a six-year collegiate career that included stops at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon, Gabriel beat out fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders for the top backup role coming out of training camp. Gabriel -- who has completed three of four pass attempts for 19 yards and a touchdown between appearances at the tail end of blowout losses in Weeks 2 and 4 -- brings far more mobility to the table than Flacco, which could be important behind an offensive line dealing with injuries at both tackle spots. The 2025 third-round pick boasts only average arm strength and may not be asked to direct a high-volume passing attack, however. The Browns have yet to officially confirm any change at quarterback for Week 5, but expect head coach Kevin Stefanski to address the matter when he speaks to the media Wednesday.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Week 5 Waiver Priority List
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The Browns might be on the verge of a quarterback change soon with Joe Flacco struggling, and Gabriel is worth adding in all Superflex and two-quarterback leagues for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB. If he does start for Cleveland, then Gabriel could be useful in deeper leagues, so stash him now to get ahead of any potential personnel move for the Browns.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Leads final possession
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Gabriel played three snaps and tossed an incompletion on his lone pass attempt in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the Lions.
Gabriel replaced starter Joe Flacco for the inconsequential final drive of the day. Cleveland's offense once again sputtered, scoring its fewest points of the season Sunday to bring its average to 14.0 points per game through four weeks. While the offense's struggles can't entirely be blamed on Flacco -- the Browns started their fourth different offensive line combination in four games, and the receivers' room is thin and plagued by drops -- the writing is on the wall for a potential change at quarterback. Gabriel would presumably be first in line to start over fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, though head coach Kevin Stefanski refuted the notion that a switch at quarterback is imminent following Sunday's loss, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Week 3 Waiver Priority List
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The Browns are 0-2, and Joe Flacco could get benched at some point in the near future. Gabriel appears to be next in line to start in Cleveland, and he's worth stashing in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Leads garbage-time drive
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Gabriel completed three of three passes for 19 yards and threw a touchdown pass in Sunday's 41-17 loss to Baltimore in Week 2.
The Browns' offense stumbled for a second consecutive week, and starting quarterback Joe Flacco was eventually removed late in the fourth quarter with the Ravens up by 31 points. Gabriel entered for the Browns' final possession, which ended with the rookie quarterback's eight-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Dylan Sampson. Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski told Zac Jackson of The Athletic that he's not considering a quarterback change. That may be the case in September, but the Browns' 0-2 start could snowball, and playing a 40-year-old quarterback may not be the best path forward for the franchise.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Tosses TD in preseason finale
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Gabriel completed 12 of 19 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 19-17 preseason win over the Rams.
Entering the game in the second quarter after No. 1 quarterback Joe Flacco handled the Browns' first three drives, Gabriel quickly led the team to 10 points before halftime, highlighted by a three-yard TD toss to Gage Larvadain with 17 seconds left on the clock. The absence of Kenny Pickett (hamstring) during training camp and the preseason has provided Gabriel with valuable reps, and the 2025 third-round pick has rarely looked out of place. Fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders remains in the mix for a spot behind Flacco as well, but Gabriel has made a solid case to begin the season in the No. 3 role, if not No. 2.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel: Could get chance to start Saturday
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Gabriel has an opportunity to potentially start Saturday's preseason game against the Eagles with Shedeur Sanders (oblique) and Kenny Pickett (hamstring) both nursing injuries, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski hasn't yet named a starter for Saturday's exhibition matchup, but with Sanders and Pickett both banged-up and Joe Flacco expected to rest, Gabriel seems a likely candidate to not only start but potentially handle a substantial amount of expanded reps. Deshaun Watson (Achilles) remains on the active/PUP list, meaning the only other healthy quarterback currently on the roster able to challenge Gabriel for playing time Saturday is Tyler Huntley. Gabriel missed Cleveland's preseason opener due to a hamstring injury of his own, so the team may also have extra motivation to allot the 2025 third-rounder increased exhibition reps for evaluation purposes.
