Dillon Gabriel appears to be embracing a new attitude as his future with the Cleveland Browns hangs in the balance.
Gabriel posted a collection of photos from the Browns’ 37-13 preseason win against the New England Patriots, adding a playful caption.
“Can I get it Crazy Style… Please and Thank you,” Gabriel wrote on Instagram.
The post quickly drew support for Gabriel, who delivered his best performance of the preseason with Cleveland’s roster deadline looming.
“Let’s do it again sometime,” commented Browns receiver Luke Floreia, who caught two touchdowns from Gabriel.
“I like you like this!!” a fan added.
“I BEEN sayin it!!! Let’s go DG!!” another wrote.
Gabriel completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the first half against New England. He finished with a 157.9 passer rating, just shy of the perfect mark.
Two of his touchdown passes went to Floriea, with the other going to running back Ahmani Marshall. Gabriel directed five scoring drives on his six possessions, with the only exception coming when Cleveland took over with two seconds remaining in the first half.
“I know it’s been hard, let’s be real about it. But, he’s a prideful guy who’s had a lot of success in his career, and all he does is prepare,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said. “That’s all he does. He comes to work every day and prepares like a pro. You can see he can really operate; he gets what we want to do, and he has a certain confidence about him when he takes the field. I’m fired up.”
Dillon Gabriel Showing New Side With Browns
Gabriel has shown more personality in his second season with the Browns, both on social media and in front of reporters. The former third-round pick was generally reserved during a difficult rookie season. He went 1-5 in six starts, completing 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Gabriel entered this year’s training camp behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders in the quarterback competition. But that situation has not stopped Gabriel from speaking more freely. When asked about rookie Taylen Green following the preseason finale, Gabriel described the mindset the two quarterbacks shared despite receiving few practice reps.
“That’s what I’m saying, we were laughing about it, we were just telling each other, ‘[expletive] around and find out,’” Gabriel said. “We’ve all played a bunch of football, but there’s still timing with guys and all that [expletive], but we’ll figure it out.”
Gabriel also made it clear that he understood the stakes surrounding his performance.
“I’m not naive of what this all comes with, but I want to play well and put good [expletive] on tape,” Gabriel said.
Browns Face Difficult Quarterback Decision
The Browns must reduce their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. Cleveland began that process on Friday by parting with 16 players. The Browns waived 12 players and terminated the contracts of four veterans, including cornerbacks Tre Avery and Tyler Hall, offensive tackle Tyre Phillips and tight end Jack Stoll.
The most intriguing decision still involves Cleveland’s four quarterbacks. Watson has been named the starter, while Sanders is expected to open the season as his primary backup. That leaves Gabriel and Green potentially competing for one spot, although the Browns have not ruled out keeping all four.
Green also strengthened his case against New England. The sixth-round rookie completed 5 of 7 passes for 27 yards and added 66 rushing yards, directing a 98-yard touchdown drive.
Monken said neither performance altered the top of the depth chart. When asked whether Cleveland could keep all four quarterbacks, he remained noncommittal.
“I’m not going to get into that right now,” Monken said. “Andrew [Berry] and I haven’t had a chance to really talk about it.”
Gabriel’s strong performance likely boosted his trade value and could draw interest from quarterback-needy teams. If the Browns waive Gabriel or Green in hopes of stashing either on the practice squad, they would risk losing them through the waiver process.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Sends Strong Message Amid Roster Cuts