The Cleveland Browns could soon be making a quarterback change to go to rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel was picked in the third round and has been the Browns‘ backup quarterback behind Joe Flacco. But Flacco has been struggling, and the team could soon make a change.
NFL insider Adam Schefter believes the time is nearly upon us when Gabriel will get a chance to play and start games.
“Kevin Stefanski has said that’s not what he’s thinking, but I think everybody can see at some point in time that Dillon Gabriel is gonna get a chance to play,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. “Don’t know whether it’s a couple of weeks away, or a month away, but at some point in time, they are gonna give him a shot and see what he can do.”
Schefter believes the Browns need to see what Gabriel is before the year is up, as Cleveland has two first-round picks in the upcoming draft. So, the Browns will likely use one of them on a quarterback, or could package both to get up to select their franchise quarterback.
However, Flacco will start for Cleveland in England on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Browns Remaining With Flacco at QB
Despite the struggles from Flacco, the Browns will remain with the veteran for Week 5.
Ahead of Cleveland heading to England, Stefanski made it clear that he still has confidence in Flacco
“Yeah, I understand the question. We have to play better as an offense,” Stefanski said. “We have to coach better on offense. It’s not about one person. There are so many things that we need to do better and obviously quarterback included. But this is not about one person… My focus is on making sure this offense plays better.”
As Stefanski says, the goal is to make the offense better and he still believes Flacco gives the Browns the best chance to succeed.
“I understand the scrutiny that comes with the position, but we have to play better as an offense,” Stefanski added. “We have to do a better job at all positions, including coaching. That’s really what I want to get across.”
Flacco has thrown for 815 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions in 4 games.
Flacco Knows the Offense has to be Better
With Cleveland off to a 1-3 start, Flacco knows the offense has to be better.
The veteran quarterback says he isn’t thinking about the team making a quarterback switch, as his focus is on helping the offense lead good drives.
“You can’t think about it when you’re a player. I know what I signed up for. I signed up to compete for a job and lead this team to victories,” Flacco said from the podium. “You know everyone is being evaluated in this league. That’s no different for any position. It’s disappointing to go out there and play the way we played today. Other than that, not worried about all that stuff.”
The Browns are set to play the Vikings in England in Week 5 before having their bye week.
Browns Insider Shares Positive Outlook on Rookie Quarterback Dillon Gabriel