The Cleveland Browns appear poised to make a quarterback change that will send Joe Flacco to the bench following a 1-3 start.
Flacco’s struggles have been glaring, and the turnovers from the 40-year-old quarterback continue to mount. He’s thrown six interceptions and lost two fumbles, dragging down an offense that’s already among the league’s worst.
The Browns have emphasized protecting the ball to complement their elite defense, but instead sit at the bottom of the NFL in turnover differential at minus-6. Flacco ranks last in the league with a 60.3 passer rating, and Cleveland is averaging fewer than 14 points per game with him under center.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has been asked about making a quarterback change but has remained non-committal. However, the tone has been different and he has not backed Flacco as the starter, either.
“Understand the question. It’s not about one person,” Stefanski said on Monday, mirroring his message following the loss to the Lions.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said a change appears imminent and the team prepares to head to London to take on the Minnesota Vikings.
Coming off their embarrassing 34-10 loss to the Lions, the Browns need to jumpstart their turnover- and drop-prone offense, and Gabriel can provide the spark,” Cabot said. On Monday, Kevin Stefanski declined to commit to Flacco for the Vikings game, and that’s as it should be. It’s time for a change to see if the 1-3 season can still be salvaged, and one appears imminent.”
Browns QB Joe Flacco Knows What He ‘Signed Up’ For
Flacco is in his 18th NFL season and handles himself like a true veteran. He understands that his starting job is a topic of conversation but is trying not to be overly concerned about being relegated to a backup role — or even cut.
“I know what I signed up for,” Flacco said. “I signed up for coming in and competing for a job and then leading this team to victories. And you know that everybody’s always being evaluated in this league, and that’s no different for any position. So it’s disappointing to go out there and play the way we did today. Other than that, I’m not really worried about all that stuff.”
Flacco does have some support in the locker room. Rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., one of Flacco’s favorite targets, backed his quarterback following the loss to the Lions.
“I believe in (Flacco),” Fannin said. “We watch the tape, we all know what he sees, we all understand what he’s trying to do. We all just gotta get back to work. Just keep working, figure it out.”
Browns Face Pressure to Play Rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders
The Browns spent a third-round pick on Gabriel and a fifth-round pick on Shedeur Sanders. With Flacco floundering, it’s increased the pressure on the Browns to see what their rookie passers can do.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam made it clear that evaluating their young quarterbacks is a priority this season. With multiple picks in the first round of the 2026 draft, the organization wants a clear picture of what it already has under center before deciding how aggressively to pursue another prospect.
Gabriel will get the first shot. But if he struggles, the team could turn to Sanders, who has been serving as the emergency quarterback on game days. Sanders said last week that he feels ready to play now and is waiting for his opportunity.
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