The Cleveland Browns rode their defense to a surprising Week 3 upset win over the Green Bay Packers. That should buy veteran quarterback Joe Flacco some time as the starter, but he'll remain on a short leash. Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel is expected to eventually replace him in the lineup, according to a report from ESPN Cleveland.
Flacco completed 21-of-36 passing attempts for 142 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception in Sunday's 13-10 victory. Packers quarterback Jordan Love was sacked five times as the offense was limited to 230 yards. Flacco was a passenger.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski won't make a quarterback change following a victory. Flacco will understandably earn the start versus the Detroit Lions in Week 4. The Browns then travel to London, England for an overseas date against the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Week 5. Gabriel shouldn't earn his first career start in a challenging, unfamiliar environment. Simply put, Gabriel's first NFL start shouldn't occur versus a Brian Flores-coached defense in England.
The Browns will be massive underdogs versus both the Lions and the Vikings. If the Browns lose both contests, Gabriel should replace Flacco as the starter in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers currently rank 22nd in points allowed (25.7/game) and 26th in passing defense (246.7). They represent an ideal upcoming opportunity to get Gabriel in the lineup. Furthermore, the follow-up opponents are the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets, who currently sport a combined record of 1-8. Help your rookie quarterback.
That four-game stretch represents the softest on the Browns' 2025 schedule. There are technically no cupcake opponents for the rebuilding Browns.
Gabriel was selected in the third round (No. 94 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Browns later drafted Shedeur Sanders with a fifth-round pick. It makes sense that Gabriel is considered next-man-up behind Flacco. Gabriel replaced Flacco in the Week 2 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He completed all three of his passing attempts for 19 yards and a touchdown in garbage time. His first career TD was an accurate throw to fellow rookie Dylan Sampson in the end zone.
first NFL TD for both Dylans!#CLEvsBAL on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/yM9Rg940ZE
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 14, 2025
Gabriel played extensively in the Browns' final two preseason games. He impressed via an extended look, completing 25-of-37 passing attempts for 272 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also fumbled once.
Gabriel was largely accurate, completing 67.6% of his passes. The former Oregon standout averaged a stellar 7.4 yards per attempt. Pro Football Focus' tracking had him making zero big-time throws, one turnover-worthy throw, and an average depth of target (aDOT) of 7.1. Two of his on-target passes were dropped, so his adjusted completion percentage was an improved 77.1%.
The Browns rank 30th in points scored per game (15.3). Predictably, the Flacco-led offense isn't moving the needle. Stefanski could be tempted to play Gabriel in London versus the Vikings in Week 5, but resisting temptation until the following week against the Steelers would be the wiser decision.
