The Cleveland Browns are reportedly turning to a new quarterback in Week 5.
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Browns are expected to start Dillon Gabriel over Joe Flacco in Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo also said Tuesday morning that Gabriel will start in London, claiming there’s “internal strife” within the organization over who to play.
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It would mark Gabriel’s first career NFL start after seeing limited action in two of Cleveland’s games earlier this season.
Flacco’s rough start
Flacco won a crowded quarterback competition over Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, and Shedeur Sanders this summer. The Browns have started 1-3 behind the 40-year-old, scoring the league’s second-fewest points (56) after the Tennessee Titans.
Flacco found the Fountain of Youth and steered the Browns to the 2023 postseason when amassing 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns in five games. He hasn’t achieved the same level of success back in Cleveland, posting the worst quarterback rating (60.3) of any starter this season.
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The former Super Bowl champion has thrown just two touchdowns to six interceptions, and Flacco has registered the second-worst completion percentage (58.1) and yards per attempt (5.1). He went 16-of-34 with 184 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks in Sunday’s 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions, forcing Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to field questions about a quarterback change.
“I understand the question, especially when we are struggling the way we are on offense,” Stefanski said after the Week 4 game, per the Associated Press. “But that’s not our focus right now. To have any success on either side of the ball, you need to play well and play together. Right now, we have too many things going wrong, and we all own that. It isn’t because of one player.”
Can Gabriel uplift Cleveland’s offense?
Jun 12, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during mini camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Gabriel isn’t Cleveland’s most famous rookie quarterback, but the Browns drafted him in the third round before ending Sanders’ free-fall in the fifth. The former Oregon star is reportedly set to get the first taste of NFL action.
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In six seasons, Gabriel tossed 155 touchdowns for three different college programs. He finished third in last year’s Heisman Trophy voting after leading the Ducks to an undefeated regular season and Big Ten title before they lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff.
Gabriel completed all three passes for 19 yards and a touchdown when making his NFL debut in a Week 1 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. If drawing the Week 5 start, the 24-year-old will instantly face a tough test against a Vikings defense that’s allowed just 151.5 passing yards per game.
Sunday’s game between the Browns and Vikings starts at 9:30 a.m. ET on the NFL Network.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.