“Everybody’s competing, but you’re not guaranteed the same amount of reps,” Monken said. “So, it’s up to the player to take advantage and maximize those reps, which I feel like Dillon has done. So, we’ll see as we move forward, if that continues, we’ll continue to up his reps. He’s earned that. That’s what every player should expect, right? If they play well, you have to up the reps, or what’s the purpose of playing well?”
As Gabriel enters his second season with the Browns, he feels more established – even as he has learned the new offensive system. He said he knows what to expect and areas to continue improving, as well as where to focus his time and energy. With a full offseason, he said he utilized the time to study the plays through the spring and summer to help his preparation heading into training camp.
That approach is paying off, as Monken highlighted how Gabriel is even keeled in nature both in the meeting room and out on the practice field.
“First of all, he’s got a great personality, he’s fun to be around,” Monken said. “You wouldn’t know it unless you’ve been around him. He seems stoic, but no, he’s actually very funny, has a great personality, and he’s handled this situation with unbelievable class. Every player wants to compete, and he hasn’t really had the opportunity in terms of the number of reps. He’s had a chance to compete just with a different number of reps. So, I think he’s done an unbelievable job that way, and for the lack of reps, he does a great job carrying over the meetings to the field. He does a great job with a limited amount of reps which is a credit to him.”