Wednesday marked the Cleveland Browns’ second day of mandatory minicamp, with attention sharply focused on the quarterbacks as they fine-tune their red-zone prowess. Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Shedeur Sanders are all vying for what appears to be a wide-open starting quarterback role.
Gabriel, once a standout with the Oregon Ducks, teamed up with fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders on one practice field. Meanwhile, the seasoned NFL hands, Flacco and Pickett, were taking their reps on the adjacent field. As reported by local sources, the practice predominantly stuck to 7-on-7 drills. Still, Gabriel was the man leading the charge whenever the Browns switched to the full 11-on-11 format.
From the stats desk, Gabriel edged out his colleagues, recording a solid 9 completions from 16 attempts with two touchdowns, leading the pack. Following him, Pickett managed 6 out of 11 with a score, Sanders hit a more efficient 8 of 9 with a touchdown, and Flacco rounded things off with 3 completions on 7 attempts, also securing a touchdown. It’s noteworthy that Flacco had a lighter workload following OTAs.
One of Gabriel’s standout moments is making waves on social media. In an 11-on-11 setup, he delivered a picture-perfect throw to wide receiver Jaelen Gill. The play had fans and teammates alike celebrating, highlighting Gabriel’s burgeoning comfort and precision under pressure.
The fans on social media were buzzing about Gabriel’s performance, with reactions ranging from compliments on his growing poise to admiration for the velocity on his throws.
Reflecting on his first day of minicamp action, Gabriel talked about his learning curve since getting drafted in the third round by Cleveland this past April. He emphasized “continuous improvement” and an eagerness to learn, approaching each day as a student of the game. The young signal-caller draws from a deep well of experience, having started 63 times in college, winding up as the FBS all-time leader in touchdowns with a remarkable tally of 189.
Coach Kevin Stefanski has clearly set a tone, encouraging his rookies to absorb as much as they can from the veterans around them, not just in practice but in all interactions. A recent social media post even captured a lighter moment, with Gabriel persuading veteran Joe Flacco to recreate a posed picture from media day—illustrating the camaraderie and chemistry building off the field.
Cleveland’s seasoned defensive end Myles Garrett also weighed in on Gabriel’s performance, noting his composure and ability to manage the offense effectively. Though Garrett acknowledged all quarterbacks showed a measure of calm, it was clear Gabriel caught his eye, making a case for himself in this early stage of the competition.
