The Cleveland Browns just dropped their first unofficial depth chart of the summer, and it wasn’t an ideal outcome for rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Joe Flacco earned the top position, while the team named Kenny Pickett its backup signal-caller. Gabriel didn’t slot in until the QB3 spot, while Shedeur Sanders begins August as a member of the fourth-string unit.
The Browns drafted Gabriel higher than Sanders, taking him in the late third round. Gabriel then spent much of the preseason splitting first-team reps with Pickett.
Cleveland has been open to any of its four signal-callers winning the starting job since filling out the position group in late April. However, Gabriel has dealt with multiple issues since training camp began — including poor play and, more recently, a hamstring injury.
Dillon Gabriel Has Struggled Mightily During Browns Training Camp
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic detailed Gabriel’s camp experience to this point in a recent article.
“To say Gabriel has had an up-and-down camp would be to at least slightly ignore that he’s been wildly down (and wildly inaccurate) in recent days,” Jackson wrote August 3. “And though camp stats and camp completions don’t tell anything close to the whole story, Gabriel has done nothing to make anyone observing believe he’s ready to be trusted as a No. 2 quarterback.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski also answered questions as to Gabriel’s practice struggles during a press conference on August 2.
“I would tell you with any of our players — and in particular Dillon [Gabriel] — who wants to be great and wants to be great at practice, there [are] times that you’re going to go through a tough period out here at practice: a tough seven-on-seven, a tough team period, whatever it may be,” Stefanski said. “And then you really try to learn from those reps.”
Gabriel addressed his practice struggles with media members during a press conference on August 4.
“Of course you want certain results, but sometimes it doesn’t always go your way,” Gabriel said. “There’s a lot of things that collectively we can help one another out and be better in certain aspects. It starts with me as the quarterback who touches the ball every single play.”
Dillon Gabriel Currently Battling Injury, as Are Kenny Pickett and Shedeur Sanders
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel is battling more than just inconsistent play at the moment. He’s also suffering through a hamstring issue he sustained during practice on Saturday, August 2.
“Dillon Gabriel’s dealing with a little bit of tightness in his hamstring, so he’ll be limited a bit,” Stefanski said ahead of Monday’s practice.
Also struggling with a hamstring injury is Pickett, while Sanders sat out Saturday with shoulder soreness. Considering all of the injury issues in the QB room, the Browns reunited with former Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley on Monday evening.
“Sources: Browns are signing QB Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley, who spent part of last season with Cleveland,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported. “With Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel nursing hamstring injuries, and Shedeur Sanders having a sore shoulder, the Browns need another arm. Enter Huntley.”
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