Cleveland has benched Joe Flacco and have named Dillon Gabriel their starting quarterback. Gabriel’s first NFL start hits London this weekend, a lefty rookie thrust into the Vikings’ maw. I tip my cap to the kid—quick wrist, sharp eyes from Oregon’s 2024 tear: 3,857 yards, 30 TDs, and only six interceptions. But benching Flacco after a 1-3 skid? That’s Cleveland’s signature haste.
The Browns should have let Gabriel sit, to learn Stefanski’s calls behind Flacco. It’s not the Browns are playoff bound, so letting Flacco play just solidifies a high draft pick in 2026. Instead, they ignite the powder keg. Bad teams breed bad calls, yet Gabriel’s bar gleams low among third-round QBs.
Rushing the Rookie: Echoes of Browns’ Past Blunders
I’m reminded of a great exchange between the Funke’s: “husband” and “wife” on Arrested Development (when it was great).
Lindsay: Well, did it work for those people?
Tobias: No, it never does. I mean, these people somehow delude themselves into thinking it might, but … But it might work for us.
The Browns had Kenny Pickett on their roster this offseason. You keep him, forgo Deion’s son, and let Pickett take over for Joe Flacco. We could go over all the quarterbacks the Browns have gone through over the last 10 years, yet what’s the point? It’s unfortunate that Deshaun Watson didn’t work out, yet it’s also unfortunate that the Browns traded for Watson.
Cleveland gave up on Baker Mayfield. “Stick to the fundamentals—that’s how IBM and Hilton were built… good things sometimes take time.”
The Third-Round Trap: A Decade of Draft Disappointments
Facts sting: Third-round QBs since 2015 average under-80 passer ratings, per Pro Football Reference. Jacoby Brissett ended up with 52 starts, yet he’s relegated to backup with the Cardinals. Most third-rounders bust. Now Gabriel tries to avoid a crowded graveyard of quarterback careers.
| QB Name | Draft Year/Team | Fate |
|---|---|---|
| Hendon Hooker | 2023, DET | Backs Goff; injury shadow. |
| Matt Corral | 2022, CAR | Waived post-preseason flop. |
| Malik Willis | 2022, TEN | Traded; gadget scraps. |
| Desmond Ridder | 2022, ATL | Benched; MIA backup. |
| Davis Mills | 2021, HOU | Clipboard in Stroud era. |
| Kellen Mond | 2021, MIN | Bounced; out of league. |
| Will Grier | 2019, CAR | Preseason hype, quick fade. |
| Mason Rudolph | 2018, PIT | Backup carousel; retired. |
| Davis Webb | 2017, NYG | Minimal snaps; now coach. |
| C.J. Beathard | 2017, SF | Journeyman; JAX backup. |
| Cody Kessler | 2016, CLE | Browns bust; waived ’17. |
| Jacoby Brissett | 2016, NE | Reliable bridge guy. |
Maybe Gabriel is Russell Wilson
Five full years of playing quarterback in college is a definite plus for Gabriel. That’s the one redeeming quality that bodes well for him. Russell Wilson was a four-year starter in college. The biggest issue for any rookie quarterback is how much faster the NFL game is than college football.
Wilson won the starting job out of college in 2012 and eventually led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.
If Gabriel Stumbles: Sanders and Sixth-Round Dreams
Cue Shedeur Sanders, who of course needs a minimum of two years watching and learning—yet the Browns will rush him like they are doing with Gabriel. Sixth-round gems? Tom Brady, Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Rypien. All three got to the Super Bowl, including Brady winning a handful and Rypien getting one. However, that’s finding the diamonds in 40 years of sixth-round picks.
HeyTC Rankings: Flacco vs Gabriel
Our daily quarterback rankings have it as a wash at this point. Flacco is ranked as the 35th-best quarterback in the NFL, while Gabriel ranks at number 36. While Gabriel is a complete unknown until he takes the field, he’s still ranked above the Jets’ Justin Fields and the 2025 #1 overall NFL Draft pick, Cam Ward of the Titans. The latter, another quarterback who should have been spared the gridiron this year.
FAQs
1. Why bench Joe Flacco now?
Three picks in a 1-3 start for Cleveland. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski chases a spark, but the timing draws fire.
2. What were Dillon Gabriel’s Oregon highlights?
3,660 yards, 30 TDs, and only six INTs—pure rhythm magic.
3. How many third-round draft quarterbacks have success?
Most do not have any success. In the last 10 years, only Jacoby Brissett has had modest success, starting 52 games. In 2025, Brissett is now QB2 in Arizona.
4. Why can’t the Cleveland Browns find a quarterback?
It boils down to poor decisions: rushing rookie quarterbacks to start immediately, giving up on them too early, and signing veteran quarterbacks that don’t have anything left in the gas tank.
5. Can the Browns make the playoffs with Dillon Gabriel?
It’s not going to happen in 2025 or 2026. By that time, Cleveland will probably have given up on Gabriel, unfortunately, and will repeat the vicious cycle they’ve been in for decades.
