Browns Name Dillon Gabriel Starter, Bench Flacco

The Cleveland Browns officially named rookie Dillon Gabriel their starting quarterback, benching veteran Joe Flacco after a 1–3 start. Gabriel will make his first NFL start overseas in London against the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Kevin Stefanski said the offense hasn’t scored consistently, praised Gabriel’s processing and accuracy, and confirmed Deshaun Watson remains on the PUP list. Rookie Shedeur Sanders — still without regular-season snaps and listed as the third-string quarterback — reacted quietly to the decision, and the move has sparked trade speculation about whether Sanders or Gabriel could be moved before the November deadline. With Cleveland totaling just 56 points in four games and facing a strong Vikings defense, Gabriel will take the helm under immediate pressure to spark the offense.