With Dillon Gabriel finally taking the reins of the Browns’ offense, it is officially a new era in Cleveland. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback is set for his first start in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings, replacing veteran Joe Flacco. The rookie QB has set a new benchmark in league history as the first quarterback to debut as a starter in an NFL International Series game. Gabriel finished his rookie preseason with a stat line of 25 of 37, 272 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in two games, and is now set to start following a 1-3 start and mounting concerns about Flacco’s consistency. And according to Dillon’s fellow rookie, Quinshon Judkins, the 24-year-old QB may have what it takes to become the QB1 because of three traits he highlighted about Gabriel.

Per Zac Jackson of The Athletic, running back Judkins publicly affirmed the decision on Gabriel as the QB and said, “Super mobile, obviously smart, super talented.” And there is a good reason why Judkins is confident about Gabriel’s promotion. Having already faced him twice in the 2024 season when Judkins was with the Buckeyes, the Browns’ RB is aware of Gabriel’s potential.

Beyond the numbers, Gabriel led the Browns’ offense as effectively as could be predicted, locating his receivers with accuracy and hitting in-breaking routes, which is a key component of head coach Kevin Stefanski’s scheme and resulted in long drives down the field.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said, “From the second Gabriel has been here, he’s been working very hard. He’s a very intelligent young man. He’s done a nice job throughout practice, and this whole season he’s been learning how to get yourself ready and understand the rhythm of an NFL week and what that looks like as a backup. Obviously, now feels like he’s ready to go as a starter.”

Gabriel has limited regular-season data, but his preseason and backup showings provided optimism. He completed 25 of 37 passes for 272 yards, one touchdown, and one interception across two preseason games. In one standout drive, he converted 9 of 11 passes for 86 yards in a two-minute drill, finishing with a 3-yard touchdown. Against the Rams, he delivered 129 passing yards and a touchdown while avoiding interceptions. His passer rating in that appearance reached 100.5.

Regular-season action has been minimal. So far, he has thrown 3 of 4 passes for 19 yards and one touchdown. Judkins’ comment signals a strong vote of confidence from within the locker room. The Browns now shift their focus to fixing the mistakes made under Joe Flacco.

Joel Bitonio demands better protection for Gabriel

Left guard Joel Bitonio criticized his own unit after the decision to bench Flacco. The offense evidently failed to shield Flacco from pressure. The line gave up too many sacks and quarterback hits. And as of now, Flacco has been sacked nine times so far this season.

According to Scott Perak of the Brownzone, “Browns LG Joel Bitonio said offense wasn’t good enough for Joe Flacco, wants to be better for new QB Dillon Gabriel.” Bitonio declared that the locker room now aims to protect rookie Dillon Gabriel as a priority. He said teammates are pushing to operate as a cohesive front. He referenced breakdowns in pass blocking that left Flacco exposed.

The Cleveland Browns’ offense is rated 27th. Of the 33 quarterbacks who have attempted at least 56 passes, the 40-year-old has the second-worst completion rate (58.1%), the second-highest passer rating (60.3), and the second-most interceptions (6). In last Sunday’s 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions, the 18-year veteran only completed 16 of 34 passes for 184 yards, two interceptions, and a fumble. In terms of total yards (279.8 yards per game), passing (195 yards per game), and rushing (84.8 yards per game).

“What I appreciate about Joe is it’s not his job to be a mentor, it’s his job to be a great quarterback. And just his openness to answer questions, it’s my job to ask questions and search for those answers. So appreciate him for that,” Gabriel said.

Bitonio emphasizes that the new quarterback deserves a cleaner pocket. He warned that failure to improve protection would undermine any transition. The shift signals accountability within the Browns’ offensive group to deliver consistency.