Through their persistent and maddeningly inept rocky start to quarterback play this NFL off-season, the Cleveland Browns are trying to thread a very tenuous needle. Deshaun Watson Veteran QBS deshaun watson (r achilles) likely to miss most, if not all, of year. The team’s new attention has shifted to its other QBs — Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and new draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Watson, now in rehab, has been a focal point of the Browns’ future plans. His absence opens the door for others in the quarterback room, which has now gotten incredibly crowded. Having Flacco and Pickett in on this Browns’ offseason program is a boost for all involved and will make for a highly competitive battle to fortify that starting spot.
In the third round, Cleveland made a great choice by adding Dillon Gabriel under center. They backed it up by selecting Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round. Gabriel, known for his record-smashing run at Oregon, Oklahoma, and UCF, looked to be the clear winner of those first-team snaps during the team’s rookie minicamp. At the same time, Sanders, who surprised all by sliding to Day 3 of the draft, is in the mix as well.
With the rookie minicamp that started on Friday, allowing Gabriel and Sanders to get their first taste of professional ball. Despite their impressive performances, Kevin Stefanski, the head coach of the Browns, urged caution regarding any early conclusions about the quarterback competition.
“There’s a lot of time between now and September, so we’ll have a plan. But it’s an all-encompassing evaluation.” – Kevin Stefanski
Stefanski made it clear that the team won’t close the door on any possibility as they head into Organized Team Activities (OTAs) later this month. No word yet on who will take first-team reps with this decision looming. He stressed that his team plans to fully “experience” this crucial exercise while they get “ready” — not “prepare” — for training camp.
As the Browns head down the stretch of their offseason program, the mix of experienced vets and young hopefuls has created a compelling quarterback competition. Gabriel got the first half-dozen snaps in team drills at minicamp. With Flacco and Pickett completely committed to offseason work, we should see how this one plays out.
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