Browns coaches address summer struggles endured by rookie QB

A Monday report indicated that Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has left much to be desired with his training-camp performances. 

Later in the day, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about how Gabriel has handled "the ups and downs" the 2025 third-round draft pick has experienced this summer. 

"There’s plays that are set up for you and you let it rip and it’s there," Stefanski responded, as shared by the Browns' website. "There’s times that things aren’t there. And I think the big thing is learning from every single one of those reps. I can think of certain reps where you got to move in the pocket and you got to run out of the pocket. You got to go scramble and get as much as we can get and get down and protect yourself. That’s real football. So we’re trying as hard as we can to mimic that in these settings and know that you’re going to have some plays that you want back. But the bottom line is you have to learn from those plays. I think he’s doing that."

While the perception exists that fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders looked better than Gabriel throughout summer practices open to media members, the Browns nevertheless listed Sanders as their QB4 on their unofficial depth chart released on Monday. Gabriel remained the team's third-choice option behind backup Kenny Pickett and presumed starter Joe Flacco.

As of Tuesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as the betting favorite at -265 odds to start Cleveland's Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. 

"I think all four of our guys have had really positive days and have had some days where they’ve not practiced as well as they want to," Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said after a reporter mentioned that "it looks like Dillon Gabriel is really struggling" in camp.

"Certainly, you’re going to see great days from guys, and they’re going to bounce back the next day and maybe not be as polished as we’d want them to be," Rees continued. "But we try to evaluate camp and practices and the offseason in a totality and not just trying to look at one day at a time."

Gabriel is listed at 5-foot-11, and there's a fear that he could struggle to find passing lanes due to his size. On Monday, Rees insisted that "there’s small tweaks" coaches can make so that Gabriel is as "comfortable" as possible while running the offense. 

The biggest thing working against Gabriel in the first week of August is that he's dealing with a hamstring issue that could prevent him from playing in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday. During the latest edition of the "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast," Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said that journeyman Tyler Huntley "is going to play on Friday night" after Cleveland came to an agreement with Huntley on Monday.