Quarterback battles in the NFL are usually between two main competitors. In some rare cases, there are three combatants. However, you’ll almost never see a battle with four legitimate quarterbacks vying for that top job. Only the Cleveland Browns, eh?
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Presumptive starter Joe Flacco, who played in this offense successfully in 2023 but is 40 years old, will try to fend off the youngsters behind him: fourth-year former first-rounder Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders.
With so many cooks in the kitchen—especially a quarterback kitchen—one might think this would become a distraction as the rest of the team prepares for the upcoming campaign. However, according to Gabriel, who appears to be third on the depth chart, the four working together has actually been a strength rather than a weakness for the Browns.
“I am [different than the other QBs]. And I think it’s good. You wanna have versatility,” Gabriel said from the Browns’ training camp.
“And you look at the strength of a room, it’s because of how versatile we are. You have to look at it as a growth mindset and an ability not only to challenge one another but challenge ourselves. And knowing that, there’s a bunch of guys that have different styles to their game, and you can learn from one another.”
Gabriel was then asked specifically about the biggest celebrity of the group, Sanders, who happens to be fourth on the depth chart. The third-round pick didn’t say anything negative.
He simply acknowledged the spotlight on the son of Deion Sanders before going back to his previous point about learning from each other.
“He’s had a life under a microscope for sure. And rightfully so, for what he’s been able to do. And I think when you have that coming in as a rookie, myself as well, I think we’re going through similar times of our lives. Different in our own ways,” the rookie continued.
‘I think there’s just so much to learn from one another, and then you add Deshaun, Joe, and Kenny to the room… They got a lot of stories to tell.”
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Gabriel is certainly not trying to ruffle any feathers right now. The Browns are reportedly high on the diminutive QB. But his numbers coming out of training camp have been noticeably more uneven than the other three guys he’s competing against. And he’s obviously a lot smaller than a traditional QB in height, arm length, and hand size.
Expect many more interviews from Gabriel and the rest of the quartet, where they talk a lot without really saying anything about the camp battle. The Browns are keeping their QB competition deliberations close to the vest. And the participants in that competition seem to be adhering to that rule as well.
