Rookie Dillon Gabriel selected as Browns starting QB after Joe Flacco is benched

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Dillon Gabriel will get his first NFL start on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns face the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The Browns announced on Wednesday that they were benching Joe Flacco after he struggled to lead the offense in the first four games.

“From the second he’s been here, he’s been working very hard, very intelligent young man,” coach Kevin Stefanski said about Gabriel. “He’s done a nice job throughout practice. 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.”

Stefanski added it was his decision to make the change this week — despite making an overseas trip — because he felt it was in the best interest of his 1-3 team moving forward.

Cleveland is ranked next-to-last in scoring, averaging 14 points per game. The team has scored 17 points or fewer in nine straight games going back to last season. Gabriel will be the fifth different starting QB in 10 games, joining Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Bailey Zappe and Flacco.

“From the beginning this is the moment you look forward to as a competitor. But it’s part of my job to be ready, to be that sense of hope for everyone to continue to be better and come together and create momentum for each other,” Gabriel told reporters before Wednesday's practice. "So excited for that, but just also extremely focused at doing my job at a high level.

Flacco also met with reporters before practice and said that he didn't foresee a quarterback switch happening.

“I think I said it on Sunday, anytime you’re in this league, everybody’s always getting evaluated and the job of a quarterback is to help your team win football games,” he said.

The Browns practiced at their complex before flying to London.

Gabriel was selected in the third round of April's draft. He finished his college career as the Football Bowl Subdivision total touchdowns lead with 189 at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. He was third in the nation with a 72.9% completion rate and was a Heisman Trophy finalist as he led Oregon to a Big Ten title.

Gabriel has seen action in two games — Week 2 at Baltimore and Week 4 at Detroit — and has completed three of four passes for 19 yards and a touchdown. He was selected as the backup quarterback at the end of training camp after the Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders.

During the preseason, Gabriel led the Browns to either a touchdown or field goal on five of his seven drives. He also directed a pair of two-minute, first-half drives against the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams.

In his two preseason outings, Gabriel completed 25 of 37 passes for 272 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

“The more turns you got, the more confident and comfortable you are in certain situations. So super glad I was able to get those turns and want to continue to build on that and we will throughout this process,” Gabriel said. “But like I said, a whole week of prep going into a game, knowing the job cold is my job and I’ll continue to do that. Excited for it.”

Among the 33 quarterbacks who have made at least 56 pass attempts, Flacco is last in the league with a 60.3 passer rating, has the second-worst completion rate (58.1%) and his six interceptions are second most.

The 18-year veteran completed only 16 of 34 passes for 184 yards, two interceptions and a fumble in last Sunday's 34-10 loss to Detroit.

The Browns offense is ranked 27th in total yards (279.8 yards per game), 20th in passing (195 ypg) and 30th in rushing (84.8 ypg).

The switch to Gabriel is also sure to reignite questions about where Sheduer Sanders might eventually factor down the line. Stefanski said Sanders will remain the third-string quarterback this week with Flacco being Gabriel's backup.

Sanders dropped to the 144th pick and fifth round after many thought he would go in the first two rounds. He completed 17 of 29 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason games.

Gabriel will be facing a Minnesota defense that has a 37.4% blitz rate, third highest in the league.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said on Wednesday that they scouted Dillon during the draft process and know what type of player he can be.

“He’s got really unique athleticism, quickness in the pocket to evade the rush, and has always been able to make plays on schedule and also be a weapon off-schedule," O'Connell said.

“We’re going to have to make sure we can adapt to that athleticism and still find a way to contain him while defending one of the better run games in the league and some really talented skill players as well.”

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