Dillon Gabriel has spent the early stretch of Browns training camp in a strange spot: around the quarterback battle, but not really at the center of it.
That’s the reality when Deshaun Watson is healthy enough to work after missing all of last season with a twice-torn Achilles tendon, and when Shedeur Sanders is drawing plenty of attention too. Gabriel, meanwhile, has been the quieter presence in the room, even though his rookie numbers last season were modest and the Browns won only one of his six starts.
Still, Gabriel had a statistical edge over Sanders in just about every category that counts, and he doesn’t seem interested in making a scene about where he fits. On Wednesday, he said he never felt “disrespected” and added that he understands the NFL is a business.
He also sounded comfortable discussing the offense and his ability to get up to speed with what head coach Todd Monken wants. Gabriel pointed to the similarities between that system and what he ran in college, saying:
“I don’t think picking up an offense has ever been a problem for me. I think conceptually, if you see it, a lot of people are on the same (stuff); it’s just how you call it and how you get to things. In man versus zone, or a two-high one-high, do you want an all-call where you can play it split field on one play, or do you want to get to a premier play where there are multiple winners against a certain coverage?
“I think I take that kind of attitude toward it, plus my time with Coach (Dan) Lanning - whatever that Georgia tree is - and Coach Monken being there, I think there’s some similarities. Even in practice and how we’ve seen our offense, it’s kind of similar to Oregon.”
That comfort level could matter. If Gabriel already has a handle on the system, that gives him a path to stay in the mix even while the spotlight sits elsewhere.
Monken noticed the way Gabriel has handled the situation, too. On Wednesday, he praised the quarterback’s temperament and how he has dealt with the limited reps:
“One thing Dillon does a really good job of is he’s very even-keeled. First of all, he’s got a great personality; he’s fun to be around.
You wouldn’t know it unless you’ve been around him. He seems stoic, but no, he’s actually very funny, has a great personality, and he’s handled this situation with unbelievable class.
“Every player wants to compete, and he hasn’t really had the opportunity in terms of the number of reps. He’s had a chance to compete just with a different number of reps.
So, I think he’s done an unbelievable job that way, and for the lack of reps, he does a great job carrying over the meetings to the field. He does a great job with a limited amount of reps, which is a credit to him.”
For now, the Week 1 job still looks like it will come down to Watson or Sanders unless something dramatic changes before the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But this is the Browns, which means the quarterback picture rarely stays tidy for long.
That’s where Gabriel’s approach could end up mattering. If Cleveland needs more than one quarterback again this season, staying ready might be the part of camp that pays off later.
In Other News...
Browns Camp Injuries Just Changed The Outlook For A Young Receiver
Training camp injuries have already started to reshape the Browns roster picture, and one of the more notable moves involved young wide receiver Jamari Thrash. Cleveland waived Thrash with an injury designation after he went down with a knee injury in camp, a transaction that signals the team is making room while also managing the roster around a wave of training-camp absences.
The Browns also waived linebacker Reid Carrico, re-signed offensive lineman Jack Conley and brought in undrafted rookie cornerback Jeadyn Lukus as part of the effort to keep the group afloat. For Thrash, the path is especially unfortunate because he is not in position to help this season, and if he clears waivers he will revert to the injured reserve list as Cleveland keeps adjusting to the bodies missing from practice. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Battle May Already Have A Frustrating Ending
The Browns are still working through training camp and fine-tuning their offense, but the quarterback picture may already be tilting in one direction. Deshaun Watson is recovering from an Achilles injury, and he still has to show he can handle practice and preseason reps, yet the conversation around the job has not exactly sounded like an open competition.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo has consistently believed Watson will be the starter, a view he says he has held since the NFL Scouting Combine in February. For Cleveland, that leaves the rest of the summer with a familiar tension: the team can keep evaluating and preparing, but the most important decision under center may already be settling into place. [Read more 🡒]
Browns QB Battle Keeps Raising A Camp Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Rain pushed the Browns inside for their ninth day of training camp on Aug. 7, and the change of scenery did little to quiet the little warning signs showing up on offense. With the practice closed to fans, the focus shifted to the details, and the Browns finished their offensive installation period while several players sat out. Even without the full eyes of the public on them, the early camp work still drew attention for the same reasons it has at other sessions: the operation has not always looked clean.
The most notable bright spots came from the undrafted receiver group, with Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain continuing to pop in the kind of ways that can matter once the roster starts tightening. On the defensive side, cornerback Donovan McMillon added an interception to the days notes, but the bigger concern remains how the quarterbacks handle the basics of the offense as camp moves forward. Those issues are hard to ignore in August, especially when every practice rep is starting to matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]