The Cleveland Browns rookies are already in training camp before the rest of the team arrives on Tuesday, meaning rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are back on the field, competing their spot on the depth chart.
On July 22, when veterans arrive, quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett will arrive as reps will be split among the four quarterbacks. The order and statistics of reps in minicamp were closely monitored, and training camp is expected to be the same as Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff continue to evaluate their entire roster.
Among ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo and Tony Grossi, there is no consensus on who is viewed as the Browns' starting quarterback. Grossi believes Flacco leads while Rizzo has his eyes on Gabriel, the former Oregon Ducks star, and Pickett, entering his fourth season in the NFL.
On Monday morning, Rizzo spoke on ESPN Cleveland about the quarterback competition in Cleveland:
"The number one question is, what's the order? We all were off for four weeks, five weeks they had their meetings," said Rizzo. "Give me quarterback one, two, three, and four right now. . . . I'm telling you that I believe that Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel are the two guys that I'd be looking at right now to start this season."
Cleveland spent a third-round pick on Dillon Gabriel in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Kenny Pickett was traded to the Browns in exchange for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick.
Another Browns insider, Tony Grossi, appeared on the show and gave his thoughts on the quarterback room before training camp officially starts. Grossi believes that Flacco and Pickett are ahead of the rookies while Gabriel is ahead of Sanders.
Grossi continued to say that the Browns hold Gabriel's mental capacity in high regard.
"They are intrigued by Dillon Gabriel. They think from the neck up, he is a No. 1 pick, from the neck up," said Grossi.
The news of Gabriel adjusting well to the mental side of the NFL is no huge surprise after a six-year career in college football.
In addition, Gabriel followed in the footsteps of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix by transferring to Oregon to play for coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein. Nix exceeded expectations in his rookie season in Denver with Broncos coach Sean Payton, known for having a complicated offense.
If Gabriel can continue to learn Cleveland's system ahead of schedule, might he be considered to start week 1? With four quarterbacks on the depth chart, and a recovering Deshaun Watson on the roster as well, Stefanski and the Browns have some decisions to make before the season.
Cleveland's preseason begins on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers. The Browns coaching staff is expected to give a majority of reps to Gabriel and Sanders in the preseason. Will a starter be named before then?
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