NFL Insider Predicts Cleveland Browns Week One Starter, Dillon Gabriel the Future?

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Gabriel is now a part of a quarterback room with Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson. 

With no clear cut No. 1 quarterback, the big question in Cleveland this offseason will be who will be the Week One starter. 

Mike Florio Predicts Joe Flacco to Start for Browns in Week One

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco looks downfield for a deep pass during an NFL practice at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk went on Pardon My Take this week. Pardon My Take co-host PFT Commentator asked Florio who he thought would be starting Week One for the Browns. 

“Probably Joe Flacco,” Florio said. “Just because that’s the guy who you can get ready with fewer first team reps in August.” 

Florio added that he believes the Browns will go into training camp with three of the five quarterbacks they currently have on the roster right now. With Watson still recovering from a torn achilles, he may not be ready to go and one of the other four quarterbacks could be traded. 

“I believe that they are going to try to move Kenny Pickett before the training camp opens. He was the insurance policy they traded for before they made any of these other moves,” Florio said. “Flacco is the fan favorite…the fans are going to want (Flacco), you can get him ready easily, and you can focus your efforts on trying to figure out between Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders; which guy is the most likely to merge as your long term answer.”

The 40-year-old Flacco was just in Cleveland two seasons ago so he should be able to get up to speed fairly quickly with the Browns playbook while in the big picture, the team can further evaluate the two rookies to see who is better suited to lead the franchise. However, Florio also did note that Watson being available to return earlier than expected could be a curveball. 

“I think they are going to go to camp with three guys; Flacco, Gabriel, and Sanders. Flacco will start Week One and once one of the other two guys is ready, they’ll put that guy out there,” Florio said. “It gets very interesting if Watson shows up with a piece of paper saying ‘I’ve been cleared to practice and play’ then the Browns have a variety of problems.” 

Cleveland Browns Surprisingly Draft Two Rookie Quarterbacks

May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 NFL Draft was the Cleveland Browns drafting two quarterbacks; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.

These two quarterbacks will be battling it out all training camp to prove that they can be the long term future for the Browns at the quarterback position.