Latest news with #DillonGabriel
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Joe Flacco praises Shedeur Sanders, but says being mentor 'not the main focus'
Joe Flacco made it clear Wednesday he wants to be known as more than a potential mentor to the Cleveland Browns' young quarterback room. Flacco, entering his 18th NFL season, said he doesn't have any fundamental issues aiding 26-year-old Kenny Pickett, 24-year-old Dillon Gabriel and 23-year-old Shedeur Sanders as the young trio gets acclimated in Cleveland. Advertisement The 40-year-old simply wants to focus on playing at as high a level as possible after signing a one-year, $4 million deal with the Browns. "It's not really about that. It's just not the main focus," Flacco said at the second day of Cleveland's OTAs Wednesday when asked about being a mentor. "I see myself as a guy that can play in this league. So, if your main focus was just like, 'hey, but I'm going to get you ready,' you're just not taking care of business." How does Flacco envision his potential role as a mentor? He sees himself as more of a lead-by-example type who will benefit from being on the field. "The best way to be a mentor, honestly, is to show people how you go to work and like I said, hope that they pick up on that stuff, but not necessarily force them to pick up on the things that you do," Flacco said. Advertisement 'ANOTHER LIE': Shedeur Sanders disputes custom Rolls-Royce rumor Flacco has been given an early opportunity to test that theory. He appears to have the early edge in the Browns' starting quarterback battle after beginning OTAs as Cleveland's first-team quarterback. Whether that lasts may depend on how Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders progress as the season draws near. Flacco – the Super Bowl 47 MVP and 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year – is welcoming the competition. He also said he is enjoying the vibe in the team's quarterback room and working with younger quarterbacks like Sanders. "Shedeur has been great. I mean, he's a lot of fun to be around in those meeting rooms," Flacco said, per ESPN. "I think so far, there's been at least once in the meeting room that he's made me crack a smile, and that's what it's all about. You know, he's a young guy trying to learn some football and come out here and practice well and do those things. And like I said, he's been a lot of fun. I probably wasn't too far away from playing against his dad, and now I'm playing with him." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Flacco: Mentoring Browns QBs 'not the main focus'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shedeur Sanders Faces Dire Warning About Making Browns' Final Roster
Shedeur Sanders Faces Dire Warning About Making Browns' Final Roster originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shedeur Sanders has earned some good grades for his performances at Cleveland Browns' OTAs, but one insider believes it may not be enough to earn him a spot on the final roster. Advertisement Sanders came to the Browns as a fifth-round pick after a big tumble down the NFL draft board. The former Colorado quarterback was once projected as a Top 5 pick, but took an unexpected slide before finally landing in Cleveland with the No. 144 overall pick. As reporter Brad Crawford of CBS Sports noted, Sanders now faces an uphill battle to earn a spot on the final roster in Cleveland. "It's a number game for Sanders, who's at the bottom of the quarterback pecking order within a crowded room going against an obvious frontrunner, a veteran and another rookie," Crawford wrote. "With an unknown ceiling and light acquisition cost as a fifth-round pick, the Browns -- frankly -- aren't sure yet what they have in Sanders and need to see more." Crawford added that the Browns had enough faith in Sanders to take him in the fifth round, even after adding another rookie in Dillon Gabriel, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry did not plan to draft Sanders. Advertisement But Berry also noted there were pressures facing the other Browns quarterbacks, including veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. The team could likely have the chance to put Sanders through to the practice squad, which could give the team more time to evaluate and potentially bring him to the active roster later in the season. Related: Browns Address How Shedeur Questions Could 'Divide' the Team This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Browns Reporter Doesn't Hold Back Harsh Criticism of Dillon Gabriel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When the Cleveland Browns selected former Oregon standout quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round at No. 94 overall, most of the NFL was shocked. Gabriel was not expected to be picked until the sixth or seventh round. With other better quarterbacks available still, the selection was an absolute surprise. However, the Browns clearly liked what they saw in Gabriel. They drafted him to have a chance to be their long-term franchise quarterback. However, things aren't off to a great start, according to one reporter covering the team. Dillon Gabriel #5 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. Dillon Gabriel #5 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 10, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. Photo byZac Jackson of The Athletic did not hold back when talking about Gabriel and how he has looked so far in his short time in Cleveland. Read more: Browns Legend Urges Team to Consider Major Wide Receiver Trade In a new appearance, Jackson spoke out with very harsh words about the young quarterback. "Dillon Gabriel does not look like an NFL quarterback to me, like, 0%, so I don't know what's going to happen," Jackson said. "They fell in love with [his] intangibles. Gabriel was fairly impressive at the Senior Bowl. Andrew Berry and [Kevin Stefanski] were on the sideline watching every throw. I just don't think anybody, any other team, was taking him in the Top 100 or probably the Top 150. If I'm wrong and the Cleveland Browns have their quarterback, that'd be great. But if it's Dillon Gabriel, I would be beyond shocked." Gabriel put together a strong 2024 college football season with the Ducks. He led his team to the Rose Bowl, where they ultimately lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Throughout the course of the year, he completed 72.9 percent of his pass attempts for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also picked up 149 yards and scored seven more touchdowns on the ground. Entering training camp and preseason action, Gabriel will be fighting for a spot on the roster and for playing time. The Browns currently have five quarterbacks on their roster. Read more: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders' Roster Spot in Jeopardy Per Insider Outside of Gabriel, they have Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, and Deshaun Watson. While Watson is not expected to play for Cleveland in 2025, the other three players are all more than capable of earning playing time. This report does not bode well for Gabriel. If he's already struggling that badly, things could get much worse when the next stage arrives. Hopefully, he's able to bounce back from his rough start and begin showing the aspects of his game that made the Browns take him in the third round. For more Cleveland Browns and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Browns' Shedeur Sanders gets very disappointing update in camp
The post Browns' Shedeur Sanders gets very disappointing update in camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Cleveland Browns are in the building for OTAs, and everybody is keeping their eye on the current quarterback situation. With four quarterbacks looking to have the chance to be the starting quarterback when the season starts, what they do now can go a long way toward determining what happens in September. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Shedeur Sanders has been on the radar with him being the biggest talk of the draft, but the latest update about the rookie doesn't sound like good news to start off. Advertisement 'The Browns are also very, very excited about Dillon Gabriel, their third-round pick,' Mary Kay Cabot said on the Rich Eisen Show. 'And then the way it played out yesterday, is the way that I thought it would, is that Shedeur right now is the fourth team quarterback. He did not take any team reps yesterday. 'Sometimes there's misinformation that comes out of an OTA like that, but he just did not take any team reps. Not just that he wasn't the second guy or the first guy, he didn't take any 11's on 11's yesterday. So he did a really nice job in his 7-on-7s, a great job, but they're making him come up the learning curve and earn his way.' Though it looks like Sanders is playing well in whatever capacity he's in, he hasn't gotten to the stage where he's getting reps in 11-on-11s. What will the Browns do with their quarterback situation? With the Browns having four quarterbacks fighting for the same position, there's a chance some moves could be made. A move could simply be trading one of those players, which ESPN's Jeremy Fowler thinks is a possibility. Advertisement 'They (Browns) look at quarterbacks like currency,' Fowler said. 'If someone goes down in training camp, they have someone they can trade. Maybe it's Pickett, maybe it's one of the rookies. But I can see that maneuvering. I have a hard time thinking they keep four on the roster.' As of now, it looks like Joe Flacco is in the lead to win the starting job, and he got first-team reps. From there, Kenny Pickett should be considered the backup. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are the rookies on the team, and it seems as if Gabriel is getting more reps at this point. It's still quite early in the process, and a lot of things can change before the season.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Browns beat writer has flaming critique on QB Dillon Gabriel
Browns beat writer has flaming critique on QB Dillon Gabriel The Cleveland Browns are through one week of OTAs, and there are already takes being thrown around about rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. And for once, the spotlight is actually on the third round pick Gabriel, rather than the fifth rounder, Sanders. It's not necessarily in a positive light, however, as The Athletic's Zac Jackson has raised concerns regarding how the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year has looked thus far. And from his eyes, it has not been overly impressive. Here is what Jackson of The Athletic had to say on the former UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon quarterback who the Browns selected with the 94th overall pick in the draft: "Dillon Gabriel does not look like an NFL quarterback to me. Like zero percent... I just don't think any other team was taking him in the top-100 or even the top-150. If I am wrong and the Cleveland Browns have their quarterback, that would be great. One of these years, I would love to cover a normal franchise and a rookie quarterback that sticks around for more than 6-to-18 months. But if it's Dillon Gabriel, I will be beyond shocked." It's way too early to make any definitive statement about the Browns' quarterback situation heading into what will be a hotly contested battle throughout training camp. We'll see if Gabriel is catching the attention of the coaching staff thus far more than he is the local media.
