Ahead of the 2025 NFL draft, the Browns signed veteran QB Joe Flacco to a one-year deal. The 40-year-old was previously with Cleveland in the 2023 season.
He went 4-1 in five starts with the Browns and helped lead the team to the playoffs. Joe Flacco was a veteran QB that Cleveland could rely on. During the 2025 draft, the Browns selected two QBs. Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Sheduer Sanders in the fifth. On Wednesday, October 1, NFL insiders announced that Cleveland is benching Joe Flacco for rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 5.
After four games, the Cleveland Browns have benched QB Joe Flacco for Dillon Gabriel
Change in Cleveland: Browns are benching veteran QB Joe Flacco in favor of rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, per sources. The Browns were informed of the change this morning.
Gabriel’s first NFL start comes Sunday in London vs. the Vikings. pic.twitter.com/lUV1W5RQob
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2025
With a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Browns selected QB Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon. The 24-year-old is an experienced player, having played six seasons at the collegiate level. Dillon Gabriel started his career at UCF and was with the Knights for three seasons. Ahead of the 2022 season, he transferred to play for Oklahoma. He was with the Sooners for two years. Gabriel used his final season of eligibility to play for the Oregon Ducks in 2024.
Oregon went a perfect 12-0 during the regular season and won the Conference Championship vs. Penn State. However, the Ducks were upset by Ohio State in the playoffs. Dillon Gabriel ended his final collegiate season 13-1. In April, he was drafted by the Browns and has been waiting for his opportunity to start. After four games, Cleveland is set to make a switch at QB.
We’ve named Dillon Gabriel the starting quarterback
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 1, 2025
Veteran QB Joe Flacco is being benched in Week 5 for Dillon Gabriel. The Browns are on the road for a neutral-site game against the Vikings. That’s an extremely tough first matchup for Gabriel. He’ll be going against one of the top defensive coordinators in the NFL, Brian Flores. Dillin Gabriel has been preparing for this moment since training camp.
Against the Vikings in Week 5, Joe Flacco will serve as the backup to Dillon Gabriel. Cleveland’s other rookie QB, Shedeur Sanders, will continue to serve as the emergency third-string QB. Through four games, Joe Flacco had an NFL-high eight turnovers. That included six interceptions. It was time for Cleveland to make a change, and Dillon Gabriel hopes to start a new era for the Browns in Week 5.
