The Cleveland Browns are making a major change under center, benching veteran Joe Flacco in favor of rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel ahead of Sunday\u2019s international matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in London. Flacco, who opened the season as the starter, has struggled with turnovers\u2014throwing six interceptions in his first four games, including two costly picks during a 34\u201310 loss to the Detroit Lions last week. With the offense sputtering and the team in need of a spark, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that the move was made \u201cfor the good of the football team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gabriel, a third-round draft pick out of Oklahoma who also played at UCF and Oregon, brings an extensive collegiate r\u00e9sum\u00e9 and a reputation for poise and accuracy. He has been gradually integrated into the offense and received increased first-team reps in practice, signaling the staff\u2019s growing confidence in him. While Flacco will slide into the backup role and Shedeur Sanders remains the third-string option, the Browns are betting on Gabriel\u2019s upside to energize their offense and provide stability at quarterback as they head into a crucial stretch of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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