Browns Called Out Over 2-Word Dillon Gabriel Post

As Cleveland Browns rookies hit the field for training camp, the team’s social media spotlighted its quarterbacks. But a recent clip of third-round pick Dillon Gabriel drew more scrutiny than praise.

The clip, shared Monday, showed Gabriel dropping back and completing a short pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr.

“Dillon slingin’,” the caption read.

That was enough to ignite a flurry of backlash in the comment section — a glimpse of how heated the Browns’ quarterback competition could become in the coming weeks.

“Slinging? That was a 5-yard floater to the tight end,” one fan said.

https://x.com/Browns/status/1947347109272797352

Another added: “Lmao, a five-yard pass is slinging? Who runs this pathetic site?”

“Stop forcing this guy on us. It isn’t going to work,” a fan wrote.

Some comments even brought fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders into the debate.

“To save face on a third round pick that never should of happened, Stefanski is not giving an equal chance to Sanders,” a comment said.

The Browns also posted a clip of Sanders completing a pass to Fannin. The reactions were a bit different.

“Let it rip Shedeur Sanders,” a fan said. “Go win that job.”

Another added: “Y’all know Sanders the best QB we have stop playing like he’s not.”

Browns Impressed With Dillon Gabriel

The Browns selecting Gabriel in the third round was a surprise. Most had the record-setting college quarterback going later in the draft, primarily due to his small frame. Gabriel is 5-foot-11, which is shorter than the typical franchise quarterback.

However, Gabriel impressed the Browns with his football IQ and work ethic.

“We spent a lot of time with Dillon throughout this process, brought him in right after the Combine, did obviously the private visit and workouts out in Eugene (Oregon),” Browns GM Andrew Berry said after selecting him with the No. 94 overall pick. “Decorated college career, very accurate, very poised, throws with anticipation, good mobility. We just thought he had a really well-rounded game. And the biggest negative that you can say about him is that he doesn’t have ideal height. But that’s not something that we felt like showed up in his game or his film at UCF, Oklahoma, and certainly not at Oregon this year.”

Gabriel, 24, wrapped up a prolific college career with stops at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. He is one of the most statistically accomplished quarterbacks in NCAA history, ranking near the top in career passing yards and touchdowns.

Browns Didn’t Plan to Draft 2 Quarterbacks

Gabriel and Sanders will compete with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for the starting job. Drafting one rookie seemed like a calculated move. But selecting Sanders in the fifth round added extra intrigue to an already crowded quarterback room.

Berry noted the Browns didn’t enter the draft planning to take two quarterbacks. However, when Sanders unexpectedly slid as far as he did, they felt the value was too good to pass up.

“We felt like it wasn’t necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks,” Berry said. “We love adding competition to every position room and adding him to compete with the guys that are already in there. We felt like that was the appropriate thing to do.”

Sanders and Gabriel will get a chance to move up the depth chart during training camp. The veterans will join the action on Tuesday and the team’s first preseason game is on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers.