The Cleveland Browns were dismantled on Sunday by the Baltimore Ravens, while their veteran quarterback struggled mightily.
Joe Flacco completed 25 of 45 passes for 199 yards, throwing a miraculous (probably should've been an interception if not for a great play by Cedric Tillman) touchdown to go along with one interception.
Former Oregon standout Dillon Gabriel saw his first NFL action, being inserted in garbage time, and was able to throw his first touchdown pass, an eight-yard score to running back Dylan Sampson. At this point, should Gabriel get a bigger opportunity than just clean-up duty?
Joe Flacco Named as QB Deserved to Be Benched, Dillon Gabriel Should Start
Christopher Kline of Fansided believes the 40-year-old Flacco deserves to be benched after the first two starts of the 2025 season, and the Browns should pivot to their former Oregon Duck.
"Flacco still has a cannon, but he's such a flawed player. There's a reason his run as Indianapolis' starter flamed out so quickly last season. He can't move around anymore; he's basically a stationary target for the opposing pass rush," wrote Kline.
"Factor in an unhealthy ambition for generating the big play, and Flacco can endanger the offense with risky, off-target throws."
While some may argue that Cleveland's season is far from over after an 0-2 start, at this rate, the Browns should see what they have in their rookie quarterback sooner rather than later.
More likely than not, Cleveland will be in a position to select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, and armed with two first-round picks thanks to a draft-day trade last year, they would be able to move up the board if needed.
Before they decide if they're still searching for the long-term answer under center, though, they need to know if Gabriel or fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders can provide what they're looking for, and pivoting from Flacco for the former Oregon Duck would answer one of those questions now.