The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback decision coming sooner rather than later.
No one expects 40-year old Joe Flacco to start all season long for a rebuilding team. But is the change coming this week?
Some rumors have certainly suggested so.
The next man up is third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon, who would get the nod over fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado. Gabriel has been the QB2 all season so far.
The Browns play the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday.
MORE: Lamar Jackson's injury has social media going crazy
Is Dillon Gabriel starting?
There are more and more signs pointing to a first career start for Dillon Gabriel when the Browns play the Vikings in Week 5, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
"Browns coach Kevin Stefanski declined to commit to Joe Flacco for Sunday’s game against the Vikings in London, and a switch to rookie Dillon Gabriel appears likely," wrote Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot on Monday. "He would only say several times that that’s not his focus right now, and that it’s not about one person. Pressed on the matter several times, he wouldn’t say he’s moving forward with Flacco, like he has in previous weeks."
On Tuesday, ESPN Cleveland's Tony Rizzo said he's heard that Gabriel will start this week.
It wouldn't be an easy first start for Gabriel. Minnesota is led defensively by coordinator Brian Flores, who will gladly fire up some intense blitzes and disguised coverages to test a rookie QB.
But the Browns simply may not have a choice. Flacco leads the NFL in giveaways, and Cleveland has to see if its QB of the future is on the roster.
Gabriel will be next up, whenever that time comes, with Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings. And the time for a change appears to be getting very close.
More NFL News:
- Bo Nix keeps proving the haters wrong
- Browns' history of QB mistakes has clock ticking on Gabriel, Sanders
- Ashton Jeanty has Michael Myers to thank for his sudden breakthrough
- A.J. Brown put out quite the cryptic tweet after another quiet game
- Spencer Rattler made another case as the Saints' starting QB, this time on his birthday
- Geno Smith trade has raised some quick concerns