Browns Announce Notable Dillon Gabriel Decision For Second Preseason Game

After two productive days of practice against the Philadelphia Eagles this week, the Cleveland Browns will start rookie Dillon Gabriel in their second preseason game

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) runs for yards during NFL training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kevin Stefanski said he had always planned on giving each of the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, at least one start during the preseason. On Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles, he'll fulfill that desire.

Gabriel is expected to make his preseason debut in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. He was considered a game-time decision as he continued working his way back from a tweaked hamstring and after going through a warmup pregame was deemed healthy enough to go.

Gabriel split team reps with veteran Joe Flacco during two days of joint practices with the Eagles on Wednesday and Thursday. His involvement seemed to suggest he'd be ready to play in Cleveland's second preseason game, but head coach Kevin Stefanski wasn't willing to make any promises until they saw how he progressed through the week.

Gabriel, meanwhile, wasn't thinking too far ahead either, keeping his focus on putting together some quality days of practice.

"I'm just right where my feet are," Gabriel said after practice on Wednesday. "But time will go and we will see what happens, but it's up to the coaches and we got a lot of time up to that point.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) leads a huddle during NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The third-round pick was back in the fold in a major way on Day 1 of the team's joint practices with the Eagles, taking a handful of first-team reps and most of the non-first-team reps throughout the day. It was a telling signal that his hamstring injury was trending in a positive direction.

Gabriel was adamant that the setback didn't derail him mentally and that he simply viewed it as an obstacle to overcome. Now he's officially overcome it, and has put himself squarely in a position to make his preseason debut.

"No frustration, just things that you got to get better from and things that you got to attack," Gabriel said of the ordeal. "There's times where you're trying to get better and things don't go your way in that way, but it's just daily work to try and get back and I try to just stay in the moment."

Gabriel will look to take the same approach to his first preseason start that he did to heal his hamstring.

"I'll look forward to that moment once it comes and be right where my feet are. But I've known the best competitors to be present and be themselves by competing at a high level, just one play at a time."