Kevin Stefanski makes stunning announcement about Dillon Gabriel after Jets loss

The Cleveland Browns are 2-7 and their season is completely sunk after a loss to the hapless New York Jets.

At the NFL trade deadline, the Jets acquired more than three first-round picks for defensive cornerstones Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner. But New York still conquered Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

After the game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski immediately announced that Gabriel will remain the team’s starting quarterback against the Baltimore Ravens next week.

“We’re gonna stick with Dillon,” Stefanski told reporters immediately following the 27-20 loss.

Gabriel was 17-of-32 passing for 167 yards and two touchdown passes in the loss. However, even with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees calling plays, the Browns struggled to consistently move the ball.

The third-round draft pick replaced Joe Flacco who was benched and traded after four starts. He has not been much of an upgrade and looks completely overmatched, undersized and wildly inaccurate in every game that he starts.

The onus for Gabriel’s failures really falls on the organization. Prior to the NFL Draft, nobody nationally had Gabriel projected as a third-round talent. But Cleveland’s decision makers fell in love with his “super-computer” processing ability and expansive starting experience in college football.

Gabriel’s physical limitations prohibit him from doing anything productive inside the pocket. While Rees was able to roll him out a few times successfully, Cleveland’s porous offensive line allowed too many quarterback hits and sacks against another bad defense.

The Browns have eight more regular season games before they reach the finish line on another lost season. It’s probable that they’re worried about rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders struggling to find success and having nowhere else to go.

However, the longer that Gabriel struggles – it’s only a bad look on the individuals that selected him that high, propped him up all training camp, and then thrusted him into action.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport after Flacco was traded, the expectation was for the Browns to get a look at Sanders during the regular season. Cleveland will have two first-round draft picks in April and should be evaluating if they have a long-term solution at quarterback on their roster.

Through just five starts, it’s abundantly clear that Gabriel is not a long-term solution at the most important position in sports. But that is not stopping the Browns from starting him against the Ravens at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday.