Kevin Stefanski entered this offseason with the expected plan that the QB competition would unfold openly, with the eventual starter to be named after thorough evaluation. Still, many fans and analysts expected Kenny Pickett to emerge as the likely starter. Pickett was supposed to evolve behind veteran Joe Flacco. The team envisioned a quarterback duel where Pickett would back up, learn, and then take over the reins. But that neat plan derailed fast. The Browns shipped Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth-round pick, suddenly leaving a gaping hole in their QB depth chart and forcing a scramble for a new backup.

With Pickett gone, Dillon Gabriel, the third-round pick from the 2025 draft out of Oregon, swooped in and claimed the backup role after a promising preseason

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