BEREA — If there was any remaining doubt who was going to be behind quarterback Joe Flacco , Browns coach Kevin Stefanski made it disappear on the first day his team was down to its initial 53-man roster .

"Dillon (Gabriel) will be the backup," Stefanski said Aug. 26.

Stefanski's announcement was anticlimatic, which makes Shedeur Sanders the No. 3 with Deshaun Watson starting the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. The reality was that Gabriel, the rookie third-round pick out of Oregon, by way of Central Florida and Oklahoma, emerged as the backup the night before when the one roadblock between he and the role was eliminated.

The Browns dealt fourth-year pro Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders Aug. 25 , getting back a 2026 in return. The former 2022 fir

See Full Page