Cleveland Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel will be the primary backup to Joe Flacco.
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Cleveland Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel will be the primary backup to Joe Flacco.
Dillon Gabriel is set to make his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and his fiancée, Zo Caswell, will be there to cheer him on.
Gabriel was drafted in the third round by the Browns after a record-setting college career at Oregon, Oklahoma and UCF. He’ll open the season as Cleveland’s No. 2 quarterback, behind 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco.
Gabriel and Caswell have been together since high school in Hawaii, building a relationship that’s lasted through his multiple college stops. He proposed to Caswell in September 2024, just a day after his debut with the Ducks, and the two announced their engagement on social media.
Since then, Caswell has been a constant presence by Gabriel’s side, turning heads with her game-day style while supporting him through the jump from college star to NFL rookie. As the Browns prepare to open their season Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Caswell is embracing the moment with excitement.
“In honor of game week,” Caswell wrote on Instagram, showing off her Browns gear and shots from the stadium from the preseason.
Browns Confident in Dillon Gabriel
The Browns entered training camp with a four-man competition for the starting quarterback job. Gabriel and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders were considered long shots for Week 1, but each had chances to showcase their potential during the preseason.
In the end, Flacco emerged as the starter, with Gabriel securing the No. 2 role. Sanders, one of the team’s most high-profile additions, will open the season as the emergency No. 3 option. Former first-round pick Kenny Pickett was also in the mix, but the Browns shipped him to the Las Vegas Raiders during final roster cuts.
“We feel comfortable with Dillon serving that role,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Kenny’s a guy I think very highly of and so do I wish him well. He’s a really good football player, but those are the type of decisions that you have to make.”
The Browns recently added another passer to the roster, bringing back Bailey Zappe on the practice squad. Cleveland also has Deshaun Watson lurking in the background. The $230 million passer is recovering from an Achilles injury and he will start the season on the reserve/PUP list.
Dillon Gabriel Likely to Get Starting Shot With Browns
There’s a sense in Cleveland that Flacco isn’t locked in as the Browns’ starter for the entire season. With two first-round picks in next year’s draft, the team faces pressure to evaluate its rookie quarterbacks before then.
As Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted, Flacco’s leash is expected to be relatively short — potentially opening the door for Gabriel if the Browns can’t stack wins.
“If (Flacco) falters, the Browns won’t hesitate to turn it over sooner than later to their backup quarterback, rookie Dillon Gabriel, whom they loved in the draft and have been impressed with during his four months here,” Cabot said. “If Gabriel can then manage the offense efficiently and play clean ball, the Browns will still have a chance to remain relevant beyond the trade deadline Nov. 4.”
The Browns are a 5.5-point home underdog against the Bengals on Sunday.