LONDON — Browns quarterback Joe Flacco admitted Wednesday that “I don’t think I foresaw” the switch to Dillon Gabriel coming — but he should’ve.
Granted, not all of Flacco’s six interceptions were his fault, with two going off the hands of his top two receivers in the Week 1 loss to the Bengals, and Jerry Jeudy getting knocked down on one of them in the Lions game. Flacco blamed himself for the first one in that 34-10 loss, when he threw a fade and Cedric Tillman ran a hitch.
But quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave noted that Flacco could’ve thrown better balls on those first two in the 17-16 loss to the Bengals, and Kevin Stefanski stressed that the passing game must be precise to be efficient.
With injuries at offensive tackle — he’s had two backups in Detroit and other games — Flacco didn’t always have ample time to throw. But with the more mobile Gabriel at the helm, the Browns are confident that the line won’t be stressed as much. As it was, Flacco was hit 19 times in the last two games alone.
The lack of precision in the passing game contributed to the eight drops — tied for third in the NFL — and plenty of frustration on the part of the receivers, especially Jerry Jeudy, who’s third in the NFL with four drops, according to Pro Football Focus. Browns defenders such as safety Grant Delpit were also trying hard not to get frustrated.
Flacco never complained about the lack of time-on-task with the offense, thanks in part to the four-way quarterback competition, but did admit more would’ve helped. What’s more, running back Quinshon Judkins’ didn’t really get rolling until two games ago.
Again, the Browns’ overhauled offense certainly isn’t a well-oiled machine, but it was designed to feature plenty of quarterback movement — RPOs, bootlegs, keepers, designed runs and off-schedule plays — and that’s not in 40-year-old Flacco’s wheelhouse. It’s a scheme that Gabriel is well-versed in from his college days, and one to which the skill players are uniquely suited.
With so many rookies and young players on the team, the Browns are built to play fast and snappy, with plenty of yards after the catch. With Flacco at the helm, it was a slower-moving scheme with lower-percentage passing plays.
Gabriel’s quick release and fast processing-speed should wake up the dormant offense, one that’s averaged only 14 points per game for second-fewest in the league. Furthermore, Flacco has tumbled to last in the NFL with a 60.3 rating, even though he didn’t get much help in some of the games.
As he said after the loss to the Detroit, he knew what he signed up for — putting points on the board and winning games. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to do enough of either. What’s more, he turned it over too much, and that’s the No. 1 thing a Browns QB can’t do this season.
Even though Flacco presided over an offense that was still clearly a work in progress, he should’ve known that the Browns would make the switch when they did, and that the status quo wasn’t cutting it.
Why Shedeur Sanders wasn’t named the backup
The Browns are happy with the progress Sanders has made, but he’s still coming up the learning curve in terms of getting the play called, implementing a gameplan, and all the other aspects of the pre-snap process.
He’s getting plenty of extra reps with the two-spotting during practice and the post-practice periods, and he’s coming along nicely.
But the Browns don’t believe he’s one play away yet from entering the game and holding it down over a long stretch. As the emergency third quarterback, Sanders can handle spot duty if necessary, but the Browns want to see more on the field and in the classroom before he’s more ready to be QB2.
“All of our players, and I include Shedeur in this, are working extremely hard,” Stefanski said. “We just finished our period after practice that we do every single day, just finished a red zone 7-on-7 period where Shedeur and the rest of the younger guys are working on 10 reps. So, he needs to continue to do exactly what he’s been doing and continue to do what all these guys are doing, which is just keep working.”
About the pantomime interview
The Browns aren’t holding Sanders’ media flaps of the last few weeks against him, and understand that he’s finding his way as a backup for the first time in his career, and it’s also the first time he’s taken so much heat in the media like he did last week from Rex Ryan. Subsequently, he got ripped by members of the national media for the pantomime interview.
But the Browns are confident Sanders is working hard and doing the right things in the building and on the field. They’ll also devise an appropriate gameplan for him when the time comes, to maxmize his strengths.
Jack Conklin is trying to play
Conklin (right elbow) is questionable for the game, but will try to play after missing three straight weeks. But he’s not completely out of the woods yet. It would be helpful for Gabriel, a lefty, to have his blindside protected by the All-Pro, but it’s not guaranteed.
The encouraging thing is that Conklin participated fully in practice on Friday for the first time since Week 2. On the left side, the Browns are trying to get Cam Robinson, acquired in a trade with the Texans this week, ready to play. If Gabriel has two longtime starters in Robinson and Conklin, it would be an advantageous way to make his NFL debut.
“He’s done a nice job in everything we’ve asked him to do,” Stefanski said of Robinson. “He’s very intelligent, he’s played in a bunch of different systems. He’s played over here quite a bit, so he’s kind of giving everybody tips of London. But he’s coming along, so we’ll see.”
Greg Newsome II is also questionable
The Browns elevated two cornerbacks from the practice squad, Tre Avery, and Dom Jones, in case Newsome (hamstring) rests. The Vikings have two premier receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and can use all the corner help they can get.
Newsome suffered the injury on Wednesday in practice and was limited on Friday.
Browns young receivers ready to contribute
The Browns signed undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain and 2024 third-round pick Malachi Corley off the practice squad, and both are ready to contribute on Sunday if active.
“Both are young players that we’re trying in different areas, see where they can contribute, whether it’s offense, special teams, but really, like, how those guys have been working,” Stefanski said.
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