Who Should I Start? Jake Browning or Dillon Gabriel

Wednesday, August 14, 9:34 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (ribs) is expected to miss time with a rib injury, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Browning filled in admirably for Joe Burrow when the latter missed a large chunk of last season with a wrist injury, prompting the team to re-sign him as their backup quarterback. Veteran Logan Woodside and undrafted free agent Rocky Lombardi will be the quarterbacks under center when the Bengals travel to Chicago for their second preseason game.

Saturday, August 30, 7:40 PM

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has "gained a lot of trust from the coaching staff just in terms of how he worked, and we feel good about it," assistant general manager Glenn Cook said. After setting a college football record with 63 starts over six seasons divided among Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon, the third-round pick impressed the Browns' coaches enough to beat out fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders and now-Las Vegas Raider Kenny Pickett for the backup QB job. The new role doesn't faze Gabriel, who told Zac Jackson of The Athletic: "It's not daunting. I have ultimate confidence in myself and who I am." Gabriel looked decent in two preseason games, going 25-for-37 for 272 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him starting at some point in 2025. The only real roadblock is 40-year-old starter Joe Flacco, a stopgap who has played in nine or fewer games in seven straight seasons.