Who Should I Start? Trey Lance or Dillon Gabriel

Sunday, August 10, 9:00 PM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance started the second quarter of the team's 27-13 preseason win against the New Orleans Saints and eventually led a 14-play, 85-yard scoring drive towards the end of the half. The 25-year-old, a former first-round pick, got it done more with his legs than his arm, completing seven of 14 passes for 55 yards through the air while rushing for 48 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Although he was up and down with his accuracy and had a fumbled snap, Lance looked confident and poised, building off the momentum he gained in the Hall of Fame Game last week. Overall, Lance easily outplayed backup Taylor Heinicke and made a strong case to be Justin Herbert's primary backup this season.

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.