The Cleveland Browns quarterback competition took a sharp turn during Day 8 of training camp.
What started as an encouraging camp for rookie Dillon Gabriel hit its first major bump when the defense dominated a fully padded practice session in Berea.
Gabriel faced his toughest test yet and struggled to find answers against an aggressive defensive scheme.
The third-round pick from Oregon looked rattled as defenders shifted formations and applied pressure throughout team drills.
“The team session that just wrapped was the worst I’ve seen from Dillon Gabriel this camp. Defense was doing plenty of pre-to-post movement and he looked flustered and inaccurate. Included an INT. Just one period of a long camp + preseason. Lessons to be learned but every snap is vital in this process,” Browns Film Breakdown noted.
The team session that just wrapped was the worst I’ve seen from Dillon Gabriel this camp. Defense was doing plenty of pre-to-post movement and he looked flustered and inaccurate. Included an INT. Just one period of a long camp + preseason. Lessons to be learned but every snap is… pic.twitter.com/MpB2VILPoR
— Browns Film Breakdown (@BrownsFilmBDN) August 1, 2025
Gabriel managed just 3 completions on 14 attempts while working with the second and third units.
He failed to throw a touchdown and tossed an interception to cornerback LaMareon James on a tipped pass, according to ESPN Cleveland’s quarterback tracker.
Day 8 of Browns training camp is a wrap. Here’s how all 3 QBs performed in team drills.
Kenny Pickett practiced but didn’t do team drills. pic.twitter.com/HLLzDx7ro6
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 1, 2025
The performance marked a significant step backward for Gabriel, who entered camp hoping to climb the depth chart.
With Deshaun Watson still recovering and Kenny Pickett dealing with a hamstring issue, roster spots remain up for grabs.
Friday’s session exposed the steep learning curve that awaits the former Oregon quarterback.
Gabriel kept working through the struggles, taking every rep and staying connected with his position coaches despite the rough outing.
One poor practice won’t define Gabriel’s camp or his NFL future.
However, it serves as a reminder that the margin for error remains thin in a four-way quarterback battle where every snap carries weight heading into the preseason.
NEXT: Browns Bring Back Familiar Face In Latest Move
