Browns name Flacco starter, Gabriel QB2, Sanders third

The Cleveland Browns have set their Week 1 roster with veteran Joe Flacco as the starter, rookie Dillon Gabriel as his primary backup and rookie Shedeur Sanders designated as the third quarterback, a role that makes him available to dress as an emergency option, coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed this week. The moves come as Cleveland prepares to open the season against the Cincinnati Bengals and as the team manages a flurry of last‑minute injury questions, most notably surrounding All‑Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett.

Stefanski made the quarterback order official after a training camp in which injuries and roster churn reshaped the pecking order. Flacco assumed most first‑team reps after Kenny Pickett strained a hamstring and was subsequently traded. Gabriel, taken in the third round, outpaced Sanders in camp and secured the QB2 slot. Bailey Zappe remains on the practice squad as the club’s fourth option.

Sanders, a fifth‑round pick who earned a spot on the 53‑man roster, produced a mixed preseason that underscored both his upside and the work ahead. He flashed in a game against the Carolina Panthers, throwing two touchdown passes, but a difficult outing against the Los Angeles Rams...