DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Preseason Gameday vs New England What I Saw...

Well, I never start this thread, but it wasn't up, so here goes:

For starters, I actually got to see the game. I was unable to catch anything substantial in the other two.
I actually liked what I saw.

Obviously, individual players shined a bit, big props to Gabriel, but what I most liked was that it was a REALLY clean game for us.

I don't recall many penalties. I don't recall ANY false starts or procedure flags. We pretty much never shot ourselves in the foot.
The offense was simply efficient under both QBs. The defensive scheme made me very happy - even in a vanilla preseason game, our DLine was living in their backfield and bringing pressure the whole game.
I like Green. He's smart and pass-first unless it's a called run. He needs to get better at spotting where the 1st down marker is when he runs, but that just nitpicking. He is an automatic tush-push 1st Down in short yardage.
We ran the ball well. The receivers played well.

What did you see?

I saw the Browns play a clean, smart, tough game. They had 2 penalties in the game, and one was a rather bogus DPI.

I saw our 3rd and 4th string QBs know, understand, and operate the ofense like they had plays all preseason.

Sure it's our bottom of the bench guys, but man, if I'm Monken I play this tape for the whole teams form the next 2 or 3 guys. This was how this team is supposed to operate.

I saw 2 QBs who ran the offense, played well and did not throw a wobbly ball, overthrow receivers, throw the ball into the ground, or throw interceptions. I saw running backs who gained yardage. I know these were all bottom of the roster players, but please Santa, can I get these 2 QBs to stay with the team ?

Holy sh*t. We played a game??

I saw Floriea play like Wes Welker, but he probably won't make he team. At least it didn't sound like it in Monks after game press conference, if anything can be read in to that.

I saw Gabriel play with poise and operate the O like we haven't seen in a long time. No way that guy should go anywhere but up the depth chart.

I liked what I saw at RB from Sanders, Marshall, and Booth. Booth popped IMO. Very shifty back.

It was a good, well played game.

I couldn't see the game but followed it on my phone and from what I've read and saw we played well even if there were backup players on both sides. How come these 3rd and 4th stringers were able to execute better than our supposed better players especially our QB's. Maybe we have better depth than we thought. Keep Gabriel. He seems like the only QB we have that knows how to run our O. Heck, Green looked better than our #1 and #2 QB's.

Gabriel looked really good. Overall it was a well played game by the whole team.

One of Gabriel or Sanders gets traded before Week 1 now. That's my guess.

All the “training camp game” caveats aside, it seems like Gabriel is our best backup quarterback. He may not be our best, or even second-best quarterback, but somehow, he is the guy I would most trust to manage a game and let our defense win if we had an injury to our first-string quarterback. I don’t know what to do. It seems like you can’t keep four, you can’t cut Watson, you can’t sneak Greene through the practice squad and what do you do with Shedeur? Or maybe, if you really are writing off this season, you just try to trade Gabriel off of last night’s film. But that really does weaken the team for this season.

I agree and am not happy about trading either one. The one I’d like to see go we’re stuck with for another year.

People might call me crazy including Sanders in this mix but, if the Browns aren't seriously looking at him as the future (speculation on my part) and you are most likely drafting a QB in 2027, keeping him on the roster then will be a distraction. If you think you might get more now than later, I'd consider it. And I think Gabriel falls into that conversation (the "more now than later" bucket, not being a distraction) after yesterday's performance.

You’re not crazy MB. If we can’t get rid of DW and I guess we can’t because of everything that I’ve read and heard, this is what I would do. I would try and put SS on the practice squad. Why? Because I feel right now he’s the odd man out. If we try and send DG or TH to the practice squad someone will definitely pick either one up. SS i’m not so sure because of all the drama surrounding him and if he ends up on the PC we have him in reserve in case of injuries which are sure to happen. I like the kid and want to see him succeed but right now because of circumstances he’s the odd one out IMO.

I want to add that trading Shedeur is a possibility but I don’t think you’d get any more than where we drafted him. He would be more valuable to us on the PC at this time.

Stuck with Watson, unfortunately.

Trade/Cut Shedoofus. Get rid of the clown show. The guy sucks, has always sucked, and will always suck.

Gabriel vastly superior to that clown act. Keep him as backup to Watson - takes over once Watson inevitably gets hurt or is ineffective.

Retain Green for further development.

My thoughts too and if it comes to fruition he’ll probably do well there.

If there is so much as one QB on the current roster the Browns won't consider trading I hope it's Gabriel. If there is a dependable backup QB for the long haul on this roster he is it.

The Sanders cult will always be a distraction as long as he isn't the starter and nothing about this preseason indicated he won't continue to be a turnover machine. He had 22 pass attempts in preseason. Out of those 22 attempts he threw 2 int's. That's one int. for every 11 attempts.

Gabriel had 24 pass attempts with one int.

The one thing you need in a backup QB is someone who can manage the game for you without making major mistakes that actually cost you the game. Turnovers cost you the game.

Sometimes things that glitter aren't gold.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We literally drafted this dude's upside knowing the floor could likely be prototypical, reliable, teachable backup. And he looks the part.

Why, why, why would we keep a clown show and kick the thing every NFL team needs to the curb??

Might be a couple very small details why if you know what I mean. I do not think the Browns will cut or trade Gabriel. They like him. I do not know why but they seem to like him. They drafted him to be the team's long term backup QB and he will have that role for a few years. When the team drafts a new franchise QB in next seasons draft while still paying for Watson's contract, they will not have the extra $$$ to go and sign a Kirk Cousins to be that QB's mentor. Gabriel will fit that role for the Browns and much cheaper than a vet. What I keep wondering though is do they hope they can slide Green onto the practice squad. I mean he is much too raw right now to consider him as a legitimate starting QB but there may be a team that feels really solid with their starter and backup and want someone like Green as their developmental QB. It will be risky. They could trade Sanders, but I don't think they would get the return they would want. 2026 is not about winning. Watson cannot be cut or that would have happened a while ago. Obviously, the Browns do not see Sanders as a franchise QB or they would not have announced that Watson is the starter. At this point it is either try to stash Green on the practice squad or take a loss with Sanders and cut or trade him. I think Watson is safe to be on the team and Gabriel is safe as the team's long term back up.

It sounds crazy, but I'm thinking more and more about what Homewood said above... put Shedeur on the Practice Squad. The biggest reason is spelled out in your post. I'll take the liberty to change one word though; there WILL be another team that claims Green if we put him there.

Who wants the Shedeur circus? Who wants "the cult" on their front steps? Who wants the happy-go-lucky-wannabe-starter who seems too thin upstairs to "get it", but "throws a pretty ball"?

I bet he could easily sit there for a few weeks, while we sort out the thinking within the scope of games being actually played. if I'm wrong, what did I lose?

I'm not saying this is a cut/dried decision, but I'm not putting Green on the PS. Way too much potential left to be explored.

These dudes were both lottery tickets, one has already seen the numbers drawn, one has not.

Dillon Gabriel has 0 chance. 0. To ever be a franchise QB. If he was 6'2 or better with a stronger arm, he would definitely be a franchise QB in the NFL. He is a Colt McCoy type player he could have a 10-year career as a backup getting spot duty as the starter. But he will never be a franchise QB. He is just too small. He can be a great mentor for young QBs. He has the knowledge know as a 2nd year QB himself. The Browns are not going to cut him because they do not want to pay another vet QB millions next year to be Kirk Cousins to Manning, Moore, Carr, Sayin, etc... while they still have Watson counting as much as he is against the cap. He can be frustrated but reality is he needs to accept his role. Why is Watson and Sanders getting shots and he is not Watson is 6'2 and Sanders is almost 6'2 and Gabriel is listed at 5'11 but most of the Cleveland media that goes to practice says he is shorter than that.

I think you're right DOD. Therefore, why not keep Dillon for a few years as our backup? Look at how he played last night albeit against backups, but he did all the things a QB has to do right and the most important item is he has a firm grasp on Monken's O and wouldn't that be important to mentor the QB we draft in "27. He may never be a FQB, that remains to be seen, but he certainly has good value to us as a backup and mentor.

It would weaken the team for more than just this season.

Sanders has zero chance to be a franchise QB and zero chance to be a good back-up QB in support of a young, drafted QB.

I think Gabriel is a perfect backup. He's smart, doesn't turn it over as much, etc. The offense at least "manages" with him.

Green is dynamic. I would not put him on waivers. I'd keep all 4 QBs

I agree. The fact that Todd Monken decided to start Watson it shows what he thinks of Sanders as a future franchise QB. IF he thought it was possible he could become a future franchise QB he would have been named the starter. This season is not about winning. I think they will play Watson until he breaks down and then with his insured contract, they will try to recoup some future salary cap space with reimbursement on whatever games he misses. Then play Sanders and hope he becomes a tradable commodity because he will not be on the team when they draft their hopeful franchise QB next year. No need to have his fan base causing trouble for the next QB. Gabriel's job will be as the veteran QB to educate the rookie like Cousins is doing in LV without Cousins contract.

Day, you do realize Gabriel is 1 inch shorter than Drew Brees. Many of the same things you are saying about Gabriel were said about Brees. Drew was drafted 32nd, which many thought was a reach due to size, in the second round in 2001. If you go back and read about Drew, you'll see much of the same as Gabriel. Brees's and Gabriel's first years have a few similarities. San Diego traded Brees after drafting Rivers.

I won't say Gabriel is Brees. Browns could draft a "Rivers" like QB and trade Gabriel. It worked out for both the Saints and Chargers. I'll say, "zero" chance Dilion Gabriel is not a starting QB in the NFL? I'll take that bet!

Gabriel did not bounce around and start different college teams because of athleticism or height. Yes, he played in gimmicky offenses, but the key here is he played in a few gimmicky offenses.

Kudos to whoever mentioned putting Sanders on the practice squad. To put him on the practice squad, you have to waive him first. Oh, the Sanders Crowd will love that! If no one claims him, perfect. If a team does, the circus moves to another team. Brilliant!

What did I see? I saw a well-executed game plan. The second-, third-, and fourth-string players knew their assignments and performed with few penalties. When was the last time we ever saw that in regular or preseason? Kudos to the coaching staff.

Was it just me? I thought Fano's brother, defensive end Logan Fano, played well. I saw #97 making a lot of plays in the second half.

I liked what I saw out of that Booth kid running with the rock.

I was the first to post this yesterday and I'll repeat it. For the QB's I would try to put Shedeur on the practice Squad. If successful great if not someone claims him and it solves a problem. We're going to draft a QB next year and when he starts SS will not be a good backup because of distractions and I don't think he would be a good mentor. Again, I like Shedeur and want to see him do well but with the QB situation we're in, namely DW, this scenario makes the most sense.

Gabriel has a stronger arm than Brees.

Brees skill was accuracy. Dude could hit a pinhead from 30 yards.

If we try to send Gabriel or Green to the practice squad, I'm sure someone would pick them up. Not so sure about SS.