Cleveland's final opportunity to evaluate their quarterbacks prior to the regular season saw mixed results.
The Browns wrapped up their 2025 preseason with a 19-17 win over the visiting Los Angeles Rams. Joe Flacco, who was named the starter for Week 1, turned in a respectable showing in his first preseason outing this summer, receiving a tune-up with three offensive series and leading Cleveland to one touchdown drive in his stint.
Flacco completed 9 of 10 passes for 71 yards, with a pretty TD pass to rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr. on the second drive with the Browns’ first-team offense. Although most of his throws were short, Flacco looked comfortable, taking one sack but also operating efficiently.
“I can say it's good that we did that because you get through some of the little stuff that you have to get through when you get back on the field for the first time with live action,” Flacco said during the team’s game broadcast. “I'm glad that we were able to get out there and get some plays under our belt today.”
After the Browns’ fourth possession stalled and ended in a punt, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel took over. He led a field-goal drive on his first possession but missed on four of his first seven throws.
Gabriel looked vastly sharper on his second crack at it, however, coming alive in the two-minute drill at the end of the half. He completed 9 of 11 passes on the next series, finding a good groove with the second-team offense, even if the Rams played a lot of off coverage. Gabriel found wideout Gage Larvadain for a 3-yard TD pass with 17 seconds remaining in the first half, giving the Browns a 16-7 lead after Dustin Hopkins missed the extra-point try. That wrapped up Gabriel’s successful day.
Shedeur Sanders took over at the start of the second half, earning a nice ovation from the Huntington Bank Field crowd. But it was not the home debut Sanders hoped for with the regular season closing in, completing only 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards, taking five sacks in his five series.
Working behind a reserve offensive line, Sanders faced significant pressure -- nine of his 11 snaps. But he also was his own worst enemy, trying to extend plays with a few of the sacks clearly on Sanders. He lost 41 yards on the five sacks. After taking a hard hit on a drive-ending sack on his third series, Sanders appeared to be shaken up on the Browns’ sideline.
The Browns punted on all five possessions with Sanders at quarterback, gaining only one first down and losing a net 9 yards in his 17 snaps. Tyler Huntley came in for the final possession of the game.
After the Rams took a 17-16 lead with 2:03 remaining, Huntley led a six-play, 46-yard drive to set up the game-winning field goal by Andre Szmyt. Kenny Pickett, the Browns’ other quarterback on the roster, did not play Saturday.
Did this game change anything? The biggest development might have been Gabriel outplaying Sanders, but there has been widespread speculation Cleveland could end up keeping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Browns general manager Andrew Berry joined the team’s game broadcast and suggested that keeping four isn’t the issue some want to make it to be.
“We don’t see it as a problem,” Berry said. “We see it more as an opportunity.”
And the Browns know they have Flacco to lean on early while the rest of the QB pecking order sorts itself out. Flacco believes he can provide the team the stability it craves.
“As far as the team is concerned, it's always good to have a guy that you can look at and know that he's gonna be the guy that's under center for you,” the veteran QB said. “I think it's just a good way to get everybody confident going into the season.
“Like I said, I'm going to be the same person no matter what. But yeah, it feels good to be able to look the guys in the eye now knowing that I'm going to be out there Week 1 Sunday.”