Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The Cleveland Browns benched quarterback Joe Flacco and will start rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced Wednesday.
Flacco completed 58.1% of his throws for 815 yards, two scores and six interceptions through his first four starts this season. He led the Browns to a 1-3 record.
Flacco and the Browns totaled the third-fewest passing scores and second-most interceptions through their first four games of the season. The Browns also have the third-worst rushing attack in the NFL, and its offense scored the second-fewest points in the league.
Gabriel, who joined the Browns as a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, completed 3 of 4 passes for 19 yards and a score in two appearances this season.
Shedeur Sanders, a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, served as emergency third-string quarterback, but did not take a regular-season snap through four weeks. Bailey Zappe is the Browns' practice squad quarterback.
