Ex-UO Duck Dillon Gabriel leads Browns QB battle in snap count, followed by Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, then ex-CU Buff Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns’ unique four-man quarterback competition may have taken a turn in training camp.

Third-round NFL draft pick Dillon Gabriel is leading the way in snap count, with 38. Behind him are Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett at 34. Fifth-round draft pick Shedeur Sanders is at 31 as of Saturday, per Yahoo Sports’ Sean Leahy.

Gabriel also led in team drills over his three QB counterparts.

ESPN Cleveland’s Daniel Oyefusi believes head coach Kevin Stefanski’s decisions here hold weight.

“I kept track of how many sets of team drills each Browns QB received through Week 1 of training camp. I think it will be a good sense of how the staff is prioritizing the QB battle as time goes on,” Oyefusi tweeted.

Of course, just because that’s where things stand in late July, it doesn’t mean that’s how it will stay. Still, it’s notable that Gabriel is jumping out to an early lead after Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein claimed that the former Oregon Duck was a “dark horse option” to start in Week 1

“Gabriel played 64 college games at three schools, throwing for 18,722 yards, 155 touchdowns and 32 interceptions across UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. He will have an adjustment period in the NFL. But the Browns allowed him to begin working with more veteran concepts during minicamp because of the rate at which he was progressing,” Epstein wrote.

“Consider Gabriel a dark-horse option for Week 1 starter and realistic option to take further reins later in the season.

“If Pickett can convince the Browns he’s as ready to thrive in Week 1 as Flacco (or close), he could win that job as the Browns can gain more future upside by investing snaps into a 27-year-old than a 40-year-old. Pickett could also be a candidate for trade bait if Flacco seems healthy and Gabriel is ready for backup duties.”

Gabriel might get there. Pickett may be in trouble going into his contract year, since it looks like he’s still a backup. Flacco may have Father Time catching up to him. Sanders continues to exist in no man’s land.

As the world turns in Berea…