A battle of the backups in this one. Much of it a battle of players about to be cut and some of them hoping to land on the practice squad. But then there were the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks. I am not joking, but I literally just watched the two best QBs on the Cleveland Browns right this very moment... And yet the Cleveland coaching staff/head coach is far too stupid to realize it. If Todd Monken had an ounce of football talent awareness, granted I'm sure he knows how to organize a practice and blow a whistle and knows how to draw up plays...but that's a totally different skill set than talent evaluation, if he had an ounce of talent evaluation ability he would have already been talking up Dillon Gabriel, at least, as part of the QB competition.
But Monken has a rich history of not seeing talent sitting right in front of his face going all the way back to his time at the University of Southern Mississippi and his refusal to let Kyle Sloter be his quarterback over... over...over, I can't even remember the guy's name that Monken went with over Sloter but I remember it vividly from that time that I interviewed Kyle Sloter way back when, when he was coming out in the draft. I know stories about Todd Monken almost no one in the media would know. We'll talk about these Browns young QBs in the next section.
As for the game overview itself, I guess it's shocking to the world that Dillon Gabriel went in and looked like a competent QB and led the Browns 27 points in the first 27 minutes of this game on their way to a blowout win over a Patriots team that has looked the same for three preseason games in a row--totally disinterested, no camaraderie or swagger from a team that just went to the Super bowl, a team that feels like it knows it's about get its comeuppance from the golden schedule that they received last season at every turn.
Player Notes...
-- I have said for several weeks now, maybe months that Dillon Gabriel (12-15 for 186 yards, 3 TD/0 INT, 1-3-0) is the best QB On the Browns roster. And he kinda went out and proved it in this game. I know it's just a preseason game against a backup defense, but Gabriel did to a backup defense what Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have failed to do in their efforts against backup defenses.
I'm not saying that Gabriel is any great QB prospect, but he's way better than what people think. He's competent. He's capable in that new era way where the college QB's are just not phased by the pro game. He should be the starter, but he'll probably get traded to the Falcons before the 53-man rosters are due. Kevin Stefanski thinks the world of him, and I bet the Cleveland Browns don't even care about him--and think that this 3 TD game is the perfect time to extract like a 3rd/4th-round draft pick out of the Falcons. If Atlanta can pull this off they will have 3 left-handed QBs on the roster. They would also have Penix insurance and something to get away from Tua if it came down to it. It's a trade that makes all the sense in the world, so it will definitely not happen.
-- After Gabriel worked, sometime in the second-half the Browns current second best QB entered the game... Rookie Taylen Green (4-4 for 27 yards, 0 TD/0 INT, 5-66-0).
It was his preseason debut, and I saw what I wanted to see at this stage of his career -- not panicked and arguably the single best runner of the football of any QB in the league right now. He's not ‘there’ as a passer yet but as you've seen from Justin Fields and Terrelle Pryor, they may not be high level passers but they can get by when defenses live in total fear of them running the ball.
The fact that this was Taylen Green's preseason debut, the time of the season where a guy like this needs some work to see what you have, is another complete embarrassment by Cleveland Browns management. This is a really bad team with an incredibly awful head coach and staff, and the worst GM an owner in the game. Other than that, they're pretty good. Colin Cowherd thinks they might be a long shot playoff team/he is pitching for people to take the over on the Browns wins total this season because he thinks they're so good on the roster. No thanks.
All the reasons why I've been taking Taylen Green pretty much in every dynasty rookie draft that I could for the past four months, I saw what I was hoping to see in this preseason game--all I wanted to see was that it wasn't a total disaster.
Honest to God, I would start Taylen Green Week 1 over Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders if I was really trying to win a football game. That's more a commentary on where the Browns are at versus how good or not good Green might be.
-- Speaking of nice prospects who has their coaching staff actively working against them, suppressing them for reasons I do not understand... Kyle Williams (0-0-0, 2-55-1/2) had another standout performance this preseason. But Mike Vrabel's got too many extracurricular activities he's involved in to realize how good, how potentially special Kyle Williams could be to an offense with his high-end route running ability.
Mike Vrabel's gonna push Demario Douglas and he's gonna ignore Kyle Williams for as long as he can until he can't anymore... But that might not be for another year or two. It's a shame. Williams has a ton of talent and there's not one person in that Patriots organization that is investing in it to get it to the next level.
So, you know I have loved Kyle Williams since last dynasty rookie draft...but this is another example of why I could care less about possessing my dynasty rookie draft picks. It's so hard for the talent to land in just the right place at just the right time with just the right coaching staff.
-- Just a quick note on Cleveland Browns second year UDFA RB Raheim Sanders (6-29-0)... I thought he looked pretty solid here. He looks like he could be something for a team in need of like a #3 running back for emergencies where Sanders could get injected into the lineup and cover the teams running game for a couple weeks till the starters came back--he's that type of running back, not a pending superstar in waiting.
-- The Browns have a couple of no name, UDFA, young wide receivers who look like they have some promise...promise that we'll go to waste in Cleveland, but minor promise nonetheless.
Luke Floriea (0-0-0, 3-29-2/4) is a scrappy slot WR type of guy...the kind Mike Vrabel would like. He had two TDs in this game, and I think he's had three touchdowns total in the preseason. He's not a star, he's just competent... But he's also the kind of receiver that gets lost in the NFL landscape and just bounces off of practice squads and there's a camp body only and never makes it to any type of NFL reality. But he's not nothing.
UDFA rookie Ben Patterson (0-0-0, 2-71-0/3) had a couple big plays in this game and brings a big body to the wide receiver group, and it looked like there was some athleticism there to take note of. I know I took note of it.
I wondered with Cedric Tillman getting cut whether Ben Patterson might sneak his way onto the 53-man roster, but as I write this the Browns have already released him. Hopefully somebody else snatches him up and he doesn't have to return to the Browns practice squad where careers go to die. There must be something worrisome about Patterson off the field because Jacksonville had him and cut him this year and then the Browns gave him a look in August.
Some extra info on those not as well known, young Brown's udfa wide receivers from some Gemini research...
Luke Floriea is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns who originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2025.
Player Bio
Born on October 23, 2001, in Mentor, Ohio, Luke Floriea built a standout prep career at Mentor High School, earning All-Ohio recognition in both football and basketball. Initially committing to Boston College as a three-star recruit, he flipped his commitment to stay local with the Kent State Golden Flashes.
Floriea experienced a gradual ascent across his five-year collegiate tenure at Kent State. Used sparingly over his first three seasons (17 receptions combined), he developed into a reliable target in 2023 with 39 receptions for 413 yards and 4 touchdowns. His breakout campaign came as a redshirt senior in 2024, leading the Golden Flashes offense with 44 catches, 699 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns while averaging 15.9 yards per reception. He finished his college career tallying 100 receptions for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns.
After going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft, the 5'8", 179-pound wideout earned an offseason roster spot with the hometown Cleveland Browns following a successful rookie minicamp tryout. Despite landing on injured reserve during his initial preseason, he was retained on the practice squad and earned a reserve/future contract for the 2026 season.
Scouting Pros & Cons
Pros:
Agility & Short-Area Quickness: Showcased a crisp 4.19-second 20-yard shuttle and a 6.95-second 3-cone drill at his Pro Day, highlighting high-end change of direction.
Deep Threat Efficiency: Averaged 15.9 yards per catch in 2024, demonstrating solid downfield tracking ability and yards-after-catch capability despite size limitations.
Special Teams Versatility: Experienced as a return specialist, offering core value on coverage and return units to stick on a bottom-of-roster spot.
Cons:
Below-Average Size Profile: Measures under 5'8 1/4" with sub-30" arms (29 1/8") and an 8 7/8" hand size, severely limiting his catch radius and physical contest capacity.
Modest Straight-Line Speed: Recorded a 4.51 40-yard dash, which is average for a slot receiver of his stature.
Late Developer Profile: Took until his fifth collegiate season to command a starting role and generate meaningful target volume.
Key College Metrics
Best Metric: 15.9 yards per reception (2024 season) and 7 receiving touchdowns on 44 catches (15.9% TD rate per catch).
Worst Metric: 1.53-second 10-yard split / 4.51 40-yard dash time at 179 lbs (modest speed-to-weight baseline for smaller slot prospects).
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Ben Patterson signed with the Cleveland Browns in mid-August 2026 as an undrafted free agent after a brief stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Player Bio
Standing at 6'5" and weighing 220 pounds, Patterson is a wide receiver out of Division II University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB). He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2026 after finishing his collegiate career with the Falcons.
During his final season at UT Permian Basin, Patterson established himself as a big-play downfield threat, catching 32 passes for 678 yards and 5 touchdowns, totaling 16 touchdowns across his entire college tenure. He parlayed his strong physical profile into an invitation to Jacksonville's training camp before being waived and picked up by Cleveland.
Patterson made an immediate splash in Cleveland's preseason finale against the New England Patriots, showcasing his big-play ability by hauling in 2 receptions for 71 yards—including a 52-yard completion down the left sideline. Despite his impressive audition late in August 2026, he was waived by the Browns during the initial round of roster cuts.
Scouting Pros & Cons
Pros:
Elite Frame & Size: Measures 6'5" and 220 lbs, giving him a massive physical presence and high-end boundary target profile.
Explosive Downfield Threat: Possesses strong vertical ability, illustrated by his 52-yard preseason catch and high college big-play output.
Red Zone Efficiency: Snagged 16 career collegiate touchdowns, using his length to convert scoring opportunities in tight quarters.
Cons:
Lower Competition Level: Transitioning from Division II (UT Permian Basin) requires refinement against top-tier NFL cornerback press coverage and speed.
Limited Route Tree Volume: Recorded modest overall catch totals (32 receptions in his final college season), functioning primarily as a deep-shot specialist.
Roster Fringe Profile: Bounced between multiple organizations early in his career, needing consistent polish to secure a permanent roster or practice squad spot.
Key College Metrics
Best Metric: 21.2 yards per catch average during his final season at UT Permian Basin (678 yards on 32 catches).
Worst Metric: 32 total catches in his final collegiate season, reflecting a low target volume and reliance on big plays over high-frequency slot or intermediate usage.
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