Browns QB Change Reportedly More About Joe Flacco's Struggles Than Gabriel's Readiness

The Cleveland Browns started the season with Joe Flacco as the quarterback, hoping the veteran could provide enough stability on offense to keep the team in contention behind its solid defense.

But Flacco was so poor through four games that the team had little choice but to turn the reins over to rookie Dillon Gabriel.

"I was told this has much more to do with the way Flacco was playing and less to do with, 'Dillon Gabriel is lighting it up in practice, we have to get him on the field,'" James Palmer said on Wednesday's Scoop City (16-minute mark). "That's really more of why the change happened. So now they're putting Gabriel out there, who they do think can play, and think is ready to play."

Flacco, 40, has thrown for 815 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions this season, completing just 58.1 percent of his passes while taking nine sacks. The Browns, in turn, have gone 1-3, though the defense is holding opponent's to an NFL-leading 222.5 yards per game.

So the Browns don't need the offense to be elite to be competitive so much as competent. Averaging 14 points per game (31st in the NFL) wasn't going to cut it, so Cleveland will turn to Gabriel, hoping the rookie proves to be an upgrade.