It’s been assumed since the 2025 NFL draft ended that the Cleveland Browns wouldn’t start the season with both of their rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Both players have shown flashes during OTAs and minicamp, but it’s tough to see both beating out Cleveland’s two veteran options, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
As Gabriel and Sanders presumably battle it out for the Browns’ No. 3 job, one former NFL quarterback believes the loser of that competition could be traded to a team that also drafted a former college football star — Quinn Ewers.
Retired ex-Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, and San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Kurt Benkert believes the Miami Dolphins, despite having Tua Tagovailoa, former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, and Ewers on their roster, could pounce if Gabriel is made available before the start of the regular season.
Cleveland Browns rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel, left, and Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland Browns rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel, left, and Shedeur Sanders.
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“I wouldn’t be shocked to see the #Dolphins trade for #Browns QB Dillon Gabriel at the end of preseason,” Benkert wrote on X.
“They liked him a ton and saw him as an incredible scheme fit with athletic upside and were going to take him a few picks later, but then the Browns drafted him (per source). The Dolphins traded that pick away after Gabriel was no longer available.”
As far as Browns fans are concerned, if it's Gabriel being shipped elsewhere that likely means Sanders had an impressive showing in camp and the preseason and Cleveland feels good about moving forward with him as a developmental passer who could potentially be the team's QB of the future.
Though Gabriel didn’t have the pedigree or the hype Sanders did entering the 2025 draft, he went two rounds ahead of the former Colorado star, who had an unexpected fall from possible first-rounder to fifth-round draft pick.
Gabriel helped lead the Oregon Ducks to a Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance last season, throwing for a career-high 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
With Tagovailoa’s injury history, especially his knack for suffering concussions, carrying an extra QB on the roster might not be a bad idea for the Dolphins, who went 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs because Tagovailoa missed six games midseason.