Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Getty
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Dillon Gabriel will likely learn his future with the Cleveland Browns during the NFL Draft.
The Browns raised eyebrows when they selected Gabriel in the third round of last year’s draft, a move that only became more puzzling when they circled back and took Shedeur Sanders at No. 144 a few rounds later.
Gabriel was eventually given an opportunity to seize the starting job after Cleveland stumbled to a 1-3 start under veteran Joe Flacco. The rookie made six starts, going 1-5 while throwing for 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
But Gabriel struggled to push the ball downfield, often settling for short throws and playing it safe. Concerns that surfaced during the pre-draft process — particularly about his size and ability to operate outside structure — showed up on Sundays.
His momentum came to a halt in Week 11, when he suffered a concussion in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders stepped in and never gave the job back, leaving Gabriel on the outside of the quarterback picture heading into the offseason.
Dillon Gabriel in Browns’ Plans — For Now
Gabriel remains on the roster and is in the Browns’ plans, for now. But that could change during the draft if the Browns go after another developmental quarterback in the later rounds, who will likely sit behind Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson on the depth chart.
“The Browns still have Gabriel in their plans for 2026 and plan to continue developing him — unless they acquire another developmental quarterback in the draft or free agency. If they add someone whom they believe has more upside potential than Gabriel or who’s more closely aligned with what the coaches are seeking, they’ll consider trading Gabriel on draft weekend or at some other point,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said. “I think the current regime believes Gabriel will fare better in 2026 — like Shedeur Sanders — with an upgraded supporting cast. But they’ll also be open-minded in their quest to field the best quarterbacks they can find.”
Some of the names who could potentially be available for the Browns in the later rounds include Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and Carson Beck.
Browns Will Have ‘Open Competition’ for QB1 Job
The Browns have not heavily pursued any additional quarterback options and appear content to roll into camp with Sanders and Watson as the primary contenders for the job.
Sanders appears to be the frontrunner but the Browns have not dropped many clues on how they view the situation.
“Sure, I think it’s an open competition,” new head coach Todd Monken said in February. “I mean, I don’t why it wouldn’t be an open competition. I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally.”
Sanders started the final seven games of last season. He went 3-4 in those starts, passing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. While the numbers weren’t necessarily pretty, Sanders impressed with his playmaking ability. He was named a Pro Bowl replacement for his efforts.