The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 season with high hopes for their young quarterback class, only to find themselves squarely in a precarious spot heading into 2026.
One of the team’s key investments, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, may be in danger of being sidelined or even moved this offseason as the Browns sort through a crowded quarterback room and shifting organizational priorities.
Gabriel, selected 94th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, was viewed as a developmental talent with upside.
The Browns traded up to take the former Oregon Ducks signal-caller and quickly integrated him into the roster alongside veteran and fellow quarterbacks. But the quarterback landscape in Cleveland has since evolved in ways that have put Gabriel‘s future with the team into question.
By the end of the 2025 season, Gabriel found himself amidst a rotating cast of quarterbacks, including fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders, and established but injury-plagued starter Deshaun Watson.
While Gabriel did see starting opportunities, including a Week 5 start in London, his tenure under center produced limited success, including a 15 record as a starter.
At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Browns head coach Todd Monken offered a clear sign of the team’s direction, one that appears open-ended at best for Gabriel.
Monken emphasized that Cleveland will have an “open competition” at quarterback this offseason between Sanders, Watson, and Gabriel, leaving no guarantees for any single player.
Quarterback carousel complicates Gabriel‘s prospects
The Browns‘ quarterback room is one of the most unsettled positions in the league, with each player representing a distinct type of investment or short-term strategy.
Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed mammoth contract in 2022, is technically still under contract but has battled injuries and inconsistency throughout his Browns tenure.
Sanders, meanwhile, brings intrigue and a story that has captured significant attention. Selected in the fifth round of the 2025 draft after a slide from projected first-round status, Sanders showed spurts of promise despite typical rookie growing pains.
His athletic playmaking ability has earned both praise and skepticism, but at minimum, he projects as a young developmental piece.
In contrast, Gabriel‘s 2025 campaign painted a mixed picture. After beginning the season as a backup, he eventually took over starting duties late in the year but failed to turn games into wins, and his statistical profile lagged behind expectations for a third-round investment.
That disparity has sparked speculation, both in NFL circles and fan communities, that Gabriel could be moved or edged out as the Browns pursue clarity at the most important position in football.
Some analysts have suggested that Cleveland may explore trade scenarios that involve Gabriel if the team looks outside its internal options for long-term answers at quarterback.
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