Dillon Gabriel may end up being one-and-done with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round with the No. 94 overall pick — a notable reach compared to where most projections had the former Oregon quarterback coming off the board. Gabriel brought experience, having started across six college seasons, but he did not possess the physical traits typically associated with a franchise passer.
Gabriel went 1-5 as a starter, throwing for 937 yards with seven touchdowns against two interceptions. Gabriel struggled to push the ball downfield, rarely testing defenses beyond 10 yards and operating almost exclusively within the short area. He averaged just 5.1 yards per attempt, ranking 48th in the NFL.
Complicating matters further is the fact that former head coach Kevin Stefanski reportedly had influence in Cleveland drafting Gabriel in the first place. Now that Stefanski is gone, it only adds another layer of uncertainty around Gabriel’s long-term outlook with the franchise.
Browns reporter Zac Jackson of The Athletic predicts Cleveland will move on from Gabriel this offseason.
“I believe the Browns will trade Dillon Gabriel and then draft a quarterback somewhere in the 30-60 range,” Jackson said on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. “They will go forward with Shedeur, Deshaun Watson and that third quarterback.”
Some of the passers who may be available in that range include Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and Drew Allar out of Penn State.
Browns to Explore All Options at QB During Offseason
Shedeur Sanders started seven games, going 3-4 in those games while passing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Sanders showed some upside, especially with his off-schedule, play-making ability. However, the Browns declined to back Sanders as the starter moving forward.
“I think we saw a lot of progress with Shedeur this year. I think that’s both mentally, physically, playing the position. He’s still very much a work in progress like many rookie quarterbacks are,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said. “Now that all being said, we’re going to do our work on the quarterback market. It’s too important of a position and it’s something that has to be solidified. I can’t sit here and tell you today, you know, whether the solution for or the starter in 2026 is internal or external. But it’s something that we’re going to work through over the next several weeks. And quite honestly, the new head coach will also have a lot of input into that as well.”
Sanders rose from a fifth-round rookie buried on the depth chart to the Browns starter. He’s not spending too much time worrying about decisions beyond his control.
“I think I did what I was able to do, and I definitely grew from a lot of things, and I got experience now,” Sanders said after the season ended. “So, I’m always the same, confidence-wise, I’m there. But like, that’s not in my hands. Like, that’s not my decision. I can’t speak on what other people feel.”
Deshaun Watson Also in Mix for Browns
A potential wild card for the Browns in the quarterback conversation is Deshaun Watson. Cleveland’s $230 million quarterback missed all of last season, recovering from a pair of Achilles surgeries. He returned to practice for three weeks in December but was never activated to the 53-man roster.
The Browns anticipate Watson returning next season, though his role is still to be determined.
“I’ll say we’re very pleased with how Deshaun went through and attacked his rehab this past year, how he engaged with the team, what he did in the meeting rooms. Very pleased with the progress that he made in that regard,” Berry said. “Look, I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team. But we have a long way to go before we get to that point with any player.”
Since arriving in 2022 via a blockbuster trade, Watson has gone just 9-10 as the starter in Cleveland.
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