If there is one thing that has become clear in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room, it is that last year’s third-round pick, Dillon Gabriel, does not appear to have much of a role in the current grouping. Deshaun Watson will come into the spring competition for the QB1 job as the grizzled veteran trying to claw his way back after two Achilles tendon surgeries, with Shedeur Sanders as the 24-year-old talented but flawed young star trying to prove his worth. Now, it appears that six-round pick Taylen Green is joining the mix as the super-high-upside project that will likely have to be developed in secret over the next 12 months.
Gabriel? He is not a real candidate to be the starter, not a high-upside project and not really possessing of enough talent to warrant remaining as the QB2. There were plenty of projections that suggested the Browns would keep all three of Gabriel, Sanders and Watson, but the addition of Green could well mean that one of them will have to go–and Gabriel’s in the crosshairs on that.
Browns Lacking a Spot for Dillon Gabriel
The enthusiasm around Green in the wake of the draft could be at fault for that. Ideally, the Browns would be able to work with Green all summer, cut him at the end of training camp, and stick him on the practice squad as the team attempts to overhaul his throwing motion. But Green has gotten enough buzz, and could continue to do so through camp, that there is a risk of putting him on the practice squad–opposing teams can poach practice squad players by giving them 53-man roster contracts.
If Green must stick as the QB3, and assuming that the loser of the Watson vs. Sanders race will be the QB2, that means Gabriel is not long for Cleveland.
Browns Might Not Keep Taylen Green on Practice Squad
Longtime Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, speaking on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland on Tuesday, first addressed Green’s situation and the difficulty of getting him to the practice squad.
“Taylen is probably going to have to make the 53-man roster,” she said. “I don’t think you can take the chance of trying to squeeze him through waivers and get him into the practice squad because I think by then, teams will have seen what he might be capable of in some of those situations that we’re talking about and they might be willing to grab him. And then, if he has a nice camp, word gets out very quickly about that.”
Dillon Gabriel Trade Coming?
Cabot did make clear that she does not think Gabriel’s NFL career is over completely, just that there is likely no place for him with the Browns. If Gabriel can carve out some good showings in camp and the preseason, he could fetch a Day 3 draft pick, she said.
“I think it might end up having to be Dillon that you might have to possibly find something else that you would want to do with him,” Cabot added. “Maybe you try to find a trade partner for him. I think he is better than a lot of people think he is, I think he did not get a fair chance last season at all. Even Joe Flacco couldn’t fare well in this offense last year.
“So, let’s see what kind of jump Dillon Gabriel can make in his second season, let’s see what he is able to do and then maybe you can parlay that into a draft pick.”
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