There has been a lot of discussion lately about who is going to be the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026. Initially, it sounded like Shedeur Sanders had the inside track to the job, but then new head coach Todd Monken announced he was planning on doing a QB competition.
Over the last couple of weeks, the pendulum sounds like it is swinging back in Deshaun Watson’s favor as owner Jimmy Haslam walked back his claim from last year that the Watson trade was a swing and a miss. To further complicate matters, there are also rumors that the Browns are in love with Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and could make it a priority to select him in the upcoming draft.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot recently wrote an article making sure everyone doesn’t forget about one other quarterback who is still in town. Dillon Gabriel is still on the roster, but you wouldn’t know it based on how the offseason dialogue has gone up to this point.
“Here’s the thing about Gabriel: he’s wired differently than most quarterbacks. When the Browns drafted him, the biggest selling point wasn’t his arm or his mobility; it was his brain. Gabriel is a film junkie with elite processing speed, the kind of guy who thrives in meeting rooms and on whiteboards before he ever steps onto the field,” Cabot said.
Gabriel was ultimately benched for Sanders in the second half of last season, and while his play left a lot to be desired, he still had a 7:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio compared to Sanders’ 7:10. The criticism surrounding him was all related to his inability to push the ball down the field and his lack of mobility in the pocket.
The organization certainly hasn’t given up on Gabriel, but he is 25 and has a tough path back to earning playing time on this roster. With so much focus on Sanders, Watson, and potentially Simpson, Gabriel’s best opportunity may eventually wind up being elsewhere.
He took care of the ball and showed solid accuracy as a rookie, and hopefully he can build upon that heading into 2026. Who knows — if Monken is serious about having an open competition, perhaps that competition could involve Gabriel as well.
NEXT: Hanford Dixon Believes Todd Monken Has Preference For Starting QB
