The Cleveland Browns have started their highly anticipated voluntary minicamp. And while the camp won’t provide any solid answers about what’s next for the team, it might give a glimpse into the direction it’s headed.
When it comes to who will be the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026, there are still a ton of questions. However, it does seem clear that this has become a two-man race between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.
Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Aaron Goldhammer pointed out that Sanders and Watson each had at least 15 attempted passes during day one of the minicamp. Dillon Gabriel, meanwhile, had only six.
This led Goldhammer to make a definitive statement that is hard to argue against.
“It really seems like this is a two-man quarterback competition. Each of [Deshaun] Watson and Shedeur [Sanders] had 16 attempted passes. It’s almost like volume of reps is the most important thing to watch, and Dillon Gabriel only had six. Dillon Gabriel is not in this quarterback competition,” Goldhammer said.
"Dillon Gabriel is NOT in this QB competition," – @HammerNation19 on the Browns QB battle. https://t.co/iuPXXr565R pic.twitter.com/u5ZgjAw8KX
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 22, 2026
Again, this minicamp isn’t solid proof of anything, and a lot can change between now and training camp and the start of the regular season. But it is currently difficult to imagine Gabriel becoming a part of the fight for QB1.
For many people, this isn’t a huge shock considering how he played last year during his time as the starting quarterback. He didn’t perform like someone who felt entirely comfortable leading a team.
The confidence he needs could come over time, but only if he is given the chance. However, it sounds like that seems unlikely because Todd Monken is focused on Sanders and Watson. If one of those two becomes the team’s starting quarterback, that’ll leave even less space for Gabriel and fewer chances for him to improve and feel better running the show.
To get better, Gabriel needs more opportunities, and right now, the Browns cannot provide him with much. That has many people questioning what will come next for the young quarterback. Some fans believe he will be traded as soon as possible, while others think he will simply sit on ice all season.
Unfortunately for him, most analysts and followers of the Browns agree that they won’t see much of Gabriel in 2026.
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