Report: Browns Willing To Make QB Trade

Injuries have become one of the biggest storylines in the early NFL season, especially among quarterbacks. Heading into Week 4, at least four backups could have a starting role, and three others have already filled in before the injured starter returned

Fortunately, the Cleveland Browns have not had to worry about that, at least so far. Deshaun Watson has defied expectations to start all of their games, putting the Browns in position to take advantage of the market around the league.

According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Browns are among three teams willing to make a QB trade right now, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Three teams — the Eagles, Browns and Steelers — are carrying four quarterbacks and probably would welcome a deal at the right price. And more injuries at the position will cause more trade talk,” Fowler wrote.

With Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green part of the Cleveland organization, it is unclear who the Browns might be willing to part with. It would likely depend on what the offer would be.

Watson probably hasn’t done enough in just three games to generate interest around the league, even though he has led two comeback victories playing for the first time in almost two years. Sanders could have some value, but teams may not want to invite the media attention that making that deal would bring to their team.

Green was protected on the 53-man roster when Gabriel was placed on injured reserve with a back issue on cutdown day. The Browns did not want to risk losing the sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, who is seen as a tremendous athlete who needs time to develop as a quarterback. So he may not have a current market for teams that have more immediate needs at the position.

So that leaves Gabriel, who is eligible to come off of IR following this week’s games. He is seen as an ideal NFL backup and could be of interest to teams that need depth to overcome injuries. Interestingly, that could include the Atlanta Falcons, who are led by Gabriel’s former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

The Minnesota Vikings already put this market into motion when they traded J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants, who lost Jaxson Dart for the season, so it might be just a matter of the next QB injury before the Browns get into the mix as well.