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Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel could compete for the starting job.
Dillon Gabriel has become the forgotten man in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room after a disappointing rookie season. But he may not be out of the mix as the Browns explore their options under new head coach Todd Monken.
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round of last year’s NFL Draft, a move many around the league viewed as a reach. When he was given an opportunity to start, the former Oregon passer did little to quiet those concerns.
Gabriel went 1-5 in six starts, throwing for 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. While he generally protected the football, he struggled to push the ball downfield or create explosive plays, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt.
While Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have garnered much of the QB1 buzz, Browns reporter Tony Grossi doesn’t think Gabriel is completely out of the mix. In a recent Q&A column, Grossi was asked if Gabriel would get cut, traded, start, or “get it together.” Grossi chose an option not on the board.
“You left out my answer,” Grossi said. “Competes with Watson and Sanders for the starting job, and if he doesn’t win it, remains on the roster as a backup.”
The question now is whether Monken sees Gabriel as a legitimate competitor — or simply insurance.
Browns New Coach Todd Monken Undecided on QB
Sanders started the final seven games last season, going 3-4 while throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Among the current options, Sanders appears to be the most likely candidate to open the season under center, but Monken has stopped short of naming a frontrunner as he evaluates the quarterback room.
“Like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined,” Monken said when asked whether Sanders would enter camp as QB1. “Am I excited about Shedeur? Am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room? Am I excited to coach this football team? Absolutely. I can’t wait for them to get back and for us to get started.”
Monken has expressed a strong interest in Watson, who carries Pro Bowl credentials but has appeared in just 19 games since arriving in Cleveland in 2022 as part of a blockbuster trade.
“You’ve got two young players who still have a long way to go in terms of development, and that’s just part of the learning curve in the NFL,” Monken said during an interview with Ashley Holder of Cleveland 19 News. “Then you have a player like Deshaun, who is coming back from injury and was once a Pro Bowl player and an elite player in this league. We would love to tap back into that.”
Browns to Explore All Their QB Options
While the Browns have Sanders, Gabriel and Watson under contract, it is likely that Cleveland will add another arm to the mix.
“We go into each offseason as if we have an expansion team. Particularly a quarterback, where it’s the most important position in sports,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said. “We’ll always do research in terms of like what opportunities are available on the veteran market and in the draft market. … But quarterback no different than a number of other positions. You know, we’ll spend a lot of time assessing what options are out there.”
The Browns hold two first-round selections — No. 6 and No. 24 overall — giving them added flexibility atop the draft board. Cleveland acquired the extra first-rounder in last year’s draft through a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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