Dillon Gabriel’s path in Cleveland is narrowing fast, and a former Cleveland Browns quarterback could be waiting on the other end of a potential trade.
Gabriel is entering his second NFL season with an uncertain role after a rocky rookie year in which he went 1-5 as a starter for the Browns. The Browns selected the Oregon product in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 94 overall.
Now, with Cleveland adding sixth-round quarterback Taylen Green and Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders battling for the starting role, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox placed Gabriel on his post-draft trade block big board and identified two NFC South teams as potential suitors.
Knox made the case for Cleveland moving on from Gabriel, given the crowded state of their quarterback room.
“A year after drafting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns drafted another quarterback in Arkansas’ Taylen Green,” Knox said. “The raw but talented dual-threat quarterback is an intriguing backup option for Todd Monken’s offense. With Deshaun Watson also in Cleveland’s quarterback room — and set to cost $45 million whether he’s on the roster or not — one of the Browns’ second-year signal-callers will likely be out. Our money is on Gabriel, a 5’11” pocket passer who was a better fit for former head coach Kevin Stefanski than for the current offense.”
Buccaneers, Falcons Tabbed as Suitors for Browns QB Dillon Gabriel
Stefanski’s Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — quarterbacked by former Browns No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield — were touted as the top suitors for Gabriel.
“While teams won’t be clamoring to add Gabriel as a potential starter, the 25-year-old should draw interest as a backup. While his athletic limitations were on display last season, he looked like a capable spot starter, posting an 80.8 passer rating in six starts,” Knox said. “The Browns will probably take what they can get for Gabriel, who should interest teams that lack a young developmental backup.”
The Buccaneers currently have Jake Browning on a one-year deal as Mayfield’s backup.
The Atlanta connection runs through Stefanski, who was fired by the Browns following last season and hired as the Falcons’ head coach. Stefanski was among Gabriel’s most prominent advocates in Cleveland, naming the rookie the starter over Sanders when Joe Flacco was benched in Week 5.
In six starts for the Browns last season, Gabriel completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 918 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions before a concussion ended his stint as the starter in Week 11 and opened the door for Sanders.
Stefanski Reunion Fuels Falcons Interest
The Browns have publicly brushed aside the idea of trading Gabriel, insisting they have no plans to trade him.
“The current plan is we would roll with those four,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said after the draft, referring to Watson, Sanders, Green and Gabriel.
Regardless of the statement, the addition of Green has tightened the math heading into training camp. With Watson and Sanders expected to headline the quarterback battle, the path to a meaningful role for Gabriel is getting harder to find.
Green isn’t a factor in the QB1 conversation, but his rare athletic profile gives Cleveland something different and potentially something they can build around in situational packages.
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