The Cleveland Browns have an intriguing quarterback battle to watch heading into training camp.
Cleveland has a two-horse race between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders for the starting job, while Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green are competing for the third-string job. Ahead of training camp, NFL analyst Alex Kay of Bleacher Report predicts the Browns will trade Gabriel after just one season in Cleveland.
“Gabriel failed to move the needle once he was handed the starting job in Week 5, completing a meager 59.5 percent of his passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns across six starts,” Kay wrote. “While he kept his turnovers under control—tossing just two picks on the year—Gabriel only spurred the Browns to victory in a single contest. …
“Gabriel’s best chance of sticking around will be as a third-stringer. But Cleveland added a promising sixth-round rookie in Taylen Green who makes more sense to develop in that role. Cleveland should instead look to recoup some capital and ship Gabriel off to a less crowded quarterbacks room.”
If the Browns do trade Gabriel, Cleveland likely wouldn’t get much, as it likely would be a late-pick swap.
Trading Gabriel just a year after drafting him, it would be a waste of a third-round pick. At the time, many fans already didn’t understand the pick, and now it appears that Cleveland wasted a Day 2 pick on the quarterback.
Gabriel Not Focusing on Future
Although Gabriel appears to be on the outside looking in on the Browns quarterback battle, he isn’t worrying about his future.
Instead, at the veterans minicamp, Gabriel said he’s not focusing on the future and just worrying about what he can control.
“I don’t think it’s ever easy. But you just wanna keep staying the course, trusting God’s plan. Ultimately, you gotta run your own race,” Gabriel said. “I am focused on what I can control and that’s mastering my reps and doing it at a high level.”
Browns head coach Todd Monken, meanwhile, said nothing has changed yet in terms of the quarterback battle and who is getting the reps.
“Yeah, nothing’s really changed other than it’s a different day and you’re firing the same questions,” Monken said. “I mean, nothing’s really changed. I mean, we’re going to rotate those guys and play the best player and we’ll see.”
Gabriel threw for 937 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions last season with the Browns.
Deshaun Watson Impressed at OTAs
Ahead of training camp, it appears Watson is the frontrunner to win the Browns quarterback job.
Monken, meanwhile, said Watson has been great in OTAs. He’s also gotten the bulk of the reps with the No. 1 offense.
“He’s been great. I think everybody would say it. I’m all for a clean slate,” Monken said during OTAs. “I want the best for every player we have, every coach, I want the best for everybody in this world to have a great life. I think it’s really cool that he still has an opportunity, with a change, to showcase his ability and see where he’s at. I’m all for it.”
Watson is in the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns.
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