Dillon Gabriel made a strong final push for a larger role with the Cleveland Browns, but it is not expected to affect Shedeur Sanders.
Gabriel put on a show in his first extended action of the preseason, completing 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of Cleveland’s 37-13 win over the New England Patriots.
He finished with a 157.9 passer rating. Gabriel directed five scoring drives, throwing two touchdowns to Luke Floriea before connecting with Ahmani Marshall for another score.
It was by far the most impressive preseason performance from a Browns quarterback, even if it came against New England’s backups.
“I know it’s been hard, let’s be real about it. But, he’s a prideful guy who’s had a lot of success in his career, and all he does is prepare. That’s all he does,” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “He comes to work every day and prepares like a pro. You can see he can really operate; he gets what we want to do, and he has a certain confidence about him when he takes the field. I’m fired up.”
Gabriel’s performance generated questions about whether he could jump Shedeur Sanders and become the quarterback active on game days behind newly minted starter Deshaun Watson. Monken quickly shut down that possibility.
“No, I don’t see it that way,” Monken said.
Sanders did not play in the preseason finale because the Browns had already settled on him as Watson’s backup.
Browns Face Difficult Decision With Four Quarterbacks
Although Gabriel may not move up the depth chart, he made Cleveland’s looming roster decision significantly more difficult. The Browns have Watson, Sanders, Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green in their quarterback room. Keeping all four would consume an additional spot on the 53-man roster, but trying to move either Gabriel or Green to the practice squad would require exposing them to waivers.
Green also gave Cleveland something to think about against New England. The sixth-round rookie completed five of seven passes for 27 yards and led the Browns with 66 rushing yards on eight attempts. His performance included a 30-yard scramble after escaping pressure near his own goal line.
“That’s why we played both of them, to try to help us a little in terms of where we’re at from a roster standpoint. We’ve got a lot to talk about, because I thought they both did some really good things,” Monken said. “Dillon was very poised within himself, and then Taylen was going to have some splash plays — get him on the perimeter, use his athleticism, and keep working to refine his passing. It was fun to watch him play. But just like every position, we’re going to have to cut it down. We can’t keep everybody.”
Monken declined to say whether Cleveland would carry all four quarterbacks, noting that he and general manager Andrew Berry still needed to discuss the roster.
Dillon Gabriel Uncertain About Future With Browns
Gabriel could be retained as Cleveland’s third quarterback, traded to another team or waived after spending just one season with the Browns. Cleveland selected Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 draft. He started six games as a rookie, completing 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
A concussion suffered against the Baltimore Ravens opened the door for Sanders, who started the final seven games and remained ahead of Gabriel throughout the offseason. Gabriel acknowledged that his future is now outside his control.
“I’m just worried about today, and the rest will figure itself out,” Gabriel said about his future. “That’s the league for you. But I know what I’m about, and I’ve just got a good head on my shoulders. I take pride in that. You know, I went into this game a certain way, of course, but it is what it is.”
The Browns have to trim their roster to 53 players on Sunday.
Browns Make Shedeur Sanders Decision After Dillon Gabriel’s Breakout