On one hand, there still is a chance, now that the Cleveland Browns‘ spring workouts have wrapped up, that quarterback Dillon Gabriel will stick with the team as a third quarterback. His hopes of starting are all but gone, as coach Todd Monken has made it clear that the No. 1 job is down to a two-man race between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, but Gabriel was a third-round pick last year and should still stick as a backup.
Moreover, when asked about Gabriel in a recent mailbag column, Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot said that Gabriel actually had a sharp offseason and would be capable of taking on a starting role if pressed. He would, obviously, have a better supporting cast than what he worked with last year.
Dillon Gabriel Could ‘Start a Game’ for the Browns
Discussing Gabriel’s future with the Browns, Cabot wrote: “Gabriel has had a very nice spring, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as the third QB on the Browns roster. Gabriel is an excellent processor and game manager, and those traits were on display in Organized Team Activities and minicamp. … The truth is, Gabriel could step in and start a game for the Browns if necessary, and will probably fare much better with an overhauled offensive line and upgraded supporting cast.”
Gabriel started six games last year, and it was a forgettable stretch, other than one pounding the Browns delivered to the Dolphins. But, statistically, he was just 1-5 as a starter and threw for 937 yards, with seven touchdowns, two interceptions and a rating of just 80.8. Pro Football Focus rated Gabriel the No. 37 quarterback out of 38 last season, with no. 38 being Sanders.
Browns Want to Keep Taylen Green
Things get tricky for the Browns and Gabriel when it comes to Taylen Green, the gifted athletic quarterback the team gambled on in the sixth round of this year’s draft. Green is very much a raw product and wildly turnover-prone, but he is also 6-foot-6 with a strong deep-ball arm and great instincts as a runner.
The Browns want to keep and develop Green. But they do not want to carry four quarterbacks. Ideally, the team would bump Green to the practice squad, but the problem with that is any team could step in and sign Green off their practice squad, as long as that team put him on the 53-man roster.
If Green shows promise in this summer’s training camp, and the Browns put him on the practice squad, they run the risk of losing him altogether before having a chance to develop him.
Dillon Gabriel on the Way Out?
The easiest solution there would be for the Browns to trade away Gabriel and get something in return, as close to a third-rounder as possible. That allows them to keep Sanders, Watson and Green, and even work Green in on wildcat or gadget plays.
Here’s how Cabot put it: “The big question heading into camp at this spot is if the Browns feel Taylen Green is ready to step in and handle some of the critical situations the Browns would use him in, such as short-yardage, goal-line and four-minute. If Gabriel earns the QB3 spot, the Browns might try to get Green through to the practice squad. If they feel comfortable with Green, they could always try to trade Gabriel around the cutdown date Aug. 30.”
That would make Gabriel a less-than-optimal use of a third-round pick. But the Browns might not have much choice.
Browns Quarterback Update Could Mean Dillon Gabriel Trouble