With Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel all returning for next season and vying to be the starter, the Cleveland Browns entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a rather crowded quarterback room. It got even more crowded on Saturday, as the franchise drafted former Arkansas passer Taylen Green with the No. 182 pick in the sixth round.
The move sparked some belief among analysts that Cleveland would potentially shop former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who appears to be the most likely No. 3 on the depth chart. But that won't happen, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who said that the Browns have no plans to trade Gabriel. At least not right now.
NFL teams very rarely carry four passers on the roster, as evidenced by the fact that the Browns traded both Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett away last season at different times to make way for three passers to be on the roster (they signed journeyman Bailey Zappe after dealing Flacco, as Watson missed the season with an injury).
Despite drafting QB Taylen Green today, the Browns say they have no plans to trade QB Dillon Gabriel. https://t.co/7FWsRwlTK0
The Browns now find themselves in a similar position, entering training camp with four passers under contract. All three returners have started a handful of games for Cleveland, with none gaining much separation from the other. Sanders had a solid finish to last season, while Gabriel played turnover-free, yet unspectacular football for the most part in six starts.
The wildcard is Watson, who's on a monster five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract that he has failed to remotely live up to with his play despite being hampered with injuries. He's presumed as the starter considering his contract, though the Browns have yet to publicly tab either of the three — now four — passers as the starter.
As it stands, that group will continue to include Gabriel. But as last season suggests, there may come a time when someone finds themselves as the odd one out, with the former Duck possibly in the that spot in the future.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dillon Gabriel's standing with the Browns after they draft another QB