Everyone's talking about Watson and Sanders, but the most interesting Browns QB story might be Dillon Gabriel

CLEVELAND, Ohio — All the attention in the Browns quarterback room is going to Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. That’s understandable. But on the latest episode of Orange and Brown Talk, host Dan Labbe and Browns beat reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Ashley Bastock made a compelling case that the most underrated storyline in the entire QB room belongs to a guy most fans have already written off: Dillon Gabriel. So what actually happens with Gabriel this summer? That’s the question a listener posed to the podcast crew and the answer is more nuanced than you might expect. Cabot believes Gabriel is firmly in the mix to stick on the 53-man roster. “I think that Dillon Gabriel is still very much in the running to become the third quarterback on this football team and he might end up being the third QB on their roster and then maybe they try to squeeze Taylen Green onto the practice squad and see how that goes,” she said. That’s not a small thing. In a quarterback room with Watson and Sanders dominating the conversation, having a QB3 who is steady, smart and system-savvy has real value. And Cabot noted Gabriel actually had a solid offseason program, even while operating exclusively with the third and fourth-team reps, never once getting meaningful time throwing to Cleveland’s top receivers. Labbe summed up Gabriel’s appeal in a way that resonated. “I think Dillon is kind of a guy who, he’s almost perfect for a role like that. He’s going to be ready. If you need him to come in in a pinch, he’s going to do it,” Labbe said. There’s something to be said for that. In the NFL, the QB3 isn’t asked to win games, he’s asked to not lose them. He’s the emergency option. The steady hand. The guy who knows the offense well enough that if everything goes sideways in Week 11, the team doesn’t completely unravel. Gabriel fits that profile. But here’s where it gets interesting: the Browns might not even keep him. If Gabriel has a strong preseason, Cabot noted he could become a late-round trade chip. Teams are always searching for experienced backup quarterbacks and a player who has already started NFL games, albeit in brutal circumstances, has a market. The Browns could potentially turn his roster spot into a Day 3 pick. Bastock also offered an important reminder about context. Gabriel’s 2025 appearances came under extraordinarily difficult conditions: an injury-ravaged offensive line, depleted skill positions and his NFL debut coming on the road in London. Throwing him into that fire and judging the results without acknowledging the circumstances would be deeply unfair. The wild card, as all three hosts noted, is Taylen Green. The rookie brings elite mobility and raw physical traits that Gabriel simply doesn’t have. That’s enticing in today’s NFL. But Green is unproven and raw and the Browns have to decide whether the developmental upside is worth keeping him active on game days over a known commodity. It’s a quietly fascinating competition that will play out over training camp and the preseason. And it’s one worth tracking closely. For the full breakdown of the Browns’ quarterback depth chart battle and what the future holds for Dillon Gabriel, don’t miss the latest Orange and Brown Talk.