Who will be the Browns' QB1?

While most of the NFL Insiders have backed either Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson as QB1, none even mentioned Gabriel. But while the media might have forgotten him, Andrew Berry has not.

“He may be forgotten externally, but he’s not forgotten to us. (He’s) gonna handle everything within his control,” Berry said at the NFL Combine on Tuesday. “Dillon’s a guy that has a bright future in this league.”

Gabriel was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. The franchise made him the QB1 of the team after veteran Joe Flacco failed to have an impact in the first four weeks of the 2025 season. But even he didn't have much of an impact.

He had a passer rating of 80.8 with 937 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in 10 games in 2025. Gabriel played only 6 games as the starter, and the Browns won only one of them. In the Week 11 game against the Ravens, he suffered a concussion.

That was the end of his NFL debut season as Shedeur Sanders became the QB1 of the Browns after back-to-back good performances from Week 12-14. And while he also did not bring in great records, the Browns still won 3 games with him.

After the season ended, there has been a debate over who will be the primary QB of the Browns in 2026. The debate has mainly focused on Sanders, Watson, free agents, and prospects in the 2026 NFL draft, but Gabriel has been missing from it all.

Though the Browns Will Have an Open Competion Between Shedeur Sanders, Watson, and Dillon Gabriel

Browns general manager Andrew Berry has publicly stated that the team will hold an open competition for the 2026 starting QB job. He has emphasized there’s no rush to name a starter and that all players will need to earn it.

Todd Monken is also of the same thought. "Sure, I think it's an open competition. I mean, I don't why it wouldn't be an open competition. I don't mean that saying it harshly, but I don't think there's enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally," he said.

Deshaun Watson has a passer rating of 80.7 with 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 19 games for the Browns in his career. But he has a history of injuries and has not played an NFL game since his Achilles tear in October 2024.

Shedeur Sanders, on the other hand, had a passer rating of 68.1 with 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 8 games in 2025. He was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl.

But if Gabriel was also in the race, then who would you pick as the QB1 of the 2026 Cleveland Browns?

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Joyita Das