Dillon Gabriel entered the NFL with the FBS record as the player responsible for the most total career touchdowns (179). However, he has failed to realize that potential, and there's barely any time left for the Browns.

The Browns selected former Oregon star Dillon Gabriel with the 94th overall pick during Round 3. While he showed promise early in the season, the rookie missed out on a chunk of the season thanks to an injury and has yet win his first NFL game.

Gabriel has a passer rating of 80.8 with 937 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in 10 games this season. These aren't the numbers you would expect from a rookie who was less than 500 yards shy of the FBS record for all-time passing yards.

On the other hand, Sanders has been doing comparatively well. He has recorded more explosive passing plays in two starts than Gabriel had all year. Sanders has put up 1,103 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in 6 games, despite being among the most pressured QBs in the league right now.

With Sander's now in the QB1 position, Dawg Poud Daily's Mike Luciano believes it may be too late for Gabriel. "No matter what happens with the quarterback spot in the next few months, Gabriel may have blown his shot to start," wrote Luciano.

With the Browns sitting at 3-12, and the regular season almost over, the going will probably get harder for Gabriel.

2026 probably won't change things for Dillon Gabriel

In 2025, Dillion Gabriel only had to deal with Sanders. However, next season, veteran Desahun Watson is set to return to the roster.

With the Browns currently holding the No. 3 draft pick, QBs like Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, or Alabama's Ty Simpson seem to be under consideration.

Insiders report that the team is considering starting Watson in case Shedeur Sanders fails to reach QB1 potential. The former Texans QB has a five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns, and they would not like to waste that money on the bench.

Although Dillon Gabriel can be a great backup QB for the Browns, the rookie himself may not want to spend time on the bench regularly.

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi