Only one season into the NFL, the Cleveland Browns' 2025 third-round pick, Dillon Gabriel, is in trouble. Trade talks have already picked up about Gabriel. With the quarterback competition brewing in Andrew Berry's team, an analyst dropped his take.

On 22 April, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported that the Browns could trade Gabriel this week. 

“Gabriel probably isn’t a starting quarterback in the NFL, so he probably knows he’s not in the Browns’ plans,” he wrote.

Racking up 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and getting sacked 19 times, Gabriel comes off as the odd one out in the quarterback race. He served as the team’s starting quarterback for six games in 2025 before a concussion forced him out.

“Though most teams carry four quarterbacks through their offseason programs, it’s possible the Browns could trade Gabriel during the draft or just afterward if some other team became interested in him," Jackson added.

Gabriel took to the practice field in Berea to make his case, but it did not go his way. He completed 3 of 6 passes with no touchdowns and two interceptions in limited action.

“It does seem like it’s a two-man race right now between Deshaun and Shedeur, but the Browns have not counted out Dillon Gabriel," Mary Kay Cabot doubled down on what Jackson said.

What is more concerning is Deshaun Watson's strong recovery from his twice-torn Achilles tendon. The voluntary mini camp painted a picture of what the future looks like for the Browns.

In the first meaningful session under new head coach Todd Monken, Shedeur and Watson split first-team duties during team drills, while Gabriel was left without any snaps with the starters.

But he is keeping all the noise away.

How Is Dillon Gabriel Dealing With the Pressure Amidst Quarterback Competition

The Cleveland Browns hold nine picks in the 2026 draft, with two picks in the first round. However, they are unlikely to use any of their early picks on a quarterback.

Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide has often been linked to the Cleveland Browns. However, he’s widely considered the second-best quarterback in the class, and Cleveland is unlikely to select him with either of its first-round picks.

But the Browns can definitely take a chance on one in the middle rounds. Prospects like Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier, and Cade Klubnik might catch Monken's attention. So, not just from his teammates, Gabriel is also facing pressure from the 2027 prospects.

Amidst this, he is trying to keep his focus intact.

“I’m just running my own race and developing each day and getting better,” Gabriel said. “That’s all you can do. And that’s what I’m focused on. I think I’m just controlling what I can.”

It's time to see whether the Browns choose to run one more season with Gabriel or take the trading route.

What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar