Browns Keep Dillon Gabriel Behind Watson After 3-TD Preseason Finale
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 28
Browns Keep Dillon Gabriel Behind Watson After 3-TD Preseason Finale
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 28
Summary
Todd Monken said Dillon Gabriel’s 12-of-15, 186-yard, 3-touchdown outing against New England did not alter Cleveland’s quarterback depth chart, with Deshaun Watson still set to open 2026 as the starter.
Monken also declined to say whether the Browns will keep 4 quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, saying he and general manager Andrew Berry had not yet discussed the final decision.
Gabriel, 25, helped build a 27-13 halftime lead in a 37-13 win while Watson and Shedeur Sanders sat out, reviving debate over whether Cleveland is undervaluing the 2025 third-round pick.
That debate is sharpened by recent results: Gabriel started 6 games last season before a Week 11 concussion, and PFN’s metric rated him third-worst among quarterbacks at 64.0—still ahead of Sanders at 63.0.
Cleveland has carried 4 quarterbacks before and later moved 2 of them, with the Browns set to open the regular season against Jacksonville on Sept. 13.