The Cleveland Browns were not good in 2025 no matter what quarterback lined up behind center. Joe Flacco began the season before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, giving way for former Oregon DuckDillon Gabriel to start six games before a concussion allowed fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders to take over for the final seven games of the season.
Sanders and Gabriel, plus Deshaun Watson, who was out the entire season with an Achilles injury, are the three quarterbacks currently under contract for the Browns prior to the 2026 season.
While in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry was mum about who the starter was going to be to open next season.
“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” Berry said Tuesday at the NFL combine. “I think any player that we have in that room we would expect to compete to earn a role.”
Berry was asked extensively about Sanders, who’s raw talent was revealed in his seven starts as well as many warts that will have to be corrected moving forward. He also spoke on Gabriel, the former Duck who went 1-5 in his six starts.
“He may be forgotten externally, but he’s not forgotten to us,” Berry said. “Look, Dillon, he’s working. He’s going to handle everything that’s within his control, and we love all of our players and our home roster. Dillon’s a guy that has a bright future in this league.”
Though Gabriel won just one game, his stats weren’t unimpressive. He played largely turnover-free football, tossing just two interceptions versus seven touchdown passes to go along with 937 yards. He completed 59.5% of his passes, a mark that is usually low for rookie quarterbacks.
But the eye test suggested that Gabriel’s ceiling wasn’t as high as Sanders’, as the former Oregon star struggled to push the ball downfield and instead settled for short and intermediate throws that didn’t quite move the needle.
Berry isn’t necessarily the one in charge of selecting the Browns’ starting quarterback, as that decision will come down to newly-hired head coach Todd Monken.
The circumstances point towards it being an uphill battle for Gabriel to start for the Browns in 2026, as Watson is being paid $46 million in salary next season. Sanders appeared to have more potential in a similar amount of time as Gabriel. Yet if Berry’s words remain true, the former Duck will be given a shot at the starting quarterback role, something that will be hashed out in the next six-to-eight months.
Contact/Follow@Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Browns GM addresses QB Dillon Gabriel’s future in the NFL
