Dillon Gabriel throws three first-half TDs as Browns QB battle heats up
Dillon Gabriel's case for a roster spot in Cleveland just got a lot louder. The second-year quarterback, a 2025 third-round pick, threw three touchdown passes in the first half of the Browns' preseason game against the New England Patriots…
Dillon Gabriel's case for a roster spot in Cleveland just got a lot louder. The second-year quarterback, a 2025 third-round pick, threw three touchdown passes in the first half of the Browns' preseason game against the New England Patriots on Thursday night, continuing a strong camp showing.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Browns QB Dillon Gabriel now has thrown three touchdowns in the first half vs. the Patriots.
Gabriel's stat line through two quarters tells the story: 12 of 15 for 186 yards with three scores and no interceptions, good for a 157.9 passer rating.
MySportsUpdate (@MySportsUpdate): #Browns QB Dillon Gabriel in the first half vs. the Patriots: • 12/15 • 186 passing yards • 3 TDs • 0 INTs • 157.9 passer rating
The performance lands in the middle of a crowded Cleveland quarterback room. Deshaun Watson is the controversial starter, with Shedeur Sanders locked in as QB2 and rookie in Taylen Green. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday that the Browns have a "very real chance" to keep three quarterbacks, and that Gabriel "could serve as the three or would likely have interest elsewhere if traded or released" — a signal that his preseason work has nudged him up the depth chart.
Jordan Fowler (@JFowlerESPN): Very real chance Browns keep three QBs. Gabriel could serve as the three or would likely have interest elsewhere if traded or released.
Gabriel was drafted 94th overall out of Oregon by Cleveland in 2025 and has spent the summer clearly behind Sanders and Watson. Whether the Browns ultimately carry three signal-callers or move one, Thursday's three-touchdown half was the kind of audition that hardens a roster decision with cutdown day approaching.