Deshaun Watson was named the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback for Week 1 on Monday, sending Shedeur Sanders into the backup role to begin the season. The two QBs had been battling it out all offseason and into preseason, with head coach Todd Monken ultimately opting to go with the proven veteran under center. But now there's another quarterback battle brewing in Cleveland.
On Thursday, the Browns will play their final preseason game against the Patriots in Cleveland. Neither Watson nor Sanders will play in the game — instead, second-year player Dillon Gabriel will get the start, and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green will come in after him. "I’m excited for Dillon and seeing Taylen," Monken said.
"We went through the first couple of games, the way we went about it, Taylen did a great job over the course of time with limited reps and going against the Bills, really executing our offense at a high level. So, I’m excited to get him out there and see him play." With Watson already locked in as the starter and Sanders as the backup, Gabriel and Green will be competing for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. But with the roster cutdown deadline coming on Sunday, and the team unlikely to want to carry four quarterbacks into the regular season, both players could be playing for their jobs as well.
More news: Browns Coach Reveals Shedeur Sanders’ Reaction to Losing Starting Job More news: Commanders Bring in Former Bills Second-Round Pick to Bolster Pass Rush Gabriel was actually listed ahead of Sanders on the Browns' depth chart last season, when both were rookies. Gabriel, Cleveland's third-round pick (No. 94 overall), appeared in 10 games and completed 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. At just 5-foot-11, there were already concerns about his size coming into the draft, and his limited rushing ability made it even more difficult for him to carry over his college success to the NFL level.
Green is almost on the exact opposite end of the spectrum. A 6-foot-6 legitimate dual-threat quarterback out of Arkansas, Green put himself on everybody's radar at the 2026 NFL Combine, posting a 4.36 40-yard dash time along with a 43.5-inch vertical jump. Last season with the Razorbacks, he completed 60.7% of his passes for 2,714 yards and 19 touchdowns, along with 777 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
While he may have entered the summer as the fourth QB in the rotation, Green's got a real shot to overtake Gabriel as the QB3 come Thursday. Gabriel saw action, albeit limited, in both of the Browns' first two preseason games, but he didn't look great. We have yet to see Green in live NFL action — Thursday will be his chance to prove he's more than just hype.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
