New Browns Rumors on Drafting QB to Compete with Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room could be mostly unchanged by the time the 2026 NFL draft concludes.

ESPN's Matt Miller reported Wednesday that "the Browns don't anticipate drafting a QB this year after selecting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders last April."

First-year head coach Todd Monken wasn't around when Cleveland picked Gabriel and Sanders, so he may not feel as personally invested in the pair as his predecessor might've been.

It sounds as though Monken is keeping a pretty open mind about the quarterback competition:

A three-man battle between Gabriel, Sanders and Deshaun Watson doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

Watson hasn't logged an NFL snap since October 2024 and has steadily declined from his peak with the Houston Texans. Neither Gabriel nor Sanders excelled as rookies. They both averaged fewer than 200 passing yards per game when they started.

Despite all of that, there isn't a prospect realistically available to Cleveland who'd be a clear upgrade.

The Browns don't have any path to getting Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Alabama's Ty Simpson (No. 44) is the only other quarterback in the top 100 of Bleacher Report's final big board.

There isn't much point in spending another late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick on a quarterback when Gabriel and Sanders are still on the roster.

The fanbase is understandably sick of seeing a losing team, and sooner or later the patience of star defensive end Myles Garrett may wear thin. But the 2026 season is likely to be another rebuilding year in Northeast Ohio.

In terms of the QB situation, the best approach is giving Gabriel and Sanders more time to see whether they've developed. The front office and coaching staff can then reassess everything next offseason.