The Browns wrapped up the preseason with a 37-13 rout of the Patriots on Thursday Night Football, and a few fringe roster battles got a lot more interesting in the process.
Dillon Gabriel put together his best performance in a Browns uniform. He went 12-of-15 for 186 yards and three touchdowns, the kind of efficient, polished outing that tends to make a team think twice about trying to hide a player on the practice squad.
Cleveland had already been giving Gabriel more run after he surged late in veteran minicamp this spring, and now it looks even harder to imagine him slipping through waivers. Gabriel was never really a serious challenger in the Deshaun Watson vs.
Shedeur Sanders competition, and he remains Cleveland’s third-string quarterback, but this showing could draw attention from quarterback-needy teams. A backup role elsewhere would be a step up, and it feels deserved after this finale.
On the offensive line, Austin Barber made noise without even being listed as a starter. The Browns’ third-round pick, a natural tackle, looked powerful at right guard and was flattening New England defenders in the third quarter.
That matters because Cleveland has been encouraged by what it’s seen from him after general manager Andrew Berry traded back into the third round to get him. If Barber keeps developing inside, it could put pressure on the current starter, Jenkins.
The receiver competition also got a little tighter. Mentor High School and Kent State product Floriea caught two touchdowns from Gabriel, and replay took away a third.
Gage Larvadain stayed in the mix too, finishing with five catches for 48 yards. Floriea’s three touchdowns across two games have made him a popular name, but the final receiver spot still seems up for grabs between him, Larvadain, and Malachi Corley, who helped out on special teams.
There was also a rough ending for Fano, who had to be helped off the field in the closing minutes. Being out there that late could be a bad sign for his roster chances, even with Cleveland’s defensive line thin. If the injury is minor, the Browns could still view him as a practice squad option if they decide to go with more established pass rushers on the initial 53-man roster.
Then there’s Green, who brought a different kind of intrigue. He completed five of seven passes for 27 yards, but his legs did the real damage: eight carries, 66 yards, and a long run of 30.
That kind of athleticism is hard to ignore, and it makes him a tricky player to try to sneak through waivers. If Cleveland keeps him at quarterback, he gives the offense a dual-threat option for goal line packages.
He still needs work as a passer, but his speed and burst make him useful enough to force a real conversation about whether the Browns can afford to keep all four quarterbacks.
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Browns QB Picture Just Got More Complicated Than Fans Expected
The Browns quarterback conversation was already crowded with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders drawing most of the attention, but there is another name starting to nudge into the picture. Rookie Taylen Green has begun to get notice from some analysts as a quarterback with real upside, the kind of developmental talent who can make a depth chart a lot less settled than it looked a few weeks ago.
Green is still in the early stages of proving himself, but the buzz around him has only made Clevelands long-term plan feel more layered. If the Browns continue to sort through the present while thinking ahead to future draft classes, Green could end up becoming part of a bigger competition than anyone expected, with some even wondering whether he might be in line to start by the end of the 2026 season. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Put Patriots On The Ropes With A First Half Statement
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For the Browns, it was the kind of opening half that lets a team control the tone and force the opponent to chase. Luke Floriea was part of the damage on Clevelands side, while New England leaned on Behren Morton at quarterback and Andy Borregales on the scoreboard just to stay within reach, leaving the second half with plenty still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sent A Tough Message About One Camp Standouts Odds
Michael Coats Jr. had been one of the quieter camp stories worth tracking in Berea, an undrafted rookie cornerback trying to carve out a place on a crowded defense. Instead, a lower body injury during practice has put his roster push on shaky ground, and the Browns wasted little time making a move that showed how seriously they were treating the position.
Cleveland waived wide receiver Cedric Tillman and claimed cornerback Mekhi Blackmon off waivers to add another body to the secondary. Blackmon, a third-round pick in 2023, brings NFL experience with him, even if his path has been interrupted after the Vikings moved on following an ACL injury. For Coats, the timing could hardly be worse, because every camp rep matters when a team starts reshaping the back end of its roster. [Read more 🡒]