Despite not seeing the field, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel popped up on the injury report and could miss time.
Gabriel has been dubbed questionable for a Week 17 clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s dealing with a shoulder injury, but the Browns didn’t provide much more context.
“Yeah, soreness popped up,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Along with Gabriel, tight Harold Fannin Jr., cornerback Myles Harden, defensive tackle Sam Kamara, running back Dylan Sampson and guard Wyatt Teller are also listed as questionable. Tight end David Njoku and linebacker Winston Reid have already been ruled out.
Fannin is the most concerning of the bunch. He’s been a favorite target of starter Shedeur Sanders and leads the Browns in receptions (70), receiving yards (701) and touchdowns (5). Fannin was injured on Friday during practice.
“Just had something come up. Sometimes injuries happen on a Friday, and you got to see how it progresses to Sunday,” Stefanski said. “He’ll do everything he can to be out there.”
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Booed in Only Snap vs. Bills
Gabriel entered for a single play against the Bills when Sanders had to retreat to the locker room quickly with a finger injury. The Browns’ home crowd booed Gabriel when he entered for a red zone snap. He was sacked on the play and the Browns kicked a field goal.
After the game, Sanders said he apologized to Gabriel for putting him in a tough spot.
“I did everything to come back,” Sanders said. “I didn’t want to put Dillon in a bad situation. It’s tough to play that role because you don’t get reps. “I said, ‘My bad bro’ for putting you in that situation.”
Gabriel started six games this season, going 1-5 in the games. He has passed for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. If Gabriel is unable to go against the Steelers, Bailey Zappe will be elevated from the practice squad to assume the backup role.
Dillon Gabriel Faces Uncertain Future With Browns
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round. It was a selection that many saw as a reach. Now that he’s been supplanted as the starter by Sanders, Gabriel faces an uncertain future in Cleveland.
“He was overdrafted and shouldn’t be in the team’s plans except as a potential future backup option. Maybe the Browns will choose that route in 2026, or they’ll try to trade Gabriel for a late-round pick to another team seeking a backup,” Zac Jackson of The Athletic said recently. “The best thing for Gabriel to get a chance to have a real NFL career would be a fresh start somewhere else for his second season. If the Browns have a new coaching staff and front office, that group will have to decide what it thinks about Gabriel and Sanders.”
Overall, the Browns’ quarterback situation remains very much in flux. Sanders will start the final two games of the season, but his long-term outlook in Cleveland is still unresolved. The rookie is effectively auditioning down the stretch as the front office weighs whether to commit to him in 2026 or pivot this offseason and pursue one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft.
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