The Cleveland Browns face a complicated quarterback situation entering the season. The team currently has four quarterbacks under contract, but only three are on the active roster after Dillon Gabriel was placed on injured reserve with a back injury that is expected to sideline him for at least the first month.
That situation raises the possibility that Cleveland could add a fifth quarterback by claiming Joe Milton III, whom the Dallas Cowboys released on Monday, August 31.
Jared Mueller of Dawgs By Nature, part of SB Nation, raised the possibility of the Browns pursuing Milton after Dallas made the roster move.
“Just like Cleveland, the Dallas Cowboys continued their roster juggling on Monday, waiving QB Joe Milton, who many believed would be the team’s primary backup to QB Dak Prescott,” Mueller wrote.
Cleveland currently holds the sixth position in the NFL waiver order, which could give the Browns an opportunity to claim Milton before another team does.
“Given Milton’s athletic ability and big arm, he fits HC Todd Monken’s traits for a quarterback,” Mueller continued. “While Cleveland could choose to claim Milton and waive a player at another position, that seems unlikely. Instead, the addition of Milton would likely lead to the departure of either Shedeur Sanders or the rookie Taylen Green. With Milton’s experience and Green entering his first season, Sanders seems like the odd man out if the Browns were to claim Milton.”
Browns Could Explore a Shedeur Sanders Trade
If Cleveland claims Milton and decides to move on from Sanders, the Browns would likely explore a trade rather than expose the quarterback to waivers.
Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and finished last season as Cleveland’s starter for the final seven games of his rookie campaign. He also spent the offseason competing with Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job, a competition Watson ultimately won in late August.
Sanders is nevertheless expected to open the season as Watson’s backup. He would have a significant opportunity to reclaim the starting role if Watson fails to meet expectations, a possibility that does not appear far-fetched.
The Browns’ decision to retain four quarterbacks during the initial roster cutdown to 53 players had already prompted questions about whether one of them could become a trade asset.
Gabriel was viewed as the most likely quarterback to leave, and that possibility remains. However, his back injury and placement on injured reserve make an immediate trade more difficult.
Depending on how the first four games unfold, Gabriel could return healthy and compete for a backup role behind a promoted Sanders and ahead of a demoted Watson.
If Watson remains the starter and Sanders continues as his primary backup, Gabriel could become an appealing trade option after the strong performance he delivered in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots.
Source: www.marca.com
