Gabriel, a 2025 third-round pick, was selected two rounds ahead of Shedeur Sanders but now appears to sit behind not only Sanders on Cleveland's depth chart, but also veteran Deshaun Watson, who has recovered from his Achilles injuries. In 10 regular-season appearances as a rookie, including six starts, Gabriel struggled to generate production beyond short-area throws, posting a league-worst 5.1 yards per attempt while completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Cleveland added rookie WRs KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to the receiving corps, and a revamped offensive line should improve overall stability, but Gabriel enters 2026 without a clear path to meaningful playing time.