Dillon Gabriel debuted a new jersey number this week at the Cleveland Browns’ mandatory minicamp, switching from No. 8 to No. 6. The change comes after Jared Verse, who was acquired earlier this month in a blockbuster trade involving Myles Garrett, took the No. 8 jersey.
The quarterback, who’s entering his second season in the NFL, appears to be dreaming of something big with his new jersey. He made waves on Saturday after posting a picture of Baker Mayfield in the No. 6 jersey during his days with the Browns on his Instagram story.
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While the post appears ordinary on the surface, many believe Gabriel is sending a message with it. It’s been interpreted as the quarterback seeing his situation in Cleveland mirroring that of Mayfield, as he’s currently projected to be a third-stringer next season.
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Baker Mayfield was drafted as the first-overall pick by the Browns in 2018 after a successful college career at Oklahoma. Despite early glimpses of brilliance, he had a turbulent four-year tenure with the Browns. He’s nonetheless grown to become one of the best in the NFL outside of Cleveland.
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Gabriel’s Instagram post and the cryptic message it seemingly passed have generated a lot of reactions among NFL fans. While the quarterback is projecting a successful career for himself, fans had different opinions regarding the post, featuring Baker Mayfield.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions online:
Rich Eisen explains what jersey change means for Dillon Gabriel
Rich Eisen believes the Browns’ taking away the No. 8 jersey from Dillon Gabriel and handing it to Jared Verse passed a message. On his podcast on Wednesday, the NFL Network analyst noted the move signifies where Gabriel, who started six games last season, stands in the ongoing QB race.
“We just heard why Dillon Gabriel’s wearing No. 6, because [Todd Monken] didn’t mention Dillon’s in the running for starter for this team,” Rich Eisen said. “Shedeur has clearly separated himself from Dillon Gabriel. The Dillon Gabriel vs. Shedeur days appear to be over. He’s talking about Deshaun and Shedeur.
“Some coaches will be like, ‘The whole quarterback room is involved. Everybody. Have your head on a swivel if you’re in the quarterback room because I might call your number — 8 or 6.’ It sure sounds like Dillon Gabriel’s got a mountain to climb here. That’s what that sounded like to me. He lost his number and apparently his No. 2 on the depth chart ranking.”
Gabriel started the 2025 season as the backup quarterback to Joe Flacco under Kevin Stefanski. He took the starting role in Week 5 as Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. He, however, lost it after suffering a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf
