The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback conundrum on their hands, and the NFL rumor mill is already spinning. With a crowded QB room heading into the 2026-27 season, trade speculation is heating up—and two NFC South teams are emerging as prime landing spots for a recently benched signal-caller.

According to Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons should both be in the mix for 25-year-old Dillon Gabriel, the Browns' former third-round pick who was benched during the 2025-26 campaign. Gabriel is currently on a $6 million deal, but Cleveland's offseason moves have made his future in Ohio uncertain.

The Browns doubled down at quarterback this year, drafting Arkansas' Taylen Green to join a room that already includes Deshaun Watson and fellow 2025 draftee Shedeur Sanders. With Watson's massive $45 million cap hit essentially locking him into the roster, one of the second-year QBs is likely on the move. Knox predicts Gabriel—a 5'11" pocket passer who thrived under former head coach Kevin Stefanski but may not fit the current offensive scheme—could be the odd man out.

While Gabriel isn't being touted as a future franchise starter, he proved he can hold his own as a spot starter, posting an 80.8 passer rating across six starts last season. That kind of reliability makes him an attractive backup option for teams needing depth under center.

Of the two potential landing spots, the Buccaneers stand out as the most logical fit. Baker Mayfield is locked in as the starter, but the backup role is wide open. Jake Browning showed flashes with the Bengals in 2023-24, but his turnover issues last season left the door ajar for competition. If Gabriel lands in Tampa Bay, he'd get a legitimate shot to battle for the No. 2 job—and in a league where quarterbacks go down fast, that could be a career-defining opportunity.