Cleveland quarterback Dillon Gabriel found himself in an awkward position during the Browns’ OTAs last week when defensive end Jared Verse showed up to practice with his No. 8 jersey. Verse, who arrived in Cleveland as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, donned the No. 8 jersey at the same time as Gabriel.

Dillon Gabriel’s Bizarre Jersey Number Controversy Draws Reactions

On Monday, “The Dawgs” podcast page on X revealed that after Verse’s silent coup last week, the Browns did not have a quarterback number remaining for Gabriel, with the numbers 1- 19 all taken.

The NFL world on X had mixed reactions to the revelation about Gabriel’s jersey number standoff with the organization.

Sports radio host Sean Pendergast pleaded with the Browns to put Gabriel out of his suffering by trading him. “Just trade the poor dude,” Pendergast wrote.

Podcaster John Rigolizzo criticized the NFL’s numbering system for causing the current awkward situation for Gabriel in Cleveland. “When the NFL adjusted the rules around jersey numbers, critics (myself among them) predicted that this exact thing would happen. There is no good reason for NFL linebackers to be wearing single digits. And tbh, WRs and DBs should have to earn them,” Rigolizzo posted.

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Tommy Callahan had a hilarious suggestion to resolve Gabriel’s jersey number standoff: “Go with .5,” Callahan posted.

One user on X predicted that the signs were dire for Gabriel’s future in Cleveland next season. “Ya, Dillon Gabriel ain’t gonna be a Brown this year,” the account wrote.

‘BillboardBrandon’ predicted that the jersey situation is a sign that Gabriel is about to be cut by the Browns.”The sirens getting louder. He know he bout to get cut,” Brandon posted.

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After being selected No. 94 overall by the Browns during the 2025 NFL Draft, Gabriel started the season as Joe Flacco’s backup before the veteran was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Gabriel then took over as the QB1 before suffering a concussion and falling behind Shedeur Sanders as the team’s starter until the end of the season.

While speaking to reporters last week, Cleveland coach Todd Monken seemed to focus on Sanders and the returning Deshaun Watson as the prospective starters next season, further freezing out Gabriel.

“We look at the film, and then we assess that, and again, I think both of them are doing exactly what we’re asking them to do and competing like hell,” Monken said. “Every day, I kind of lean one way or the other with quarterbacks. I just tell you, we’ve got two starting-level quarterbacks. We really do.”

In his first season in the NFL, Gabriel started six and appeared in ten total games, tallying 937 passing yards on 59.5% completion, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, finishing with a 1-5 record. He earned a PFSN QB Impact score of 50.8, which ranked second-worst in the league.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s future with the franchise is still up in the air, with the parties yet to agree on a contract extension. Mayfield is entering the last year of a lucrative three-year contract extension, which he signed with the Buccaneers in 2024 after establishing himself as one of the most effective quarterbacks in the league.

What Pat McAfee Said About Baker Mayfield’s Contract Standoff

During Monday’s segment of “The Pat McAfee Show,” analyst Pat McAfee addressed the contract standoff between the Buccaneers and Mayfield and why it didn’t signal the end of the quarterback’s career with the franchise.

“Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not gonna be negotiating when training camp starts,” McAfee said. “This is not abnormal. I think people try to make this a bigger deal than it actually is. He’s now in his third chapter, which has become his home and we’ve had Jason Licht, the GM, come out and say he absolutely loves Baker Mayfield.

“Whatever you think of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South, you like them and you think Baker and Tampa like each other. I don’t think we’re anywhere near done negotiating; we still got time. I don’t think that this is the most negative thing on earth that this is happening.”

Mayfield first signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Buccaneers in 2023 as he auditioned to fill the role left by the legendary Tom Brady. After strong performances in his debut season with the organization, the Buccaneers rewarded him with a hefty three-year, $100 million contract.

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Mayfield has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league during his stint in Tampa, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in 2023 and 2024. He led the Buccaneers to two NFC South titles in his first two seasons under center, although they regressed last season and missed the playoffs after a disappointing 8-9 finish.

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While speaking to reporters last week, Mayfield reiterated his wish to stay with the NFL franchise for the long term but revealed that the parties were nowhere near striking a deal to keep him in Tampa for the foreseeable future.

“We’d love to be here long-term. And as of right now, that’s not exactly the case, but I’m under contract for 2026,” Mayfield said. “Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff, it’s all ball.”

Last season, Mayfield tallied 3,693 passing yards on 63.2% completion, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, while adding 382 rushing yards and 1 score for the Buccaneers, earning a PFSN QB Impact score of 73.4.

The Los Angeles Rams put together an interesting offseason with their roster moves, which included drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The team is widely considered to be in win-now mode, and the blockbuster trade they ultimately pulled off reflected as much. But how did it all come together in the end?

How the Rams Plotted a Masterful Offseason Plan to Land Ty Simpson and Myles Garrett

The Rams entered the offseason with an axe to grind after narrowly losing out on the Super Bowl last season. With an aging franchise quarterback in Matthew Stafford, the front office had a clear mission: win at any cost in 2026.

They moved early in the offseason, acquiring two-time Super Bowl champion Trent McDuffie in a blockbuster trade with the Chiefs, and signing his former teammate Jaylen Watson in free agency to bolster the secondary. Among a series of other moves, they also shocked many on draft night by selecting Simpson 13th overall.

With a quarterback for the future, a rockstar offense (that booked a 92.3 PFSN Offense Impact rating in 2025), and a loaded secondary, the front office still had one more move up its sleeve.

Enter: June 1.

In one of the biggest trades for a defensive player in NFL history, Los Angeles sent Jared Verse and draft capital to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for $204 million All-Pro Myles Garrett. The move sent shockwaves through the league, to the point of waking rumors about Rams legend Aaron Donald returning to join Garrett on the defensive line.

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Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer detailed how the offseason came together for the Rams, noting the significance of their draft strategy.

“It’s not fortunate that you got to wait till June 1st to get Myles Garrett on your team if you’re the Rams,” he said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “But the fact that they were going to have to wait for June 1st meant they couldn’t use a 2026 pick as part of the deal. So why not use that pick now to get your quarterback?”

While the Rams are sacrificing a lot to win now, it’s seen as a win for them to have gotten a quarterback like Simpson.

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When they first picked the quarterback, the thinking was that the Rams knew they likely wouldn’t be picking in the top half of the first round again in the near future (since they would be too good), and they used the Atlanta Falcons’ pick to select Simpson. But they probably knew that they were going to go after Garrett, so they didn’t expect to have a first-rounder at all next year.

“You weren’t going to touch [your 2026 first-round pick] as part of the Myles Garrett trade anyway,” Breer added. “And then you’ve got all those picks in the future to include as part of the deal. And, you know, obviously, it worked out for them that way.”

There’s a lot riding on the 2026 season for the Rams, and it’ll be fascinating to see whether head coach Sean McVay manages to extract the maximum out of his loaded roster.

The Buffalo Bills’ offseason coaching overhaul has triggered league-wide speculation regarding a potential high-profile addition to the backfield.

Following the promotion of Joe Brady to head coach and the January hiring of longtime New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, external analysts are pointing to a familiar veteran as a logical trade target.

Could the Bills Land Alvin Kamara in a Trade Thanks to Pete Carmichael Connection?

In a recent report detailing the NFL’s top remaining trade candidates, FOX Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman identified five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara as a prime option for Buffalo.

The main driver of a potential move is a shifting roster structure in New Orleans. In March, the Saints signed unrestricted free agent Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year contract, bringing the Louisiana native home after a 2025 campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he logged 1,107 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns.

With Etienne established as the Saints’ primary option, the 30-year-old Kamara faces a significantly reduced role for the first time in his nine-year career.

“Alvin Kamara just turned 30, and with the New Orleans Saints signing Travis Etienne in free agency, he won’t be the Saints’ featured back for the first time in his career,” Auman noted in his column.

“New Orleans takes on $18 million in dead money (split over two years) if they cut him and $15 million if they trade him… POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Buffalo Bills, where former longtime Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is now the offensive coordinator.”

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Carmichael was directing the Saints’ offense when New Orleans selected Kamara in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over their seven seasons together, Kamara earned five consecutive Pro Bowl selections (2017–2021) and consistently surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage each year, establishing himself as one of the premier dual-threat weapons in the league.

Despite the clear schematic familiarity, Kamara’s recent statistical trajectory presents a hurdle for a Buffalo team coming off a 12-5 regular season.

Under Brady’s guidance last year, the Bills’ offense ranked fourth in both total yards and scoring, powered heavily by James Cook, who claimed the NFL rushing title with 1,621 yards.

Kamara’s recent production has shown signs of decline. In 2025, he recorded 657 scrimmage yards and just one touchdown, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and a career-low 5.6 yards per reception. Kamara earned a failing RB Impact grade of F in 2025, with a 46.0 Impact Score that ranked 50th among running backs for the season and 622nd overall.

Analytical evaluations indicate that internal alternatives may offer a more efficient and cost-effective route than absorbing Kamara’s contract.

Specifically, running back Ty Johnson proved highly efficient in his limited 2025 role, generating 463 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns while averaging 4.0 yards per carry and 11.0 yards per reception.

Johnson’s existing rapport with quarterback Josh Allen further underscores the need for an expensive veteran trade.

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If Buffalo’s front office decides to pursue a deal, Brady’s historical tendencies suggest Kamara would not be brought in to carry a heavy workload. Instead, he would likely be utilized in a specialized committee role, primarily serving as a third-down receiving specialist.

Ultimately, the decision rests on whether the Bills view Kamara’s situational value and veteran leadership as worth the required trade assets and financial obligations.