The Cleveland Browns might not have a jersey number controversy after all.At least, not for the time being.Second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel appeared this Tuesday, the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp, rocking a No. 6 jersey. Browns QB Dillon Gabriel wearing No. 6 at mandatory minicamp. Last assigned to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. pic.twitter.com/Ne4uKyZaJB— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 9, 2026Last season, Gabriel started six games as a rookie, wearing jersey No. 8. However, that jersey is now being worn by newcomer Jared Verse, acquired along with three draft picks as part of the Myles Garree6tt trade with the Los Angeles Rams.Verse’s arrival and taking of the No. 8 jersey created an awkward situation during the past few days, when both players were seen using the same number during OTA sessions. Now, apparently, the Browns have resolved the situation for the time being, by handing him another player’s number. Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koromah, who will miss the entirety of the season while on the reserve/PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list for the second consecutive year, is the original owner of the No. 6 jersey. According to the NFL’s rules, quarterbacks must be assigned numbers from the 0-19 range. However, recent rule changes have opened up those 20 numbers for other positions including edge rushing linebackers, which is why Verse can also wear No. 8. On Cleveland’s roster, all numbers from 0 to 19 were already taken when Verse was added via trade, except No. 14, which is retired in honor of Otto Graham. That left Gabriel without a jersey number, until now. What’s Dillon Gabriel’s outlook with the Browns? A jersey number isn’t the only thing Gabriel is currently being left out of. Head coach Todd Monken confirmed once again today at minicamp that the team’s open competition for the starting job is between Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.“They’ve both played well enough to earn the right to compete to start.”This has been Monken’s stance since he took the team. Despite general manager Andrew Berry trying to sneak Gabriel into the quarterback conversation back in February by stating, "He may be forgotten externally, but he's not forgotten to us," Gabriel’s chances at being a factor at the quarterback position for the Browns in 2026 look to be slim to none. That’s especially true after the Browns added another passer in the sixth round of this year’s draft, Taylen Green out of Arkansas. Gabriel was thrust into the starter role last year under former head coach Kevin Stefanski after veteran Joe Flacco was demoted. He finished the season with a 1-5 record, completing 110 out of 185 pass attempts for 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, before a concussion knocked him out of the lineup, paving the way for Sanders to finish the season as the starter.There’s no certainty that Owusu-Koramoah can return to the gridiron following a serious neck injury in October of 2024 that has wiped out two and a half seasons already, or when that could be, but there’s also no guarantee that Gabriel can keep his roster spot in Cleveland, so handing him the No. 6 jersey makes sense... for now.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow