The Baltimore Ravens need a roster revamp this offseason. Their disappointing 2025 campaign revealed countless flaws. They finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Heading into the 2025 season, it was widely believed that Baltimore had not just the best roster in the AFC North, but possibly the best roster in the entire NFL. That was not the case. Now, entering a crucial couple of months of the offseason, they’ll look to rebuild their team.
In the month before free agency, teams will be navigating their cap situations. Cap space will be created through a series of cuts, trades, and restructures. The Ravens can create a fair amount of money by cutting dead weight, and they may also see their division rivals reluctantly part ways with key parts of their team.
The Cleveland Browns are among those that could have some tough cuts to make. With their new head coach and former Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken at the helm now, he’s eyeing a fresh start, especially for the offense. That fresh start could begin with 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel packing his bags.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report recently constructed a list of three players from each team who could be cap casualties this offseason. Gabriel was part of that list for the Browns. Ballentine wrote:
“Letting go of Dillon Gabriel wouldn't be a pure cost-cutting move. The franchise seems to be headed toward a split from the rookie who started six games this past season.”
“Zac Jackson of The Athletic reported that the Browns are likely to go into next season with a quarterback battle between Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson and a mid-round pick. That makes Gabriel the odd man out and the Browns can get some cap relief out of the deal if they make him a post-June 1 designation.”
Ravens fans would laugh at potential offseason outcome for division rival
The moment the Browns drafted Gabriel, everyone raised an eyebrow. It was seen as a reach at the time, and when they added fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, the pick became all the more questionable. After another abysmal offensive season in Cleveland, Gabriel could quickly be on his way out.
The Oregon product struggled in six starts. He completed just 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. After a concussion in Week 11, Gabriel lost the starting job to Sanders. Sanders also struggled, but flashed more than Gabriel, and it looks like Sanders could be the rookie the Browns opt to go with moving forward.
If this outcome comes true, it’d be another failed quarterback experiment for the Browns. It’s exactly how the Ravens keep winning. If they keep outdrafting their division foes, they’ll remain near the top of the AFC North year after year. A brutal swing and miss on a third-round pick is an example where General Manager Eric DeCosta and Baltimore continue to hold the edge.