Who Should I Start? Gardner Minshew or Dillon Gabriel

Tuesday, December 23, 9:38 AM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew (knee) got good news from an MRI on his injured knee, as his ACL was not torn as initially feared. He's still out for the rest of the season on IR, but his recovery will be quicker since it's a "non-displaced tibial plateau fracture," which is basically a severe bone bruise but does not require surgery. The seventh-year QB was on a one-year deal with the Chiefs, but only played two games this season. He'll be a free agent this offseason, and the fact that he won't have to recover from a torn ACL will make him one of the better backup options on the market. He could return to Kansas City or land with a new team, but wherever he ends up, the fact that he doesn't have a torn ACL should improve his chances of being ready for offseason activities and the start of next season.

Sunday, December 28, 11:49 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel (shoulder) injured his left shoulder at some point during the week and has been ruled out for the Week 17 divisional clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. With Gabriel inactive, Bailey Zappe has been elevated to the 53-man active roster from the practice squad and will serve as rookie Shedeur Sanders' backup this weekend. The 25-year-old Gabriel ended up making six starts for Cleveland in his first year in the NFL in 2025, but he was largely mediocre while failing to push the ball downfield. Gabriel's reign as the team's starting QB ended in Week 11 when he suffered a concussion, opening the door for Sanders to take over. In his six starts, the Oregon product completed 58.9% of his passes for 918 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions while adding 86 rushing yards. Gabriel is expected to compete for the starting gig next year with Sanders and Deshaun Watson (Achilles).