The Cleveland Browns pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster trades in the history of the NFL when they sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for a first, second, and third-round pick, along with edge rusher Jared Verse.
It was a blockbuster among all blockbusters, and while they lost Garrett, the picks and Verse coming back are a strong return that the Browns should be excited about. But shortly after adding Verse, a ridiculous story began brewing.
Dillon Gabriel and Verse were both wearing No. 8 at OTAs for the Browns. Such a scenario brought about some questions, which NFL insider Mike Garafolo answered on Friday morning, revealing just why the Browns have two players wearing No. 8 right now.
Why Jared Verse and Dillon Gabriel both have No. 8 right now for Browns
"It is my understanding that you can confidently buy your Jared Verse No. 8 jerseys," Garafolo said. "They're waiting on the NFL's approval... for Dillon Gabriel to change his number..."
From @gmfb: The Jared Verse-Dillon Gabriel jersey situation apparently isn’t a standoff for No. 8. The #Browns are waiting for NFL approval for Gabriel to change his number. pic.twitter.com/9HFoBOCzLz
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 5, 2026The new Browns addition from the Garrett trade is going to be the one wearing No. 8 on his jersey going forward.
Gabriel, meanwhile, is going to be changing his jersey number, but as of right now, the NFL has yet to approve the jersey number switch.
While the exact reason for the holdup isn't known, for now, Gabriel will continue to wear No. 8 at OTAs and practice until his new number is approved.
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All jersey number changes have to be approved by the NFL, and this situation is not any different. But the holdup is a bit more interesting than other jersey changes.
When this gets resolved and Gabriel finally gets a new jersey number, it will be interesting to see what he chooses. But, it's also within the realm of possibility that the Browns trade him this offseason, as he's firmly the third quarterback at best.
Regardless of how this is resolved, Browns fans can be confident in knowing that Verse will be wearing No. 8 during his Browns career, and Gabriel will be changing his jersey number this offseason.
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