Dillon Gabriel is back on the Cleveland Browns’ active roster, but he will have to keep waiting for a bigger role.
Gabriel will be inactive against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, with Shedeur Sanders holding onto the No. 2 job behind Deshaun Watson. The remaining question is whether Gabriel will be the third or fourth quarterback, with rookie Taylen Green also in the room.
Gabriel’s return created some uncertainty about how the Browns would arrange their quarterbacks. When coach Todd Monken was asked Wednesday how the activation would change the room, particularly on Sundays, he offered little clarity.
“I haven’t gotten there yet,” Monken said.
The Browns’ unofficial Week 8 depth chart lists Watson first, Sanders second, Gabriel third and Green fourth. That provides the initial order, although Gabriel’s final position relative to Green remains part of the game-day decision.
Sanders has been Watson’s primary backup this season, while Green has served as the emergency third quarterback. Gabriel’s activation gave Cleveland another experienced option, but it has not moved him ahead of Sanders.
Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com also reaffirmed this week that Sanders remained next in line, pushing back on speculation that Gabriel had overtaken him in practice.
Browns Have Four Quarterbacks After Gabriel’s Return
Cleveland activated Gabriel on October 26, ending an injured reserve stint that began August 30 because of a back injury. He returned to practice October 6 before eventually being cleared for a roster spot.
The Browns waived rookie tight end Carsen Ryan to make room, keeping Watson, Sanders, Gabriel and Green on the 53-man roster.
Gabriel arrived as a third-round pick in 2025 and made six starts as a rookie. He completed 110 of 185 passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns, giving Cleveland a reserve with regular-season experience.
Still, carrying four quarterbacks means finding room for players with limited immediate opportunities.
Deshaun Watson Keeps Browns’ Focus on Winning
Watson’s latest performance has given Cleveland little reason to revisit the starting job. He threw for 308 yards in a 27-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans, his first 300-yard passing game with the Browns. He also delivered his fifth fourth-quarter game-winning drive of the season as Cleveland improved to 5-2.
“I’m proud of Deshaun, the way he’s battled back in games at times and found a way to take us down the field and give us a chance for victory,” Monken said. “And the whole offense in general, and there’s been times our defense has made big stops. It’s given us opportunities.”
The quarterback surplus has generated trade speculation around Sanders and Watson. But for now, Gabriel can only sit and wait for his next opportunity.
The backup quarterback order is taking a back seat as the Browns prepare for a pivotal AFC North showdown with the Steelers. First place in the division will be on the line Sunday in Pittsburgh, putting the focus on Watson and whether he can deliver another win for Cleveland.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Gets Bad News Ahead of Steelers Game