The Cleveland Browns may bring Dillon Gabriel back without sending another quarterback out the door.
Gabriel’s 21-day practice window expires October 27, putting general manager Andrew Berry on the clock. But Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan believes the approaching deadline will produce a four-quarterback situation rather than an immediate trade.
“I think Andrew Berry calls everyone’s bluff and keeps all four on the active roster,” Ruiter said during an October 22 appearance on 92.3 The Fan.
Gabriel has been on injured reserve with a back injury. The Browns opened his practice window October 6, giving him three weeks to return to the active roster. If he remains on injured reserve after that window closes, he cannot play again this season.
“I haven’t heard anything to believe Dillon Gabriel has been lost for the season. In practice, we don’t get to see much — stretching and individual periods,” Ruiter said. “But I haven’t seen anything to lead me to believe he’ll be on injured reserve for the rest of the season. That’s obviously good news for Dillon Gabriel but maybe not such great news for Andrew Berry, who will have to make some tough roster decisions.”
Activating Gabriel without moving another quarterback would leave Cleveland carrying him alongside Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and rookie Taylen Green. It would also require Berry to find room elsewhere on the 53-man roster.
Ruiter did leave open the possibility of a deal before the November 10 trade deadline.
“I think at the outset they’ll keep four and then hope the phone rings,” he said.
Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders Remain Trade Possibilities
Gabriel could still be a trade option, but Sanders could be one too if Berry eventually decides to move a quarterback. Both have NFL starting experience, and neither has an immediate path to the starting job in Cleveland.
The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 draft. He went 1-5 in six starts as a rookie, completing 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. His 80.8 passer rating was better than Sanders’ mark, although Gabriel averaged just 5.1 yards per attempt.
Sanders, a fifth-round pick in the same draft, went 3-4 in seven starts. He completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, finishing with a 68.1 passer rating.
Sanders has served as Watson’s primary backup this season. His recent decision to hire Adie von Gontard of Young Money APAA Sports stirred speculation about a potential trade.
Deshaun Watson Keeps Coming Through Late for Browns
Watson’s late-game production has helped keep Cleveland’s quarterback debate focused on the players behind him. The Browns are 4-2, with Watson directing a fourth-quarter game-winning drive in each victory. His latest came in Sunday’s 13-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens — another game in which Cleveland’s offense struggled before delivering when it mattered.
The Browns managed just 46 net yards in the first half. But Watson connected with Jerry Jeudy for 33 yards on the final possession, setting up Andre Szmyt’s winning 37-yard field goal.
Head coach Todd Monken acknowledged afterward that Watson and the offense needed to improve while pointing to his quarterback’s ability to finish.
“We can play better around him, but he’s just got something in him, the ability to make a play when needed. We just kind of flatten out some of the other ups and downs that we have. And it starts with me, starts with our offensive staff,” Monken said. “That’s going to always be the case. It’s a we thing, not an individual thing.”
Cleveland visits the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, two days before Gabriel’s practice window closes. He hasn’t yet been ruled out but it’s very unlikely the Browns will activate him for that contest.
Browns Predicted to Make Unusual Dillon Gabriel Decision