Dillon Gabriel is practicing without restrictions, but his return to the Cleveland Browns’ active roster will have to wait.
The Browns ruled Gabriel out Friday for their Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. The second-year quarterback, who is working back from a back injury, was a full participant in all three practices this week.
Gabriel returned to practice last week, beginning a 21-day window for Cleveland to activate him from injured reserve. That clock is already running, but the Browns still have time before they must settle his roster status. Returning to practice does not automatically require a move to the 53-man roster.
With Deshaun Watson starting, Shedeur Sanders backing him up and rookie Taylen Green available behind them, Cleveland has enough depth to avoid rushing that decision. All three remain on the team’s latest depth chart.
Keeping Gabriel on injured reserve through the Ravens matchup allows the Browns to continue evaluating their quarterback situation while postponing the question of how to accommodate a fourth quarterback.
Dillon Gabriel Showed Promise Before Back Injury
Gabriel’s injury came after an encouraging preseason finish. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in Cleveland’s 37-13 victory over the New England Patriots. The performance gave head coach Todd Monken a strong look at Gabriel after Watson had already been named the starter.
“What a great half, happy for him,” Monken said. “Guys played well around him. Certainly took advantage of his opportunity.”
The Browns placed Gabriel on injured reserve with a designation to return on August 30, keeping him in the organization while opening the season with three quarterbacks on the active roster.
Gabriel also brings starting experience. The 2025 third-round pick appeared in 10 games and made six starts as a rookie, completing 59.5% of his passes for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked 19 times and finished with an 80.8 passer rating.
It was uneven but Gabriel’s preseason finale gave Cleveland another reason to continue his development.
Browns Prefer to Keep Crowded Quarterback Room Together
Gabriel’s eventual activation would bring the Browns back to the same roster question they faced at the end of training camp: Can they make room and keep all four quarterbacks?
According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, that remains the preferred outcome.
“They prefer to keep all four QBs. That is the goal right now,” Cabot said.
Cabot acknowledged that circumstances could change before the trade deadline. Keeping everyone would preserve Cleveland’s quarterback depth, but it would also mean committing four spots on the 53-man roster to the position. Gabriel’s return would require the Browns to account for that extra spot, whether by moving someone else on the roster or making a change within the quarterback room.
For now, Cleveland can continue with its existing three quarterbacks against Baltimore. However, a decision on Gabriel will have to come soon.
Browns Make Quarterback Decision Ahead of Week 6