The Cleveland Browns may not have a true NFL starter among the four quarterbacks in the position group, but the franchise is holding onto the entire quartet all the same.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Sunday, August 30 that the Browns wanted to figure out a way to keep sixth-round rookie Taylen Green on the roster. She then reported a few hours later that Cleveland had, in fact, figured a way to do so.
“#Browns QB Taylen Green has made the 53-man roster, source tells clevelanddotcom,” Cabot posted to X.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier in the day that Dillon Gabriel will remain on the roster after putting up a strong showing in his sole start of the preseason against the New England Patriots on Thursday. Gabriel connected on 12-of-15 passes for 186 yards and three TDs.
Daniel Oyefusi, using information gleaned from Fowler’s and Cabot’s reports, then projected that Cleveland will keep all four QBs beyond NFL cutdown day on Sunday, as Deshaun Watson is the starter heading into Week 1 and Shedeur Sanders appears to be his backup.
“Browns rookie QB Taylen Green has made the 53-man roster, per source. (@MaryKayCabot first),” Oyefusi posted to X. “So Cleveland is expected to keep all 4 QBs — Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Green — on its initial 53-man roster.”
Dillon Gabriel Helped His Trade Value in Preseason Start Against Patriots
From a macro perspective, it seems rather silly that the Browns are going to clog up an extra roster spot to keep four quarterbacks, but it makes more sense when examining each individual decision.
Green’s athleticism is off the charts. If he can develop over the next couple of years under Monken, the Browns may have found themselves a diamond in the rough.
Gabriel played well enough in his one real chance during the preseason after earning 10 appearances (six starts) as a rookie that if Cleveland released him Sunday, some team probably would have snapped him up. Instead, the Browns can hold onto Gabriel and try to trade down the road.
Browns May Clear Roster Spot if Deshaun Watson Demoted Early in Season
There is also the possibility that Watson ends up benched. If he loses his job at any point for any reason, that’s probably the end of Watson’s work in a Browns uniform.
Under those circumstances, Gabriel could prove a viable backup to Sanders, who would presumably replace Watson should the Browns bench him or look elsewhere due to injury.
“One way the Browns QB carousel could land: Deshaun fails out the first 2 weeks, Shedeur becomes the starter week 3, Dillon the backup and Green up from the PS to be QB3 with [Watson] going on the restricted list,” Nick Wilson of 92.3 The Fan posted to X. “I could see it happening after the Jags game if [Watson] looks unplayable.”
Head coach Todd Monken shocked some people around the league by naming Watson the starter over Sanders. The fifth-round pick in 2025 started seven games down the stretch last season and currently has the overwhelming majority of support from fans in Cleveland to get another shot in 2026.
It makes no sense for the Browns to trade Sanders or Green this season, while Watson is untradable based on his recent history of injury/poor play and his albatross of a contract.
Meanwhile, cutting Gabriel might be the equivalent of leaving a Day 3 draft pick on the table and/or axing a player who could end up QB2 on the depth chart before September is out.
Browns Make Final Calls on Taylen Green, Dillon Gabriel in Crowded QB Room