Browns Roster Update
Cleveland Browns place quarterback Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve and keep three quarterbacks.
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Key Points
1
Joe Royer will remain on the Browns' non-football injury list and is expected to miss at least four games.
2
On cut-down day, Cleveland released a number of players across multiple positions, including cornerbacks Myles Bryant and D’Angelo Ross, along with several others such as Travis Bell, Elijah Chatman, Tyreak Sapp, Luke Floriea, Gage Larvadain, and Kole Wilson.
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Taylen Green is a rookie sixth-round pick, and his roster status remained in limbo as Cleveland evaluated keeping him on the 53-man roster.
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Gabriel’s 2025 season included 937 passing yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions across 10 starts, plus 86 rushing yards, and he suffered a concussion in Week 11 against the Ravens.
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Cleveland has a history of quarterback turnover, having started three QBs last season and seven different starting quarterbacks since the start of 2024.
The Cleveland Browns placed quarterback Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve Wednesday due to a back injury, sidelining the second-year QB for at least four games. NBC Sports reported the move came as the Browns finalized their 53-man roster, keeping three quarterbacks active: Deshaun Watson will start Week 1, Shedeur Sanders backs him up, and rookie Taylen Green rounds out the depth chart.
Gabriel's strong preseason finale — 12 of 15 completions for 186 yards and three touchdowns — had solidified his roster spot just days earlier. Fox Sports confirmed Gabriel would make the squad, but the back injury changes his timeline. He remains on the 53-man roster via IR and could return mid-season after the mandatory four-game window.
Gabriel's Preseason Performance Saved His Roster Spot
Gabriel's final preseason game was a turning point in his bid to stay with Cleveland. Yahoo Sports noted his 12-of-15, 186-yard, three-touchdown outing gave the team confidence to keep him as the third quarterback. The performance came after a week of roster uncertainty as the Browns weighed their quarterback depth and final cuts.
Without that strong showing, Gabriel faced an uphill battle in a crowded QB room. His placement on IR now freezes his immediate playing time but protects his roster status. The move signals the team values Gabriel's long-term potential enough to hold his spot rather than release him outright.
Watson Leads a Familiar Carousel of Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson takes the Week 1 start against Jacksonville after a roller-coaster offseason. Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado star and recent draft pick, serves as the primary backup. The Browns' quarterback situation reflects a broader pattern: they started three different QBs last season and cycled through seven starting quarterbacks since the start of 2024.
The depth chart now reads: Watson (starter), Sanders (backup), Gabriel (IR, eligible to return), and Green (depth option). This three-quarterback active roster keeps options open if Watson struggles or gets injured. Gabriel's ability to return after Week 4 gives Cleveland flexibility mid-season.
Browns' Aggressive Roster Cuts Clear the Way
On cut-down day, Cleveland trimmed multiple players across the roster to hit the 53-man limit. The team released cornerbacks Myles Bryant and D'Angelo Ross, plus defensive depth pieces Tyreak Sapp and Luke Floriea. Offensive contributors Travis Bell and Elijah Chatman also departed, along with others like Gage Larvadain and Kole Wilson.
The cuts freed roster space to keep the three-quarterback setup and maintain depth elsewhere. Notably, Joe Royer remains on the non-football injury list and is expected to miss at least four games. These moves reshape Cleveland's secondary and bench depth for a Week 1 trip to Jacksonville.
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