The Cleveland Browns have their latest big game today as they take on the Tennessee Titans.
A win keeps the Browns in first place in the AFC North Division, while a loss once again raises questions about whether or not Cleveland can be taken seriously as a playoff contender.
Once the dust settles on Week 7’s slate of games, general manager Andrew Berry has a decision to make regarding the quarterback room.
Tuesday brings the end of the 21-day practice window for quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who opened
the season on injured reserve with a back injury. By the close of business on Tuesday, Berry has to determine if the team will:
- Activate Gabriel to the 53-man roster, with a corresponding move to open a roster spot.
- Put Gabriel back on injured reserve, where he will remain for the season.
- Trade Gabriel.
- Release Gabriel.
Complicating the decision, at least slightly, is that Cleveland currently has three quarterbacks on the active roster: Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Taylen Green.
Keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster feels a bit like a luxury, but that is what Berry is reportedly planning to do, according to Mary Kay Cabot at cleveland.com:
The Browns still hope to keep all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster when Gabriel is activated this week, and have enough injuries on the team that a player might land on IR to make room. That means the Browns would keep sixth-round pick Taylen Green on the 53 and try to use him down the stretch in some capacity.
In the event they can’t keep all four, they’d likely try to get Green through waivers and onto the practice squad, but they know it would be risky, especially with so many QB injuries in the league this season.
It will be interesting to see who the sacrificial player is that lands on injured reserve to open a roster spot if the Browns go in that direction.
Right guard Teven Jenkins, who missed the first six weeks with a back injury, was seen as a candidate, but he landed on injured reserve on Saturday to make room for running back Dylan Sampson, so strike him from the list.
As for the pecking order among the four quarterbacks, Sanders will remain QB2, according to Cabot, with Gabriel presumably being QB3 and Green being QB4.
There are also no plans to trade any of the quarterbacks, according to Cabot, unless a team comes through with an offer that Berry “can’t refuse.”
Things move fast in the NFL, so a lot can change between now and decision day, and it will be interesting to see how this all ultimately plays out.
How would you deal with the quarterback room? Let everyone know in the comments!
