The Cleveland Browns opened the 2026 season with their annual question marks at quarterback.
Head coach Todd Monken made the understandable, if unpopular, decision to name Deshaun Watson the starter. The plan, at least according to some media members and fans, was that Watson would play poorly in the first two games, opening the door for Shedeur Sanders, the greatest fifth-round draft pick in NFL history, to ride to the rescue in the home opener.
Watson followed the script in Week 1 against Jacksonville,
but began to turn things around the following week against Tampa Bay. And while he has not been consistently good, Watson has certainly been good enough to help the Browns put together a three-game winning streak and reach the top of the AFC North standings.
Even though Watson has put the weekly questions about the starting quarterback to rest, these are still the Browns, which means that general manager Andrew Berry and Monken have another decision to make in the coming weeks.
That is because Dillon Gabriel, last seen playing as the team’s best quarterback (at least by preseason standards), will conclude his four-week stay on the injured reserve list after this week’s slate of games.
Gabriel can stay on the injured reserve list, of course, depending on how severe his “back injury” actually is. But once Gabriel is cleared to practice, the Browns have a 21-day window to either:
- Activate Gabriel to the 53-man roster
- Place Gabriel on season-ending injured reserve
- Trade Gabriel
- Release Gabriel
Again, the Browns don’t have to open Gabriel’s practice window this week, but they also likely can’t push the decision off too long before the player’s union starts to ask questions. So expect that practice window to open sooner rather than later.
From there, it’s anyone’s guess what the Browns will do.
Bringing Gabriel back to the 53-man roster obviously requires opening up a roster spot, either by releasing someone or moving another player to injured reserve. That part is simple enough, but it raises the question of whether or not the Browns have the luxury of carrying four quarterbacks on the active roster.
Placing him on season-ending injured reserve is highly unlikely given that his back injury may have been an injury of convenience when Berry set the initial 53-man roster, as opposed to an actual injury.
Releasing Gabriel, while possible, seems off the table, as Gabriel is at least serviceable as a backup quarterback.
That leaves the option of making a trade, which covers not only Gabriel but Sanders as well, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed out last week:
“I could see if they get the right offer for whoever it is, I think Taylen Green they’d like to keep as a developmental, so it would probably have to be Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel. I am not saying they’re definitely trading; I am saying they have the flexibility. This is very much a value-based team. The Browns are that more than any other.”
There are a handful of teams already dealing with injuries at the quarterback position, so there could be an opportunity for Berry to get something back in return for either Gabriel or Sanders.
For now, it is all just speculation. But soon enough, the Browns will have to open Gabriel’s practice window, and what comes next will start to become clearer.
Bring the Dawg Pound with you on the SB Nation app!
Stay connected with Browns fans through every score, stop and game-changing play.
- Join the live game-day chat
- Enjoy fewer ads
- Seamlessly explore communities and conversations
- Comment and post faster
Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.
