The Cleveland Browns managed their quarterback room at Sunday’s roster cutdown deadline by placing second-year backup Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve with a back injury.
Deshaun Watson, already declared the starter by first-year head coach Todd Monken, is on Cleveland’s initial 53-man roster along with chief backup Shedeur Sanders and rookie Taylen Green.
Gabriel is designated to return from IR but must miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
Gabriel was injured in the 37-13 home win over the New England Patriots on Thursday to close out the Browns’ preseason slate. He played for the first half and was 12 of 15 for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
The 25-year-old had pain Saturday, leading to an MRI examination, ESPN reported.
Gabriel was selected in the third round (94th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Oregon. He was 110-of-185 passing (59.5%) for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions with 19 sacks in 10 games last season. He had an 80.8 passer rating and was 1-5 as a starter.
Cleveland drafted Green, 23, in the sixth round this year out of Arkansas. He was 5 of 7 for 27 yards against the Patriots. He added eight rushing attempts for a game-high 66 yards with a long of 30 in his lone action of the preseason.
Sanders, 24, was picked in the fifth round (144th overall) in 2025 out of Colorado. Sanders was 120-of-212 (56.6%) for 1,400 yards, seven TDs and 10 picks with 23 sacks in eight games and a 68.1 passer rating. He was 3-4 as a starter last season.
Watson, who turns 31 the day after the Week 1 opener on Sept. 13 at Jacksonville, and Sanders competed for the starting job in training camp. They rotated reps with the first-team offense in practice and the first two preseason games.
Cleveland acquired Watson — a three-time Pro Bowl honoree with the Houston Texans (2018-19-20) — prior to the 2022 season. Shortly after the trade, Watson signed a five-year, $230 million contract. But after starting his tenure with the team with an 11-game suspension, he has been hindered by injuries and is just 9-10 as a starter in Cleveland. He hasn’t played more than seven games in any of his four seasons with the Browns.
Watson did not play last season while recovering from two surgeries to repair his Achilles. Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October 2024 and a recurrence of the same injury during rehab prompted a second operation.