QB Dillon Gabriel will reportedly make Browns' 53-man roster

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly going to take three quarterbacks into the regular season on the team's 53-man roster.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday afternoon that second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel was expected to make the 53-man roster.

Gabriel spent the preseason as the No. 3 QB behind Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, who were duking it out for the starting gig.

New head coach Todd Monken named Watson the starter , which made Sanders the presumptive backup. This raised questions about what would happen to Gabriel.

The second-year QB made six starts as a rookie last season as Cleveland looked to see what it had in the 25-year-old. He, like the Browns overall, struggled, and while he was the starter, the team went 1-5.

Gabriel finished the season with 937 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. By comparison, Sanders started seven games in 2025 and led the team to a 3-4 record in that span. He had 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

This will be the second straight year Cleveland has carried three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster into the regular season.

Last year, it was rookies Sanders and Gabriel, along with veteran QB Joe Flacco. After the Browns started 1-3, Cleveland turned to Gabriel in Week 5 before going with Sanders in Week 12.

Monken and the Browns hope that Watson rebounds this season, beginning with his Week 1 start at the Jacksonville Jaguars. If not, it could be another season where Cleveland is glad to have young depth to turn to on the roster.